Thursday, February 12, 2015

Humbled and Amazed

In the continuation of my blogging for a cause series, I have to share the overwhelming feelings that have surged this week.

When I initially signed up to #Bravetheshave for St. Baldrick's I had to set a fundraising goal.  When I chose this number I thought carefully about what I thought I could raise, what the people I know would be able to donate and I decided on $1000.  I thought that this would be a difficult number to reach, that it would take me the 6 weeks to get there; then I reached that goal in one week!

Humbled, that was the overwhelming feeling inside of me that I was connected to so many generous souls that made my goal a reality in only one week.  At that moment I could have simply stopped, and been complacent with reaching that starting goal.  However, this is a cause that I believe in and if I could raise that much in one week... how much could I raise in the remaining five.  So I raised the goal and started working towards making a bigger impact, to make the golden locks on my head that will be shaved on March 14th worth more.  So now I am reaching out, reaching further to raise more money for this worthy cause.  Won't you be a part of this journey?  Even a few dollars can make a difference!

Visit www.stbaldricks.org to find an event near you or
https://www.stbaldricks.org/participant/mypage/751043/2015

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Blogging for a cause!

EXCITING NEWS!

So last night at my job as I was trying to encourage people to donate, one person was asking me for some details about the event and why I was doing this particular event.  I explained the fact that I can't give as generously as I would like to the various charities I support, that I am not the most athletic minded person in the world so it is hard to find events that I can participate in, but that this event allows me to do something in a way that fits my personality.  They then asked why this charity matters and I  said,

"There are far too many names to list of people in my life that have fought, are fighting, or lost the fight with cancer. I truly believe that any breakthroughs on cancer research at any level will lead to breakthroughs with all types of cancer."

Then they expressed that, if I was going to shave my head they wanted it to be worth while and asked what my donation goal was.  I told them $1000 and they said the most amazing thing in return... "If you reach that goal, let me know and I will match the funds."

Tears! I kid you not, there at work, tears sprung to my eyes that this effort could be even greater, at the generosity of those who have the means to be generous, and that in just one week I feel like I am doing something so important and meaningful!

Right now I am at 33% of my goal after the first week and I have 5 more to go!  Let's DO this!

www.stabaldricks.org/participants/mypage/751043/2015


Monday, February 2, 2015

Blogging for a Good Cause

All right blog readers (if there still are any of you out there),

I realize that keeping up on this blog sort of took a back seat and I have been neglecting it for far too long.  I can not promise that I will keep up better in the future, but I return now for a really good reason and worthy cause.

Over the past few years I have been growing my hair out mainly out of sheer laziness to schedule a hair cut.  I will confess here in the blogusphere that I typically only get my haircut maybe once a year. (hard to believe but completely true).  Last year I decided to let it grow as long as I could before I did something drastic and dramatic- Shaving my head.

Now hold on! You haven't heard the whole story yet.  I am not a woman of means or disposable income, but I have always tried to give where I could.  If I couldn't give money, I always try to give support, time, spreading the word, or some other way of showing solidarity for the causes I believe in.  I have really great friends and family that bike, swim, walk, run and train like crazy to raise funds for important organizations. Alas, this is never going to be an arena I see myself becoming a participating part of- I am sure I can do some of those things (I can walk a 5K) but it doesn't really speak to me, the type of person I am.  Then, I made an important decision of how I would become someone who helped fight for a very important cause that is close to my heart, and it involves hair.

St. Baldrick's is a fundraising campaign that raises money to support pediatric cancer research and they have an event in my hometown on the day we hold our St. Patrick's Day Parade.   This event is going to let me use my amazing hair growing skills to not only help create wigs for kids with cancer but also raise funds to fight cancer.  It has always been my firm belief that ANY breakthrough with ANY kind of cancer research will lead to breakthroughs in all cancer research like a domino effect.  I want there to be BETTER, SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE treatments for all kinds of cancer if not FINDING A CURE.   So, I decided to participate and so- I am shaving my head.

On March 14th I will be going from this:

To no hair at all!  I invite you, dear blog readers to be apart of this journey in whatever way you can be.  
Support:
Read the blog, share the blog, just be  apart of the journey

Participate:
Find your own event and signup at http://www.stbaldricks.org/

Donate:
Even $5.00 can make a difference, if you are in a position to help monetarily please consider a donation by going here  https://www.stbaldricks.org/mypage/participant/751043/2015 


I am really excited about this journey and hopeful that I can meet and maybe even exceed my personal fundraising goal. CANCER SUCKS!  I want to be a part of the solution in my own small way and I hope you find a way to be apart of it too, whatever way it may be!