Chad's Fight - 318 Random Acts of Kindness

Chad was a 29 year old father of two young boys and the loving husband of my dear friend Colleen when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Ewing Sarcoma. After fighting a brave battle for 318 days, Chad sadly passed away leaving his young family behind. Colleen, through her pain, has bravely held her family together since Chad’s untimely passing, and has continued to motivate and inspire me to carry on helping families who face similar struggles. You can find out more about Chad’s fight against cancer and his family’s story here.

Colleen, Chad, and their sons

Next week, Colleen will be flying into Boston from Wisconsin and she and I, along with a couple friends, will be completing 318 Random Acts of Kindness to honor each day of Chad’s fight with cancer.  Throughout the city, we have plans to make several stops- we will be placing fifty cards for a free subway ride at the station, and buying five coffees for strangers. We will then head to the hospital and begin placing a hundred lottery tickets randomly around the floors of the hospital as we go through! In the surgical waiting area, we will hand out cancer ribbon cookies to the anxious families waiting for their loved ones. At the children’s hospital and the local grocer, we will be placing sixty quarters on the machines for kids to enjoy, and will be giving area restaurants fifty packs of gum to hand out to patrons when they deliver their check. To end our amazing day together, we will pay for three meals for random people while we’re out. Additionally, we have decided to hand out 250 “survival kits” for nurses to show appreciation and boost moral and 150 care packages to Thornton and Naumes House, the Hope Lodge, and the Beacon House. All lodging facilities for adults with cancer.

The random acts of kindness are funded by Superheroes Fighting Cancer (visit their FB here.) Superheroes Fighting Cancer is a Nonprofit Organization created to support parents who are fighting their own battle with cancer.

During the day, we also have an interview set up with the local news station to help share Chad’s story and to encourage others to reach out and spread a little joy, especially through their sorrows.

Although Chad’s time here has come to an end, his story is not over. On his behalf, we will personally reach out to 318 people who might need a positive moment or a helping hand, and we will continue to be his voice to thousands through exposure on the news and online.

Thank you for taking the time to share this moment with us and encourage our journey to honor Chad!

Take A Walk In Our Shoes!

Charlie’s Barber Shop is at it again! Employee Brent Kirkland, who cut back to part time hours after earning his degree, has volunteered to walk the five miles from the shop to the closest McDonald’s wearing the big red shoes to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Charleston, SC.

Real men wear red... shoes!

The Ronald McDonald House provides shelter and basic necessities for families during their child’s hospital stay so that parents, siblings, and loved ones can be nearby during treatment without having to pay for gas, plane trips, expensive hotel stays and meals out. The cost of running the House is $50 per room per night, though to keep it affordable during a family’s time of struggle, the suggested donation per night is only $20. Due to the generous nature of this program, those who can’t afford to pay are thankfully never turned away- however, this means that more funds are needed. This vital resource heavily depends on charitable donations from the community, and we’re more than happy to support Brent’s admirable efforts to raise funds and awareness!

Mmm...

We have donated McDonald’s gift cards for him to hand out on his journey in hopes of brightening some lives along the way while spreading the word.  We are also collecting money through Paypal  at cathyscreationsjewelry@yahoo.com and would like to ask you to consider supporting this worthwhile cause. Local residents can drop off donations at Charlie’s Barber Shop. For those who do not wish to make a monetary contribution, please consider sharing the blog link so it reaches more people. Remember, a little bit of help from a lot of people is what really makes the difference.

Good luck, Brent!

Blair's Legacy

Blair Michaela Shanahan Lane was a "saucy and bossy" preteen with a contagious zest for life and compassion for those around her. She was known around the neighborhood as kind and loving, and was quick to organize and arrange community events. Observant and helpful, Blair noticed that each time a new foster child was brought to her home, they had toys and stuffed animals but came with no necessities- not even socks. Blair was determined to make a difference and be a voice for those in need. She decided that she would start a Foster Socks program and collect socks for foster children as part of her requirements for earning a Girl Scout Gold Award, a project that most young women complete as seniors in high school. Blair's passion was unstoppable and she began to fill journals and notebooks with her ideas and plans. Unfortunately, she would never see her project come to life.

On July 4, 2011, Blair was playing outside with her family in her yard when she suddenly collapsed. She had been tragically shot by a stray bullet that was fired in celebration of the holiday from over a thousand feet away. During her one night stay in the hospital, hundreds of visitors in the community she had so strongly supported and participated in visited Blair, but unfortunately the injuries were too severe and Blair passed away on July 5th at the age of eleven years old.

Blair's family made the generous and loving decision to donate her organs to up to six unknown people between the ages of 6 and 60. Despite the horrible accident, Blair's tenderness and sense of selflessness toward others would carry on through this courageous act of kindness from her family.

Since her daughter's untimely passing, Blair's mother has been a determined and loving warrior of Blair's cause. Aware of what it meant to her daughter to make sure that helpless children were provided for, Michele Shanahan DeMoss continued the Foster Socks program and website in Blair's honor and has helped to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation as well as petitioning for Blair's Law, which would make it a felony to recklessly fire a gun within a municipality of Missouri.

In 2013, Michele proudly rode on the Donate Life Rose Parade float and even more incredibly, on April 18, 2013, she met the recipient of her daughter's heart, a young man named Andrew, and was able to hear it beating inside of his chest.

 Blair's mother, Michele, with organ recipient Andrew

This week, Blair would have celebrated another birthday. While we will never know all of the incredible things she would have done if not for that fateful July day, we do know of all the truly inspiring and amazing accomplishments that have been achieved in her honor. Blair may no longer be with us, but her message and her mission live on. We are reminded that integrity, compassion, and giving are vital components of a life well lived, and in honor of Blair we continue to carry jewelry that sponsors her dreams. To view the original cause jewelry, click here. For our newest listing, click here.

In honor of Blair, please consider organ and tissue donation. The gift of life is precious- pass it on.

Big Red Shoe Fundraiser

                                               

"Supporting children and families in their time of need."

 

The Ronald McDonald House is a 27-bedroom home where families stay while their children undergo extensive medical treatment. Here, parents and children lead a life as normal as possible during their traumatic times without the financial burden of costly hotel and travel expenses.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room at MUSC provides a sanctuary within the walls of the hospital where family members can rest, read, shower or have a cup of coffee while still being only minutes away from their seriously ill child.

 The beauty of RHM is that they ask the families for $20 a night, but do not turn away anyone who can't afford this. The actual cost of running each room is $50 a night. This making the actual cost of running the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston with 27 rooms $1,350. 

While at Ronald McDonald House with friends to drop off toys for Christmas, Jennene Koester, the House Manager, spent hours showing us around and sharing stories with us. We all left and knew that we needed to do something, anything to be able raise some funds to help with the house.

 

What better way then to wear our own pair of big red shoes!!!

Charlie Druelle from Charlie's Barber Shop in Aiken, SC, will be wearing his pair of red shoes daily to work. While at work, he will have them on display for all his customers to drop a donation in the shoe. He will also allow customers to wear and take pictures in the shoes.  

            

I will be wearing my shoes to work every day until I am able to raise a minimum of $1350 to be able to cover all the rooms for one night. If we are able to raise a minimum of $2500, I will fly down to SC and present the Ronald McDonald House to deliver the check and also volunteer for the day.

 

Please PayPal all donations to cathyscreationsjewelry@yahoo.com. With every $50 donation, I will be giving out one of our Ronald McDonald Red Shoe bracelets.

What are you waiting for??? Send me to SC and save me from wearing those shoes to work for too long and we have to return the shoes back to Ronald as he is walking around barefoot!

MUSC Children's Hospital Gift Drive

Do you remember the lovely Sera Druelle, whose first trip out of home after recovering from surgery was to pick up supplies to donate some incredible hats to Operation Pumpkin Patch?

 

We are teaming up with her once again to spread some joy to children who will be spending the holidays in the hospital. Inspired by her generous nature, we are going to be arranging a toy drop off at MUSC Children’s Hospital, where Sera underwent surgery, and we’d like your help.

 

If you are able to make a donation, please check out the hospital’s website wishlist for ideas of what they are looking for and even a priority list of things that are more crucially needed. You are not limited to this list, so feel free to be creative! Next, please send the items to:

Charlie’s Barber Shop

126 Dominion Drive Suite 1050

Aiken, South Carolina 29803

Gifts sent there will be collected and held by Sera’s dad until December 7, when Cathy will fly out to personally deliver the items with Sera.

If you are unable to donate at this time, please consider sharing this blog entry on your own website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media website and help us spread the word.

Here are some pictures of items already collected:

Top 101 tips for totally super, awesome, magical and fantastic positivity living!

1.  Always eat breakfast.

2.  Say "Thank You" all day long, including to yourself.

3.  Make a point to smile at a stranger today.

4.  Turn off the TV and open a book.

5.  Plan to kiss your significant other 100 times in one day.  But don't tell them your plan.  See what happens!

6.  Volunteer anywhere for any length of time.  Do something outside of yourself and your regular life.

7.  Send an anonymous gift to someone.

8.  Give yourself a hug.  For real.

9.  Start walking and meditate while you walk.

10.  Bring a camera everywhere you go and take lots of pictures.

11.  Pick a Saturday and eat cold pizza for breakfast and reminisce about college.  If you didn't go to college, eat cold pizza for breakfast and reminisce about old friends!

12.  Promptly correct your mistakes whenever possible.

13.  Schedule that medical exam you've been putting off.

14.  Save your spare change, roll it up once a year and take it to the bank.  Call it your "Positivity Fund" and do something positive with it, whatever that might be.

15.  Write yourself a letter.  Seal it.  Put it in the drawer.  Then, mark your calendar to read it in one year.

16.  Recognize the times when you act judgmental and nip it in the bud.  And when you catch yourself being judgmental do your best not to judge yourself for judging them.

17.  Go skinny dipping, but don't get arrested.

18.  When you leave a tip out at dinner one night leave a note to your server that they're the best server ever!

19.  Blast your favorite tunes and dance around your kitchen when you make dinner tonight.

20.  Practice good oral hygiene; floss, brush and use mouthwash.

21.  Learn to speed read

22.  Buy yourself a blanket, call it your "blankie" and snuggle with it when you're relaxing, just like when you were little.

23.  Make a list of all the things you love about YOU!

24.  Unplug the phone, turn off the TV, turn off the computer and remain in silence for a whole day.  See what thoughts come to you!

25.  Slow down.

26.  Make up cute nicknames for people you love and call them by their nickname.

27.  Hold babies.

28.  Admit when you're wrong.

29.  Eat more green food, like kale, broccoli and spinach.

30.  Keep a houseplant.  Taking care of something creates a positive feeling.

31.  Give compliments freely and abundantly.

32.  Guzzle water all day long.

33.  Never, ever, ever, ever, under any circumstances, text while you're driving.

34.  Recognize that you're not always right and you don't always have to be right.

35.  People are more important than "things."

36.  Read your horoscope regularly.

37.  Call someone you haven't spoken to in a while.

38.  As Nike says, "Just do it."  Go for it.  Whatever it is, take that leap!

39.  Laugh regularly and often.

40.  Be creative.  Draw, paint, sing, dance...whatever creative means to you!

41.  Deal with problems when they arise.  They are sure to become worse by ignoring them.

42.  Avoid blame, and rather seek solutions.

43.  Breathe slowly.

44.  Tell yourself you are loved, by you!

45.  Resign your position as General Manager of the Universe

46.  Take a bath, not to get clean, but to relax and think.

47.  Reduce, reuse, recycle every single day for the rest of your life.

48.  Zap negative thoughts with an invisible "laser zapper" and replace them with invisible flowers and puppies and waves and sunsets.

49.  Tell yourself its okay not to have all the answers.

50.  De-clutter and live uncluttered.

51.  Don't be afraid to get dirty, or wet, or sweaty.

52.  Walk in a parade once per year.

53.  Have faith in something.

54.  Be open to new ideas and concepts; ask other for their advice and opinions on things and situations.

55.  Keep your advice to yourself unless you are asked ...or someone is in danger.

56.  Create an arsenal of  great conversation starters. Examples: Memorize 10 jokes. Keep up with international news.  Have interesting apps on your phone that are "share"-worthy.

57.  Expect that there will be days when you don't want to get out of bed, but get up anyway.

58.  Quit worrying about what other people think.  What matters is what YOU think!

59.  Get some sunshine; ie, Vitamin D synthesis.

60.  Don't get too much sunshine...protect your skin.

61.  Frame sentences in the positive rather than the negative.... By way of example:  "I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there." ~Mother Teresa

62.  Sing along to your favorite music.  Loud.

63.  In times of trouble, know that everything in your life is going to be okay.  It is okay.  Its always been okay. It will always be okay.

64.  Keep in mind always that no one gets to live your life but you.

65.  Practice safe sex and make sure you're also practicing loving sex.

66.  Indulge in something decadent every now and then but not always or regularly.

67.  Listen to your intuition when its screaming and also when its whispering.  It's always right.

68.  Above everything else, love people.

69.  Practice feeling genuinely happy for the achievements of others.

70.  Meditate.

71.  Engage in thinking before acting.

72.  Make the most of every day.

73.  When you're in an emotional conversation, "count to 10" before you say anything.

74.  Eat lots of fiber.  Good digestion is key to positivity.

75.  Make "Theme Days."  Examples could be:  "Resolution Day" where you make resolutions like you normally do on January 1st, but its not January 1st.   "Smiley Face Day" where you sign your name with a smiley face at the end all day.  "Forgiveness Day" where you silently forgive people in your life, including yourself, and let go of grudges you've been holding onto.

76.  Ask for help when you need it.

77.  Give help when others are in need.

78.  Speak the truth always.  Always, without fail, unless you have to lie....  JK! - practice the truth always!

79.  Be trustworthy ...Follow through with your promises.  Keep your word.  Keep the secrets of others who confide in you.

80.  Maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

81.  Get enough sleep.

82.  Trust you gut.

83.  Tell your fears to "Get lost," "Go for a hike," "Scadaddle," "Scoot," "Get outta here."  ...Phrase it how it works for you.

84.  Become a "Hugger" and if you're already a "Hugger," keep it up!  BTW--The best way to hug is heart to heart.

85.  Celebrate holidays and non-holidays.  Example:  Create a holiday called "Bubble Gum Day." Chew gum all day and give bubble gum out to everyone you see.

86.  Find the silver lining in every situation.

87.  Know when you need to put yourself in "Time Out" and do it.

88.  Live presently; don't allow yesterday to consume today or tomorrow.  Likewise, don't allow the past decade to consume this one or the next.

89.  Fortune favors the bold.  ...and the patient, and those who work for it and believe in it.

90.  Release perfectionism, unless you are a surgeon, an astronaut or a race-car driver.

91.  Love people for who they are and tell them you love them at every possible opportunity.

92.  Take vacations, and if you can't afford one, take a "Staycation," where you stay home, but relax and/or do things you normally wouldn't do unless you were on vacation.

93.  Be a cheerleader!  Encourage others to fulfill their dreams.

94.  Know when its okay to bend the rules and absolutely when its not.

95.  Always remember to ask others how they're doing and how their family is doing.

96.  Keep a gratitude journal...or a journal of quotes, or songs, or words you like, or whatever comes to mind when you sit down for "private" time with your journal.  ...Make "private time" for you and your journal.

97.  Remember that life is a teacher.

98.  Learn words and/or sentences in other languages.

99.  Let your uniqueness be apparent.

100.  Be responsible, but not uptight.

101.  Trust your crazy ideas!

Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away, so it’s time for us to start preparing! Here, our idea of preparation is thinking of those in need of some help during the holiday season. A large meal is often a burden on families who are barely able to maintain a regular food budget, and we’ve had such success in the past with helping others celebrate Thanksgiving that we’d like to do it again!

In the last two years of our Thanksgiving outreach, we have helped over forty families put a traditional meal on their tables and celebrate with their loved ones at no additional strain or cost to them. For just under $50, a family of nearly any size can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, and hopefully have some leftovers, too!

If you are able to help donate toward providing for families in need this year, please send a donation via PayPal to cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com and mark it “Thanksgiving” so we know where the money goes! Don’t forget to select “gift” when sending money; this is a donation, and we don’t need PayPal to eat up your funds!

On the other hand, we need some suggestions of families who could use the help. If you know of anyone who could use the boost, please email cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com. We are asking that only families who need this apply or are nominated, and that if you have received help in the past, you allow others to be reached. Though we wish we could help everyone, our funds and resources are limited. We will help as many people as possible, but there are no guarantees. Please be considerate and patient with us!

All donations, nominations or requests are strictly confidential.