Blue Hydrangea Tea Party

Our New Logo!

Jennie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:50:40 +0000

As we did last year, we will provide car decals for your tea party guests, when you host a Blue Hydrangea Tea Party event. Please email Jennie@BHTP.ORG with your request. As always, we thank you for your support of the BHTP Ovarian Cancer Awareness Campaign!

2010 Marks Our Fifth BHTP Campaign!

Jennie — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:00:12 +0000

It is very rewarding to look back on the past 4 years…To think that this annual campaign began with a simple email is quite amazing! For our anniversary we’d like to introduce a new mission. Two for Tea™ is a ministry arm of the Blue Hydrangea Tea Party™ campaign. Through this outreach ministry we would like to offer a little comfort to women battling ovarian cancer. We are putting together care packages that will be available upon request. Simply email Jennie@BHTP.ORG to request one for yourself or for someone you know, who is battling the disease.

Returning hostesses may notice a new look to our website. We have simplified the site and, in doing so, have eliminated the online registration process. The responsibilities that come with fundraising have caused us refocus our mission. We will continue to promote the tea parties as a way to share the ovarian cancer awareness message. But, we will leave the fundraising details for you to work out with the organization you wish to support. And, we strongly encourage you to consult with them in advance. Many of you already have a working relationship with an organization and can continue to raise funds for this organization, as you have in the past. As always, ovarian cancer organzations are welcomed to use our concept in their fundraising efforts. And, we still want to hear about the wonderful events you host…Please continue to share your photos and the details of your events at the Blue Hydrangea Tea Party Community site!

If you are on Facebook, be sure to look for Blue Hydrangea Tea Party™ and become one of our fans to receive our posts! There has been an explosion of activity at this social networking site and it is a great way to spread the word about our awareness tea parties.

Once again, we would like to thank you for your support…The success of this campaign is yours. We raise our tea cups to you!
~Jennie & Elizabeth

Ovarian Cancer Chatter

Jennie — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:22:54 +0000

A fascinating article about ovarian cancer can be found at the Wall Street Journal online. Please read Toward Earlier Detection Of Ovarian Cancer.

Tea Parties Holding Steady in 2009!

Jennie — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:37:16 +0000

As we embarked upon our fourth year of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party events, I had no idea what to expect - what with the sudden decline in the economy and approaching the worst unemployment numbers since 1982. The reality is that many people are having difficulty making ends meet and those who have extra money are wisely holding on to it…”just in case.” However, I kept holding on to the fact that, in the midst of that horrible job market of 1982, my then future husband found a great job right out of college and only a few months before we were to walk down the aisle! Although I had no expectations for breaking any records this year with our ovarian cancer awareness tea party fundraisers, I believe now that this campaign is as strong as ever, maybe even stronger in many ways.

What I have noticed this year, as the totals have come in, is the increase in larger single-party totals. This is encouraging, because it supports our belief that when we work together and focus our efforts, we CAN make a significant difference in the national landscape of ovarian cancer awareness. We are far from nationally known, but we continue to broaden our circle of awareness, consistently adding new states each year. More and more women across the country are becoming familiar with and attending Blue Hydrangea Tea Party events, which means that more women are hearing the vital message about ovarian cancer in the process!

This year we registered 10 events and received reports from 8 of them. These reports are as follows:

The Historic Shopping District of La Grange, Kentucky, sponsored their 2nd BHTP event and raised $5292 for the OAK

The Melanie Finley Ovarian Cancer Foundation once again held an event in Florida which raised $2000. Another event in Pennsylvania raised $2,400, as well. These donations will benefit their foundation work.

Candy Carberry, of New York, hosted her annual event and raised a record $2000 for the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry.

Missi LaFave, of Michigan, hosted her 2nd BHTP event, raising $1950 for the Alpena Cancer Center.

Blanche West and her group at the River Valley Chapter of the NOCC, in Arkansas, held their 2nd BHTP event and raised $814 for their agency’s work.

Vickie Arnold and her fellow committee members at Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Tennessee, raised $600 for the Middle Tennessee NOCC.

Janet Prince, of South Carolina, hosted an event that raised $580 for the SCOCF-Riverbanks Region, which is affilicated with the OCNA.

The Camp/McCune/Hudgins family, of both Carolinas contributed $225 to the SCOCF, a partner member of the OCNA.

Ladies, I think this may be our finest hour!! Last year, 11 registered parties raised $16,346. This year, we have 8 parties reporting, with 2 outstanding, but we can already see that at $15,861 we will likely hold fairly steady for this year. The bottom line is that we didn’t lose any ground, despite the current economic decline!

Now, if you hosted a BHTP event this year and do not see your results posted here, PLEASE let me know. It would be my absolute delight to post a new total that surpasses last year! Email a synopsis of your event to jennie@BHTP.ORG .

Thanks so much to all of you who invest in the mission of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party. And, say a special prayer for those not known to you who are walking through very difficult times in treatment of this disease. It is a humbling thing to stand in the path of a killer. May we continue to come alongside and stand with those doing battle with ovarian cancer. Deo Volente! ~Jennie

Who’s At YOUR Tea Party?

Jennie — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:31:24 +0000

Party Profile: Sundae Tea, South Carolina
Hostesses:
Barbara Miles, Annette Lawton, Freddia Bartless, and Rebecca Marino
Thirty guests put their diets on hold to attend this ice cream sundae Blue Hydrangea Tea Party event in our hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina! The group was made up of both men and women and included Elizabeth and her dad. There were various toppings, whipped cream, and - of course - cherries to top off each sundae creation. Barbara reports that this idea was “a great hit with everyone.” These creative hostesses also served iced tea, along with “calorie-free” (wink, wink) cookies. This event took place over the summer, in August, so it was a lovely idea for a summer BHTP event. The guests made donations to the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation and their grand total was $1095. Great idea, ladies, and congratulations on a successful event! Our sincere thanks to all those who donated to this worthy ovarian cancer awareness organization located in Greenville, SC.

Elizabeth writes about attending this party:
“It was a beautiful, warm, sunny, blue-sky day and such a joy to catch up with church friends, long-time family friends, and become acquainted with unfamiliar but friendly faces. So many of these people have now come together as a yearly tradition to take part in the Blue Hydrangea Tea Party concept. As the sun shined brightly through the windows, everyone mingled throughout the kitchen and den. The kitchen table was decorated with beautiful blue hydrangeas, cookies and snacks. The tea station was stocked with clear pitchers and a wide assortment of teas. And, then there was the ice cream…nothing like an ice cream buffet! There were so many toppings available that it almost seemed necessary to go back for seconds, or at least that seemed like a good excuse. Smiles were abundant as people created their favorite kind of sundae. Pamphlets were available to provide information about ovarian cancer awareness.

A glance around the room reflected many whose lives have, in some way, been affected by cancer. I was touched by one woman’s strength as I spoke with her about her recent diagnosis. She was one of my Sunday school teachers, when I was in the first grade, and she had also worked with my grandmother. I was saddened to see what she was going through. I hope I was able to offer her encouragement, even as I fought back my own the tears. Today, as I think back to that conversation with this sweet lady, I also think of my mom who is always in my heart. I wish I had shared a quote that has stayed with me since the time I shared it with Mom. The quote actually had come from a church sign and seemed so fitting: “Do what you can…God will do what you cannot.”

There were light-hearted moments, as well. A few women in the group were chatting about their upcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The topic of discussion was the luggage limitation they would have. I can still hear the laughter, as they were trying to convince one woman that she could not plan to accessorize and have a different pair of shoes to wear with every outfit! I am not sure if they were able to persuade her to keep it to the basics. They were all looking forward to this journey together.

The laughter of the small children in attendance was such a blessing to see. They were busy in their own little world of fun, running from one room to the next, fueled by the sundaes they had eaten! They were releasing lots of energy and would soon be heading to nap-time.

A couple of ladies arrived toward the end of the gathering. They had both been out of town for a wedding and planned to get back in time to make it to the party. They were truly loyal to add this to the agenda for the weekend. One of these women had recently found out that her daughter has breast cancer. She had been spending time with her beautiful grandchildren, while the daughter and her husband traveled to appointments. This mother’s eyes showed such courage and faith.

Dad really enjoyed the day with these great friends, and as he and I left, we felt so comforted by the many people we are so blessed to have in our lives. Just as the toppings came together to make a delicious sundae on this warm day, so, too, did a group of people to support a wonderful organization…and each other. Thank you to all of the hostesses and those in attendance who made this such a special day. May God Bless each of you and keep you in His care.”

Party Profile: River Valley Chapter, NOCC
Hostess: Blanche West (contact person)
Blanche registered this event after receiving one of our brochures! She shared with me that this chapter of the NOCC was created the year before and that it had come out of her own loss. Blanche’s sister-in-law died from ovarian cancer and it was in the spirit of her desire to “do something” that Blanche, herself, took on this cause. She said that her sister-in-law wanted to educate women about ovarian cancer, because she had not been informed and wasn’t suspicious of her own symptoms, until it was too late. The organization uses the Queen Elizabeth rose as their symbol, because this flower was Blanche’s sister-in-law’s favorite. “The flower parallels a woman’s being,” she says. Blanch says that “the green of the plant signifies woman’s growth and life itself; the lovely hot-pink bloom represents the beauty of womanhood; the thorns remind us of woman’s sufferings.”

This event was held at the Reynolds Cancer Support House and Dr. Kris Gast, a local radiation oncologist, spoke to the group. There was entertainment by Tonya Jackson. Door prizes were presented and each guest received a gift bag with an ovarian cancer bracelet, lapel pin, car magnet, and educational literature. Blanche and her group worked very hard to create a lovely day for their guests and many others donated items and services for the event, as well. The RCSH offered the use of their facilities and the menu included sandwiches, potato salad, pasta salad, chips, fresh veggies with dill dip, fruit, and “super-yummy” homemade desserts prepared by the NOCC members! Of course, there was tea, as well…a variety of hot teas and iced tea…and coffee.

Blanche writes of this event:
“We decorated the tables with pastel blue cloths and teapots of all sorts. The teapots held silk hydrangeas, and a local florist donated a beautiful blue hydrangea centerpiece for the buffet - and then it was given for a door prize, too. A photographer was on hand to capture the occasion by making pictures of anyone who wanted one. Of course, a live blue hydrangea was used in the setting.

One of the ladies undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer and four of her five sisters and her brother traveled some miles to attend, as well as a couple of nieces and one of her co-workers, whose daughter had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They filled up one whole table! One of her sisters offered a heart-felt, heart-warming invocation for the gathering, which set the tone for the day. We also recognized all the NOCC members, including a woman in her eighties, who is a 31yr survivor!

A remembrance table held little name tents so folks could write the name of a loved one, place a picture, and light a votive candle in memory or in honor of them. Later in the program each name was called. A NOCC table-top display was used as the backdrop for that table.

We hadn’t planned to really use this event as a fundraiser but to promote awareness of ovarian cancer; however, people began to ask how they could make a donation and wondered aloud who was collecting money! We had plain white envelopes that we used for that purpose….We received donations in the amount of $1615!! When it came time to leave, folks just hung around, still wanting to visit, even in the face of an impending thunderstorm - now, that’s a sure sign of success! The party provided a bonding experience for our group, and we made some new friends, as well, even learning some new and important information about ovarian cancer.”

We were blessed with an amazing response last year! Below are some other highlights from BHTP 2008-

Lisa Sutton, New York
Lisa is a friend of our very first BHTP hostess, Candy Carberry. After attending Candy’s awareness tea parties for two consecutive years, she decided that it was time to broaden the circle of awareness and registered to host her own tea party! Lisa really put her creativity to work….First she initiated a “Dress Down Day” at her school on the Friday before her tea party to raise awareness for her beneficiary. Her co-workers made donations to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, and she gave car magnets as gifts to those who made a donation of $10 or more. Then, she hosted guests at her home. With their donations combined with those of her colleagues, she raised a total of $565. Lisa, you amaze us with your energy!!

Kathy Church, South Carolina
Kathy and her daughter, a student at UNC – Chapel Hill, invited a small group of young women to enjoy tea and fellowship. It was a special day for these friends, home from college! Together they raised $390 for their beneficiary, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Kathy’s party is a good example of one of the many goals we hope to accomplish with Blue Hydrangea Tea Party – bringing younger women into the circle of awareness. Our best wishes to Kathy and her daughter!

Amanda Beachboard, Delaware
Mandy learned of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party from Tea Time. She decided that she’d like to be a hostess and worked for months on her BHTP event! She diligently pursued the details to a very successful conclusion, hosting 11 ladies at her tea party. She reports that “it was awesome!” We are very appreciative to Mandy and her guests, who donated $225 to the NOCC-DE.

S.C.O.C.F. – Riverbanks Region, South Carolina
Jane Williams, board member of S.C.O.C.F., welcomed apx 70 guests to a BHTP event at Sterling Hall in Columbia, SC. Along with other supporters, Jane, Diana Neglia, and Cathy Novinger (chair) planned a lovely event, which included door prizes. There was great food by Dupre’s, entertainment and inspiration, along with education! Meredith Anderson, of SC Oncology Associates, explained the origin of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party to those gathered. The event was sponsored by South Carolina Oncology Associates and SCOA Cares Foundation and it raised $2100 for the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation – Riverbanks Region.

Blue Hydrangea Tea Party 2009 is well underway, and we are pleasantly surprised with the level of participation this year, given the current economic climate. As the days begin to count down, our excitement builds and we await the results of this year’s BHTP events! We wish you all much success with your parties and encourage anyone who is interested to get involved at some level. Remember that there is no rule book…Your party should reflect YOU!! Some may wish to choose alternate dates that are more convenient for them. Regardless, we ask that all BHTP events be registered through the online registration form…just include the alternate date you’ve chosen in the “Comments” section. Remember, too, that the Ning site is there for you to share your photos and video from your BHTP events, as well as your experiences and expertise. You do not have to be a hostess to join and participate in the Blue Hydrangea Tea Party Community. It has been so much fun making friends and getting to know those who have already signed on! We want this site to be an uplifting place that brings joy to those who visit and participate. Thank you so very much for your support - our hostesses are at the center of what makes BHTP successful~

Jennie

Introducing Our Official BHTP Logo!

Jennie — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:12:48 +0000

BHTP.ORG and Other Updates:

Jennie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:46:21 +0000

As we have worked for a broader recognition of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party, we have learned a few things about PR and marketing! We live in a very fast-paced world, filled with all sorts of visual advertising in almost every aspect of our day to day living. Everyone with something to say or sell has a catchy slogan or memorable logo to help their audiences associate them with their product or cause. And, we are no different. In an effort to make it easier for people to identify our web address at a glance, we are moving toward BHTP.ORG as our visual identity. We will, of course, still be known as Blue Hydrangea Tea Party. The website will still be accessable through the current addresses, bluehydrangeateaparty.org and bluehydrangea.org. We will simply add BHTP.ORG to the mix. We would like to thank our webmaster/techie angel, Michael Weaver of TminusZero, for his help in this process! Please notice the change to info@BHTP.ORG as our new email address.

Secondly, we are very excited to announce that soon we will be unveiling our official logo! Our graphic artist/angel is working on the finishing touches, and we are most grateful to her for her work. Colleen Coletta of Design Studio C, who is the artist responsible for the website graphics and printable invitation found at the website, has created a perfect logo that ties Blue Hydrangea Tea Party with ovarian cancer awareness. Stay tuned…We can’t wait to share the finished product!!

Finally, we encourage our hostesses to sign on to the Blue Hydrangea Tea Party Community. Here each hostess can set up a page and post pictures and video from their BHTP event for all community members to enjoy! Only those signed up at this site can post pictures and video. If, for some reason, you don’t wish to sign up but would like for us to post your photos and videos, we’ll see if we can do that for you. But, the community offers a chance for more interaction about ovarian cancer awareness and tea party topics among the individuals participating. We have members who have expertise in these areas. They can post blogs and you can ask them questions, as well. Only members can see the various blogs and questions/comments on individual pages. Visitors can only see the main page and we have blocked certain information from appearing on the main page. This year we hope that you will assign someone to help you with photos and video at your parties. And, by all means, consider blogging about your events on your own individual pages at the community site. These are such joyful events and they are uplifting to ovarian cancer patients and their families. Please share what you are doing on their behalf.

Ladies, women are losing the battle with ovarian cancer too often. And, it is such a tough battle. The treatment protocols can be extremely debilitating and discouraging. Please help, if you can, by hosting an awareness event to support an ovarian cancer agency in your area. Remember that these organizations, the beneficiaries of your guests’ individual donations, offer emotional and educational support to women with ovarian cancer, as well as make healthy women aware of ovarian cancer risks and symptoms. These non-profit agencies need the financial support we can give them through BHTP events. Your tea party event can be in honor or in memory of someone, or you can simply use your event as a way to promote support and fellowship among women in general. BHTP events are growing in popularity, that’s for sure! These events prove to be delightful for those attending and are talked about over and over for the wonderful memories they evoke. We’d like to say “Thank You” to all our hostesses and the many, many guests who have attended BHTP events over the past 3 years. Your contributions to the cause of ovarian cancer awareness are recognized and appreciated. Please encourage others to follow your example. We raise our tea cups in salute to you and in recognition of the 4th year of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party!

Elizabeth & Jennie

Blue Hydrangea Tea Party 2009 Underway!

Jennie — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:57:19 +0000

Well, we have welcomed the new year and already we have our first tea party registration for 2009…..That is good news, since everyone is cautious about the economy. It is my hope that even in these difficult days, we can find a way to continue to move forward with our fundraising tea parties for ovarian cancer awareness. I know that all of you can get rather creative with your events, so I’m sure you will amaze me again this year, despite the bad news we are hearing about our economic future.

I hope you will join me in fostering a renewed sense of community among ovarian cancer survivors and their families and friends. It is an opportunity for us all to embrace the spirit of Blue Hydrangea Tea Party, even if we can’t devote as much financial support to the cause. Please do not be discouraged from participating, because of the fear of small donations or hosting costs….I have always said that you can be as casual or as elaborate as you wish! You might even share the burden of the hostess’ duties and costs by coming together “potluck” style!

Elizabeth and I look forward to sharing the “Party Profiles” from last year’s events, as we move closer to May 9, 2009! Remember that Blue Hydrangea Tea Party is a fundraising vehicle; we do not accept donations. Learn more about our concept by clicking through all of the sections located here at the website. We ask that you follow the guidelines that we’ve outlined and, by all means, call or email us with any questions. Please note that there have been some changes to our contact information. We are no longer using a post office box, with so much of what we do revolving around email interactions. There is a link here at the website for email messages. If there is a need to use postal mail, you may contact us for a mailing address. Also, please note that you may now reach me at (803) 261-4439.

We look forward to hearing from you!
Jennie

Welcome to the BHTP After-the-Parties Party!

Jennie — Mon, 26 May 2008 18:47:54 +0000

It’s a celebration here at Blue Hydrangea Tea Party, as we look at the reports that have come in from all of the BHTP events…We are so pleased with this year’s response and with achieving, yet another, milestone - This year we broke records for both attendance and contributions!

We had several large events, which boosted our overall attendance record. This year we can say that hundreds of women participated in Blue Hydrangea Tea Party events in 2008. We can also safely say that financial contributions to various ovarian cancer awareness agencies were at a record high. In this year alone, we have matched the total amount contributed in the first two years (2006 and 2007). We are only slightly shy of doubling our total from last year. In 2007, our grand total was $8470 and for 2008 we are holding at $15,050! If there are ladies who would like to host summer events, we will add their totals to this year’s grand total and hopefully get closer to another record. But, this steady increase each year is so encouraging to us. We are humbled. We’d like to thank those who served the cause of ovarian cancer awareness with their time, energy, and financial support! Here are the results as they have been reported:

April 20, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor and volunteer for Ovarian Cancer Awareness of Kentucky (O.A.K.), Cindy Adams, chaired the committee for a progressive tea party in the historic shopping district of LaGrange, Kentucky. 100% of each donation of $10 or more went to the O.A.K. Cindy reports that they raised $2,370. They hope to make this a yearly event. Great work, Cindy!

May 3 - 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor, Missy Lafave, donated a portion of her sales at The Marketplace at Alpena, to the Alpena Cancer Center, in Alpena, Michigan. She also collected donations from customers in her week long “tea party.” The combined total was $2,136. The event was so warmly embraced that she hopes to do it again next year! Missy reports that the event was more successful than she had expected, and she was humbled by the support of her customers. Thank you, Missy - another creative way to raise awareness for ovarian cancer!

May 3, 2008
Amanda Beachboard hosted a tea party in Delaware to benefit the NOCC - Delaware Division. She reports that “it was awesome!” Eleven ladies attended and they raised $225. Thank you so much, Mandy, for getting involved to bring other women into the “circle of awareness.” Kudos to you!

May 9, 2008
The Tiara Tea Society Chairperson, Regina Gately, planned and hosted an event in conjunction with the Community Association Management of Sun City in Huntley, Illinois, to benefit the NOCC - Illinois Division. Over 200 women attended and proceeds from the event totaled $2,250. Regina is already thinking about next year - Bravo!

May 9, 2008
The Riverbanks Region of the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation (a partner member of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance/OCNA) was the beneficiary of an event sponsored by South Carolina Oncology Associates and the SCOA Cares Foundation. Dianne Neglia, Jane Williams, and the other members of the BHTP committee of the SCOCF-Riverbanks Region and Meredith Anderson of SCOA and the SCOA Cares Foundation worked for months behind the scenes to prepare for this event, which was open to the public. It was held at 12:00noon at The Hall (formerly Sterling Garden Center), 320 Senate St., Columbia, SC and raised $2,100 for the SCOCF-Riverbanks Region. Congratulations on this successful event and we hope that it brings great benefit to the women in your area!

May 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor and “veteran” hostess, Candy Carberry, hosted her annual tea party in New York to benefit the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry . This year Candy nearly doubled her normal thousand dollar donation to this agency! To date, she reports that they raised $1,900. Candy’s guests have donated nearly four thousand dollars in the three years she has been a BHTP hostess. Candy, this is quite a record -Thank you for your dedication to us and to the GRFOCR!

May 10, 2008
Lisa Sutton, a “former-tea-party-guest-turned-hostess,” hosted a tea party in New York to benefit the OCNA. Including some outside donations, the guests who attended her party contributed to the $565 total that will go to her beneficiary. Lisa used creative methods to secure these donations and we are lucky to have her working on behalf of ovarian cancer awareness!

May 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor, Melanie Finley, hosted a tea party in Florida to benefit a newly formed foundation there. They raised $1000. We look forward to hearing details from your party, Melanie. Great job!

May 10, 2008
Diana Fierro hosted a gathering of friends in New York to benefit Gilda’s Club of White Plains and raised $500 for them. Thanks for your support, Diana!

May 10, 2008
Blanche West and her group at the River Valley chapter of the NOCC hosted a community event at the Reynolds Cancer Support House in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The event drew just over 60 people and raised $1615 for the NOCC. A share will go to the local cancer support organization to be used for ovarian cancer awareness. We can’t wait to share the details of this wonderful day in Fort Smith. Super leadership, Blanche!

May 10, 2008
Kathy Church and her daughter hosted a Mother-Daughter tea party in South Carolina to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. The younger women, home from college, and their mothers raised $390 for their beneficiary, the OCRF. We’re especially happy to hear that these young women are getting involved in ovarian cancer awareness - Congratulations on a successful party!

We will update this listing as we receive information. Included in our overall total was a $200 donation to the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation made by the family of Ann Camp McCune, in whose memory Blue Hydrangea Tea Party was established.

As we look forward to the summer season, we will post information regarding ovarian cancer awareness, as well as Blue Hydrangea Tea Party. We encourage you to share your thoughts on the subject of ovarian cancer. We have a category that we call Ovarian Cancer Chatter, where we post information you provide to us regarding this disease or the other efforts out there to raise awareness about it. Awhile back, we shared that we had participated in the Handbags for Hope event held by an agency in South Carolina (the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation). We will participate, again, this year and will bring you information on that, as we receive it. So, please feel free share other information with us that might be helpful to the cause of ovarian cancer awareness or to ovarian cancer patients. We’d be happy to provide links to helpful websites, as well.

Thank you for a great year and we look forward to hearing from those of you who’d like to host Blue Hydrangea Tea Party events over the summer!
With much appreciation~
Elizabeth & Jennie

Who’s At YOUR Tea Party?

Jennie — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:07:42 +0000

Party Profile: Mother-Daughter Tea, Texas
Hostesses, Patty Smith; Mary Sebolt; and Christy Flanigan
For Christy and her two aunts, Mary and Patty, the idea of hosting a Blue Hydrangea Tea Party event felt right. They had lost Christy’s mother, Vivian, the sister of Mary and Patty, to ovarian cancer in 2005. But, as Christy tells us, the connection went a tad farther. The blue hydrangea was the favorite flower of Christy’s grandmother - Vivian, Mary, and Patty’s mother. So, Christy explained, “this was meant for us to do!” Their party was a Mother-Daughter Tea. There were crafts for the daughters to make for Mothers’ Day, so “the girls had as much fun as the moms!” Christy said. They raised $570.00 for the NOCC’s Dallas/Fort Worth division. Christy reported that the event was “all in all a big success.” We loved this idea and hope that others will want to do the same. What fun!! Congratulations to these ladies on a successful party!

Party Profile: Office Tea, Michigan
Hostess, Robin Mosher
A small party is still better than no party at all is what we always say! And, a successful party in spite of a few obstacles is even better, because it’s a great lesson in perseverance. At this party, not even an unexpected glitch could dampen a great time. Robin reported that they had planned for a larger crowd. But, she said, “illness kept a whole group away.” Six guests DID attend, though, and their enthusiasm for Blue Hydrangea Tea Party was strong! Robin’s party raised $100, earmarked for ovarian cancer that went to the American Cancer Society. We commend this group for going forward with the party when they could have cancelled! As we told Robin, “just remember that it’s $100.00 more than they (the ACS) had the day before!!” If there’s one thing we’ve learned along the way, it is never be afraid to try. If you do nothing you’re assured to fail. Way to go, Robin!

Party Profile: Memory Tea, South Carolina
Hostesses, Monty Richardson; Linda Anderson; and Judy Mitchell
In our hometown in upstate South Carolina, there is an elementary school where Ann (Elizabeth’s mother/Jennie’s sister) was an assistant in the preschool for many years. The school has been so kind to remember Ann in very special ways. They created a lovely garden and held a ceremony to dedicate it to her memory, in the years after her death. For the last two years, the faculty and staff have participated in a Blue Hydrangea Tea Party event, in memory of Ann, in the school’s teachers’ lounge. They do this as a “drop-in” so that teachers and other staff can come in when they have a break. They set up a memory board with pictures of Ann and have ovarian cancer awareness literature available, as well. Last year, they took a cue from one of our other hostesses and had door prizes! In the two years they have done this they have raised $360.00 for the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation. We are very appreciative of all of the kindnesses shown to our family and to Ann’s memory by this special group of people. We raise our tea cups to you!

As May 10, 2008 nears and we find ourselves giddy with anticipation for what this year will bring, we would like to thank all of our hostesses for their support. If you’ve ever hosted a tea party for us, you are part of the success of this event. We reflect on the past three years with awe and thanksgiving for the amazing grace shown us. It is, indeed, a blessing to make a difference in this life. We are grateful for the opportunity! We hope that those who want to get involved with ovarian cancer awareness and research will do so by volunteering to host a tea party - We are ALWAYS eager to register parties, even for alternate dates. So, don’t hesitate to contact us with your ideas for your very own Blue Hydrangea Tea Party event! And, as always, contact us with your questions. We hope you will all stay tuned to the blog for the results of our efforts, as we go forward. We have a great group of hostesses this year, who are creatively preparing to inspire their guests - To them we send our best wishes. You are the folks who make things happen out there on the front lines, so to speak. Without your willingness to get involved our concept would be a fundraising vehicle with no wheels! We look forward to hearing from each of you after the crumbs have been swept away and the tea cups are safely stored. Please remember to include your donation total, a few details from the day, and some digital photos that we might share here at the website blog. Thank you, again, for your gracious hospitality, ladies!

Many thanks to the women who have planned the following Blue Hydrangea Tea Party events for this year~

April 20, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor and volunteer for Ovarian Cancer Awareness of Kentucky (O.A.K.), Cindy Adams, chaired the committee for a progressive tea party in the historic shopping district of LaGrange, Kentucky. 100% of each donation of $10 or more went to the O.A.K. Cindy reports that they raised $2,370. They hope to make this a yearly event. Great work, Cindy!

May 3 - 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor, Missy Lafave, will donate a portion of her sales at The Marketplace at Alpena, to the Alpena Cancer Center, in Alpena, Michigan.

May 3, 2008
Amanda Beachboard will host a tea party in Delaware to benefit the NOCC - Delaware Division.

May 9, 2008
The Tiara Tea Society Chairperson, Regina Gately, has planned an event in conjunction with the Community Association Management of Sun City in Huntley, Illinois, to benefit the NOCC - Illinois Division.

May 9, 2008
The Riverbanks Region of the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation (a partner member of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance/OCNA) will be the beneficiary of an event sponsored by South Carolina Oncology Associates and the SCOA Cares Foundation. Dianne Neglia, Jane Williams, and the other members of the BHTP committee of the SCOCF-Riverbanks Region and Meredith Anderson of SCOA and the SCOA Cares Foundation have been working diligently behind the scenes to prepare for this event, which is open to the public. It will be held at 12:00noon at The Hall (formerly Sterling Garden Center), 320 Senate St., Columbia, SC.

May 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor and “veteran” hostess, Candy Carberry, will host a tea party in New York to benefit the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry .

May 10, 2008
Lisa Sutton, a “former-tea-party-guest-turned-hostess,” will host a tea party in New York to benefit the OCNA.

May 10, 2008
Ovarian cancer survivor, Melanie Finley, will host a tea party in Florida to benefit a newly formed foundation there.

May 10, 2008
Diana Fierro will host a tea party in New York to benefit Gilda’s Club of White Plains.

May 10, 2008
Blanche West and her group at the River Valley chapter of the NOCC will host a community event to be held at the Reynolds Cancer Support House in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

May 10, 2008
Kathy Church will host a Mother-Daughter tea party in South Carolina to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

On the Saturday before Mothers’ Day this year, the family of Ann Camp McCune, in whose memory Blue Hydrangea Tea Party was established three years ago, will gather in Columbia, SC, for their annual luncheon to benefit the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation. We will be thinking of Ann, our hostesses and their guests, other families affected by death from ovarian cancer, and ovarian cancer survivors everywhere! May we all come to understand better the insidious nature of this disease and fight for early detection for the future.

With much appreciation to our tea party hostesses, past and present, and all of their guests~
Jennie & Elizabeth