Debbie & Hannah Poteet Fundraising For Medical Expenses…

A lot of people come to me asking for my help, although I can’t help everyone I try to enlist my Texas Twins Events Team when a cause is dear to my heart.  I care about their story and I care about their journey. 

Yesterday afternoon Debbie contacted me on FB (my account name is Wendy Thomas Wortham) to find out how we could help her  with covering a new deductible this year.  I suggested setting up a GoFundMe account and listing her specific reasons for needing assistance Debbie Poteet GoFundMe  worried that no one would care about her struggle, I assured her that there are many people just like me who not only care but also wanted to help her. 

I also committed myself and my team to have a bake sale or raffle off an item in my Texas Twins Treasures Inventory to help cover the shortage which is why I’m writing the blog on this website rather than Texas Twins Events or The Pawning Planners or Texas Twins TV because as my dedicated readers know, I’m the only author of five different websites posting creative content based on my unique journey in the wedding and events industry offering low cost or no cost events for families who would otherwise never be able to afford a Life Event which is why we call them Dream Events.

When I’m frequently asked why I go to such great lengths to help strangers, my answers are that I am the person I’ve never met and, I’ve been poor myself so I understand the struggle.

When families have no money or anything of value to provide in exchange for services, my Texas Twins Treasures storefront funds them by selling my refurbished inventory, Pawning Planners Apparel or personal items to fund them. Why?  Don’t ask me why ask yourself why not!  Hundreds of families have come to me for help and hundreds of families have benefitted because I understood that no one else would help them and created unique and diverse businesses to help these struggling consumers myself.

When my dear friend, Glenda Patterson passed away in Colorado last year, her daughter Tara contacted me frightened of how she could ever find the funding to return Glenda to Texas and also cover the funeral and flowers.  I suggested a GoFundMe account and handcrafted the funeral flowers myself while acting as a funeral clergy to oversee the memorial Funeral For a Friend- Wendy Wortham. While I was shocked and deeply saddened by a sudden death- I reacted swiftly and quickly by sharing her GoFundMe page to my huge social network.  My friends, twins and connections exceeded the requested amount because, like me, they understood the issues facing low to middle income families. 

When I created Texas Twins Events years ago, my original plan was to help families that couldn’t afford a wedding officiant by offering my services at 75% less than traditional pricing.  For families still unable to pay me, I worked for free.  Recognizing that many families couldn’t afford wedding flowers for the family or photography- I spent another two years buying flowers and creating an extensive inventory of floral designs, bouquets, bouteniers and centerpieces along with camera equipment to overcome the issue of inability to pay for such luxuries.  

Recently I was nominated for Women of Distinction Magazine for my “unique and creative contribution to the wedding and events industry.”  The editor asked why anyone would go to such great lengths to help strangers and I advised her that giving these families the wedding that I never had was important to me because I realized how special an event with family and friends was while recognizing that the majority of families could never afford the “average cost” of a wedding at $5-20k.  In fact many of our families have less than $500 and twenty percent no money at all.  Being creative to find ways around the limits of finance relied heavily on my unique ability to go over, around or through such barriers which is why I’m often called the Wedding Warrior!

Cindy and I know Debbie and Hannah because they live in Weatherford where my twin also resides and the Little Pawners, Maryssa and Makenna attend school. 

When I’m asked how I attained a huge social media the answer is simple- hard work and dedication!  I spend hours retweeting, liking and sharing my connections posts.  I don’t use bots or “quick fixes” instead, I manually support my connections daily and in turn, they support me. 

Having a strong relationship with venue vendors helps but, we support our vendors by sharing their posts, liking their photos and promoting them to our network.  Social media is time consuming (up to 4 hours a day) and not a “given.” You work for your network and they work for you!

GoFundMe isn’t for folks who want money for a beach vacation or new car- it is for families who have a genuine need.

While I can’t help everyone who comes to me, I can give them insight on finding help and fundraising.

Changing the wedding and events industry one family at a time hasn’t been easy or inexpensive for me but what it has been is a labor of love and a journey with my multigenerational family of finding new friends and giving them a gift that keeps giving from Fort Worth, Texas! 

My dear friend Rebecca Bowman is making a beautiful multicolor tutu to auction off along with my refurbished table to help raise money for this family.  A community “coming together” isn’t unique it’s “old school” and an effective way to raise money while helping others.

Volunteering your time and your talent can give hope to many while inspiring your family to volunteer.  My legacy will be one of jumping in and doing whatever I can to help those who have no one else because I am the person that I’ve never met as is my twin sister, Cindy Daniel who may be saucy and sarcastic but is as filled with compassion as I am.  We are a TwinTeam…

 Wendy M Wortham