Sunday 22 April 2012

Next up! April


April has been on Forever Friends of Hope for four or five years.  She was originally from Qu'Appelle and then returned after going to school and getting an education.  April and her husband bought a farm at Qu'Appelle and began their life. 

Shortly after I met April there was a hypnotist at the bar in Qu'Appelle.  I didn't know her well yet.   I had never been to a hypnotist before and didn't know what to expect.  Did you know that when you get hypnotised, they can't make you do anything that you don't believe in?  They can't make you go against your core moral beliefs.  April was one of the people that volunteered to get hypnotised.  About 20 people tried and only four or five actually went "under".  And April was one of them.

The hypnotist got them to pretend that they were famous people, on a beach that got hotter and hotter, things that were very innocent but funny.  Nothing humiliating just innocent fun.  One of the set ups the hypnotist asked was that they were to imagine that the rock star they admired the most and loved was preforming right in front of them.  There was screaming, hollering, and dancing.  He then told them that same rock star was back stage and requesting that they go back stage and wanted to have sex with them.  As the others went tearing off back stage to meet the imaginary rock star, April paused, looked at the doorway, shrugged her shoulders, walked over to her husband and sat down on his knee. 

This is the way April is.  Loyal and honest right to her core.  That night the hypnotist told her husband how lucky he was.  But I think he knew that already. 

April is in marketing and agriculture.  The marketing has been a huge asset to FFOH.  Her knowledge and experience is a blessing to us.  She also has contacts that are far flung and has helped expand our sponsorship area.  She is one of the partners that own SaskMade Market Place in Saskatoon which is a store that features all Saskatchewan product and merchandise.  Here is the link to the store if you want to have a look. http://www.saskmade.ca/

And if the farm, store and two kids and husband weren't enough, she also has a full time job...  I know I was thinking the same thing, What a slacker!  (I'm kidding.)  She is an amazingly busy woman. 

And one more thing, but don't tell her.  I am incredibly impressed by her.  She is the exact example of a strong woman that I am proud to know.  She is confident, classy and incredibly hard working.  She brings an amazing energy to the group. 

Just one more woman that I am amazed and blessed to have in my life!  Thank you all!

Friday 13 April 2012

Shamless begging!

In the middle of the CKRM page there is a box that has links to important stuff that CKRM is affiliated with.  One of the things is a Blake Shelton cruise contest that you can win.  Another is Dr. Phil tickets.  And number six is FFOH!  Can you believe it?  We share print with those guys.  That is a super cool feeling.  It might not seem like much but to me it seems fantastic! 

Below is the link to buy tickets for our event.  If you would like to join us, please click on it and pick up your tickets.  We would love to have you.  We are pretty good at throwing a party so we would love to see you there! 
Click away and help us sell out our second event this year.  Boy would we have bragging rights then heh?

Find and buy 620 CKRM PRESENTS tickets at CASINO REGINA at admission.com http://www.admission.com/event/620-CKRM-PRESENTS-tickets/SGT1129?tm_link=tm_header_lang2&messnum=

Thanks everyone.  I appreciate your time!

Friday 6 April 2012

Consciousness

Consciousness. 

It seems rather simple.  We are awake and moving about, therefore conscious right?  But is it?  Are we really living with purpose.  Truly awake?  I have talked before about being grateful for what we have, about really acknowledging our lives.  I don't want to bore you.  What I want to do is move you. 

We all know there is wrong in the world.  We all wish it could be different.  But how many people really do something about it? 

Anyone can throw money at a problem.  But as we all know, money does not solve problems.  It can help but not fix.  At FFOH we can help fix money problems but we can't fix cancer.  We can only help by reducing stress and allowing the focus to shift to healing. 

Change is a different animal all its own.  Change occurs in two ways.  Passively or violently.  Each has its own credibility and purpose.  Violence can invoke radical change very quickly.  It can backfire though.  People choose sides, education and personal opinion fuel the rage.  Usually hatred is ingrained and involved.  Kindness and respect is not part of the solution.  Changing your opinion becomes a "loss", giving up.  The longer we hold onto rage the more damage is done to the surrounding world.  Whether it is the fight between neighbours over a barking dog or countries over oil, the damage becomes far flung with divisions and hurt deepening with each passing day.

But passive change has draw backs as well.  Change is much slower.  There are sides to chose, however, the fight changes.  It becomes easier to change your mind, to say "I didn't think of it that way, you might be right." Both sides can be considered when finding a solution.  Respect is in the for front of both solutions.  Change is usually longer term, more acceptable, ongoing and progressive.

Years ago I watched a video on female genitalia mutilation or female circumcision,  that occurs in certain countries around the world.  In this example 8 year old girls had all external genitalia removed with a scalpel in a hut with no real sanitation and definitely no sedation.  Aunties and mothers held the girls down while it was done.  It sounds as horrible now as it did then.  My knee jerk reaction was "child abuse".  What is wrong with those people.  How could they! 

Then they explained the other side of the "fight".  Men chose women partially based on this procedure.  Women who did not have this done we not acceptable by the society in the country.  This procedure was done to keep women faithful to a husband and family.  They would be unmarried and shamed.  Sentenced to a life of poverty and ridicule.  No mother wants that for her child either. 

As the documentary progressed, they women were simply shown a different way.  As you can imagine child birth was terrible for these women.  Scar tissue sometimes made delivering a child impossible.  Death during child birth was rampant.  Infections took a terrible toll on the children going through it.  The women were taught about the female body, its inner workings.  Shown the purpose of each part.  They dispelled the myth of the connection between genitalia and promiscuity.  By education they showed the women there was a better way.  At the end they had convinced the women doing it to stop.  The women symbolised the change by turning in the rusty scalpels that they used for the procedure. 

Change was long lasting and real.  But not quick.  This took years to change.  But it changed. 

My point today is simple.  Be change.  Pick a cause, any cause.  Whatever is near and dear to your heart.  It can be simple.  It can be as simple as walking away from a racist joke.  It can be writing a letter to a politician about something you feel should change.  It can be joining a cause.  Marching in the streets, or raising money for a donation.  If you take a tiny step out of your comfort zone you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.  Each one of us has a voice.  We can all "be change" in our world. 

Whatever you decide to do, do it with consciousness.  Don't thoughtlessly throw money at a cause.  Participate in it.  Choose your cause with deliberation.  It is your time and money.  Choose well.  And the way you will know if you are successful in your choice will be in how you feel after you participate.  If you feel better about yourself and what you have brought to this planet, then you were successful. 

When we are successful in helping a women with cancer, it makes us feel good.  It fills us up emotionally.  It sustains us for the work, the fund raising  and bill paying that lies ahead.  When we do that I know we have been successful. 

This leaves us open to be "Amazed and Blessed"

Thanks to you all.  This is a little heavier than my usual and I appreciate your time and support. 



Wednesday 4 April 2012

Beginnings

Part of my success in my whole life (Don't worry I am not that successful, just always managed to keep the lights on.) has always been because I was to stupid to realise that I couldn't do something.  I attribute that success to FFOH as well.  We were shocked at how hard it was to break into the cancer "inner circle".  I understand now that part of that is that there are so many fly by night charities or organizations that start and close after a few months or years.  There are no words for the level of commitment a board must have to remain vibrant and even to grow.  In our organization there are even more requirements because we have no employees.  The commitment of the board to do these things on their own time and for free is massive. 

It is also some of the reason that some charities fold.  Its also the reason that charities have to have employees.   We are choosing to try and get some satellite groups going to help us.  We need other folks in other health regions to begin a chapter of FFOH in order to take some of the stress of our board.  We are still getting by but as we grow we can see where the shift will be necessary.  Even if we had a chapter in the northern part of Saskatchewan and we were in the south it would be a huge help. 

So to our Saskatoon or PA supporters think about it.  No pressure...well some pressure.  We are doing more work with the Hope Cancer Center in Saskatoon (I sit on the board there as well via Skype.) and that has brought us more applicants from the northern part of the province. 

So if you want this to be you
Give us a call today!
Thanks everyone for the reads and "shares".
Have a great day.  Spread Kindness.  It goes a really long way!

Sunday 1 April 2012

More to do

Hello again all. 
It's been another busy week.  We have to pay out 1800 dollars worth of mortgage payments to one applicant and work to support another.  Having money to do this is always my first priority.  My worst fear has always been not having enough money to help people when they ask for it. 

Our belief is that people don't usually ask if they don't need it.  We do our research and help people as much as we can with what we have.  That's why all the fundraising we do is so important. 
And speaking of fundraising, isn't this the best looking group you have ever seen.  I may be biased but that is my opinion.   This picture was taken just before we opened the doors at the auction.  And two of these beotches are wearing their actual grad dresses.  I won't say which two but they know who they are.  And for the record I am not one of them.  Good on ya gals.  Don't mistake my envy for anything else. 

 I am very grateful to know and work with these ladies.  They have all taught me something.  I think the most important part of wisdom is knowing that I don't know much at all, and these women know a lot and share it willingly.  (Sometimes very willingly).  We have been very lucky.  We haven't fallen victim, as a board, to some of the troubles that some boards have.  We all get along.  Some days better than others but for the most part, pretty well. 

I think that we all keep our eye on the prize, so to speak.  We all know why we are doing what we are doing and are proud to keep doing it.  That feeling over rides everything else. 

If anyone out there wants to help out with Forever Friends we would love to have you.  Our annual general meeting is in June and we would be honored to have more members.  I will keep you posted on the date and time.  (Someone knows when it is, its just not me.)

And thanks to SGI Canada for their bronze sponsorship for our 620 CKRM Saskatchewan's got Talent this fall.  Thanks guys!