Hi,all!
I promised I would report back about donating points to a teacher and how it worked out. The teacher(in our case a Middle School band director) leaves tomorrow for Florida, but I wanted to post about the presentation of such a gift and how well that went. Since the band took up money to pay for the 4-day hoppers(with one plus), I placed them in an envelope decorated with Mickey and the gang, with a nice note inside stating how much he was appreciated. We presented this to him first. Then came the big box, wrapped in Mickey Mouse paper. I never did find Mickey Mouse paper, but improvising was pretty easy. I used solid shiny red wrapping paper, then had a friend's 3-year-old go crazy with Mickey stickers. Amazingly, it looked store-bought! In the box was a Disney tote bag I ordered from Disneystore.com(@$23 including shipping), filled with lots of goodies: The room confirmation for Old Key West in the teacher's name, 5 meal vouchers(Q&C), and an envelope addressed to his 2 kids containing 4 breakfast vouchers and an invitation to join Chef Mickey on a certain date at 7:40 AM. I also typed up information about Old Key West(explaining trash and towel as opposed to regular housekeeping), and included the cost of extra towels, soap and shampoo, and daily housekeeping(though I doubt they'll want to add the expense). I included a suggested packing list, dining tips, and printed menus from each park. I also included sunblock(45) because his wife is very fair. We then presented each of his kids with their own box(that I had left from purchases at Walt Disney
World a year ago). I made a nice autograph book for each of the kids' boxes out of colored cardstock, using my new printer and a disney artist program. For his son, I used a Mickey Mouse theme, putting various mickeys on each page, and a princess theme for his 5-year-old daughter, putting a different Disney princess on each page. I had the books wire bound at an office supply store for a few dollars each. I also included a fat pen that has several different colors of ink that you can change by clicking the corresponding button(my 10-year-old insisted on this type of pen). His son's box also included a pin lanyard(a really cute WDW one) and 3-4 pins, a deck of playing cards for the drive down,2 packs of neon glo-necklaces/bracelets and Disney Dollars. His daughter's box included a notebook of black paper and 4 gel pens, glo necklaces, and Disney dollars as well. They were so excited over these boxes! The son already had his pins on his lanyard by the time the band concert was over, and his daughter had opened up the gel pens and was drawing! We presented it to him during the band concert, and I think I saw the band director wiping his eyes during the last song. This year has been particularly hard for his family, and I doubt he had planned to take a vacation. Imagine how wonderful he felt to find out that he was going to Disney World in a week, and his wife and some of the faculty had been in on the whole thing! I wish I had taken a picture of his reaction...it was a Kodak moment for sure. He told me he and his wife left the concert last Thursday night, and spread all the contents of the big box out on the floor, and started reading all the information in the box(it took a few hours...I had been working on this since Nov.2003). I can't take the credit for all the information, though...I got most of it here! And I know I'm not the first to treat someone to free rooms at a DVC resort...lots of generous board members have done this. I have given rooms to relatives before that did not appreciate it at all(they still think we stay for free!!), and I much prefer doing so for more deserving folks. We also gave a room to a friend to use next week, as well as a free 4-day hopper(shh...she just thinks I got a really good deal on 4 tickets), and I printed the same resort and dining information for her. She is the sweetest lady I know, totally devoted to her family and willing to do anything for anyone. I plan to check in with her as well as the band director to be sure all is well at OKW, but I am sure they will be treated like royalty while there. I just wanted to post this for anyone interested in doing something similar, since you guys share so many of your ideas with me.
Oh, I almost forgot...when leaving the band concert, I heard several parents of 7th grade band students ask "How are we going to top this next year?" . And 9th graders have stated they are shamed...they gave him a picture last year!
I promised I would report back about donating points to a teacher and how it worked out. The teacher(in our case a Middle School band director) leaves tomorrow for Florida, but I wanted to post about the presentation of such a gift and how well that went. Since the band took up money to pay for the 4-day hoppers(with one plus), I placed them in an envelope decorated with Mickey and the gang, with a nice note inside stating how much he was appreciated. We presented this to him first. Then came the big box, wrapped in Mickey Mouse paper. I never did find Mickey Mouse paper, but improvising was pretty easy. I used solid shiny red wrapping paper, then had a friend's 3-year-old go crazy with Mickey stickers. Amazingly, it looked store-bought! In the box was a Disney tote bag I ordered from Disneystore.com(@$23 including shipping), filled with lots of goodies: The room confirmation for Old Key West in the teacher's name, 5 meal vouchers(Q&C), and an envelope addressed to his 2 kids containing 4 breakfast vouchers and an invitation to join Chef Mickey on a certain date at 7:40 AM. I also typed up information about Old Key West(explaining trash and towel as opposed to regular housekeeping), and included the cost of extra towels, soap and shampoo, and daily housekeeping(though I doubt they'll want to add the expense). I included a suggested packing list, dining tips, and printed menus from each park. I also included sunblock(45) because his wife is very fair. We then presented each of his kids with their own box(that I had left from purchases at Walt Disney
World a year ago). I made a nice autograph book for each of the kids' boxes out of colored cardstock, using my new printer and a disney artist program. For his son, I used a Mickey Mouse theme, putting various mickeys on each page, and a princess theme for his 5-year-old daughter, putting a different Disney princess on each page. I had the books wire bound at an office supply store for a few dollars each. I also included a fat pen that has several different colors of ink that you can change by clicking the corresponding button(my 10-year-old insisted on this type of pen). His son's box also included a pin lanyard(a really cute WDW one) and 3-4 pins, a deck of playing cards for the drive down,2 packs of neon glo-necklaces/bracelets and Disney Dollars. His daughter's box included a notebook of black paper and 4 gel pens, glo necklaces, and Disney dollars as well. They were so excited over these boxes! The son already had his pins on his lanyard by the time the band concert was over, and his daughter had opened up the gel pens and was drawing! We presented it to him during the band concert, and I think I saw the band director wiping his eyes during the last song. This year has been particularly hard for his family, and I doubt he had planned to take a vacation. Imagine how wonderful he felt to find out that he was going to Disney World in a week, and his wife and some of the faculty had been in on the whole thing! I wish I had taken a picture of his reaction...it was a Kodak moment for sure. He told me he and his wife left the concert last Thursday night, and spread all the contents of the big box out on the floor, and started reading all the information in the box(it took a few hours...I had been working on this since Nov.2003). I can't take the credit for all the information, though...I got most of it here! And I know I'm not the first to treat someone to free rooms at a DVC resort...lots of generous board members have done this. I have given rooms to relatives before that did not appreciate it at all(they still think we stay for free!!), and I much prefer doing so for more deserving folks. We also gave a room to a friend to use next week, as well as a free 4-day hopper(shh...she just thinks I got a really good deal on 4 tickets), and I printed the same resort and dining information for her. She is the sweetest lady I know, totally devoted to her family and willing to do anything for anyone. I plan to check in with her as well as the band director to be sure all is well at OKW, but I am sure they will be treated like royalty while there. I just wanted to post this for anyone interested in doing something similar, since you guys share so many of your ideas with me.
Oh, I almost forgot...when leaving the band concert, I heard several parents of 7th grade band students ask "How are we going to top this next year?" . And 9th graders have stated they are shamed...they gave him a picture last year!
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As an educator, I think that's awesome! Much better than another coffee mug or candle
