Who’s Behind the Mask?

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By DouglasPosted In: Childrens CharitiesTagged: , , , ,

Members of Scotty’s Little Soldiers were treated to a surprise visit from the Duke of Sussex at their annual Christmas party. While not a real-time visit, Prince Harry appeared in a video message recorded specially for bereaved British forces children.

Scotty’s Little Soldiers is bereaved military charity based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. This is not the first time the Royal Family has chosen to support this important organization. In 2018, the charity benefited from contributions given in honor of Harry and Meghan’s wedding. A year later, Prince Harry delivered a video message to the charity’s children while dressed as Santa Claus.

In the latest video, Prince Harry sought to empathize with the sorrow experienced particularly during the Holiday Season. Dressed in a Spiderman costume as per the event’s heroes and villains theme, he said: “Christmas is a time when we miss our loved ones really, really badly and that’s OK. But at the same time, it can be possible to feel guilty for having fun without our parents.”

He went on to offer more comforting words: “But I am here to assure you that our parents always want us to have fun, OK? So don’t feel guilty. You are allowed to have the best time ever, especially with this Scotty’s Little Soldiers community. Go out there, have the best time, and Merry Christmas.”

Prince Harry then took off his mask and revealed his identity.

A Walk to Remember

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity, Family, HealthTagged: ,

Losing a loved one is never easy, no matter what the cause. Many find comfort and meaning by raising awareness or funds in memory of those who have passed. When family or friends pass tragically or after battling illness, the drive to take action to help others often kicks in even stronger.

Mary Hersch, a 61-year-old Wisconsin native, embarked last September on a 1,439-mile walking journey from central Wisconsin to the Texas coast. Her mission was to raise awareness about pulmonary fibrosis, the lung disease that took her mother’s life 25 years ago. When her mother passed away, Hersch’s father requested that half of his ashes would join with her mother’s ashes in the gulf at Port Arkansas, when the time would come.

Since walking has always been a passion of Hersch’s and her mother loved the beach, the chosen route seemed most fitting. She partnered with the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation who managed the fundraising and helped her map out her voyage.

Along the way, Hersch often had some company. A couple of her friends accompanied her, driving along slowly in their motor home, as she walked. Many drivers stopped along the road to check if all was OK, if she needed water, and learned about Hersch’s undertaking at the same time. The poster of her mother’s picture hung on her friends’ RV sparked curiosity from passerby, triggering conversation and bonding among people.

On the 89th day of her journey, Hersch received word that her father had died of a heart attack. While she took the news very hard and had considered delaying her projected end date, she gained strength knowing he was rooting for her and felt his presence along each step. She experienced a newfound push to pull through, and had planned to have family meet her half a mile before the coast with her father’s ashes.

Hersch arrived at Port Arkansas on December 30. She scattered her father’s ashes into the sea, and her parents were reunited. She walked for 107 days and raised over $34,000 for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

Walking for a Purpose

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity, Childrens Charities

Tony Cunningham has a mission. He has pledged to walk 10 miles a day throughout the year 2022. He is also a 72-year-old great-grandfather who has recovered from a quadruple heart bypass. Being the determined man that he is, the Coventry, England native is walking to raise funds for Molly Ollys, a children’s charity based in Warwickshire.

With 2,500 miles already under his belt, Cunningham is currently 450 miles beyond his halfway target. He has been starting his laps in Memorial Park at 5:00 AM daily, without fail. To this date, he has raised over £4500 for Molly Ollys to be used to support kids suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

According to Cunningham, the toughest part of this endeavor has been getting through the winter months. With floods hitting the city hard in January, he was cold and wet. There were days he questioned his ability to achieve his goal but always gathered the strength to continue. He explained: “It suddenly dawned on me what a mammoth challenge I’d set myself, but a guy who was jogging the opposite way suddenly stopped in his tracks and just started applauding me. I felt quite emotional at that moment and it gave me a mental boost to carry on.”

Tony Cunningham is scheduled to complete his final walk on New Year’s Eve.

Young Author Inspires and Fundraises with Anti-Bullying Book

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By DouglasPosted In: Childrens Charities, EducationTagged:

In Toronto, there is a young author with a mission to impact how kids grow up.

Twelve-year-old Shreya Gupta has published two books which focus on young students’ overcoming bullying in school. After the release of her most recent book earlier this year, she decided to donate all proceeds to charity.

The organization she chose is called Kids Help Phone. It is an e-resource available 24/7 for guidance through mental health issues, abuse, and bullying. Trained professionals are available to the youth at all times via phone or text.

Shreya Gupta’s first book, Flamingo Feet, tells the story of a young ballet dancer who is compelled to drop out of a competition after being verbally ridiculed by a peer. Her new book, The Flip Side, describes the experience of a young girl who is cyberbullied after moving to a new school.

A victim of school bullying herself, Gupta was inclined to write these books to raise awareness and is happy to make a difference by supporting Kids Help Phone.

Gupta is pleased that her own school in Toronto has been making strides in dealing with bullying and its impact. There are now mental health clubs offered and assemblies that focus on these matters. She explained, “In our diverse community, everyone can feel welcome there, and it’s a really important topic which we have to talk about.”

In an effort to inspire others, Shreya Gupta encourages young people everywhere to make a difference in any way they can: “You don’t have to write a book to make a difference. Organizing a fundraiser, spreading awareness, or raising money for charity are things that people of all ages can do.”

As Shreya Gupta has demonstrated, if you have an idea that can change our world for the better, go for it!

London FoodCycle to Open Six New Locations

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By DouglasPosted In: Family, PovertyTagged:

With the cost of living rising across England, more citizens are finding themselves in need of basic necessities. Unfortunately, an increasing number of residents are finding it impossible to provide their families with three meals a day.

FoodCycle is a London-based organization that offers meals on a weekly basis to whomever needs. Their 11 centers across the capital work to transform surplus groceries into three-course vegetarian meals. Thanks to a generous grant of £174,800 from City Trust Bridge charity funder, FoodCycle plans to expand its service by opening six new centers over the next year. The goal is to feed over 4,000 people in 30 districts within London by 2024. The organization estimates it will be using more than 126,000kg of surplus groceries – that is the equivalent of the weight of 25 African elephants!

In addition to providing the physical sustenance needed for survival, the support offered by FoodCycle goes much further. Tom Osborne, FoodCycle Trusts and Foundations Manager, explains: “Our meals help our guests eat more healthily, try new foods and save money. They also have a really important benefit of helping people feel less lonely and more connected with their community by coming together in a safe space and making new friends.”

Given the help of volunteers and the team at FoodCycle, thousands of people are able to continue their daily lives knowing their physical needs will be met encompassed by a support system.

Riding the Waves for Charity

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Two experienced New Zealand surfers have decided to use their talent to raise funds for a local surf therapy charity. Felix Hirling and David Seidel have set out on their surfboards on March 25, with plans to paddle their way from Mayor Island to Mount Maunganui Main Beach over two weeks.  They hope to meet their fundraising target of $6,000 for Live for More, a surf therapy program that works to free adolescent men of detrimental past experiences and empower them to live fulfilling lives.

The idea came about after David had ventured out on a similar mission last year, only the goal then was to test his personal limits. He paddled across Cook Straight on his long board surfboard. Felix was very inspired by David’s ability to push his physical and mental limits, and suggested undertaking a similar challenge for charity.

Over some time, the idea grew on David and the pair searched for an appropriate organization to support. “Live for More fits in perfectly with our values,” David said. Felix added, “We’ve been surfing together for about 20 years, so it is really cool to be able to give back promoting something we are so passionate about.”

Shortly after their scheduled return sometime before April 8, Felix and David will also host a raffle to benefit Live for More. There will be over $1500 worth of prizes donated by Maunganui businesses, with the drawings planned to take place on April 15.

To follow Felix and David’s journey, follow their Facebook page, A Mayor Paddle.

Hilary Swank’s Hilaroo To Connect Strays and Children

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By DouglasPosted In: EnvironmentTagged: , , ,

Hilary Swank, the Oscar-winning actress, has recently focused her energy on a more monumental cause; animal welfare.

Last month, Swank visited Romania and got involved in a number of Vier Pfoten projects aiming to “connect rescue animals with institutionalized people.”

Bucharest, Romania’s capital, teems with over 30,000 stray dogs. Last year, a law initiated a program that rounds up the dogs and places them in a shelter for 30 days. If they are not adopted in time, they are euthanized. Vier Pfoten is one of several non-profits working to alter the effects of the law.

Swank, inspired by the organization’s efforts, has brought the battle to the United States in the form of ‘Hilaroo,’ a similar organization that will help children and rescued animals.

“I believe that is so healing to these kids who don’t trust people anymore,” she said. “The unconditional love of an animal is very healing and teaches them about not just unconditional love but about a relationship, about responsibility, about anger management.

“I believe in a ‘no-kill’ policy. Hopefully we are getting to a place where we have ‘no-kill’ universally and just a more caring attitude in general to all animals.”

70 Year Old Cancer Survivor Bikes 12,000 Miles for Charity

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Bob Lee is preparing for a solo, 12, 000 mile bike ride down the West Coast of the U.S. in an effort to raise both money and awareness for cancer, ALS research and hospice care programs.

The 70-year old cancer survivor discussed his upcoming challenge:

“The most challenging leg of my ride is asking for donations. We are off to a great start with the generous sponsors and matching fund mechanisms already in place but we need to accelerate our ‘call-to-action’; we need friends to donate now before I saddle up.

I’m not a ‘biker’ and I am not fundraiser, I am more of a peddler with a passion to help conquer disease and support those living with life-threatening illnesses,” Lee said. “This is a purpose-driven ride. The people fighting cancer and ALS, the hospice nurses, and all of the people who are collaborating with me on these rides- they are the ones who give me pedal power.”

The West Coast ride is the third and final part of Lee’s solo charity bicycle ride, which covers the perimeter of the United States. He hopes to raise $1 million once he crosses the finish line over the Mexican border. All donations will support three charities: the American Cancer Society, the Les Turner ALS Foundation, and the National Hospice Foundation.

Warren Buffett Lunch Auction Brings In $3.46 Million for Glide Foundation

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Warren Buffett’s week-long charity lunch auction raised $3.46 million for the Glide Foundation of San Francisco this year. The online bidding nearly tripled the price during the last thirty seconds of the event, bringing the price up from $1.23 million, Ebay revealed.

Glide is an organization that provides meals for those in need, and runs a church in Tenderloin district as well. Proceeds from the auction are donated to the foundation each year, while the winning bidder and seven companions join Buffett for lunch at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse in NY.

Since its inception 13 years ago, the lunch auction has raised over $14.6 million.

Buffett, a self-made billionaire and the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has pledged a great portion of his wealth to charity. He was introduced to Glide by his first wife Susan Buffett, who passed away eight years ago.

“I was suspicious when I heard my wife raving about this place in San Francisco,” Buffett shares. “What I witnessed was an institution and an individual that really gave up on nobody,” he said, referring to Rev. Cecil Williams, the founder of the organization.

“They took the people that the rest of the world had forgotten, people who’d given up on themselves, and they felt that every human being had a potential,” he added.”

 

Lady Antebellum Visits Small, Tornado-Stricken Indiana Town

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On March 2nd, a devastating tornado struck a small southern Indiana town, damaging homes and buildings and destroying the local school.

Led by senior Ty Griffin, students from the Henryville Junior-Senior High School participated in an online contest to bring Lady Antebellum to play at the town. Not expecting to win a real visit from the Grammy Award-winning band, the teens were thrilled when the act arrived to surprise them with a private, prom-style show at the downtown arena in Louisville.

According to singer Hillary Scott, numerous high schools applied on behalf of Henryville, including several from Northern Wisconsin and even Henryville rival Silver Creek High School from Sellersburg, Indiana. She added that Silver Creek was the band’s original pick, but the students there gave up the win in support of Henryville’s bid.

“That was just such, honestly, an encouraging thing to think that those high schoolers, that generation, they’re that helpless, they want to help each other that much,” Scott said. “It was definitely an easy decision.”