Christmas in Our Hearts Sponsor Package

Desert Ministries, Inc. P.O. Box 3301 Telephone: (402)556-8032 - E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.desertministries.org

October 4, 2010

It is our great privilege and pleasure to announce to you that we will for the eleventh year present “Christmas in Our Hearts!” Every long-term care facility within 100-miles of Omaha will be invited. We expect 20-25 facilities to attend, bringing some 350-400 elderly, staff, and families. This is our way of showing community support for people who live and work in long-term care facilities. This is the 11th anniversary of “Christmas in Our Hearts.” It will be happen at the DoubleTree Hotel Main Ballroom, in downtown Omaha, on Thursday, December 9, 2009 at 1:30 P.M. Kerri Nikunen, Omaha singer and songwriter, and many other talented artists will be sing, play and dance. This will be our best effort yet! I would like you to join our growing list of sponsors by becoming a “Christmas in Our Hearts” sponsor. You can give a wonderful Christmas gift to many older people who will greatly appreciate it. For many of them, this is their only Christmas. The attached contract gives details about sponsorships. In addition to being a wonderful event for the elderly, it gives people an opportunity to participate in a great positive community outreach. Last year, more than 100 volunteers helped to greet and to usher people to their seats. The residents talk about this event all year long, and after 10 years it has truly become an Omaha Christmas tradition. I’d love to have you be a part of this great gift of love. Thank you, for your consideration in this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions please feel free to call me. Most Sincerely, Paul Falkowski, MA Executive Director

“What happens when the community comes together to celebrate their elderly and Christmas?”

“Christmas in Our Hearts.”

Please enroll us as (circle one):

“Four-Star Sponsor” @ $1,000 “Two-Star Sponsor”@ $500 “One-Star” Sponsor @ $250

Name/Company Name:________________________________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________City_____________________State___Zip______ Telephone:__________________________ E-mail:__________________________________________________ We accept Visa/MC/AMEX/Disc: Card #:________________________________________Exp. Date:________ Signature:_____________________________________________

“Christmas In Our Hearts” Sponsor Packages:

Four Star Sponsor - $1,000

Reserved seating at the concert for 10 people. Name on Invitations. Newsletter Coverage. Recognized at the event. Listed prominently on the event program. Listed on a “thank you banner” at the event as a

sponsor.

Two Star Sponsor - $500

Reserved seating at the concert for 5 people. Newsletter coverage. Recognized at the event. Listed in the event program.

One Star Sponsor - $250

Reserved seating at the concert for 2 people Listed in newsletter. Listed in the event program.

Checks payable to: Desert Ministries. Please use the enclosed response envelope. Thank You!

TEAR OFF…

desert

MINISTRIES

P R E S E N T S

December 3, 2009 DoubleTree Hotel—Main Ballroom

1:30 P.M.

Our Sponsors

More Great Sponsors...

“Christmas In Our Hearts”

O Come, O Come Emmanuel— Paul Falkowski, soprano saxophone

Angels We Have Heard on High—

Paul Falkowski, alto sax

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear— Paul Falkowski, alto sax

Christmas Song—

Kerri Nikunen

Away in a Manger— Kerri Nikunen

Do You Hear What I Hear?—

Kyle Knapp/Kerri Nikunen

What Child is This?— Kyle Knapp/Kerri Nikunen

Come Thou Long-expected Jesus—

Kyle Knapp

Mary Did You Know?— Loretta Kolpek

Jingle Bell Rock—

Loretta Kolpek

Feliz Navidad— Juan & David Lalo

O Holy Night—

Molly McGrath (dancer)

The Christmas Story— Paul Newell

Light a Candle— Tiffany Seevers

O Come, All Ye Faithful—

Lori Fuchs, Cathy Olson, piano

Silent Night— Lori Fuchs, Tiffany Seevers, & Cathy Olson

O Holy Night—

Joey McGrath (acapella)

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year— Marian Greer, Colette Plagman

He Made a Way in a Manger— Marian Greer, Colette Plagman

Let It Snow—

Erin Storey, Tiffany Seevers, Lori Fuchs, & Marian Greer

Sleigh Ride— Erin Storey

Winter Wonderland—

Erin Storey

I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas— Erin Storey

Bethlehem Star—

Amanda Coker

Christmas in Our Hearts— Kerri Nikunen

“Merry Christmas!”

Performers in Order of Appearance: Paul Falkowski Kerri Nikunen Kyle Knapp Loretta Kolpek Juan & David Lalo Molly McGrath Paul Newell Tiffany Seevers Cathy Olson, pianist Lori Fuchs Joey McGrath Marian Greer Colette Plagman Erin Storey Amanda Coker Rich DelSenno—Accordian Sound: Tom Sharman, Tesco Productions Lighting & Special Effects: Jayden & Bridget Burmeister, Mixnitlive Productions Set Design: Marilyn Doolittle Rosie Zuniga Aida Zuniga Poinsettias: HyVee Stores

Traffic Control & Parking: Bob Plagman Chet Addison John Rogers Volunteer Coordinator: Ruth McGrath Aby Zuniga Santa & Mrs. Claus: David & Mary Johannes Gift Bags: Jake Panowicz, CEO, and all the great folks at Physmed Home Health Care. Thank You’s: A very big thank you to the DoubleTree staff for working very hard to make this event a great success! A very special thank you to First National Bank for their technical support! A big thank you to “The Reader” for helping us promote this event!

List of Participants

The Story of “Christmas in Our Hearts”

This year’s performance will mark 10 years of Christmas concerts sponsored by Desert Ministries for Omaha long-term care residents, their families and the care staff who work in these facilities. For some of our guests, this will be their Christmas. The theme song, “Christmas in Our Hearts,” was written by Kerri Nikunen, local singer and songwriter. You will also hear Kerri on the radio from time to time singing jingles for local business radio ads. Ten years ago, Paul Falkowski called his friend Kerri and asked, “Could you write a song for our concert, with the words, ‘Christmas in our hearts’ as part of the lyrics?” With her great “can-do” attitude she answered, “Sure, let me think about it!” The following morning, Falkowski answered his telephone at 8:00 A.M. to hear an excited Kerri Nikunen asking, “Do you want to hear it?” “Hear what?” Falkowski asked. “The song. I’ve written the song!” “Yes, of course!” Falkowski answered. And Kerri sang “Christmas in Our Hearts,” into the telephone. Falkowski was in complete shock. Kerri went on to explain that as she had been taking her walk the previous evening and while listening to music on her Walkman, the batteries died. Disappointed, she continued her walk, but as she did the words “Christmas in our hearts” came to her mind. She began to sing a melody line to it. Realizing that she was birthing the song, she called her telephone and sang into her voicemail! This way she wouldn’t forget it. The rest is history. The song not only climaxes our concert, but is now produced, recorded and has been played on local radio stations each Christmas since then. When Christmas comes we think of visiting the “old folks” at the nursing home. But what about the rest of the year? Less than half of nursing home residents get visitors from anyone. Those without visitors are twice as likely to die in the same period as those people who do get visitors. They don’t die from old age, they die from a broken-heart. One year, as people were leaving the concert, a nursing home resident turned to one of our volunteers and said, “Thank you.” The volunteer said, “No problem, we love doing this.” The old woman replied, “No, you don’t understand, it’s just nice to know someone was even thinking about us.” At Desert Ministries we’re doing more than just thinking. Please, join us in our efforts to support the men and women who live and work in nursing homes.

Please visit our website for all the latest Desert Ministries news and volunteer

opportunities!

www.desertministries.org

Our outreaches would not happen without the generous support of our donors. Please see

Andrew Dungan, at the back of the concert hall, to discuss how you can become a financial partner with

Desert Ministries!

Desert Ministries, Inc.—P.O. Box 3301—Omaha, NE 68103 Telephone: (402)556-8032—E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.desertministries.org