Charity Wings started the 2011 year by holding their first ever “Live at CHA” event during the CHA Winter 2011 Conference & Trade Show in Los Angeles. They invited crafters that were not able to attend the show to catch a glimpse through Ustream of the manufacturers and their new products, and let them travel the show floor a bit to see the booths and even win a prize or two. Industry personalities like Jenni Bowlin, Anna Griffin, Teresa Collins, and Melissa Forsyth & Candy Rosenberg (from the Rubber Cafe, pictured below) stopped by to take part in the live event.

For a $48 fee, Live from CHA participants received a bag filled with 5 make-n-takes and goodies from event sponsors. Charity Wings also raised money for Crops of Luv at the event through manufacturer and designer-donated items that were put up for auction on ebay during (and after ) the Live from CHA event.

Charity Wings volunteers (such as Karen Poirier-Brode, pictured below) also helped out in the Westcott booth with make-and-takes. Westcott, a Charity Wings sponsor, features the Charity Wings logo on their product packaging and helps raise money for the Charity Wings Fund to cover operating costs for the organization.

This year also marks an increased partnership between Charity Wings and Scrapbook Expo, with Charity Wings agreeing to host all of the crops for Scrapbook Expo’s 2011 season.

For Charity Wings founder Elena Lai Etcheverry, all of this started from having a willing heart to help raise money at a Susan B. Komen breast cancer crop. She had so much fun with the crop she decided that she needed to help with the next one – and even joined the committee to help run the event.

It was after this experience she realized charitable work was something she wanted to do all year long. Scrapbook Royalty was born. With a talent for motivating crafters and having a wide network of crafters, retailers,  and manufacturers to work with, Etcheverry decided she could really help organize and creatively inspire crafters that might not know where to start raise money for their favorite charity.

Scrapbook Royalty’s first event in 2006 for the American Heart Association raised $2500. Participants enjoyed the event so much they immediately started planning the next one…and then another, and another.  American Heart Association, Susan B Komen foundation, Autism awareness/research and Crops of Luv are just a few of the organizations Scrapbook Royalty has helped to raise money for.

Realizing that Scrapbook Royalty was becoming something greater than its founder had imagined, the organization applied for non-profit status in 2008. In 2009, Etcheverry was joined in her work by another charitable crafter, Sheila Goldsberry, and they changed the organization’s name to Charity Wings to encompass all types of crafters and better describe their mission.

In 2010, the 100% volunteer-run organization lent a hand with 37 events across the country that raised money for over 27 different charities. According to Charity Wings’ figures; the organization has raised over $347,000 for various charitable causes during their 5 year history. Their participation in events can range from coordinating the entire event and finding sponsors, to just helping to advertise the event. In addition, they hold online raffles, do “fairy fly-bys” (giveaways) at events, and even have a monthly “do good” challenge with their “Club Royalty”. These challenges for the most part encourage members to use their crafts in some way to help the charity’s cause of the month.

To learn more about Charity Wings and their upcoming events, visit the Charity Wings website.

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