All You Good Good People

It, was Friday and I'd promised the Mega Mitre10 guy a beer. 

To say it's been a tough week, is a bit of an understatement, lots of rubbish going on, that just drags you down, but it was Friday so no complaints there.  

But I just knew it had to be a good sign, that this was going to be a good day, when I got a very positive message via Facebook re: a my guest speaker, I'm not counting my chickens before they've hatched,  so fingers crossed.  I've mentioned the guy from Mega Mitre10 who generously offered support last week, well I promised him a beer for his generosity so far.  He had messaged me during the week to say already a number of items were starting to come in, I know I keep saying it, but I am astounded by how supportive people are.  

I'm constantly hearing "You're brave to be doing this!" it's not brave, it's just the need to fulfill something that has been burning inside me for 25 years.  I can't guarantee when I come back, I won't be looking for ways to return and continue helping there, or maybe once will be enough, who knows?

What I've learnt more than anything since starting this, is it really is about connections, the old adage of it's not what you, but who you know (or maybe who I'm getting to know, as I travel down this road to Kenya)  being the type of person who can talk easily to strangers has helped, and the passion inside me to achieve this, is what makes it even easier. 

My good friend Kerry-ann got the ball rolling last night, she came to meet me for a quick drink after work and we shared a laugh or two (always a lot of laughing with Kerry-ann) I head to the bar to buy the beer I owed the Mitre10 guy, only to return and find her not in our seat.  There she was happily promoting me and my cause to the table of 5 guys behind us, all of whom proceeded to be very generous in their monetary donations and their offers of support. "Thanks" Kerry-ann for being the kind of friend that gets off her butt and helps people, "thanks" random guys in the bar who gave generously, and bought me a wine.  

“When we're connected to others, we become better people.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

The aim for today, my first "door knocking" to local business, if the truth be told, I'm a little scared.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  

Watch this space

Asante

Jacq

x

I entitled this post All You Good Good People, because anybody who knows me well, will know the importance of music to me.  I love the song of the same name by the band Embrace, but had never seen the video.  I had intended to link the video clip in via YouTube, but after going and finding it, I just couldn't, it has to be the saddest music video I have ever watched, it moved me to tears, but not in a good way.  So I just couldn't end my positive vibe on a negative note.  Brilliant song though.

It Never Rains but it Pours......

And today was a downpour.....So many things in one day, tomorrow will seem slow and lifeless.  If you've checked out the fundraising page of abs-olutley you will have seen Vikki's Fantaboulous Idea to get Jacqui to Kenya and the donations of bottles of wine are pouring in (excuse the pun) It's great having friends who are so encouraging, it's just what I need, it keeps the self doubt at bay.  Today was a tough one for me, on a personal level, but on a "Getting to Kenya" level, it was amazing... You can't ask for everything, and today my luck came in the shape of aid.

#1 - The Sausage Sizzle is booked, I've got my helpers and hopefully some hungry people wanting to pop a gold coin in the box for a sausage.  Photos to come.  Once I've got this under my belt, I will feel like it's really happening. 

Mad Butcher Massey

Triangle Road Intersection

Massey

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

#2 - I stepped away from my desk for just a few minutes, only to come back to see I had missed a call.  I mentioned the stroke of luck last Friday meeting the group of guys at Bar159, well it seems they really were angles in guise of builders.  One had said he would see if he could generate some interest, that he would ask some of his suppliers if they were prepared to donate goods.  Well true to his word, he rang today asking if I would put together a letter outlining my fundraising goal and he would see what he could do.  What more can I ask for? As I keep getting told "Action creates Activity" I'm starting to believe it.  Said letter is currently being proof read by my most convincing supporter.

Links and promotion will accompany any support given 

Keep the bottle pledges rolling in, and please if you've pledged an item, follow through, I can't auction "Good Intentions" but I can auction "Simple Gestures." All items donated will go directly to the Silent Auction. All funds raised at the Silent Auction will go entirely to Getting Jacqui to Kenya. 

Jacq

x

What a Day! - "Action creates Activity"

Where do I Start?

I came to the decision yesterday that I had to make a concerted effort to put the feelers out, I needed to start being more pro-active in making a start on the money front... all the talk in the world is not going to get my butt on that plane, not unless that talk gets results.... As my cheerleader frequently tells me..."Action creates Activity" I think today was proof of that... 

I'm not a big fan of "counting my chickens before they are hatched" so maybe all the glow of yesterday might fade... but what ever happens, it's given me an enormous dose of motivation, that has me fired up.  I was awake at 04:00 with a million thoughts running through my head.

A week ago I asked a colleague to enquire if her husband's work still supported local fundraising events with Sausage Sizzles (the good old traditional Kiwi money spinner)  yesterday she came back with much better news than I could have anticipated.  Yes, they do support fundraising events, not only she had arranged for me to have at least two (possibly three) and not only do they allow you to have the sausage sizzle at their store, they supply the BBQ, and the sausages..... all I have to pay for is the bread and the serviettes, and arrange the manpower, how amazing is that? Once I have it all organised, I will post a link on the Acknowledgements page to this generous local business.   

So I was pretty happy when the usual four of us trotted off to Bar 159 for our Friday "Meeting"  I had already decided that 159 was going to provide me with results.. and I wasn't wrong.  Every week there is a table of what look like Tradies and a few other guys, they are always friendly, and keep to themselves.  

Those who know me, know I can and will talk to anybody, just don't put me up the front of the room in front of people to do this or I might just vomit... but walking up to a group of people and chatting, no problem!  Shameless self promotion, is not my normal topic of conversation, but sometimes needs must.  So these guys got the full force of the  "Jacqui Edwards, is doing a mud run, Jacqui Edwards is  going to Kenya." rant and guess what? it worked... 

It turns out, one of these guys is the Trade Manager at a local VERY large hardware store and is prepared to donate goods to my silent auction (and make some generous changes to the school trade account as well) Another has a daughter who is in the promotions department at Samsung, this woman is currently volunteering in Cambodia, but he is confident due to my cause she will come to the party with an item or two for the auction too.  And to top it all off, they will all sponsor me for the mud run. 

Here I was handing out my phone number, email address and newly printed flyers like they were candy.  Maybe these will lead to nothing, but whatever the outcome the response was encouraging.  

After our usual hour of drink and chips my colleagues were all leaving (incidentally I had abandoned them for most of) the table of new supporters invited me to join them.  They were a great group of guys just genuinely interested in the Kenya project and what I was doing to make it happen.  

So I'm feeling inspired and motivated... this is going to happen, I'm sure of it.

Jacq

PS: Oh yeah, my getting to Kenya account is no longer empty the lovely music teacher at my school had joined us for our "meeting" and I was sharing with her my progress and mentioned I had opened an account, even if it was currently at $0:00 when she generously opened her wallet and placed $20:00 on the table, with the words "No account can have nothing in it"             Thanks Rose xx