Live simply and give generously.
Wow have I really not posted since the first week of January?? This month flew by really fast. Chinese New Year came and went, and at work there have been three big events taking up my time. Today’s post will be all about charity, my charity to be specific! As you may know, I’m the Manager of Special Events at a Toronto charity called Yonge Street Mission. They have been working with people living with poverty since 1896 (115 years!) and they do great work in the city.
We had this really unique opportunity for 17 CEOs/execs to visit our charity and be called to action, initiated by Prince Charles himself, called the Seeing Is Believing tour. I helped with event logistics that day and managed the catering for breakfast. There is always so much pressure when VIPs are involved! Thankfully the event went without a glitch and it was really well received.
Two days after, it was prep time for the Longest Underground Clothing Drive and Sale, and all along, there has been promotion for the Coldest Night Of the Year walk in February. Oh, and did I mention I have 8+ weddings to plan??
Just this past week I’ve had two site visits (to two BEAUTIFUL O&B venues – Jump and Malaparte) and worked a week-long clothing drive along the PATH downtown Toronto. I am SO excited for both of these weddings.
The Longest Underground Clothing Drive and Sale is a week-long event that takes place all along the underground PATH in Toronto. You may have seen the signs if you work downtown! Each of the 14 locations had their own specifications for setup and loading, each requiring their own volunteers. It was quite an undertaking and I really wasn’t sure what to expect! The experience was tiring but quite rewarding overall. I met so many wonderful and committed volunteers, experienced the generosity of Torontonians first-hand and have memorized the PATH map like no tomorrow.
It reminded me that if we live simply, we can give more. If you are reading this on a computer in a home, you are well beyond blessed and have so much to give.
Today is actually the last day to donate along the PATH, so make sure to do so while you are downtown. If you want to donate any other time of the year, you can do so by contacting Double Take directly.
On February 25, I am coordinating the Coldest Night Of the Year walk. It is a 5k and 10k walk in Toronto in the frigid winter weather to experience a taste of living with poverty. It is a really fun fundraiser for teams and groups! Not to mention we have some awesome prizes to give away for top fundraisers. We have our friends at Starbucks sponsoring the event and you may have heard our promotion on Classical 96.3 FM or AM 740, our radio sponsors.
It is not too late to sign up so head on over to www.coldestnightoftheyear.org and sign up under Toronto. If you cannot come out, at least sponsor me!
That’s it for me folks. Come find me downtown today or even better, sign up for the CNOY walk! There is no better feeling than to be give back and be a part of life change. Give generously! I’d love to see you out.