Dear Ellen, I love watching your show and am touched by everything you do for other people, as well as animals. My daughter loves your show as well and records it when she can't be home. She
is a dental assistant and works 4 days a week, home on Fridays. She's 29 years old and in the next few weeks will be going in the hospital for
her 8th surgery in the past three years. She has
ulcerative colitus, so bad that three year ago they removed her colon and used her small intestine to build what they call a "J" pouch
(sorry if that is TMI). She had a colostomy bag
temporarily and after healing process, she had the
"take-down" got rid of the bag and was ready to go
on with her life. With 99% of all patients that
have this surgery, that's the end of it. They go
on with the lives and do just fine. Unfortunately
that has not been the case with my daughter. She
started having problems, one after another; fistulas developing; more surgery and has had the
bag put on and removed three times. Now she has
yet another fistula and is going to have surgery
again to put the bag on permanently. So unfair
for a beautiful 29 year old. Because of all the
surgeries, she has missed a lot of work and has
always gone back work each time. Now it seems that her employer is trying to force her to quit
her job, which would mean losing her insurance.
She married a year and a half ago, but due to all the medical bills, it has been very difficult for them to stay afloat. I have helped as much as I can, but I live on a fixed income and
can no longer help financially. I know there are many people who are struggling these days, and in
the overall picture, Tara's story may not measure
up to the many others you receive. However, I
thought I would at least make an effort. She does
not know I am writing you. But with your Gold Digger stimulus package, it would be a much needed
shot in the arm for her, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this letter.
Sincerely, Rita Mattocks
Willard, Missouri

Hi Ellen,

Both Mary and I work at Cedar Grove Elementary School in Panama City, Fl. Together we have been working at Cedar Grove Elem. School combined 50 years. The school was built in 1957 and the playground equipment has been here since I started working here 33 years ago.
Cedar Grove is a low poverty school. These students are very dear to both of us. The school is in need of playground equipment to accomodate the students during Phyical Education. The equipment would cost the school anywhere from 30 to 50 thousand dollars.
We love your show and have had an opportunity to watch you during the summer.
I would like to be on your Ellen's Gold Digger March Across America to help raise money for the playground equipment. If possible I would like to challange my co-worker in one of the Gold Digger Booths.

This could be most valuable way of getting the word out to the community and other sources that our school is in dire need of playground equipment.

We will even dance with you on your show. If you could make this happen it would show our students how much we care about them.

Very Serious and Sincere,
Diane Marshall and Mary Bright

Hi Ellen:

My husband and I are trying to beat the economy by getting into school. Unable to afford childcare, I am a stay-at-home mom of a beautiful 8 month old daughter, with no real way to significantly add to our income. We are living paycheck to paycheck, sometimes only seeing five extra dollars in our bank account after our bills. The idea of adding more debt to our already dismal situation has cost us many sleepless nights and put us in a dreary rut. We are falling more and more behind and don't know what to do! Please help our family!

Dear Ellen,
well first of all, I LOVE YOUR SHOW!! I never miss it! well I though you could give my mom a shot at the gold digger machine. we just moved out of my grandma' becouse of some problems and we're struggling with money. she doesn't get paid enough in her job and I can't work because of food stamps. that is what pretty much is keeping us alive. I would like for you to help her out. and well we don't get much income and I don't know if I'll be able to attend college or university, knowing the fact that my mom needs help with my sisters. so please ellen please give my mom a shot at this.
WE LOVE YOU ELLEN!!!

hello Elen! Your show is like a warm fuzzy! Lets see, where to start? Im a caretaker, which I truely love doing.Both my parents are up in age,Dad has parkinsin and Mom is diebetic. Im constantly going from one house to the other doing daily chores, cooking, helping with showers and anything else that needs to be taken care of.Right now I only have a parttime job,which Im very thankful for but money is so tight.Sometimes making it from paycheck to paycheck is so hard.I live in Blacksburg Va, the home of The Hokies Virginia Tech. I was on campus waiting for my bus April 16 when the shooting happened.It still breaks my heart!Im not a student, but a 50 year old trying to make ends meet.Id be so very grateful to see the Gold Digger at my apartment here in Blacksburg. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Youre a wonderful woman ! Love to you and yours! Diana Kennedy

Hello Ellen,
I just wanted to ask if you could please consider us for the Gold Digger contest. In 2004 we lost our home because I got sick and we couldn't make the payments without 2 incomes. Now I am a single mother of 3 kids because my husband left us in January. I am not working because of a disability which I get social security for but we have been financially devistated because of this. We have had our gas turned off weeks ago because I can't pay our bill and get little help from my absent husband. We have to take showers at a friend's house and can't use our stove to cook or our dryer to dry clothes but thank God it's summer. I'm afraid that soon my kids are going to lose faith in me to be able to provide for them. I have applied for every kind of aid imaginable but so far no one will help. When my husband left I registered for college but some days I can't even go because I have no money for train fare or gas but have managed to maintain a 3.67 gpa and I know if we can just get through all of this we will be fine.
If you could consider us I would really appreciate it even if it's just enough to pay our gas bill.
I think you're a wonderful person for doing this.
Thank you

I would like to nominate my youngest daughter, Angie Newton, for your Gold Digger contest. Angie (who has epilepsy) takes care of her husband who has Krones disease, my grandson, who also has epilepsy, and still has the time to rescue starving animals. She took in a pregnant horse that the neighbors were starving, and a cat that requires medical treatment to live. Her husband is on disaability, but still there is not enough money to live on. Angie makes sure the animals have food before the family eats. She works with my grandson on his schoolwork, and he has a 4.0 grade average. Angie collects scrap metal for money to buy food and help pay bills and drives a car that is on its last leg. I help the family as much as I can, but am retired and on a limited income. Throughout all this, she never complains, and I don't know how she can be as strong as she is. Their medical bills are astronomical. If anyone deserves help, it is this family. Please consider her for your choice.

hell0 Ellen, My name is gina and i am from north providence r.i. I would love to see gold digger pull up in front of my house, because see in february of 2008 our house burnt. We lost everything, i mean everything. My boyfriend Joe who is also my rock, is trying to keep up the mortgage all by himself.Ever scince the fire all our insurances, mortgage, all of it has gone sky high,to high for us to stay afloat. I lost my full time job in March of 2009, finally after 3 monts I can recieve unemployment, then in April, what happens, i break my ankle.My dreamis to go school, yes at 44yrs.young,dog grooming school.We have an 11month old schi-tzu his name is leonidas.If i could groom him myself it would save us $40.00 a month. He deserves to look handsome because he is,baut some times he has to wait for anoverdue haircut.Please send gold digger to my house for us and Leonidas to. Thank You Ellen you truly are an angel.

Gina Papa

Hi,
My name is Brandi and my girlfriends name is Brandy. A little over 5 years ago our lives really changfed in a big way. The state asked us to take her brothers 3 small children on a temporary basis. At the time the kids were 1,2,and 3. Well they are now 7,8,and 9. We still have them and I also have two sons 14 and 15 from a previous relationship. We are struggling every day to feed and clothe all the kids. My girlfriend is a truck driver and some weeks there is very little work which equals very little pay. I am a waitress at the local Waffle House. I have tried to go back to school ,but the money just isn't there. We could really use the golddigger machine to just help provide for the kids.

Ellen,
As I stated in my stimulus letter, I have been forced into retirement because of a work accident that has left me disabled enough I can't get a Doctor to look at my spine seriously because this accident broke an earlier fusion surgeory done in 1972. Your show makes me laugh and cry,both of which I haven't done in years,many years. The people you help,like what Brad is doing in Louisiana,is simply from the heart. Until my accident my dreams were similar,to build homes ,to put people to work building and showing them how to build these homes at the same time helping each other.
I've spent most of my life doing just that,not like you in a monitary sense but of myself,you need a hand ,I'm there. I just wish more thought this way,like my cats,these two thrown away kittens must have seen me coming. How can people have and feed an animal then to just discard them like trash? I'm thinking about opening a haven for unwanted animals in New Mexico. I am in the process of "Hopefully getting this lot up in the mountains" and opening a retreat for cats and dogs. I know I will have to go public for assistance sooner or later to help with the feeding etc but being retired I thought this would make a great job for myself then as it grew,maybe a few assistants,waddya think? Thanks Ellen
Guy