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The sights and sounds of spring are popping up all around us here in the Midwest. The snow has melted giving way to fresh flower beds ready for flowers to pop through.

With a new season brings many new opportunities to help others; and with the Living Proof Exhibit’s Make Hope Soar project you can bring a renewed sense of hope to people impacted by cancer.

Make Hope Soar is a program to create birdhouses for cancer patients and those impacted by cancer. This can be a great project to do with as a group or individually as you continue to practice social distancing.

Painted and decorated by you, these birdhouses will be distributed to people who have been touched by cancer. The birdhouses might go to a patient, to someone who has a loved one dealing with cancer, or to someone who works with cancer patients and survivors.

Once completed, birdhouses should be shared with individuals in your community that could use a little extra hope. This can be at your local cancer center or support group.

Here is how you can participate:

1. Purchase a birdhouse online or at a local hobby store, or build your own. Typically, these are decorative, so smaller sizes are ideal.
2. Your birdhouse can be an ornament or freestanding.
3. Decorate your birdhouse in any fashion—paint, paper, bedazzling—the only limit is your imagination! No special talents needed!
4. Write a message of encouragement on the underside of the birdhouse such as, "Sending warm thoughts", "Thinking gently of your health", or "You are loved." Please don't use "Get well soon" as the artwork may be shared with a child of a patient or a caregiver.
5. Share your birdhouse with your local cancer community, and let Living Proof Exhibit know! 

We can help you! We are proud to support our members as they serve their community through volunteerism. If approved, the  Royal Neighbors Difference Maker Fund provides $200 in seed money to help you turn your passion into action.