When I started our team for the Avon walk in NYC next October, I knew for sure it would be me, Tara, and Kim walking. I didn’t expect anyone else to join us, but I’m sure glad others have! My online friend Deb joined as soon as I formed the team, and a friend of Kim’s from NJ joined this week as well. I have a neighbor interested in walking, and I’m trying to convince my sister to join us as well. It’s going to be exciting enough to pound the streets of New York City for two days, but it’s going to be amazing to be surrounded by wonderful friends like these!
Next month, I’m taking an active role in not one, but two charity events. As you all know, I’m walking 60 miles in the 3-Day for Breast Cancer. However, 2 weeks prior to that event, I’m walking in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk. Now, I’m well aware that not everyone is physically able to get out and walk a few miles to support a great charity. Some would rather donate via their checkbook. I’m also aware that each month, my friends invite me to various “home parties” where I’m encouraged to buy things from a catalog. Just this weekend I spent $60 on jewelry at a home party at a friends house. How about having a fundraising party instead, to encourage your friends to donate to a worthy cause? World Alzheimer’s Day is on September 21st, so this is a great time to throw a Purple Party and invite your friends, family, and coworkers over to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Your very own Purple Party can take any shape or form, and you can combine it with another event. How about throwing yourself a Purple birthday party and asking for donations instead of presents? What about a Purple garage sale, with the profits being donated to the Alzheimer’s Association? Or just invite people over for a night of fun and fellowship at your house, and serve all purple foods! (Grapes, grape soda, grape Jello…)
If the idea of raising money for a good cause is still a bit daunting, you can get some free help in the form of a free World Alzheimer’s Day party kit, as long as you’re one of the first 500 people to register online to throw your Purple Party! The free party kit includes A DVD of Alzheimer’s celebrity champions, speaking points donation forms, cocktail napkins, and even thank you cards. The site will assist you in setting up a page for your party, emailing, and reminding guests, and it will even allow guests to donate online if they can’t attend your party.
One more HUGE reason to participate is that all donations in September will be matched dollar for dollar by The Harrah’s Foundation. Even if you just raise $150, those funds will be doubled when the donation is made!
I just signed up to walk in a 2nd charity walk in October. This walk is to benefit Alzheimer’s research (to find a cure) and support (to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease) and given that my Grandpop had Alzheimer’s, it’s near and dear to my hear. The walk is only 2 to 3 miles, making it possible for anyone to participate. It’ll be a warm up for the 3-Day for me. Please join me for the 2007 Memory Walk in Orlando this October!
My sister completed her last fund raising event this weekend. She had already met her goal, but had this event scheduled prior to meeting goal, so she did it anyway and will share the proceeds with team members who still need help. It’s amazing to me to think about raising all of this money, and other walkers doing the same thing in their hometowns, and how that will affect breast cancer in the years to come. Not only can we provide early detection methods to all, regardless of ability to pay, but maybe, someday, we can find a way to cure cancer for good.
Perhaps you don’t know how the Susan G. Koman Foundation came to be – the foundation was created by a woman named Nancy Brinker. Her sister, Susan G. Koman had died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Obviously, Susan’s life was not a life lived in vain. Her memory lives on for others, in the hearts of more than 75,000 volunteers (like me!) who believe cancer can be stopped someday. It’s an amazing feeling to be part of something so big, and yet so personal. I have friends and family members who have been affected by breast cancer, and walking 60 miles is just one small thing I can do. I can’t wait for October! It will be hot, and there will be aches and pains and blisters, but it’s all worth it.
This post was made possible by Navtej Kohli:
http://digg.com/users/navtejkohli/profile
http://navtejkohli.wordpress.com/
http://profile.typekey.com/Navtej_Kohli/
Does anyone know of groups like Make A Wish that handle adult wishes? I was asked if I did, but I can’t think of any. Living in Florida, we hear about groups like this all the time doing things for kids and their families at Disney, but I don’t know that there are any that work with adult wishes. That’s a shame, because it’s just as important for the kids of adults with an illness to be thought of when their mom or dad is sick.
I love giving to charities and worthwhile causes – I enjoy it even more when the money I’m giving doesn’t come directly from my pocket, because it allows me to donate even when I have bills due. Search Freely is one such site that allows you to donate to good causes by simply visiting their website, and using Google to find what you’re looking for on the internet. The site has raised over $1000 so far, and they’re hoping to double that next month, and you can help! By visiting Search Kindly the next time you need to search the web, you’re supporting their efforts. By making the site your homepage, you can add $3 to their efforts, without taking a penny out of your pocket.
You can search Google AT google.com, and do nothing, or you can search Google at Search Kindly, and support causes like The Ronald McDonald House and Save Darfur.
I’ve heard a lot of commercials on the radio for the 3-Day walk, and noticed that they’re using a song from Five For Fighting as the theme song this year. (Man, those guys are making the big bucks – first their song 100 years is used in a credit card commercial, and now this?)
I actually like the song. It’s called “What Kind Of World Do You Want“, and Five For Fighting is using the song to donate money to charity. You can create a video of yourself, friends, or family answering the question, “what kind of world do you want?” The leader singer of Five For Fighting, John Ondrasik has personally selected a few also. When you watch the clips and support the sponsor, up to 49 cents goes to one of the following charities:
* Fisher House
* Breast Cancer 3-Day: Komen for the Cure
* Save the Children
* Autism Speaks
* VH1 Save the Music Foundation
* NY Police and Fire Widows & Children
My children started their schooling in a Catholic preschool at our church. When it was time for them to start elementary school, they went off to a private Catholic school, one by one. Unfortunately, the costs kept rising each year, and it eventually proved to be too expensive for us. We miss the school, but what my kids probably miss most is something called First Friday. Every “First Friday” of each month, the school held an early morning rosary service. My husband and the kids attended every month, without fail. I even made it a few times! I think it’s because of that early familiarity with the rosary, that my children continue to use it today. My girls each have their very own rosary that they received for their 1st Holy Communion, and my son will get his own when he received Communion for the first time in May.
The Rosary Foundation is a group that is dedicated to promoting the benefits and power of rosary prayer. And yes, the rosary is a Catholic prayer, but they welcome anyone willing to pray. The foundation wants to create rosary awareness and they’re going high tech to do it, by placing ads in search engines. By promoting the rosary, the group hopes to get as many people possible saying the rosary daily to work towards world peace. The Rosary Foundation is also raising money for catholic charity by selling rosary bracelets. (There’s even one with a breast cancer theme!)
