The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of the Parts @WeDay #NationalWeDay 2015 #Ottawa

If you have ever had the privilege of attending a We Day you can't help but be moved by the sheer size and magnitude of the event. April 1st, 2015 I attended the 50th We Day in Ottawa. More than 16,000 youth attended this by invitation only event. You can't buy a ticket to this event, you need to earn your way through acts of kindness, action and support both locally and globally. 

All those kids taking action to make their world a better place. But sometimes we lose sight of the individuals that make up those 16,000 plus. During this event, the 50th We Day celebration, I had the privilege to bring the focus down to the individual level and speak with two youth from Ottawa making a difference. 

Meet Trinity, a student from St. Leonard School. Trinity is actively involved in the school's Free The Children group and activities. 

• Her FTC school group has something called the Bucket List. Group members make a bucket list of 10 random acts of kindness they will do over the school year. It includes what those acts will be and the number of times the member plans to do each act of kindness on their list. I am happy to report that Trinity completed her bucket list! 
• Trinity and her friend had fundraisers such as a bake sale and lemonade stand during a garage sale to raise funds and awareness.
• She and another student gave a speech at a mini town hall meeting; one presented in English and the other in French.
• Trinity also attended a youth summit Keep the Promise, which dealt with child poverty.

Image via Keep the Promise Student Summit - Ottawa

Meet Tyler, a student from St. Matthew High School. Tyler has been busy working with Free The Children at his school for 3 years. 

• Tyler was one of twenty students to receive a Caring Canadian award from the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada April 1st, during the National We Day celebrations. 

Caring Cdn Award Recipients We Day 2015 Image via David Johnston on twitter @GGDavidJohnston

• He has participated in Scare Hunger, We Create Change Clean Water, and We Create Change for Education to name a few. 
• I asked Tyler what his favourite activity he has participating in, and he told me it was making Global Care Packages for kids in Haiti, (which included clothes, school supplies, etc) and becoming pen pals with one of the children. 

Now take these two inspirational kids and multiple them by thousands of kids just like them, working hard to make positive change in their world and we can easily see how We Days around the world have grown to be such big events and celebrations of what can be done.Ultimately We Day isn't about big but rather how small can become big, and the cumulative effects of individual acts. In my post, One small action a day = impact and change in a big way! it is easy to see why small grass root efforts are so important to our world and to our youth who are the leaders of tomorrow.

The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of the Parts.

It was a real privilege to meet Tyler and Trinity and I hope their stories inspire you, and you'll share their stories with a youth in your life so they can see what enormous potential "we" all have to bring about change in some way everyday.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about We Day and some inspirational kids.

Note: I have not been compensated for this post. This post is merely to share my experience at National We Day 2015. I had the privilege of attending National We Day 2015 and interviewing these Ottawa Youth as the guest of TELUS. Being given the opportunity to participate in this event is very much appreciated, and I thank them for this.

1 Small Action Per Day = Impact & Change In A BIG Way @WE_365 #App @FreeTheChildren @TELUS

On April 1st, my son and I will be attending National We Day in Ottawa (thanks to TELUS). As you can see from my post about last year's event, National WeDay...oops there goes another rubber tree plant, We Day is a very inspirational event and a real privilege to attend. It's impossible not to be impressed by these kids and their efforts to make their world a better place. With We Day just around the corner it got me to thinking what motivates these kids to do the things they do? What makes them think they can make a difference? Once again this quote comes to mind:
"I wonder why someone didn't do something. Then I realized, I am somebody."

Many years ago, in a community centre, at a playgroup, over coffee and crafts a conversation was started between 4 stay-at-home moms that went something like this:

Kris: "I'm concerned about my kids exposure to pesticides being sprayed on lawns in our neighbourhood. I'm thinking of starting an awareness campaign and putting together information on the health effects of these chemical pesticides, as well as alternative lawn care options. Is anyone else interested in being part of this?"

Cathy, Maureen and Kirsten: "Yes!"

And so began our band of 

"Grass Root" Activists
and the 
Breathe Deeply (My Lawn Is Pesticide Free) Campaign

Our goal was two fold: increase awareness about the effects of pesticides, and offer effective alternatives to pest management and lawn care. Each of us had different skill sets and contributed in different ways. I designed the signs, t-shirts, and applied for the grants. Others made signs, researched and wrote the pamphlets, or acted as campaign spokesperson and media contact. Together we managed to create 3 pamphlets, each delivered to more than 1500 houses, make and deliver more than 600 signs, distribute more than 100 t-shirts, and successfully apply for 3 different funding grants. We spoke on the effects of pesticides, a need for a ban, and about lawn care alternatives to our Community Association, at City Council meetings, to local Girl Guides, and set up information tables at local events. We were featured on local TV and radio, and in newspapers, including The Globe and Mail. 

Global and Mail: Tuesday, August 29, 2000
Janis Hass (Special to The Globe and Mail) 
"Outside, a homemade wooden sign on the front lawn sums up her (Kirsten Devenny) philosophy. It reads, "Pesticide Free." ... Over coffee in her living room, Mrs. Devenny discusses the use of pesticides on lawns with her neighbours Kris Wong and Cathy Canton. These stay-at-home moms have banded together to promote pesticide-free lawn care in their leafy Nepean neighbourhood of Crystal Beach. They're concerned about the effects of pesticides on the health of their children..."

Chemical pesticides for cosmetic purposes on privately owned land were banned in Ontario in 2009.

What does this have to do with youth and change?

Well from the time my kids were toddlers they saw me involved in efforts to make my world a better place. All of our kids were there when we met at playgroup for strategy meetings, or went to the printers to pick up pamphlets. They helped us deliver pamphlets and signs throughout the neighbourhood, and were there for the TV and newspaper interviews. They were central to all of this because ultimately it was about them. I like to think that by setting an example we "planted the seeds" for our kids to grow into critical thinkers, and engaged citizens of Canada and the World. I hope through our actions they learned they have a voice, and the power as one individual to bring about change. It is imperative youth understand how their local actions can have a huge global impact, and that they must be the "somebody to do something".

At the time of the Breathe Deeply Campaign there were no apps, smartphones or tablets, but now there are, and lots of ways youth can connect and help to bring about change and awareness.

The We365 app was developed by Free The Children and TELUS to give youth a way to connect, track volunteer hours, and accept challenges to bring about awareness and change. It is a platform that makes sense to youth and they are comfortable with; an app and social media. 

So to celebrate National We Day, youth and their high hopes to make the world a better place, why not join the one action per day movement.

Install the free app,

WE365 APP

and start moving those rubber tree plants!

Be sure to follow 

WE Day on twitter

Free The Children on twitter 

WE365 on twitter 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about National We Day and WE365 app.

NOTE: I was not compensated for this post, but am an invited guest of  TELUS to National We Day 2015. In support of We Day I choose to post about my experience, but am not obligated to do so. In my mind cooperation between organizations like Free the Children and brands like TELUS is something to be supported. I strive to live by their motto "Give Where We Live" not just when presented with opportunities to do so, but also by making opportunities to do so.

Playing it Forward never looked so stylish! @MetoWe school supplies @StaplesCanada double your impact!

Every August the kids and I finalize our back to school lists. I tend to shop for school supplies all year long, watching for sales and deals and buy extra to donate to my kids' schools to pay it forward to kids who might not have the resources to buy the necessary supplies. In truth necessary is relative and I consider my kids VERY fortunate to have won the "birth lottery" in where they were born and in the fact we have been able to provide them what I consider to be a very privileged lifestyle.

Staples Canada is carrying Me to We school supplies that are not only very stylish but also provide an opportunity for a double-wammy pay it forward moment. The proceeds from these products go to help Free the Children provide the opportunity for children to learn in circumstances that are not limited by finances hunger or access to water. So simply by purchasing these for your child you are making a trackable impact on the life of a child. 

But if you have the courage to think bigger and purchase these school supplies not just for your child but also to donate to your local school just think of the expanded impact and the teachable moment you have created for your child, and the kids your child spends 6 hours 5 days a week with. 

Your kids are a product of their environment. Why not make it the best possible environment for learning for both your own children as well as those Me to We  and Free the Children help everyday.

Food for thought! 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking about paying it forward.

Note: I was not compensated for this post in any way. The purpose of this post is simply to inform my readers. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: WORTH THE READ APR 11, 2014 #WeDay #FreetheChildren

I read interesting informative posts and articles about business, social media, marketing, networking, and the like all the time. I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to this type of thing. So I thought I would share at least one said post or article every Friday, and maybe send you into your weekend with some food for thought. I was privileged enough to attend National We Day in Ottawa on April 9th, 2014 and want to share with you of what this day is all about, and what Free the Children aims to do. 

Free The Children - The Story From the Beginning

Craig & Marc Kielburger - Who are they?

We Day - What is it? and Why is it Important?

We Act - What are these "act"ions they speak of? 

We365 App - Digitally Connecting & Logging We Acts!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Friday Feature: Worth the Read.

You can find my posts about National We Day 2014 here:

Wednesday April 9, 2014 is National We Day and thanks to Telus I am going!

National We Day ... oops there goes another rubber tree plant. We are the ants. Change is the plant.

Note: I have not been compensated in any way for this post. All opinions are my own, and the purpose of this post is merely to share with my readers information, and posts I find interesting.

Wed Apr 9th is National #WeDay in #Ottawa & thanks to @TELUS I'll be going!

I am so excited! 

Wednesday April 9th is National We Day in Ottawa, and I have been given the privilege to attend thanks to the generosity of TELUS.

First let me say that I have not been asked to write this post or compensated for my words. In fact I have not been asked or compensated for any of the posts I write about people, charities, campaigns, or initiatives. I write and share about people, events and sometimes brands I personally like or have impressed me. Often they do not know I have written posts about them until after they are published. You will always find a disclosure that clearly states if and how I have been compensated. That having been said, lets get move on to the good stuff.

I have spent most of my life volunteering in some way, and donating, time, money and materials. I do so both on a local level and in larger more global ways. I recycle, and compost, and feel strongly that we all owe a debt to society. We all need to care for those who can't care for themselves, and help those who cannot help themselves. We all have a responsibility to make our world a healthy and sustainable one. So you can see why We Act and We Day warms my heart each time I hear about them. 

I love how Free The Children started and continues to grow and give youth the power to make change. It gives youth an opportunity to be good citizens of the world. I love that is was started by Canadians but has such a global reach. I am blow away by the ideas, passion, dedication and talents our youth have. Each year We Day  lines up amazing speakers and guests, to inspire our youth, but more importantly it brings together an amazing group of kids that have earned their way to We Day through their acts of charity and eco-friendly initiatives. 

The We Act program provides students and teachers with materials and support to make our youth active citizens both on a local grassroots level, as well as in a global capacity. In fact We Day is all about small local actions and campaigns that have a positive global impact. It is important for our youth to feel empowered and that each person and act can make a meaningful difference no matter how small. It is important for us all to see that the cumulative impact of many small acts and individuals  is huge.

Maybe the most important impact that our youth and events like We Day have is to set an example for adults who may have become a bit jaded or cynical. To show us our actions matter, and like it or not the youth of today want a say in the world in which they live in, not just the job of cleaning up the earth we have left them with. 

My message to you is to take the time to talk to youth around you and in your lives, and ask them about what they are doing, believe in, and what is important to them. Support them in activities and initiatives that matter to them. Join in if you can. Be inspired by them to make change and take action yourself. Take the time to follow the many We Day activities throughout the year on social media such as We Day on Twitter .

Lastly take a minute to say thank you to brands such as Telus for the opportunities they support and make possible such as We Day, and the many charities such as Ride for Dad, Walk to Cure Diabetes, Tree Canada, to name a few. Why not participate in one of those events or in the TELUS on twitter activities such #31daysofgreen, #TelusDayofGiving, and the many WWF Canada and Telus Critter fun that goes on there and on the TELUS Facebook Page. Embrace their Motto: Give Where We Live, then watch the ripple effect it has.

I am so excited and hope I can share with you in a meaningful way, all the inspiration, passion, and good I have the privilege to bear witness to on Wednesday April 9th, 2014. In this regard I very much appreciate that Telus has been kind enough to provide me a cell phone with free data, since no wi-fi is available during the event, and thus making it possible for me to share the experience with my followers in real time. As well, I received a ticket for a youth of my choice to join me, so my friend's daughter will be joining me for this very special event. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about about National We Day in Ottawa.

Note: I have received from Telus a cell phone with free data to use since no wi-fi is available during the We Day event. It was not offered in exchange for any obligation on my part to post about this event or about Telus as a brand. All opinions are my own, and I wrote this post because I think We Day and the support of brands like Telus for such events is important and worthy of note.

 I am honoured to have been chosen for this incredible opportunity.