Saturday, November 5th:
MIRA will be joining forces with Belk’s Stores for their semi-annual Belk’s Charity Sale which was a very successful component to our Spring 2011 fundraising efforts. Twice a year, Belk’s graciously offers non profits the opportunity to sell $5.00 sale coupons that can be applied to the first item purchased on a designated sale day at the store. This is a win-win event for everyone: the non profit keeps the full $5.00 for every ticket sold, the customer gets the $5.00 credited on their first already discounted purchase, and Belk’s gets a lot of customers in the door for a festive day of shopping.

Saturday, October 29th:
Our third annual Miles for MIRA Fall FunRun/Walk is scheduled, once again, for the Halloween weekend. We will be at a new venue this year, courtesy of our wonderful MIRA friends at Sandhills Community College. Lauren and Shelby have offered to field a team of volunteers to support our MIRA volunteers in putting on an event that we know will be fun for everyone and a great benefit for MIRA. It typically runs from 7:30 to 10:30 at the latest. Volunteer help is needed in setting up, breaking down, manning food table, passing out water, and whatever else needs doing. This family friendly even aims to raise awareness and money for MIRA Foundation, USA. Registration: online at active.com or before the race on race day.

Saturday, October 8th:
Between Noon-2:00 p.m. MIRA volunteers will be at the entrance to cosmetics at the Southern Pines Belk’s store selling $5.00 charity tickets for the special Belk’s sale on Sat. November 05. If you purchase a $5.00 ticket from us you will get your $5.00 back ( and MIRA gets $5.00) on your first purchase on the morning of the sale, plus, if you are one of the first 100 in the store when the doors open at 6:00 am. , you will receive a Belk’s gift card worth any where between $5.00-$1,000 ! This is a win-win for everyone, so please come out and support Belk’s and MIRA. Thank you.

Saturday, October 1st:
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our MIRA tent at AutumnFest Saturday. It was a beautiful day, and the turnout was fantastic. Special thanks to AJ and “Martin” for putting in an appearance. Go MIRA dogs!  Thanks to everyone who came by and donated to our cause. We are always humbled by the great support we receive at these events.

September 17th & 18th:
On Saturday (8:30-4) and Sunday (9-2:30), the Moore County Kennel Club hosts its annual dog show at the Pinehurst Harness Track. MIRA will have a table and we would love to have volunteers sign up for 2 hour shifts each day to distribute brochures, accept donations in return for logo items and educate the public about the organization.

September 22nd:
The super organized women involved in the current session of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute have chosen MIRA as their study project. They are putting together plans for an area event called Dining for Guide Dogs at local restaurants as a MIRA benefit. So please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 22nd and plan to help MIRA by dining at participating restaurants.

Saturday, June 04th: The Return of the Southern Hooties
The Elks Club in Southern Pines was the site for an evening of hilarious laughter and fun as eleven great guys took the stage dressed as women. Think Tootsie meets Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway! There were song and dance routines, a monologue, and more than a few surprises. There was also a Silent Auction with many wonderful items including ball caps signed by NASCAR drivers, a three night stay in a Myrtle Beach condo, and a number of golf packages, just to name a few. It was all in good fun to benefit MIRA!

Wednesday and Thursday, June 01-02, Roanoke, VA
Our wonderful group of Roanoke supporters, led by Rick Anderson from UniSelect Corp, presented a dinner with Silent Auction on Wednesday evening followed by a golf tournament the next day. Some of the auction items included MIRA ballcaps signed by such NASCAR greats as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmy Johnson.

Thursday, May 19: Live After Five, Pinehurst
MIRA‘s friend, Scott Lincicome, and his energetic group in Pinehurst, designated their May event as a benefit for MIRA. The popular Sand Band were the headliners in the town center square of Pinehurst village. MIRA had an information table on site for those interested in learning more about our organization. Many came out and enjoyed an evening of great musical entertainment and stopped by to say hello!

Friday, May 06: Dining in the Dark, Raleigh
The first Raleigh Dining in the Dark was held on May 06 at the elegant North Ridge Country Club. Chaired by our energetic and creative Board member, Kathy Virtue, this event was sold out almost immediately with an attendance of 281. Our special guest was Cricket Bidleman, a twelve year old from the San Diego area. Cricket is the first recipient of a MIRA USA dog, and we were thrilled to hear from her about her experiences with her guide dog, Nipi. Click here to view photos.

Saturday, April 16: SCC FunRun
Lauren Beecher and her colleagues at Sandhills Community College organized a fantastic 5k FunRun for MIRA. Although the weather threatened (it was the day of the tornadoes !) the run went off without a hitch at 9:00 a.m. and we all packed up our tents by 10:30. The nearly 100 participants included the young and old, a few hearty dogs, and a darling little girl who rode in her Dad’s red wagon! It was really good time.

Sunday, April 10: High School FunRun
On Sunday, April 10, students, teachers and friends gathered at the Virtues’ Landmark Farm on Youngs Road in Southern Pines for a 5k FunRun Walk to benefit MIRA. This event was chaired by Colby Virtue, a Ravenscroft Senior who organized the first MIRA benefit at his school last Spring. Colby shared his expertise and successful formula with the organizers for this year’s run. Senior Emily Christaldi chaired the run for Union Pines High School, and twins Landon and Evan Sherwood represented Pinecrest High School. Chip Best from Outback Restaurant donated a wonderful grilled chicken luncheon and the King Costanza band played for the participants. The most amazing part of the day: the students raised an astonishing $8,000.00 dollars for the blind students from MIRA.

Saturday, April 02: Second Annual Dining in the Dark
The second rendition of MIRA’s signature event: Dining in the Dark, took place on Saturday, April 02 at Country Club of North Carolina. It was a huge success with just under 200 people in attendance, including six of the students in line for MIRA guide dogs this year. Danny Infantino and Seren Lyerley provided lovely music during the dinner hour, while ventriloquist Steve Brogan brought down the house after the meal with the antics of his puppet entourage. Eric St. Pierre, Founder of MIRA Canada, was our honored guest. Guest feedback ranged from “one of the best dining experiences ever” to “count me in again for next year.” Dining while blindfolded provides guests with an opportunity to experience a meal using senses other than sight while providing a glimpse into the challenges the blind population faces every single day. See photos from this evening.

March/April
MIRA was delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Belk’s stores for their Spring Charity Event. Non profit participants sold special Belk’s tickets for $5.00 a piece which could be redeemed with the first purchase at a sale on April 16th. The sale was a huge success, and we would like to extend a special thank you to everyone at Belk’s for their kind assistance.

Monday, March 28th: Jersey Mike’s Make A Difference Monday
Paula and Mike Yeager, owners of the Aberdeen Jersey Mike’s in the Center Parkway shopping plaza, dedicated their nationwide Jersey Mike’s Make A Difference Monday to the MIRA Foundation. Bob and Devon and Karen Baillie spent the afternoon on site meeting and greeting guests of Jersey Mikes. The sub shop offered a freee regular size sub to any customer who made a minimum $1.00 donation to MIRA. The event was a great success raising close to $1,000 for the Foundation. Many thanks to everyone at Jersey Mikes for their ongoing support.