Tags
Charity, community, compassion, Donation, generosity, kindness, living in the moment, passion, Philanthropy, Soap Box, world issues
In one week and one day I will be 50!
That’s right – I’m a LOVE child
Half a century is nothing to sneeze at – man the things I have seen!
I remember when videos came out and you could rent them for $0.99 each but you also had to rent the VCR for $7.00!
I remember the first microwaves. They were huge with big dials and sounded like airplanes taking off! They really didn’t cook anything much faster than a conventional stove either.
I remember when seat belts came out. I’m not talking about the law to wear them, I’m talking about them actually building cars that had them. The law came later, before that wearing a seat belt was optional.
I remember that first video game – PONG – that thing with lines that represented rackets and you hit this ball back and forth and every time you advanced to the next level the lines got shorter and the ball went faster!
I remember those boat-sized, gas and oil burning, I-should-get-a-medal-for-knowing-how-to-parallel-park that monster of a car with the arm-strong steering and hold the brake down while your leg muscles spasm from the pressure you needed to apply cars.
I remember hand-written notes and getting mail delivered to your house with a stamp on it!
~
But I don’t want to talk about that stuff.
Rather, I want to talk about what I’ve learned about people and how we live together on this planet and take responsiblity for each other.
So go get your coffee and get comfortable because I figure a half century has earned me the right to get up on a soap box and tell ya what I think.
Perhaps you don’t know this, but I’m fundraiser.
I think everyone should give. Whether you give time, talent or treasure is not as important as the fact that you give.
I don’t much care what or who you give to, just as long as you do.
If you care about something, if a cause sets you on fire with passion then by all means you should put your money where your mouth is.
There is no, “Gee, I wish someone would do something about that.” Because that someone who could do something about it is YOU.
~
Does the fact that some families don’t have enough food irk you? Go donate or volunteer at your local Food Bank!
How about the homeless, how does that sit with you? If you believe everyone should have a home…
wait for it…
donate to an organization that helps the homeless off the streets.
What about diseases? Cancer? Heart Disease? Kidney failure? dementia? MS? Want a cure?
Line yourself up with an organization that is looking for the cure or providing supports to people who are suffering.
Not a fan of charities but want to help people anyway? Budget a certain amount of your income to commit random acts of kindness all year round!
~
You can’t solve every issue or every cause – in fact just thinking about all the problems in the world can be overwhelming to the point where you think nothing you do will make a dint.
But You can make a dint.
And if we’re all making dints, the sum of all those dints is huge!
So here comes the challenge. C’mon you must have known I was building up to something, right?
Identify the cause that moves you.
Got it?
And in honour of my birthday donate $50 or whatever you can afford to that cause.
Go ahead it will feel so good, I promise!
If you don’t have money, donate 50 hours of your time.
When you do, would you let me know you’ve done it?
I can’t think of a better Birthday gift than knowing that you have given to your community…
toward something that means a lot to you.
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
You want the world to be a better Place? Easy Peasy.
You’re the Answer
(OK, this is me, getting off my soap box now)
~
Diana Schwenk is the Director of Development at Vecova, an organization that exists to ensure that persons with disabilities are valued and integral members of society. If you would like to help us advance our mission by building the capacity of persons with disabilities and enriching communities through leadership, innovation and collaboration, click here to donate.
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elizabeth2560 said:
I checked out your charity and made a small donation. Happy Birthday Diana. 🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you so much for the birthday wishes and donation Elizabeth – that means so much to me!
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thoughtsfromanamericanwoman said:
Great article – and you are right we cannot do things alone, but together we can move mountains! Happy Birthday – Patty
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you Patty!
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Jean said:
Happy birthday, Diana. I just celebrated my….54th birthday last Jan. Yes, true I remember the days of milk delivered to home doorstep, pre-fax, pre-Internet days, etc. in southern Ontario.
Hope fundraising goes well. And giving back to community should be part of every adult decade.
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you so much Jean Oh yeah, the milk delivery thing! Do you remember Telex machines?
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Jean said:
Yea sure. And I remember doing computer database searches at the DOS command level. We protested when Windows GUI came on board. We thought it took away our smart ability to memorize search string syntax, etc.!
I used to troubleshoot computers as a minor part of previous jobs. Now computer software is too memory intensive that it’s just a pain in the butt!
And I remember hot pants, go-go girls, etc.
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dianasschwenk said:
We’ve come a long way baby! Time will tell if that’s a good thing or not… 🙂
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keiththegreen said:
Well Happy Birthday in advance. Welcome to the fabulous fifties, and I’m not talking about nostalgia.
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dianasschwenk said:
thank you! and if you were talking about nostalgia, I would want my burger and milkshake served to my car by a server on roller skates or I would like to be in 50’s soda shop with a juke box!
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keiththegreen said:
I’m old enough to have had the carhop service at A&W, but not all of them wore roller skates.
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dianasschwenk said:
I think when I was really small A&W did that as well!
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billgncs said:
happy almost birthday!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you Bill!
xo
Diana
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billgncs said:
for your birthday, I will let you have the last word 🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
thank you very much kind sir!
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billgncs said:
my pleasure!
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dianasschwenk said:
Hey, that’s enough now! (laughing)
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billgncs said:
🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
You’re so darn cute, I could just pinch your cheeks! hahaha
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billgncs said:
I think your forgot humble too 🙂
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Catherine Lafleur said:
As always you are an inspiration – Happy Birthday Diana!
I wish you every blessing in the coming year… and 50 will go to Vecova.
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you very much Cat for your good wishes and donation! You definitely made my day! Hope all is well with you.
xo
Diana
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artsifrtsy said:
Happy Birthday Dianna – I am spending my last evening as a 50 year old 🙂 I will add $50 to my Compassion sponsorship this month in honor of both our half centuries.
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dianasschwenk said:
Oh my! Happy Birthday to you too! What a lovely gesture – thank you so much for all that you do for your community in your neighbourhood and here online! You’re awesome!
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stuffitellmysister said:
What a wonderful post!!! And an early Happy Birthday! I believe in RAK!!! In sharing and giving and helping….you inspire me to do MORE! Bless you, Diana!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you very much for your good wishes and blessings! If I inspire, then I am happy!
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stuffitellmysister said:
Be HappY!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you!
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joannerambling said:
Well I hope your 50th is amazing mine was pretty good except for the no cake thing…….yeah I know I should build a bridge………..lol I like it when you get on your soap box……………..I so agree with you………..
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you so much Joanne…now what’s up with the ‘no cake’ thing?
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Our Life In 3D said:
Happy early Birthday Di! Great post! The lasthalf century was a better place with you in it. I was trying to explain tomy little girl what life was like before the TV remote control and changing the channel by hand. “But daddy, how did you do that?” Have a greatb-day week and I hope b-day and V-day are still separate celebrations for you.
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dianasschwenk said:
Haha, my kid used to say let’s buy (fill in the blank) and I’d say there’s no money in the budget and she’d say just go get some from the bank machine – like it was some endless supply! It’s interesting how they see things from their perspective. Thanks for the bday wishes. And I haven’t celebrated Vday in quite some time!
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mindfuldiary said:
What 50??! I would guess like early 40. Huge congrats Diana! This post has so much power and kindness packed in these lines. That it just melts my heart. Absolutely love it! I volunteer in hospital clown project, by coordinating/event planning, that makes kids in hospitals and orphanages to forget their reality and make them smile. Those smiles matter so much to me. I’ll find a special act of kindness that I’ll do, to honor your b-day! Will let you know! Great to read about what you do. Lucky them to have you! hugs
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dianasschwenk said:
Wow I love that you volunteer in hospitals and orphanages and am honoured that you will do something additional in honour of my b-day!
xo
Diana
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mindfuldiary said:
actually the clowns work in hospitals or orphanages, I admire their courage, I help with the backstage stuff like planning/coordinating. I could not work directly with those kids, because I’d only break down and cry all the time, and be of no use, so until I get brave enough I do other things. 😀 so your b-day is 14th feb? Mine is just 11 days later.
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dianasschwenk said:
I love that you coordinate the events that bless those kids in hospitals and orphanages! You have such a beautiful heart!
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Wyrd Smythe said:
Wow! You know, at some point in a blog or comments I recall you saying you were approaching 50, and I though, “No way!” You must be young at heart; you carry your years very well.
(Oh, and agree about giving. Always have. These days I tithe.)
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you very much kind sir and good for you for tithing! Love it!
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Wyrd Smythe said:
I’m too anti-social to volunteer (on my own — used to do it with the ex-wife, though), so I assuage my guilt by giving as much as I can.
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dianasschwenk said:
Hey giving is giving – thank you so much for all the ways you support your community!
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JackieP said:
Happy Birthday Diana! May your day be filled with love and light! big hugs
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dianasschwenk said:
thanks Jackie, it’s not till the 14th so I still have some time in my late 40’s! 🙂
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JackieP said:
Just getting it in early, in case I forget, like us oldsters do sometimes 😉
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dianasschwenk said:
LOL that’s funny!
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Louise Gallagher said:
Happy Happy Birthday you amazing woman of worth you! WoW!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you, you amazing woman!
xo
Diana
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Jeri Sherban said:
Good morning, Diana! I will wish you an early birthday, because I will be lying in the sun in Mesa next week enjoying some R&R. I look forward to your posts each day – they bring a smile to my face. Keep up the good work,
Jeri
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dianasschwenk said:
Well hello Jeri! Thank you so much for your good wishes and encouragement – I’m touched. Enjoy Mesa, I love going south. It re-energizes me, I hope it does the same for you. Enjoy!
Diana
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Jennifer's Journal said:
Almost 50; welcome to the club! All those things you mentioned; so much has changed, hasn’t it? And the rate of change seems to be accelerating.
So nice to read about your work. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks for the official welcome to the Club! Yes there have been lots of changes and 50 years feels like a drop in the bucket of time for some reason. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Rob said:
Have a good Birthday Diana. I really like your post.
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you so much Rob!!
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writingthebody said:
Aww.. such a sweet post! Yes, happy birthday, and have a great day when it comes!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you very much!!!
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bulldog said:
Oh you spring chicken… only 50 in a few days… how I wish it was me… I love your idea of a donation to something or someone… I always say remember a financial donation is not all one should give, a greeting and chat sometimes can do so much to those that just need a little connection… lifes advantages have made us so much more isolated… yes all the things you mention I remember as well I’m a little older… but all these things we have today have made us far more isolated and alone… and if one has no partner it can be lonely… Linda and I like to talk to people as well.. it is also a form of charity, to give of oneself… she that has had so many cancers talks freely to those now suffering and is a God send to so many of them that think the end is near, yet here she is after 19 years, 3 different cancers, a rare disease and just so much more, still alive and kicking with a grin on her face… I can spot a person that is suffering depression from a mile away, and I will tend to hone in on them to just stand and talk… often that’s all a person needs, to feel part of life again… so I agree with you entirely, give financially if you can, and if you can’t, give of yourself… good post …
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dianasschwenk said:
You and Linda are awesome and inspiring! Yes there are many ways to give of yourself. I wish you and Linda many more happy years of blessing this world. By the way, the spring chicken comment…made my day!
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bodhisattvaintraining said:
Just so happens I’m donating $50 this month to our Rural Firefighters service here…(we recently had some bad ones in part of the country and floods in other parts)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANA xx
Nice reading about your work too…I also work/volunteer for a not-for-profit, an organisation close to my heart.
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dianasschwenk said:
That sounds awesome. Thank you for the role you play in your community – I’m not surprised! And thank you for letting me know, it just warms my heart. ❤
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bodhisattvaintraining said:
🙂 I’m not surprised at you either , it’s nice to know though.
If there was a love button for this post I’d be there!
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dianasschwenk said:
that’s ok because I feel the love! Thank you.
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cyclingrandma said:
Happy Birthday!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you Lisa!
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