REALLY Overwhelmed
I just received an email in my Inbox from someone involved with Wednesday night's event, a prominent Winnipeg businessman. He let me know that he'd be sending a cheque to The Arthritis Society on Monday for $4,000 to help me finish my fundraising for my next marathon.
I don't have words to describe how I'm feeling right now. I need to do the math, but that just might have been enough to put me over the top of my fundraising goals - which would mean that I can focus solely on (much needed) physical preparations for the run. Any money that people donate now will be icing on the cake.
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. My entire week has been full of happy surprises. I am so very blessed.
Labels: Fundraising, Joints in Motion, My Life, The Arthritis Society
Overwhelmed
That's really the only word to describe how I'm feeling today... Last night was incredible. Honestly, one of the most meaningful events I've ever had the privilege of being involved with.
About a month ago, I agreed to speak at The Arthritis Society's first annual Celebrity Roast night, being held in honour of Charlie Spiring, CEO of Wellington West. Last night, I did NOT feel like doing it. I'm still feeling kind of sick, I'm exhausted from a combination of engagement / return to work / jetlag / fibromyalgia, and I didn't want to do it. I had to give myself a pretty big pep talk before I went inside. It helped so much to have my mom there to encourage me too. Talking to yourself always appears *slightly* less insane when there's someone else in the car.
I presented my story as the evening's keynote speaker. It's amazing to me that I still get choked up talking about my experiences - getting sick, getting sick again, my fight to be normal, my Joints in Motion projects, the support of my family and friends, and my hope for a cure. I wasn't polished. But I was honest and authentic. And I know that people - no matter how fancy shmancy they may be (and there were many of Winnipeg's who's-who in the crowd last night) - respond to that.
The evening was a genuinely good time. The speakers were hilarious, intelligent, and extremely witty. The food was amazing. And The Arthritis Society raised a heck of a lot of money, which made everyone's huge efforts absolutely worth it. I was very proud to be able to help out for such an important cause and a successful event.
I talked to so many people after - people who were encouraged, people who were inspired, people who had been quietly and secretly living with arthritis for years and who were finally set free and ready to talk about it. And at the end of the night, those people dug into their wallets and brought me almost $1,200 closer to my fundraising goal for Greece. Amazing.
Oh, and Ace Burpee came to find me after my speech to inform me of the fact that I am one of the funniest people in Winnipeg. Which would have made my night all on its own. Take THAT, Chuck and Kyle. (My charming co-workers have spent months telling me that I'm not funny. They rarely even smile when I crack a joke. They just sit there, look at each other, look at me, and then shake their heads. They actually keep track of the *actually* funny things I say, because they think it happens so rarely... I know. My life is so traumatic.)
Labels: Fundraising, Joints in Motion, My Life, The Arthritis Society
Many Thanks
A *huge* thank you to all of you who showed up for my fundraiser on Saturday. It didn't end up being a particularly profitable day as far as dollars go, but we had a great time, enjoyed the sunshine, ran for about a thousand million years on that stupid treadmill, and talked to a lot of people. We even managed to convince some funny random strangers to jump on the treadmill, which was pretty funny.
In all, we walked more than 20 km, and raised a couple of hundred dollars - and had some fun doing it. I'd call that a success. (Of course, stay tuned for details of upcoming fundraisers, because we've still got a heck of a long way to go!)
Labels: Events, Fundraising, The Arthritis Society
Garage Sale Announcement
Some of you know about this, but I have not been very healthy the last week or two. I've made a decision to postpone the Garage Sale we'd planned for this weekend.
I'll definitely still be doing a Garage Sale, just not for a couple of weeks. So you have a couple of options... Feel free to save up your stuff to donate then, drop it off at my place already - or drive it over to Steve and Esther's place. They're doing a Garage Sale at the end of May to raise money for their foreign adoption costs and for the orphanage their kids are living at right now. It's an awesome cause, and I know they'd appreciate your support!
In the meantime, don't forget about the Safeway Tag Day on May 12! It's going to be lots of fun :)
Labels: Fundraising, Joints in Motion
You're It!
I'm signed up to do Tag Day for The Arthritis Society on Saturday, May 12 at the south Osborne Safeway location. All the money I raise goes to my Joints in Motion project.
What's Tag Day? Officially, it's when annoying people trying to raise money for charity hang around outside a grocery store with a box around their neck and ask you for change - and then you 'tag' them with a sticker so that you don't harass them again on their way out. It's not *quite* as horrible as I've described it, but I won't lie - it's TOUGH.
I'm determined to do my Tag Day with a little more style. So here's my idea.
I did my first and only full marathon in 2004, and it took me 8 hours and 27 minutes to walk 26.2 miles. That's a LONG TIME. My idea is to set up a treadmill outside the Safeway entrance, and have friends and family stop by to keep that treadmill going all day - from 9.33 am until 6.00 pm - and demonstrate how much farther we can make it when we're all working together.
We'll still have a table set up for donations (and I'm checking to see if we can sell hot dogs, bring face paints, and some other fun stuff), but we'll have a draw and a story. Plus, I absolutely love the idea of getting all of you involved.
Interested? AWESOME. I need you to email me and sign up! I don't care if you can run 5 miles or if you can walk 5 steps, I just need to know that you're coming. I'm going to be in sweats and sneakers, and I'll help... But I'm going to need all of you to make it all the way.
I'll also need people to come and sit at the table to take donations, for hot dogs and face painting if that happens, and to just hang out and chat with the people who stop by - everyone has a story to tell about how arthritis has affected them or someone they love.
So... Are you in? :)
PS - Don't forget about the Garage Sale happening on April 28!
Labels: Fundraising, Joints in Motion
On Ice
Attention World:
I have 20 tickets for the Moose hockey game on Friday, April 13. I'm selling them for a minimum donation of $15 each (taxes included), and 100% of the money will go to Joints in Motion.
You can pay by cash or by cheque (payable to The Arthritis Society, with my name in the memo line).
Oh, and the April 13 game just happens to be the second-last home game of the season - so the first 10,000 fans will get free thundersticks, and someone in attendance will be walking away with a brand-new 2007 Toyota vehicle.
Interested? Talk to me soon, because these will go fast!
Labels: Events, Fundraising, Joints in Motion
