THANK YOU for participating in Remy's 7th Birthday Fundraiser

What a month April was.

Every April 2nd is International Autism Awareness day.  Remy was diagnosed with Autism in April 2009.  Ironically, Remy's birthday is also at the end of April. 

Every year we receive so many presents and birthday wishes for Remy.  Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and generosity.  Thank you for helping us spread this video.  If you haven't seen it yet, just click below :)  Feel free to share with anyone it may inspire.

 

Update

Since sending out my email with Remy's birthday video present, the video has had 144 views!  Thank YOU for making this happen.  With each passing day, the number is views increase, and I am encouraged by it.  Thank you for taking the time to watch and share.

To date, Remy has received $65 from three donations via PayPal, a $50 cheque in the mail and $120 dollars in cash from family.  Thank you so much.  

Remy was actually sick in bed for the day of his birthday last week, but he did get out of bed to eat the strawberries off the side of his special no grain cake.

What we are fund raising for

These are some estimated expenses for Remy's care in the next 6 months.

Osteopathy - $120 per session (estimated to be once a month for the next 6 months) = $720

Connecting with Autism (CWA)
- Online Training Course - $150 (for the month of April 2013) or $225 (regular price)
- Growth through Play System (GPS) Evaluation and Reports, and Sensory Processing Evaluation and Reports - $280 (this includes a 1 hour consultation)
- Ongoing going consultations - $120-$150 per 50 minute session (once every 6-8 weeks, so that $150 x 3 = $450 for the next 6 months ) = $880 USD

RESPITE
  - This one is HUGE
  - $416 ($16 for two hours for the next 26 Fridays)

A Juicer as part of his GAPS diet for detoxing.
  

The Benefits of Giving with an Open heart

Do you want to give to a good cause, but just haven't done it? Do you feel that what you can comfortably contribute is too little or insignificant for to reach the goal of the fundraiser? Are you putting it off until it's more “convenient”? Do you feel that the cause resonates with you, but that you're embarassed about how small you can contribute?

I want to tell you that if a cause resonates with you, it's inspiration. And when inspiration knocks, act on it, or it will pass.

I used to think I didn't have much to give so I wouldn't. What I did feel that I could contribute seemed so little that it would be no use to even donate that. I was embarrassed and felt I would judged for giving so little so instead I would not give.

Fast forward many years and through many life's lessons, I've learned that I have a lot more to offer than it seems. No amount of contribution is insignificant. In fact, I want to demonstrate how our thinking and actions impact the way things work out.

My friend Jackie was fundraising for $20,000 just recently to go toward  bringing her son to the Son-Rise Program®  Intensive at the Autism Treatment Center of America. I saw her family's fundraising video, and I was inspired! I've learned from Joe Vitale that I should give my money to who inspires me. Now, in the terms of cash, I am limited at the moment, but, I could afford $20. Now looking at 20 to 20,000 seems quite small. But this is how I thought

I am inspired, and I want to donate toward this cause. I feel that I can give a token donation of $20. This donation represents my desire to help reach their goal of $20,000. Along with my donation  I am sending my wishes that their donations will multiply. I have faith that with enough people contributing what they CAN , this family WILL reach their goal.

Jackie's family surpassed their goal a few weeks ago!

Now on the flip side, I could think (as many people may think):

“that is a huge goal. My $20 means nothing. I can't help them out.” Now imagine that 20 people have this same thought... that's $400 dollars added together!

I want to wrap up this post the story entitle “Stone Soup” that I heard when I was a child. This story really resonated with me, and I am retelling it and explaining what I learned from it to you.

So as I remember the story, a stranger comes into a village during hard times. People are poor and there is little food to eat. The stranger is hungry, and so he knocks at people's doors asking for food. He is turned down with responses that there is not enough food to share. So the stranger sets up a pot, starts a fire and puts in water with a stone.

Soon people were wondering what was going on. They started coming out to see what the stranger was making. “I'm making stone soup,” he explained. Then he tasted it.

People asked, “how is it?”

“Mmm. Not bad,” he responded. “Oh, but it would taste even better if it had some onions.”

Someone in the crowd volunteered some onion, and the stranger added it to the pot.

“How is it now?”

“Mmm, it's much better.” Then he thought, “it would even taste better with some carrots.”

Someone volunteered carrots.

“How is it now?”

“Mmm. Great! Now if we only had some celery.”

Someone volunteered celery.

“This soup is getting really yummy. But it would be so much better with some zucchini .. some tomatoes... potatoes...”

You guessed, it. For every vegetable, someone in the crowd was able to offer to the pot.

At the end of the story, the whole village was able to enjoy the wonderful soup that everyone contributed to. It started with one person putting in a stone. Then one addition of an ingredient inspired the next ingredient until finally, there was an abundant pot of soup for everyone to enjoy. 

So, all this is illustrate that your contribution, no matter how small you think it may be, is significant and is appreciated!

Lots of love to you!