3-26-08--Please see the team "Thank You" to our donors below. I will be sending this out today or tomorrow to those on our team donor list. I dont have access to the email information for those donating to specific people, so please be sure to send this or your own thank you to those donors. Dear Supporter of The Gates of Evan, When we started the Gates of Evan just about 5 weeks ago, I never expected the fabulous and very widespread support with which we have been blessed. Our original goal was $5,000 and was raised to $10,000 about 3 weeks ago because of the tremendous support our team received. As of today, March 25, our team has brought in donations totaling $16,255. There are still donations being posted each day and many of the corporate matching gifts have not been processed so they are not reflected in the totals. It is very possible that The Gates of Evan will top $17,000 in total funds raised in just 6 weeks time! Outside of the sheer volume of donations, I was very touched to have so many donors, some who knew Evan Gates, and many who did not, participate in the St. Baldrick's event. Having the team be so successful is a great accomplishment for which we can all be proud, but doing so in the name of Evan and in his memory makes the accomplishment very special. Thank you. The Gates of Evan, as of today's writing, was the highest fundraising team for the St. Albert the Great event! Our $16,255 is a substantial percentage of the total $86,500 event dollars raised thus far! Our top fundraising team members are: Joey Schrepferman--$945, The Benitez Boys--$740, Paul Oberst--$668, Thomas Hall--$665. Other notables: Ellie Crecelius cut off 13 inches of her hair for Locks of Love, which uses the hair to make wigs for patients undergoing cancer treatments. Her little brother Will, age 5, decided last minute to become our youngest shavee! If you see, Joey, The Benitez Boys, Paul, Thomas, Ellie, or Will, please thank them for their great work. Our team was not one consisting of corporate sponsors or numbered largely by adults. Out of our total 20 registered shavees, 17 of them are grade school children; please acknowledge them all for their efforts. By shaving their heads as outward support for children undergoing cancer treatments, they immediately become very different looking than the majority of their classmates, and in some cases do so with anticipation. What a powerful statement to the character of these children! If you happen to be a parent, grandparent, or friend of one of them, please make sure they know what a wonderful accomplishment each of them has achieved and the impact their sacrifice and fundraising have made for St. Baldrick's and those children currently undergoing treatment. In closing, Steve Martin says it better than can Thad or I "Wow-Wow-Wow. All I can say is Wow!" -Steve Martin Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 3-15-08--Information for those shaving: you may have your pictures taken for the website if you wish. please see me or Taylor Diebold the day of the event. Please see the information table when you arrive to sign a release for photos. A national Baldrick's photographer will be taking pictures for the national website at our event! 3-11-08--The website is now updated to show Evan as the honored child for the Gates of Evan. I apologize for not getting Evan setup on the website earlier. Please click either link below his picture to access a very touching personal message illustrating why St. Baldrick's unfortunately is needed. 3-11-08--We started the day at $7,900 and at 700p the donations are up to $9,220! I certainly underestimated our supporter's generosity and our shavee's tenacity in raising our goal from $5,000 to $10,000. Please keep raising those dollars and thanking our supporters! 3-5-08--Today we doubled our fund-raising goal to $10,000! We have received such wonderful support in the past weeks so we decided to really challenge ourselves. We have 12 days left until shave day! This picture was taken at the 2007 Baldrick's event held at St. Albert the Great. Trent Schulten, Spencer Allen and Clayton Allen are picture with Diane Gates (Evan's Mom) and Todd Allen.