For me I think 2016 will be a year of giving back and supporting charities. I love a challenge and to push myself, so I completed a 30km walk, became a director of a Foundation and started mentoring for Youth off the Streets and it is only March!
Fred Hallows Foundation
On Friday 4th March, with 3 other teammates we did the 30km CoastalTrek for the Fred Hallows Foundation. It was very hot but an amazing experience. The coastline of the Northern Beaches is stunning; we started at Long Reef Surf Club and walked to Balmoral, around North Head. So there were loads to look at. The whole event was very well run with loads of water stops, the last 5 kms was a challenge but we all finished and were very grateful for beers at the end!
Michelle Richmond Foundation
Last year I had an amazing trip to Kenya and Rwanda and while there I had the opportunity to visit a children's home. The home takes in children that have been abandoned, are living on the streets or can't live at home for some reason; they range in age from 2 right through to 12. The children are often bought to the home by a local person. They are looked after, given a clean bed to sleep in, food to eat and are schooled so they grow up to be functioning adults.
It was great to spend the day at the home – the children and staff were very happy and as Kenya has no social services it was great to see that the kids had some chance of surviving. As we travelled throughout Kenya my friends told me of their involvement and that they were in the process of starting a foundation back in Australia to help. Towards the end of the trip, I said I was happy to help with the foundation and now I have become a director of this Foundation.
We have set up a website www.kipchamgaachildrenshome.com and have a Facebook page – so follow www.facebook.com/Kipchamgaa/ - please follow us and if you have any fundraising ideas please let me know.
Youth off the Streets
I recently became a Mentor for the Youth of the Streets (YOTTS) Scholarship program. My scholarship recipient lives in Adelaide so we communicate a lot via text. At a recent catch up meeting, the YOTTS staff were looking for Volunteers to teach the young people to drive – again I could feel my hand going up! Next thing I knew I have another mentee, who I am currently getting to know so that I can take her out driving (We must meet 3 times before we go driving so when I start shouting at her she will be OK and know that it is only because I like living too much!).
For me 2016 has started out by being a year of giving.....will 2016 be your year of giving and if so what charity/ program will you support, as I am always curious.