Matteo's Dream Fund, Bay Area Benefit - JOIN US!!

Two years ago I swore that I would do something to pay tribute to Matteo's life and help other children who are sick.

Today, I am proud to announce that we have planned our very first benefit event. And, I am equally proud to unveil the most perfect, beautiful logo designed for Matteo's Dream Fund. Matteo's profile is used in the design, and it includes a balloon and the moon... both of which have significant meaning to our family and Matteo.

Here are our event details - please join us!!
WHAT: Matteo's Dream Fund - Bay Area Benefit, dinner & silent auction
DATE: Saturday, August 6, 2011
TIME: 6:30-9:30pm
WHERE: Pedro's Restaurant & Cantina in Los Gatos, CA
WHY: ALL proceeds from this event will be donated to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, CA, where Matteo was born 3.5 years ago, and where he had ear tubes put in 27 months ago.
TICKET DETAILS: Tickets are $42.50 and include a 3 course dinner, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, 1 raffle ticket, access to an exclusive selection of silent auction items, and a $15 donation to Packard Children's Hospital. Cash bar. Tickets can be purchased at the door - but please RSVP!
Two options to RSVP:
1. Send email indicating # of people to: jodimartino2002@yahoo.com
2. RSVP quickly & easily by visiting the Matteo's Dream Fund Benefit event page on Facebook

The donations we have received for the silent auction are amazing!! It is so wonderful and heart-warming when people unite together to do something GOOD! I am so very grateful to each and every person who has assisted us in soliciting for donations, and for each person and business who has so generously donated something, whether it was a personal donation, their time, services, or products for this cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul. THANK YOU!

SILENT AUCTION ITEM LIST (and it's still growing!):

1. Courtside Club of Los Gatos, family membership initiation fee ($2,300 value)

2. FOX Racing Shox mountain bike suspension fork ($650 value/retail price)

3. San Francisco 49ers Experience, includes two home game tickets, two pre-game sideline passes to watch warm-ups, pregame activities and maybe meet players, and a parking pass ($500 value)

4. San Francisco 49ers Autographed Football ($75 value)

5. Hula Hooping Party (& Instruction!) at Uforia Studios in Palo Alto, led by licensed Hoopgirl instructor, Julie Greicius, includes 3 hours & space for 10 people ($50/pp or $500 total value)

6. San Jose Sharks, includes four home game tickets and free parking pass for 2010-11 season ($332 value)

7. 4 tickets to Adele on August 14 at the Greek Theatre in San Francisco ($250 per ticket value)

8. 4 tickets to the San Francisco Giants vs. Diamondbacks on September 14 ($value per ticket tbd)

9. Palo Alto Oshman Family JCC, choice of pool or sports party package ($450 value)

10. Flight around the Bay Area in a Cessna 172 ($250 value)

11. Cameron Hughes Wine, 12 bottles of 2009 Cabernet ($152 value)

12. Cassie Green Photography, photography session ($150 value)

13. The Mountain Winery, includes 1 Mountain Winery Reserve Chardonnay, 1 Mountain Winery Reserve Cabernet, and 4 wine tasting coupons ($83 value)

14. Villa Montalvo Winery presents Christopher Cross with Jenn Grinets - two tickets ($120 value)

15. Adobe software ($ value tbd)

16. Stella & Dot Jewelry , donated by Danielle Rowe ($ 142)

17. Bay Area Discovery Museum – 2 family visit passes, each admitting 5 people ($110)

18. Great America, two tickets for one day admission ($ 109.98 value)

19. Handmade Quilt by Sondra Horn ($300 value)

20. The Tech Museum, four tickets ($75.96 value)

21. San Francisco 49ers Autographed Football ($75 value)

22. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom – 2 tickets ($74 value)

23. Dance Attack! Studios, includes 4 dance lessons ($68 value)

24. Classic Car Wash, includes four $17.99 coupons ($71.96 value)

25. April Martin Designs - Jewelry ($ value tbd)

26. Winchester Mystery House, two tickets ($60 value)

27. Ace Photography - framed print of McWay Falls in Big Sur ($100 value)

28. Airborne Gymnastics – one month free membership ($92 value)

29. Children’s Discovery Museum, family four-pack of tickets ($40)

30. Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Inc., includes 2 cards good for 10 rides on the train or carousel ($40 value)

31. Aquarium of the Bay, two tickets ($34 value)

32. Asian Art Museum, two tickets ($34 value)

33. Cucina Bambino gift certificate – one parent/child class gift certificate ($40 value, including 10% discount off any additional classes)

34. Lesson Pros, 20 gift certificates for various instruments online lessons ($ value per gc)

35. $30 Wooden Horse Toy Store gift certificate

36. $35 Gymboree gift card

37. $30 Wooden Horse Toy Store gift certificate

38. $25 Hobbes gift certificate

39. 2 tickets to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo ($24 value)

40. Sharks Ice at San Jose – 2 skate rentals and 2 admission passes ($24 value)

41. StudioKicks gift certificate ($ value tbd)

42. $20 Main Street Burger gift certificate

43. $25 Petroglyph gift certificate

MATTEO'S DREAM FUND APPAREL:
I am hoping to have Matteo's Dream Fund t-shirts, ladies tank tops, fleece jackets, hats and visors available for sale soon. All proceeds from apparel sales will be put towards the legal fees associated with us becoming an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This is a goal of ours we hope to reach by this time next year at the very latest.

More about Matteo's Dream Fund:
Matteo’s Dream Fund was founded in 2010, in memory of Matteo Tate Martino, who died in his sleep at 18 months of age. Matteo’s death was an unexpected, heart-breaking and overwhelming loss to his parents, big sister, twin brother, and unborn sister. In managing their grief, Matteo’s parents, Dan and Jodi, decided to establish a fund that would benefit sick and terminally ill children at children’s hospitals throughout the United States. While Matteo’s life was cut tragically short, the hope is that his story will forever impact the lives of others by encouraging people to remember just how precious the gift of life is and to reach out to those with less fortunate health.

Matteo’s Dream Fund will donate items, services and grant money to children’s hospitals and organizations that will provide recreational therapy, educational tools, and emotional support, assistance and services to sick children at children’s hospitals across the United States, as identified by the Board of Directors. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
• Purchase of new and unused books, toys, games, and art supplies for recreational therapy
• Purchase of new and unused educational materials and computers
• Purchase of materials and supplies for outdoor gardens, benches and/or play areas
• Working with local photographers to donate their time and services to capture photos of hospitalized children with their families and/or friends, and gifting them with photo CD’s and/or printed photos.
• Working with organizations that assist children’s hospitals in the development and construction of recreational therapy rooms (play rooms) within children’s hospitals where kids can play with toys, work on art projects and use computers.