Kerry O.’s story is heartbreaking. It’s a page-turner with an unknown ending. Assistance from the 1400′s won’t help write that closing but it will keep the story going.

Kerry and her husband Todd were fnally blessed with the knowledge they would be having twins earlier this year. It had been a long journey to get to this point. The babies came 3 1/2 months early at 23 1/2 weeks, both weighing just over one pound each. Their little boy lived for only a few hours and the girl passed after three days. The parents never heard them cry or see them open their eyes.

That’s not the end of Kerry’s story.

Just one week after the babies were born Kerry was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Her thyroid was removed and post-op tests revealed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. Radiation has been scheduled.

Amongst the pain and suffering, Kerry lost her job during her pregnancy. At the time she was the sole provider of health insurance. Without the ability to work and without insurance the medical bills are mounting; not only for her cancer treatments, but especially for the babies’ time in neonatal intensive care.

Despite everything, Kerry has never once asked for anything from anyone other than to keep her in prayers.

We wanted to do more and your donations help.  1400′s provided monetary assistance to Kerry and Todd in March.

Homepage photograph by Fritz Hoffman; “The Road Ahead”, National Geographic, May 2008

Photo courtesy of crossfitintrepid.com

Members and friends of the 1400′s will be participating in the 8th Annual Polar Fest Plunge in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota on February 18. Duffy’s in Fargo, North Dakota is sponsoring the 5-man team.

The plunge takes place 1:00 pm in front of the Pavilion.  More information on the Plunge can be found here.

All proceeds from the Plunge will benefit the Boys and girls Club of Detroit Lakes. You may also show your support of the 1400′s by donating online.

It’s been a long time coming and thanks to the support of many across the country and the perseverance of the founding members, 1400′s has achieved federal non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization.  This means every dollar you donate is tax deductible.

“This is a major milestone for the 1400′s and demonstrates the dedication of the group to make a difference for folks who need a helping hand,” said the Board of Directors.

With the 501(c)(3) approval, 1400s.org has established an easy way to contribute online by partnering with WePay.com. Once your contribution is submitted you are presented with a notice of your tax-deductible donation which is to be used for preparing your annual return.

More great news if you live in North Dakota

Senate Bill 2160 recently passed the North Dakota legislature, clearing the way for a 40% tax credit for establishing an endowment in a North Dakota charity, of which 1400′s qualifies.  A tax credit is a direct reduction in the previously-computed tax;  it is superior to a tax reduction which is a reduction in income subject to taxation.  This particular tax credit is allowed in lieu of a tax deduction on North Dakota returns.

Highlights of the legislation include:

• Business and individual gifts can be directed to same qualified endowment fund
• Minimum contribution of $5,000 to qualify for 40% tax credit up to a maximum credit of $10,000 for individuals or $20,000 for joint filers.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the idea of the 1400′s and we look forward to putting your faith in us to work.

Dear 1400′s Guys,

Words can not begin to express how I felt when your check came – witnessed by all the wadded up pieces of paper around me as I struggle to find the right ones.

You caught me off guard, defenses down, and I cried like a baby.  It was not so much the money – although that will be a huge boon to me in paying down deductibles, buying a wig, getting medicine that isn’t covered by insurance, etc. It was so much more. And that’s where the difficulty lies in giving thanks.

To be lifted up by your generosity – just three short days before I start chemo – (this is about to become another wad of paper) made me feel happy and hopeful and loved and valued and important and finally – humbled.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. When this is behind me, I vow to become a member of the 1400′s myself.

As the chemotherapy treatments began, Hope made sure she could continue to support her boys and students by keeping her courtside seat warm as the school’s basketball team made it through the state tournament.  The Berthold community rallied behind Hope by helping with their basic needs and a successful fundraiser.

Inspired by the community and Hope’s place in it, the 1400′s convened in May and agreed to contribute to the outpouring of support with a gift of $2,000.

To learn more about Hope Brown, visit her Caring Bridge page to keep up with her progress.

Tammy Pagel, an emergency room nurse, volunteered to travel to Haiti to assist in recovery efforts through Cure International. Their group departed on February 25 for a 9-day stay.  The 1400′s heard of her plans and put into motion plans to pay her roundtrip airfare and enable her to concentrate on the task at hand: providing crucial medical care for the people of Haiti.

Immediately after hearing about the horrible devastation in Haiti as a  result of the earthquake of January 12th, a friend and I began  researching how we could get involved with a medical relief team.   Being ER nurses, we felt we could use our skills in a variety of ways  to help out with the disaster and overwhelming medical need being  experienced by the people of Haiti. We both checked with several  organizations, reviewed websites and spoke with several people until,  finally, my friend/co-worker heard of a group from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin  area. Our group consisted of ten people: 2 doctors, 5  nurses, an anesthesiologist, an EMT and a group leader.  We  immediately began planning our trip but really did not know what to  expect when we flew into Port-au-Prince.

The devastation we found in Haiti was mind boggling.  As you may know,  the earthquake resulted in the greatest tragedy (as measured by loss  of life and economic loss) in modern times with 200,000-300,000 dead,  thousands of orphans, hundreds of thousands of people seriously  injured, over a million people homeless and 60% of the central city  destroyed. Buildings have been reduced to piles of concrete and  rubble spills into the streets blocking the already narrow roads.  There are garbage piles every few hundred yards. Any former open or  green space is now occupied by tent communities that are a combination  of tents and makeshift temporary housing constructed from boards,  plastic tarps, sticks, rope or any other materials that can be found  amongst the rubble.  Food is available at small street stands and  people are continuously searching for clean drinking water. Dogs,  pigs, goats, and chickens wander the streets in search of food. Nearly  everything looks chaotic, broken and distressed.

Our group went to help out at a hospital on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.  Over the week we were there, we saw a wide variety of patients  including those who had injuries sustained during the quake, others  who suffered a variety of more recent trauma, and many who suffered  from illnesses such as malaria, typhoid and related diseases.  We  worked hard and did whatever we could to try to alleviate the pain and  suffering these people were experiencing. The day before we left we  went to an orphanage and were able to offer medical assistance in the  way of vaccinations.  We were able give many children a bit of comfort  as we handed out dolls, stuffed toys and a variety of other items.

The people of Haiti are an amazing people.  They have encountered many  tragedies over the years and are a resilient people.  It is amazing to  look around and see that in the midst of this devastation they are  moving about, cooking, cleaning, tearing apart the destroyed  buildings, and yes, some are rebuilding.  They are smiling, singing,  interacting with one another and caring for one another.

Although we were only in Haiti for a short time, we were able to help  alleviate some of the pain and suffering and offer a bit of hope.  We  were told time and time again by the people of Haiti how grateful they  were for the help and care we were able to offer.  One cannot witness  this type of pain and devastation and not become a changed person.

Thanks to  the 1400′s for all you did to assist in this  endeavor to give help and hope to the people of Haiti, and all you do  to help others in need.  God bless you!

Josh Johnson

KC Meduna

Kevin Fjeldhal from Stanley, ND

Tim Fjeldahl

Becoming a Member means pledging at least $100 in support to the mission of the 1400′s, early access to fundraising events, discounts on 1400′s swag to help promote the organization in your area and eligibility to join the Board of Directors. Interested? Complete the handy online membership form today to get started.

You don’t have to be a Member to make an impact and we welcome your contribution. Whether you have a function seeking a charity to support or would just like to send a token of support, 100% of your contributions go to carrying out the mission of the 1400′s.

Through the support of members and the Board we were able to provide significant assistant during the year and are well positioned entering 2010.  The Board approved the creation of apparel and themed merchandise to benefit the organization so check back often to see what we have in “store” in the next few weeks.  We’ll also be adding details on how you can become a Member of the 1400′s.

The most exciting news came after Christmas when we received the largest donation from a contributor!  Having worked hard to spread the word all year, it was quite humbling to think that Tom and Chris McDougall of North Dakota had heard about the 1400′s and thought enough of the organization to make it the recipient of their 2009 gift:

My wife and I learned of your group from (a Board member) about a year ago, and frankly forgot about it until today.  As we were thinking of what we could do to help some people out, we thought about the organization again, and upon doing a little research, decided to let your team use this small token in ways we may not be able to ourselves.

Please accept this gift and use it as a blessing to others who may need it more than us this year!

Thank you to Tom, Chris and all those who have provided support, monetary or otherwise, and we look forward to doing even more in the coming year.

Recently, their 13-year old son underwent open heart surgery in Minnesota.  Travel and time away from work in South Dakota has tapped their resources, coupled with a planned move to their home state of North Dakota.  With these thoughts in mind, the 1400′s provided the Herman family with a much-needed check for $2,000, the organization’s largest gift of the year.

If you would like to contribute to the efforts of the 1400′s to help those who are unable to help themselves, please use the Contribute link at the top of the page to learn the many ways you can get involved.