Lommen Abdo team members have been putting on a holiday fundraiser for the past 16 years. From 2006 to 2021 the firm collected toys and funds for Toys for Tots, contributing more than one thousand toys over the years. You can read more about our previous holiday fundraisers here.
After a very successful and fulfilling 15 years of fundraising for Toys for Tots, Lommen Abdo decided to try something different for the 2022 campaign. Team members were asked to nominate charitable organizations to be considered as the beneficiary of the 2022 holiday fundraiser. Several great organizations were nominated, and ultimately the firm decided to fundraise for two charities which through their missions have directly impacted Lommen Abdo team members in the past.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities
The first selected organization was the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Their mission is to partner with their community to “provide a comfortable and caring home-away-from-home that supports keeping families together and reduces stress during a child’s serious illness.” They have five locations across Minnesota where they offer complimentary meals and support to families every day in addition to providing overnight accommodations to 76 families every night.
This was a cause near and dear to a member of the Lommen Abdo team, whose family found comfort and relief in their services this past year. They said, “It means a lot to me that Lommen Abdo has chosen to support the Ronald McDonald House this year, and I look forward to contributing to help the next families that find themselves in such a situation.”
For this fundraiser, the Activities Committee adorned a tree with “gift tags” at both the Minneapolis and Hudson office locations. Each gift tag listed an item to donate for the charity. People could take a tag (or multiple tags), purchase the listed item, and then attach the gift tag to the item and put it under the tree. These items were collected for one month and delivered to the Ronald McDonald House, Oak Street location, on December 16, 2022.
Lommen Abdo team members collected 50 items to fulfill 50 wishes for Ronald McDonald House beneficiaries!
Guide Dogs for the Blind
The second selected organization for 2022 was Guide Dogs for the Blind. Their mission is to “harnesses the power of partnerships – connecting people, dogs, and communities – to transform the lives of individuals with visual impairments.” They provide their clients with guide dogs at no charge, including covering costs of a two-week long training program, and all veterinary care for the life of the dog.
Lommen Abdo attorney Deb Swenson has seen the benefit of their services firsthand for over 35 years, having been paired with her first guide dog, Perro, in 1986. Deb’s guide dogs have been beloved members of the Lommen Abdo community throughout her tenure. Deb had many great things to say about the organization, including: “I will be forever indebted to Guide Dogs for the Blind for matching me with my four male, yellow Labrador Guide Dogs who were instrumental in making the impossible possible in my life.”
We hosted a series of events to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind:
- Oktoberfest happy hour on October 13th
- Halloween Walking Tacos on October 31st
- Football Board for November 16th Gophers/Badgers game
- Chili lunch on December 6th and December 8th
These events produced many smiles and funds throughout the holiday season. Altogether we were able to raise $718, which was donated to Guide Dogs for the Blind!
The Gift of Giving Carries On
Lommen Abdo plans to continue the tradition of holiday fundraising for many years to come. We value our ability to give back to our community, and to uplift important charitable organizations. To see how you can help support Lommen Abdo’s next drive, contact us.
