Finnz Fundz Pinnz!

So, we're right around the corner of Finn's 11th Birthday next Wednesday. To celebrate his birthday in the past, we have asked for a donation that has matched his age. This year, we are doing something a little different...
We had some fancier pins made of our logo (picture attached, quarter shown for size). I have used one as a tie tack (hint, hint Father's Day).
If you are interested in getting one, please give $6.34 (Finn's birthday is 6/3/04) on the Paypal on this page and include your name and address so we can insure proper receipt. If you would like 2, please give $11 using the same method.

We are not going to be making these pins available through any other website, or be carrying them wherever we go. Please consider raising our visibility and get a cool pin, too!

Upcoming event!

Finnz Funz is hosting the Finnz Fundz February Fun(draiser) event on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 at Legion Bowl in Cranston, RI, from 1pm to 4pm.  Admission for those 13+ is $20, and includes 2 hours of bowling, show rental, and use of pool tables; 12 and under, admission is $10.  No charge for little ones who are not bowling.  Light snacks will be provided.  There is a bar attached to the bowling alley for those who wish to enjoy an adult beverage!  We'll have one of our famous raffles, and t-shirts/sweatshirts for sale as well.

Admission is payable the day of the event.  We accept cash, checks, and credit cards.

Check out the facebook event page here.

SANTACON 2014!

What a great day we had on Saturday!  There's nothing like a big group of Santas walking through the streets of Newport!  At one point, over 150 joined in the merriment.  Over $800 was raised for Finnz Fundz, which will go directly to helping individuals and families affected by Cystic Fibrosis.  Thanks again to everyone for their generosity, and to the Santacon Committee for choosing us as a beneficiary!  Check out all the pictures here.

SANTACON NEWPORT 12/6/14!!!

We are absolutely thrilled that Santa and his merry helpers have picked us as a beneficiary of funds to be raised at Santacon Newport THIS SATURDAY, December 6th. What a great way to celebrate the season while also helping others! The event was even featured on RI Monthly.  Thanks SO much, Santa!

If you, or someone you know, is fighting Cystic Fibrosis and is in need of financial assistance, please email us.

If you are able, please donate and support our work by clicking the paypal button on this page.

Happy holidays! Thank you for helping us help others while celebrating Finn's spirit.

It is #sharkweek! Celebrate by buying a Charity by Design Shark Finn bracelet from Alex and Ani, and share this post across all your social media accounts! Thanks!!!

SO, because of scheduling and logistics, we will not be having an actual party this June (as we have done in the past). This Tuesday, June 3rd, would've been Finnegan's 10th birthday. We would like nothing more for Finn's name and our mission to grow in size and capability. Please SHARE SHARE SHARE our foundation with as many friends as you can. If possible, donate $10 for Finn's 10th and encourage others to do the same (the "Donate" button is on the Facebook page and here at finnzfundz.blogspot.com). Thank You for the support so many of you have shown and given to us and others!

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our fundraiser last night!  We raised $3000.00 to help families fighting CF!

We were able to recognize Alex and Ani for their amazing support of our organization, as well as Michelle & Dave Collette and Charlene Shoener for all they did for us! 

We will have t-shirts ($15/ea, 2/$25) and sweatshirts ($30) for sale, and will ship to our supporters!  If you are interested in ordering, click the donate button on this site, and make note of your size(s) and shipping address (if applicable!). 

We are excited to announce a family-friendly event at Biomes Marine Biology Center in North Kingstown, RI, on Saturday 9/28/13.  $10 adults, $5 kids (3 and under are free!)--includes kids activities, admission to the center and pizza/dessert/snacks.  This is a pay at the door event--no tickets necessary; we will accept checks and credit/debit cards at the event.

Please help us spread the word!  The event is on Facebook here.

In the next few days we will be posting links to all the companies that helped support our event by donating to our fundraiser.  Please help us support those who support us!

Updates, updates, updates

I apologize for slacking on the blog the past several months.  We have been busy raising money and doing outreach, but working on my doctorate got a little in the way!

We can not say "thank you" enough to Alex and Ani--the Charity by Design "Shark Finn" bracelet has been an AMAZING success.  Big thanks go out to all of you who have bought one, shared the bracelet with friends and have continued to support our sales by attending our in store events.

Our most recent in store event in Cranston, RI, raised $1200--including people who shopped in person and our crafty friends who called in their orders to the store during the event.  We have also hosted successful events in Portmouth, NH and Boston, MA.  The store staff have all been amazing--thank you!

So far, Alex and Ani has helped raise about $40,000 (FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!) for our foundation with the Shark Finn bracelet.  Truly, truly amazing.

We continue to be looking for families who need assistance.  We were recently able to help a Warwick, RI native (who is actually from the neighborhood we currently live in!) who received a living donor double lung transplant a few months back.  The family has had to maintain a residence down in North Carolina for the transplant and aftercare, and those every day expenses add up and are not covered by insurance.  It has been amazing to watch her progress since the transplant--she is currently doing very well and we are thrilled to have been able to provide some help.  She received her transplant at Duke, where there are many other CF patients awaiting transplant.  We are hopeful that we can establish a partnership with Duke to help their patients with the every day expenses related to being sent far from home for transplant. 

A big, belated public thank you to the Evans Family Golf Tournament, which raised $4000 for us last year.  We are so thankful to have been your 2012 charity!

We would also like to thank Club Finz, a parrothead club from NH/ME, which also chose us as their 2012 charity and raised several thousand dollars for our efforts.  Our home club, OSPHC (Ocean State Parrothead Club), also gave us a wonderful donation back in March.  In additon, the NHPHC (New Hampshire Parrothead Club) chose us as one of their 2013 charities.  These pholks are truly amazing!!!

Thanks to RI Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for his recent donation as well.  We are thankful for your continued and ongoing support, and we are thrilled that we got to help with your re-election campaign last year by being in one of your commercials.  Thank you for letting us continue to share our story.

The Providence Roller Derby chose us their featured charity at the 5/18/13 bout--a very cool group of kick-ass ladies!  Thanks to Boone's Harm, Bella-trix Lestrangle and Shorts for their assistance and invite!

The support we continue to receive comes from all over...truly a testament to Finn's strength and spirit!

We are hosting our annual fundraiser on Saturday, June 8th this year, at Phenix Sportsmen's Club in West Warwick.  Tickets can be purchased here.  Deadline to purchase tickets in June 3rd, the little man's birthday.  We've got some AMAZING prizes for the raffle this year--items from the Paw Sox, Red Sox, John Medeiros Jewelry (two beautiful jewelry sets), booze (and more booze!), and several sports themed baskets just to name a few.  We had a blast this year and hope you all attend again (and bring friends!).  All the money we raise goes directly to families!

We have ordered more t-shirts and will have them for sale at the event and on-line soon.  An online application for assistance will also be added to the blog soon--in the meantime, those in need of assistance can email (finnzfundz@gmail.com) or call (401-527-1773). 

We really could not have done this without the support of our community of family, friends and beyond.  Truly.  Words are woefully inadequate in expressing how much you all mean to us...and how much it means that you have helped us keep Finn's memory and spirit alive...

Updates coming soon!

An update on the foundation (including how to access assistance), our fundraising and upcoming event is coming very soon!

A big thanks to Alex and Ani for promoting the Shark Finn bangle and our page today!

Thank you to everyone for your continue support!

Alex and Ani night a HUGE success!!!

WOW WOW WOW!!!!  a HUGE thanks to all who came out and supported Finnz Fundz tonight at the Chapel View shopping event!!!!  You all are FABULOUS shoppers!!!!  We don't have a final total yet, but it looks like we raised about $1800 or so for Finnz Fundz!!!!!  We can't say thank you enough!!!  A big props to the store staff and manager Holly for keeping everything running smoothly!!!!!  Thanks to Larry Martinelli for the great music!

Also, want to give a shout out to Club Finz in NH...they continue to raise money for us as we are their charity of the year, and we thank them for the $1700 in checks we received this week!!!

We continued to be humbled by the amazing support of our family, friends, and friends of friends!!!

THANK YOU!

Amazing!!!

We have been lax this summer updating the blog, and we apologize for that!

We have some AMAZING news...

First, the 23rd Evans Open, which happened back in May, raised $4000 for our work!!!!  We are beyond thrilled and so happy that we were chosen as their 2012 charity!!!  BIG thanks to the whole Evans clan, especially Jen, and to all the golfers who came out.

I have heard from Alex and Ani about the sales of the Shark Finn...we were guaranteed to receive a minimum $5000 donation over the next year from the company.  Well, in just the first month of sales, we are already receiving over $5800!!!!  WOW!  HUGE thanks to all who have purchased the bracelet and are spreading the word...that's over 1000 bracelets sold!!!!

We will be hosting Alex and Ani private shopping nights in RI (8/13) and NH (8/27).  Finnz Fundz will receive 15% of the sales from these events.  We continue to be THRILLED to be connected with such an amazing, successful and generous organization!  Can't say enough good things about them!!!!

We are also in touch with three families who potentially need our help!

Alex and Ani video!

The amazing video that Alex and Ani did for the Shark Finn bracelet has been released!

Click here to see the amazingness.  :)

WOW!!!!

A big, giant thank you to all who came out and celebrated Finn's legacy with us on Saturday night...there were about 90 of you present, and we truly appreciate it.  A big thanks as well to all those who made donations to Finnz Fundz but were unable to be there in person.  The night was a big success.  The Phenix Sportsman's Club made us feel very welcome, photographer Amy Ritz donated her time and took amazing pics, and Glenn Stewart and his band rocked the house.  A special thanks to Charlene Shoener for her AMAZING centerpieces!!! And a shout out to Jennie Devoe and her girls night out crew for taking care of the evening's host and hostess.  We were thrilled to have you all with us (including Squirrel from Michigan!) and can't wait for next year's party.  For now, we rest!

And....BIG DRUM ROLL....we raised $3000!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and a little bracelet called the Shark Finn is now available at Alex and Ani online and in their stores.

We know that lots of you went right out and got yours as soon as you could...thank you!  We went and visited the bracelets at three of the Alex and Ani stores here in RI!  20% of the purchase price comes back to Finnz Fundz--we are so lucky to be in partnership with this amazing (and local!) company!!!  Keep an eye out for a video about the release soon!

Once again, THANK YOU to all who love us and Finn, and who continue to support us on this journey!

This weekend!

Our big event on on Saturday!  Can't wait.  The guest list includes some of our very favorite people and we look forward to having a great time!


I know I have mentioned to people that there was going to be an in-store event at Alex and Ani in Newport for the bracelet launch on Sunday. Unfortunately, that won't be able to happen, but be sure to stop in to any of their stores or shop online and get your Shark Finn on 6/3! Can't believe the launch is almost here!

Getting close!

Our big event is now less than two weeks away!  If you haven't gotten your tickets yet but plan to attend, please purchase them ASAP!  We'll be shutting down online ticket sales on Friday, as we need to let the venue know how many people for dinner.  Don't get left out!!!  We want you to come have a great time with us!

We have a DJ and photographer!

wow...it's amazing how quickly the FB universe works. A BIG thanks to Sue Aurelio DeSimone for hooking us up with DJ Shawn Feeny and Jennifer Hartman Cohn for connecting us with photog Amy Ritz (check out her site!). We are SO thankful that both Amy and Shawn have agreed to donate their time for our 6/2 event!!!!! Thanks to everyone who was trying to help us out...we REALLY appreciate it!!!!!

June 2nd event...

We are hard at work on our June 2nd fundraiser.  We have been getting some great donations for our raffle.  If you, your company, or anyone else you know would like to contribute, please let us know!  You can email us at finnzfundz@gmail.com.

Right now, we have a couple of things we specifically need help with.  Does anyone know a DJ that would be willing to donate some time for our event?  We'd love to have music from 6-7:30 in the background as people are eating/buying raffle tickets.  We have a band playing from about 7:30 to 9:30, and would love to do a dance party after the band.  If I had to pick, I would most prefer someone to play music for us after the band...let me know if you know of anyone.

Also, does anyone know someone who would be willing to come to our event and take pictures for us?  Again, ideally looking for no cost.  I didn't get the pictures I wanted to last year because I was so busy the day of the event.

Let me know, and a BIG thanks to everyone who has donated thus far.  We couldn't do it without you!

EXCITING!!!

I had the pleasure of meeting with the Charity by Design team at Alex and Ani on Friday.  While I thought it was just going to be a check in meeting, we were able to sit and talk with the owner of the company, the fabulous Caroline, as well as the whole CBD team.  It was a great experience and we got to talk lots about Finn...always a good thing.  We also got to not only see the "Shark Finn" bracelet, but got to take some home.  The buzz on facebook is amazing...it's a Finnz Fundz Frenzy!

You can get your very own Shark Finn on June 3rd, at Alex and Ani stores and online at www.alexandani.com

Here's what they look like (we LOVE them...)

We are also hard at work on our upcoming event--just a short few weeks away on June 2nd!  Featuring music by Glenn Stewart and a fabulous raffle!  Prizes this year include a Keruig and a Kindle!  For more info and tickets, click here.

Please help us spread the word about the bracelet (20% of each sale comes back to Finnz Fundz!) and our event!  We want to blow the roof off the place!  WOOHOO!!!!!

TICKETS!

Tickets to our 2nd Annual Fundraiser are NOW on sale!  The only way to get tickets this year is online.  We maxed out our capacity last year, and we expect to do the same this year.  Don't miss out on a fun time for a great cause!  We'll be having a buffet dinner, awesome music by Glenn Stewart, and a raffle.  If you came to the event last year, or have ever seen how parrot heads do a raffle, you know this is not a raffle to miss!  There will be a cash bar.

This is an adults only event!  Time for the grown ups to have some fun!

All proceeds raised will help us help children and families fighting Cystic Fibrosis!

Click here for tickets!

Hope to see you there!

events and news!

There will be a launch event for the 23rd Evans open golf tournament on 4/7/12 at Longshots in West Warwick, RI from 2-6pm.  Tickets are $20 and include a buffet and chance at a door prize.  We're very happy to have been chosen as the beneficiary of this event and the golf tournament this year!  

Our Alex and Ani bracelet, called "Finn", will officially be launched on 6/3/12.  We are planning to have an in-store event that day at the Newport, RI location.  We are thrilled to be in partnership with such an amazing company.  Can't wait to see the finished product!!!

We are busy planning the Finnz Fundz annual fundraiser, which will be 6/2/12 at 6pm at the Sportsman's Inn in West Warwick, RI.  We've got some great raffle prizes already lined up, including items from the Boston Bruins and Red Sox, a John Medeiros Jewelry set, a Keruig coffee maker and more!