Something to celebrate!

As many of you know, I am an avid supporter of Love146. This fine organization was established to put an end to child trafficking and exploitation.

Although it appears to be unrelated to Love146, some very exciting news came out of Toronto today. Click the link below to read the write-up on NPR. That article includes a link to the press release from Toronto.

Police Arrest Hundreds In Global Child Porn Sting

 

 

  Click here 

if you would like to make a donation to assist Love146.

Click here

to read how your money will be used to help survivors.

Treading Results

A huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you who chose to cheer me on as I walked and exercised
my way through May and June. As a result of your support, not only was I able to spring back from my
treatments and regain my stamina, I was able to exceed my $500 goal and raise a total of

$578!

Treaders worldwide raised over $111,200 throughout May and June.

Those funds will be used by Love146 to continue their work in the abolition of child
sex trafficking by providing Prevention, Rescue, and Aftercare.

On behalf of all the kids yet to be rescued, and all those who are regaining their lives and souls

because of your contributions and the efforts of people who care,

THANK YOU!

Again, why I do it

Amidst the adorable grandson pictures and the family anecdotes and newsy updates, I do like to bring y'all back 'round now and again to the center. I want to remind you of how fortunate you are to take so much for granted and give you some insight into my soul and why  I do  what  I do.

This 18 minute video of a TED talk by Sheryl WuDunn speaks of the global inequity that causes such suffering among my gender. Go ahead, grab a sandwich and watch this video, then tell me what you think.

During that speech WuDunn refers to a girl whose family managed to parlay a $120 charitable donation into a college education for their daughter. The story became the subject of a children's book titled Beatrice's Goat. The goat in question was donated through Heifer International, a cause I've long supported. You'll find a link to their site at the top of the Click Me section over there →

Look, I get it that we all have our woes and troubles. We're paying too much in taxes, relationships heap drama upon us, the toast burned and the cat hawked up a hairball. But aren't we all feeling pretty safe and secure? Is there one among us who isn't confident that we're not going to starve or have to sleep in the rain? That we will, whether through our own means or with the help of family, be able to provide for our children? I mean really.

Just want everyone to keep some perspective.

< /rant >

Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?

I don't get much feedback on this blog, so I don't know if anyone's watching. Or listening. Or paying attention at all. I hope so, because it's not only my forum for bragging about my unparalleled family, but also the soap box upon which I occasionally stand and preach the value of reaching outside of one's self.

Please, if you're here...if this mic is on...if you can hear me, leave a comment. Just a note to let me know this is reaching someone. You don't need to have a gmail account to comment, although if you leave one as "anonymous" it'd be cool if you end the note with your initials or some secret code just to let me know who you are.

And just in case this blog is not for naught...

A Valentine To All Girls

If you are or ever were once a girl, if you have a girlfriend or a friend who is a girl, if you have a niece, a daughter, or a step-daughter, if you have a mother, a step-mother, or a grandmother, please pull up a chair and watch this frank and passionate 20 minute talk by Eve Ensler.

Ms. Ensler declares there is a "girl cell" in us all -- males and females alike -- and that it is something we have all been taught to suppress...but at what cost? She tells heartfelt and gut-wrenching stories of girls around the world who have overcome dramatic adversity and violence to reveal the astonishing strength of being a girl.

If after watching this talk you feel compelled to do something for the girls of the world, here are a few options to consider:

There are many, many more. As always, before you donate to any charity, I recommend you research their business practices and philosophies. I use:

If you choose not to participate in any of these female-focused charities, that's okay. I won't hold it against you. But please remember this talk and the paradigm it conveys the next time you talk with the girls in your life.

Warning: Very Sad Story

"At 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, [a 27-year old wife and mother in Eastern Michigan] lost her home, her belongings, her husband, her 4 year old son and her 8 month old daughter to a fire. She was saved by a neighbor who put a ladder up to her bedroom window. Her 12 year old step daughter also made it out on her own. The neighbors tried to put a ladder up to the children's window, where their father was trying to save them, but were unable to due to the smoke and flames. The fire department was able to remove her husband and children from the home within 10 minutes of arriving, but as I already mentioned, it was too late."

I learned about this tragic story originally this morning from CakeWrecks. They linked to Kristie's Notes, where I read of this horrible loss.

Please check your smoke alarms. Make sure you have enough of them, they are placed in appropriate locations, and that they are working. And while you're at it, make sure you have at lease one carbon monoxide alarm in working order.

Kristie's blog includes a link to PayPal where you can make a donation if this moves you. I did.

All I Want For Christmas is...

One of the blogs I haunt all year is called CakeWrecks. Ya gotta check it out if you haven't already. As if the photos weren't enough, the captions are a HOOT!

This month, at the end of each hilarious post about baking-gone-bad, the genius behind CakeWrecks is featuring a charity. One a day. You can read all about it here. And they're asking their readers to:

Give one dollar to each day's charity.

That's it - just one dollar per person. Is there a sole among us who cannot afford $31 bucks for charity this month? And they've made it very easy to make a donation by using this site:

** After clicking that link, you'll need to type cakewrecks in the search box. **

So....please....let's all stop giving each other useless crap for Christmas and do some good with our dollars.

Why

This is why I do what I do, and why I wish you would, too.

(18-minute video) (go ahead, take the time to watch)

Thank you. Go save the life of a child.