Eight year old raises over $2,000 for Chinese orphanage

     At one of my personal appearances at Reime Jewelers in Waterloo, Illinois, I had the pleasure of meeting Ana, the daughter of Julie Holtgrewe and the granddaughter of Ms. Reime, the store owner. This is an incredible story of what you can do when you put your mind to it.  

    Ana Holtgrewe is a hero to many children at the Chinese orphanage where she lived for 2 ½ years. Ana is raising money to give back to the orphanage to try to better the life of the children that live there.
    Ana was found at a bus station and taken to the orphanage at about age 18 months. Ana was adopted from China in 2002 by Julie and Steve Holtgrewe. She said that the best part about living in America is having a mommy and daddy. Ana is now 8 years old and in the second grade. She began doing a project to help raise money to give back to the orphanage. She is selling sun catchers that she has made herself from stained glass.   They were sold for $10.00 and 100% of the money raised will go back to the children at the orphanage. The money will help to buy things that the children usually wouldn’t have, such as clothes, socks, undergarments, books, and computers. Ana and her parents are working with someone who is going to buy the items and take them to the orphanage. I bought Ana’s last sun catcher and signed it. She plans to put it on Ebay on the first week of August in hopes to raise more money for her cause. Ana also has an account set up for anyone who would like to donate. It is at First National Bank in Waterloo, Illinois. A donation can be sent to 228 South Main Street, Waterloo, IL 62298, Attn: Leigh C/O Ana Holtgrewe. The phone number is 618-939-6194.
    Last year Ana raised enough money from her allowance to be able to send 110 coloring books and crayons to the orphanage. This year she has raised $2,000 and hopes to raise more money to buy things that will make the children’s lives a little happier.
    Ana is defiantly a hero. She has a big heart and wants to help the children back in the orphanage who haven’t found a loving home yet, have a happier life.
    These are close, personal friends of mine and I hope that you will bid generously for this very worth while cause.

Ronaldo

            In 1995, on Derby Day, I was selling my jewelry on the back where all the horses were kept. AJ Foyt’s barn was one of my favorite. Being in the racing commission, I sold to just about every trainer and jockey at one time. This Derby Day, Dick Vitale was on the backside of the track and he had me make him a couple of bracelets. He later sent me his book and on the inside cover it was signed, “Ronaldo, the bracelets are awesome baby!” This was one of America’s top sports announcers and he used the same line he used every week in the basketball games. Dick is a super guy and really involved with all the major college basketball teams and is loved by the student body.
    Later that day, he came back and said a friend, Chris, wanted one of my bracelets. Well I made the bracelet and Dick laughed and said “That’s Chris Evert Lloyd.” One of the greatest tennis players of all time! I apologized for not recognizing her. I told her the she should be on the front side in millionaire row, and she said she’s been there and done that and the real action on derby day was in the barns.
    Dick, I’d like to say thank you for my favorite Derby Day. It was awesome baby!
Ronaldo

               I met Janice Jones about 15 years ago at the Norton’s wholesale trade show in Gatlinburg, TN. When I first met Janice she was just looking for something to do part time. So our adventure together began. Soon, I noticed Janice was ordering 100’s upon 100’s of mother’s charms. So I called her and asked her how she was selling so much of one product.

            Janice told me she simply told the girls in her local bank what she was doing. She would sell to the bank tellers, to the neighbors and to the local nursing homes. She basically was selling to her warm market.   I would see Janice four times a year. She would always add a few more new styles, but she always kept the selling simple. As time went by, Janice always brought me cookies and cakes to the shows and we would sit and spend a few minutes together. Recently, I saw Janice in June. She bought about 50-60 pieces. I asked her “Janice,where are you going?” and she said she had planned a three week trip out west. Next week she would go out on her route and make enough money to pay for the three week trip (about $2,000.00 or more on blind faith) with her husband and grandchildren.

            Upon returning from out west, she called to tell me about the buffalo she had spotted and about her adventure. In the September show, a potential client was looking at my prayer bracelets and Janice overheard. Well Janice spoke right up and told the lady, “Honey, these are so easy to sell. I have sold 100’s of them.” The lady asked Janice what kind of store she had and she told the lady, “I just do employee shows and sell to my family and friends. They all collect the Ronaldo jewelry like crazy and I just sell out of my car. I go to the banks and the schools and nursing homes and honey, at Christmas my phone rings off the hook."

            Here is a great example of a warm-hearted, kind person who is making her extra spending money out of visiting her family and friends a few times a year. She could just stay home and retire and watch television but Janice is and will always be a people person.

            Janice Jones is not only a special person, she gives away love. God has blessed Janice with a gift. Janice always has the most positive attitude and her friendly style of running a low over head business is a real winner. Congratulations Janice on a lifetime achievement award for best attitude!

Love,

Ronaldo

               I first met Charles Parham in Memphis Tennessee at the Helen Brett Wholesale trade show.  Charles, like so many other people attending, had hundreds of venders to choose from.  Charles, like most, was full of questions. He asked about the products, the company and about me. After reviewing over 400 booths, Charles came back to my booth.  Charles was in a wheel chair, and at the time I never new he was fighting for his life, He was fighting a bitter battle with cancer. Charles never mentioned he had cancer. His only concern was to buy a product that he could believe in and sell. Out of ten’s of thousands of products on display, Charles chose my prayer bracelet to sell. Charles was accompanied that day with his wife, Minnie. So Charles began selling Gold Craft Associates/Designer jewelry by Ronaldo products. It seems that at almost every show I meet someone, who for what ever reason, is just sent to me. The common thread seems to be the power of prayer bracelet.  Little did I know, I was in the presence of a truly great man. As time went by Charles added many different styles to his inventory, but the prayer bracelet was the best seller. A little over a year and a half went by and in November of 2004 I saw Charles for the last time. Over the last 18 months we had become good friends, but still I did not know how serious his condition was. Charles was putting up a strong fight but the cancer was just to over whelming, I will never forget our last meeting. He explained to me who he was selling to. It was the doctors and nurses at the cancer treatment hospital, family, and to friends. Charles was smiling and introduced me to some of his close friends. Charles asked to talk to me off to the side. He talked to me about the Cancer and told me that meeting me was an inspiration to his life. He had to come to the show one last time to see me. Jeff Cazel took Charles to the side and prayed with him, and after a few minutes returned. The very last thing Charles said to me was he felt like he was the luckiest man in the world. As his friends pushed Charles away in his wheel chair, he turned and smiled at me one last time. Then it hit me. Here was a 66 year old man in a wheel chair trying to cheer me up.

                Charles last sale was on a Thursday. He died a few days later. When I interviewed Minnie for this story she had told me in his last days she had to mark the sizes and the prices on little stickers and put the items in plastic sandwich bags. Charles spent his last days still selling Gold Craft Associates/The Ronaldo Collection products out of a grocery store bag. The medication Charles was on and the chemo had taken it’s toll and Charles no longer could remember the prices or the sizes. Charles asked Minnie not to tell me he had passed on until after the holidays so it would not dampen my Christmas. That was just like Charles, always thinking of others.

                Over the last 28 years I have traveled all over the country and met ten’s of thousands of people. I have had the privilege to have been around some the country’s leading business men and women and can only count a hand full of people like Charles Parham. In closing Minnie Parham would like to spread a message, “Please don’t smoke.”

P.S. Charles it was my honor to meet you,

Your friend Ronaldo

Please take the time to write a $10.00 check and donate it to your local Cancer Research Center in the name of Charles Parham, I guarantee you it will be the best ten dollars you ever spend.

            I was at the Helen Brett Trade Show in October 1994 and up came “The King”. I recognized him immediately. There was a buzz in the crowd; the living legend in person in Memphis, Tennessee. During his career, “The King” had wrestled all the top wrestlers in the world. “The King” and I spent several minutes discussing his carrier and the different plots he had been involved in while wrestling. Jerry picked out some of my designer pieces for gifts. He also invited Jeff and I to Halloween Havoc, a large wrestling event being held in Memphis that night. We enjoyed the antics of the evening and being Jerry’s guest was quite a treat. When ever I am able to be in Memphis, Jerry and I get together. He is truly a down to earth, straight forward man. About a week later, Jerry mailed me an autographed copy of his book and a few CDs. “The King” truly is a king. He is a great guy and great entertainer. Thanks Jerry for the tickets, the book, and the CDs.

Your Friend,

Ronaldo