Global Citizen Week Feb 16- March 3, 2013.

www.globalcitizenkelowna.org

The theme for this year's Global Citizen Kelowna is "1.4 BILLION Reasons and Can't Ain't One".

Global Citizen Week is coming up Feb 16th - March 3rd, 2013 in Kelowna.  This is a great opportunity to find out about some of our local organizations who help eradicate poverty in the world. And it turns out this is also a great time to introduce your child to the responsibilities of being a Global Citizen.

I knew there were some great adult focused events like the Speaker Series with Taylor Conroy on Feb 20th or the Global Music Fest on Mar 1 & 2 (March 3rd Global Music Fest is open to the family!).  And on Feb 28th find out how local students would help the world at the Millennium Development Challenge.

But did you know about all the great events geared for children?  Give them a taste of some of the different types of ethnic foods at Taste of Home on Feb 23rd.  Or expose your children to art, at An Artist's Eye on the World on Mar 2nd.  Show them how people live in some of the villages around the world in a simulated slum at the Global Children's Villages on Feb 16th.  There is even a Global School House being offered to Grade 6 students, so that they can experience going to school in a third world country.

Our world is getting smaller every day, help your child have a greater awareness of the challenges children face around the world and how they can get involved!

Four Gift Rule

I can't believe that we have only just packed up Halloween, and everyone is already thinking of Christmas.  I found this back in the spring, and have held onto it until the Christmas season to share with everyone.  I think the words are so wise, because gift giving can get really out of hand if we aren't careful.  Please feel free to share!

              

www.giventolove.com

Relay for Life...in loving memory.

This past weekend was the local Relay for Life.  A friend and I decided to run a concession instead of putting in a team as our contribution to the Relay.  Not only did we want to raise money, but we wanted to offer healthy food at the event.

The response from the community was amazing!  Not only were we able to get about 90% of our products donated, but we had over 20 volunteers step forward to help us! 

Our menu was quite impressive:

Greek Lentil and Feta Salad Wrap, Black Bean and ChickPea Salad Wrap, Tijuana Chicken Wrap, Hearty Three Bean Chili, Vegetable Minestrone, French Onion Soup,Papa John’s Pizza, Natures Valley Granola Bars, Sunrype Fruit Source Bars, Sunrype Fruit Snacks, Assorted Woodfire Bakery Pastries, Organic Oranges, Apples, Bananas, Multigrain, Original, Honey Nut Cheerios, Fiber 1, Hot Apple Cider, Juice Boxes, Water, Milk

Our Sponsors were even more impressive!

Nesters Market, BC Tree Fruits, Specialty Bakery, Urban Harvest, Kelowna Family Gourmet, Woodfire Bakery, Sunrype, Costco, IGA Rutland, Fresh is Best, Home for Dinner, Save on Food – Cooper Plaza, Safeway - Dilworth, Starbucks West Kelowna, Sysco Foodservices Kelowna, Red Robin Kelowna

Thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors for your contribution to this great cause!

Did you lose your keys?

As seen at the Farmer's Market...

Canadians today is the day to vote!

Today is the day to make your voice heard!  Canadians, get out and vote for your new Prime Minister.  If you had questions on where you should vote, or what information you need to vote, you can find it here.

You only have until 7pm tonite!

Tsunami's, Tsunami's everywhere!

Up until the Tsunami in 2004, did anyone hear of deadly tsunami's before?!  I don't get it...how can we have two devastating tsunami's in seven short years!  I was in Phuket, Thailand exactly one year before the 2004 tsunami. And it is unbelievable to think of the little restaurants and hotels on the beach that were swept away. 

I have watched several video's on the Japan Tsunami, but this one from CBC really brought it home for me. What always gets me is the utter hopelessness to be able to do anything when there is a natural disaster.  Can you imagine watching your home, car, or business float away with all your worldly belongings and there is nothing that you can do?

Having been evacuated due to forest fires a couple of years ago, and previous to that working at the evacuation center during an earlier forest fire. We were able to see, first hand, what the local Red Cross was able to do to assist those in need.  Time and time again, whenever you see news footage from around the world, you see members of Red Cross/Red Crescent at the heart of the disaster. 

Please donate to the Red Cross, so that they can continue their humanitarian work for those who desperately need it!

Outstanding Young Person Award

As a long time member of JCI (Junior Chamber International), I was thrilled to find out that JCI Kootenay was presenting this award to my niece Deondra.

This award was originally called the Vanier Award. And in 2004 it was revitalized as the Top Outstanding Young Persons Award. There are four categories where a young person may be nominated; accomplishments, innovation, achievement, contribution and leadership.

I had the opportunity to head out to the Kootenays, and attend the Cranbrook Chamber Business Excellance Awards, where they were presenting this award. Thank you to a couple of my fellow JC's who helped make this happen. It was great to be able to be there to see such an accomplished young lady be recognized. I expect she will do some great things in her life!

The United Way, helping communities.

Do you know what the United Way does? I was never really clear until last year. Basically, they raise funds to help many local non-profit societies. Last year they raised over $1.3 Million in the Central Okanagan. The cool thing is that the money that is raised locally stays locally.

I started out volunteering with them by helping out with the local allocations committee. Our job is to interview a few of the charities to see if the United Way would like to provide them with the funding that they had requested. Its a pretty neat task. Last year I learned so much more about 3 well known organizations in our community. The organizations are so proud and are very willing to share with you everything that they do.

This year I get to meet another 3 charities. I am so looking forward to it! We have over a dozen committees out interviewing charities. This means over 30 charities are supported by the United Way every year. So next time you see a United Way fundraiser, remember that your support will go to help over 30 non-profit organizations, who in turn will help 1000's of people.