Gimme 5 Campaign

If you know me, you know I do not normally promote fundraising within my blog. This is an exception. My friend Cindy is an incredible, positive person. I often complain about managing gluten and dairy-free kids. This is nothing compared to what they have to endure. Read the story below and hopefully you will agree. If you can take a minute to even donate $5.00, that would be a big help:

Did you know that giving a tax-deductible donation as little as $5 can help two energetic boys and their family have some piece of mind in their fight against life-threatening food allergies? Carson (age 6) and Benjamin (3) both live with life threatening food allergies. Benjamin was diagnosed with an anaphylactic
allergy to peanuts and almonds, as well as asthma in November 2011 at only 18 months old. Benjamin also has a dairy allergy as well as a severe gluten intolerance. Benjamin’s asthma complied with his life threatening allergies puts him at extremely high risk. Carson was diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to almonds in November 2012 at age 5. Since then our daily lives require emergency medicines in tow at all times. We are never more than an arms length away from the life saving medicine.

Going out to eat as a family has been severely restricted. We currently have two places that we trust. Trips to stores include avoiding isles with peanuts, the bakery and other high risk areas. When we do get invited to birthday parties, it takes multiple conversations with the party planners to ensure there are no nut products to be consumed. As you can see each part of our daily life needs to be mapped out cautiously. It brings a lot of stress an anxiety to precious young boys, who should be carefree.

For the first time these activities are within our reach with the help of an Allergy Alert dog from Angel Service Dogs, Inc. (ASDi) named Gia. An Allergy Alert Dog will add another “defense” against peanuts/almonds that we, as parents, can’t provide. This dog is being trained to sniff out peanuts/peanut oil and almonds/almond oil on items such as a shopping carts, bowling balls, movie theater seats, playgrounds, play areas and common places others would take for granted as being “safe.”

Your donations for Gia will be used to train Gia, fly Carson and Benjamin’s family to Colorado to meet Gia, and have an intensive 10-day training. Any funds received in excess will go to ASDi™ and will be used for training other dogs for families in need.
Your donation is tax deductible whether it is $5, $50 or more. You can donate on-line here or your donations can be made via check to:

Angel Service Dogs, Inc.
3815 Highview Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Thank you in advance!