Everyone donating to this family will be entered in a drawing to win one one of my paintings! 82 people have donated so far! The winner will get a commissioned painting of mine piece equal in value to the amount donated (over $2500 so far)! And if I reach 100 people in the village I will also give away 5 pastel drawings. Only 18 more people to go!

This is a project that I've been working on to help a local family in need. It started as a way to raise money for them to visit family in NC, to visit family that they haven't seen in years, to see a niece that they have never met. But it has become so much more than that!

Not only do they need money for the trip, but they have huge medical bills as well from surviving cancer. Being an artist and my husband being a public school teacher, I often think that money is tight for us. But I have always had friends and family to lean on, a village of my own. I'm trying to create a village for this family. A large village where if each person give just a little it will make a huge difference in their lives. Believe me, they will appreciate every dollar coming their way.

In trying to figure out how I could help them, I contacted friends in Baltimore to see if they could stay with them at least one way and they were too busy with the holidays but offered to pay for a hotel for them to stay in. My friend was absolutely blown away by their generosity! What an amazing gift! Since then I've had a graduate student at Yale donate $3 because that is all they had to spare. $70 from a professor there, $100 from an artist friend that lives in Ohio, $20 in cash from my neighbor. Each with the intention of helping this family. In addition... A friend with very little somehow got enough money together to buy the child a Nintendo DS to have for Christmas, as otherwise he wouldn't have any presents. And I cleaned up my old French easel for the child and filled it with art supplies. The owner at the local art store pitched in a drawing pad as the child loves to draw. And on and on....

Anything that any of you can send would make a huge difference. Just think that if everyone I knew gave them $1 how much that would add up to! I would easily make my target and make this family incredibly grateful. Please consider this donation to a family in need during this time of giving. As I look at all the presents I bought for my son, I think to myself, could I bring one back and give the money to this family.

What I have the most to give is my art, so everyone that gives to this family will be entered in a drawing to win one of my paintings. Go to www.MarleneRye.com to see what I do.

If you want to donate but don't want to do it online, you can also mail your donation directly to me and I will include you in the drawing! I'm at 116 Straw Ave, Florence, MA 01062.