Dance & Donate for Haiti - This Saturday

Well, here we are, smack dab in the middle of winter and the Groundhog has seen his shadow. I guess we’ll have six more weeks of winter to endure! I reacted to this information with a heavy sigh. The thought of mopping up boot puddles, wringing out soggy mittens and freezing draughts howling through my century old house, made me want to crawl back into bed, under my toasty warm sheets. My youngest, on the other hand, nearly jumped out of his underwear, ecstatic at the prospect of six more weeks of fort-building and ice-sliding mayhem.

In a contemplative frame of mind, I bundled up in my Snuggly (yes, I have one….but it was a gift), put on my gloves (did I mention that my house is draughty?) and put fingers to keyboard to reflect on my thoughts.

Fact is, things are good. Apart from all the day to day stressors that we all face, life as we know it, in the grand scheme of things, is really not all that bad. We have running water, food in abundance and shelter (albeit, breezy at times). We have all the basic needs we require. Others are not so fortunate. Foremost in our minds right now is the devastation in Haiti. However, the newness of the situation and the feelings of urgency to help will soon fade as other issues take the forefront in our lives and in the news. Fact is, Haiti has been a country that has a long history of poverty and violence. I know several people who have done relief work in Haiti over the years that relayed heart-wrenching stories about some of the over 300,00 orphans in the country before the quake. Even as the fervour of the moment diminishes, we must remember that there will be need in that country long after the news cameras have disappeared. On a positive note, the Haitians also have a history of resilience to their struggles that is awe-inspiring, something we can all learn from.

So, maybe we can help out, even in a small way. Here’s my little way of lending a hand.

I was thrilled when the City of Kitchener offered to work co-operatively with me on this event. We don’t have a fixed financial goal in mind, but any contribution, no matter how small will help. I look forward to seeing you this weekend!