Vanessa and Mickie are some really special previous clients of mine and they said I could share some of their maternity photos with you.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Engagement style maternity shoot
Vanessa and Mickie are some really special previous clients of mine and they said I could share some of their maternity photos with you.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Images from "The Big Give"
Hey everyone;
Hopefully some of you remember the contest I had run for "The Big Give".
Well, here are some of my favorite images of Dawn and her son Tyler at the distillery district.
Here was the write up for this winning entry.
(Many thanks to Carolyn from Hair and Make up, for making Dawn look beautiful)
www.hairandmakeupdesign.com
Also thanking Carolyn from Inbloom for supplying Dawn with a custum album.
http://www.inbloomphotos.com
Hey Jen!
So I think this Big Give contest is fantastic (as you know) and really wanted to do something. So, my Big Give Entry is for a woman who I’ve known for years who works for Ryerson University. This woman, Dawn, is one of the kindest, generous and passionate people I have ever met and truly deserves to be recognized.
A bit of background…
Dawn (who is Caucasian) is a hardworking single mom to son, Tyler (half black). Countless times on-campus I have seen Dawn have to stand up to people’s racist remarks towards both her and her offspring. Who knew? I thought the world was becoming more enlightened but often I am reminded that we are still archaic in nature. Dawn was formerly the Ryerson Students’ Union, Events Coordinator, which she loved but in the end she loved her son more. Long hours and often evening and weekend work eventually forced Dawn to switch jobs for a more 9-5 position to be more available to her son. Her sole purpose in life has been supporting and bringing up this boy. No matter the sacrifices she has had to make in the process.
Today, Tyler is a strapping young adult with a full basketball scholarship to a College in the United States. He has grown from a young child into a man in front of my own eyes and to Dawn’s dismay, in front of her own. This upcoming fall, Tyler leaves the nest for a new home in Rhode Island where he’ll continue to thrive and work towards becoming an NBA superstar, a dream his mother always fostered and supported no matter the cost to her personally or professionally.
That said, I want to honor my “foster mom” Dawn. Someone who always took time to share a smile, a kind word, or a piece of advice with myself and everyone she’s ever met. Because of Dawn I am the strong, independent and fierce female that I have become. Because of Dawn, Ryerson has had a leader, a mentor and friend for over 10 years tirelessly working and giving back to students. And finally, because of Dawn, her son Tyler is seeking fruition of his dreams – an International scholarship, the chance to grow as a basketball superstar and to give back.
I am honored to say that in just over a week young Tyler will travel to Senegal, Africa for a basketball tournament where he plans to not only compete but to give back what he can to those he meets. This young man has packed every item of excess clothing, shoes, jerseys, etc that he can for the children he will meet and interact with on his journeys. This trip is more than just a chance to play; this is a chance to give back.
She has created a core value in people of giving back, being tolerant, and always being accessible. Honestly, this accolade only deserves to go to someone who gives of themselves tirelessly and in my mind that is no truer seen than in the lives of Dawn & Tyler. As for me, I continue to “pay it forward” in small ways everyday because of their example. We have an office challenge to see how many smiles we can create a day, we often send emails to one another with smiley faces, and we always try to have a kind word and a friendly open space for students, friends and family alike. My current joy is in seeing a mother and sons dream come true – in more ways than one.
Crystal.
_________________________
Jennifer Cavagna
Jennifer Images
www.jenniferimages.ca
info@jenniferimages.ca
www.jenniferimages.blogspot.com
No longer lend your strength, to that which you wish to be free from!
Friday, May 23, 2008
My site may be down....but I have some great new pics for you
Ok...so my site is up and down like a toilet seat today.
Email is also affected so if you can't reach me, try me at notjustanyjenny@hotmail.com or better yet, give me a call.
905-876-3011
On the brighter side, I have some great new engagement photos to share with you!
Aside from my lighting stand flying away like a kit yesterday, and falling smack down onto the flash...we got some lovely images.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
A testimonial from my dear friend
I visited my dear friend Crystal's blog today, as I so often do, just to see what new and wacky things she's been up to.
To my complete and utter surprise, her blog was about me! Now before I show you what she wrote, I would just like to say a few things. Crystal is one of the most articulate, funny, crazy, outgoing and vivacious people I have ever met. Even when heavy stress comes down on us all, she makes it all look easy. I have so much respect for this woman and am truly grateful that we met.
Anyway, she is much better with words than I, so here's what she had to say today.
I still remember my first chance meeting with Jennifer Cavagna from Jennifer Images. I was in the market for new headshots for my business and had been asking around when Jennifer kindly offered her services for a chance to meet me and learn about what it was a Wedding Planner does. So, mutually wanting to meet and learn from each other I showed up at her Milton studio for a fun mid-day photo shoot. It was a simple move that would lead to a friendship, comraderie and business relationship that to this day is still going strong.
What I LOVE about Jennifer is her JOY! You see it in her images. She evokes joy in those around her and coaxes it out of you even when you thought you had none. Her photographs are evocative and tell stories. She's always climbing on something, laying on the floor, looking through mirrors or windows, accentuating the lighting, molding and shaping for the perfectly caught, perfectly captured imagery. Her joy becomes her clients and thus she continues to "pay it forward" through her gift.
Not won over by fancy photoshop artistry or trick lighting Jennifer goes for the meat and potatoes of her clients and their wedding day. She wants the raw emotion, the laughter, the tears - All the Joy in the World! She's a dream when working with posed photography - is always conscientious of a bride's self-consciousness towards a beauty flaw or favourite, knows how to make a groom grin with delight - but her real power is in candid photojournalistic images. She's an artist! Her power to sit quietly and capture a moment is her power and ultimately my joy...
In case you can't tell... I adore Jennifer Images. Meet her once and you will too...
For more information: www.jenniferimages.ca
You can check out Crystal for yourself at: http://www.distinctoccasions.ca
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Who am I?
I'm the kind of girl who loves this:
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: 'Take only ONE. God is watching.'Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'
Thanks to my colleague Tami for sharing.
Monday, May 19, 2008
New Policy
As a result of numerous pregnancy and portrait cancelllations this month, we have had to implent a new policy. All maternity, newborn and family portraits will now require a $50 non-refundable deposit at the time of booking.
Thank you for your understanding.
Thank you for your understanding.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
My first maternity shoot, in a long time..
One of my good clients, is pregnant and due in less than six weeks! To document this glorious event she asked me to do her maternity photos for her. We did a lot of artistic shots which are a little too personal to post, but she did give me persmission to share some of the other shots with you.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Keeping it simple....
Jennifer Images has decided to take a new approach to wedding photography pricing.
In an attempt to keep things simple we are now offering only one option when choosing your wedding package.
Our wedding photography includes:
- 2 photographers
- 8 hours of coverage
- online album
- All high resolution files on DVD
For only $2399
All other products are still available for purchase under our a la cart pricing.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Effective Immediately
This is an apology to my existing customers. It appears that I have been misinformed about the application of the PST to photography services. Although sessions and labour only packages consist primarily of labour, the government still requires PST to be collected on these items.
I have posted the document here for you to view. So effective immediately all outstanding balances will also require PST to be paid.
I am very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause anyone.
Friday, May 02, 2008
And the winner is....
#4. By Crystal-Adair Benning for Dawn.
The runner up is number #7. by Alison Currie.
Dawn will receive a:
The runner up is number #7. by Alison Currie.
Dawn will receive a:
- family photoshoot by me.
- Hair and Make up by Carolyn McBurney, In Home Hair & Make-Up Design http://www.hairandmakeupdesign.com/
- carolyn@hairandmakeupdesign.com Toll Free 1-866-268-0335
- And an album for her images by Carolyn ofIn Bloom Photography http://www.inbloomphotos.com/
Our second place winner is Alison Currie.
Alison will receive a:
- $50 dinner voucher by Sherisse from http://www.theweddingdecorators.ca/
I would like to thank everyone who participated in this great contest, including contestants and the voters.
A really big thank you also goes out to the fabulous vendors who've volunteered their time and services or products.!!!
You've all helped to brighten someone else's life and you've all made me really, really proud.
The fine print: (winners of the contest will claim their prizes with each individual vendor. Vendors offering prizes in this contest do so on their own accord and Jennifer Images will not be held liable for any association with prize redemption other than that offered directly by Jennifer Images.)
Thursday, May 01, 2008
It voting day!
Ok ladies and gents. Today is voting day!!!
I'm going to repost the "Big Gives" that were excecuted and written about for our contsest. Please read them all carefully.
When you have chose the one that touches your heart, please feel free to vote bye leaving a comment at the bottom of the blog post. Please only one vote per person.
As of midnight tonight, the contest voting will close and the person with the most votes will win. You can choose the winner by voting on the number beside the entry.
Thanks so much for your help, and good luck to the entrants.
Here are their write ups, in no particular order:
#1. Here’s my pay it forward story.
Well it took me a while to figure out how to do our big give. We’re in the process of spring cleaning and getting rid of some of our baby stuff and toys that have been neglected because of all the new ones our two boys got for Christmas and their birthdays. We decided to send some of the toys to church day care and the rest went to the local community center for their drop-ins. We ended up giving away about 2 garbage bags full of toys for others to share.
We already do a “pay it forward” thing with our baby clothes since we received a good amount of it from my fiancé’s sister, and we’ve been giving it to a friend/co-worker of his for her little boy. But we feel that we truly helped out someone when we found out that one of our bridesmaid’s cousin was pregnant and with both her and her boyfriend being college students were having trouble affording the big items they needed. We were looking to sell our crib, stroller, and change table in the next couple months ( we’re done having babies due to some medical conditions) now that spring was here and after hearing about them needing them we talked and decided to give them to our bridesmaid cousin. We told them yesterday that its waiting for them whenever they want it and seriously the smiles and thanks we got makes it more than worth it.
J.
#2. I came up with something that I can do to give back. I have always told myself that when I move out on my own i am getting a dog. In October I finally moved out of the family home with my partner of four years. I was still in school for one last semester so money was very tight and we ended up moving into a bachelor apartment downtown Toronto.
Back in December I adopted a rescued dog. He is a 7lb senior Maltese. Poor little thing had to get surgery to remove all his teeth which the rescue organization paid for. I paid $400 for the adoption. Buddy has some behaviour issues that we are working on but for the most part he is a loving dog that has had a hard life. He shows so much love almost as if he realizes that we would never hurt or neglect him and he is thankful.
Having an experience like that is very addictive. I want to help so many more dogs. I talked about getting another but my partner thinks that we do not have the money or the space to take in another dog. He told me we should wait until after the wedding and until after we at least move into a one bedroom apartment. That does make sense but thinking about all the dogs (I am highly allergic to cats) that need help and not being able to bring another one home saddens me.
I thought for a while about volunteering at a shelter, especially after this contest came about, but it would be difficult right now as I am working Mon-Fri 9-5 and looking for retail part time work just to save enough for a decent wedding. Helping at a shelter would take a lot of traveling and would take a lot of time away from my dog.
Just when I was about to give up I got an email from the rescue organization I got Buddy at telling me they were in desperate need of a foster home for one of their dogs. How could I say no? Yes there isn't much space in our small apartment but this little dog needs me. He is a 22 lb poodle. I talked it over with my partner and let him know that when fostering there is no need to pay for any vet bills and that the dog already had supplies or adoption fee so the only money out of our pocket was for dog food. I also let him know that it is only for a few months until they find a forever home for the dog. It seems like the perfect way to help. I do not have to leave my home or spend a lot of money, also my dog has a companion for the hours I am at work. I just have to give a warm place to sleep, warm food and lots of love for a few months.
If all goes well I plan to continue fostering until we finally move into our one bedroom apartment, then I can adopt one more dog and if ever we move into a house I will adopt one more. I highly recommend that anyone who has room in their home to do the same. There are so many rescue groups at petfinder.com in need of foster homes so that animals aren't kept in the scary caged up pound with little human contact (mind you this is after their traumatic experience of being abused, neglected or lost).
I probably would have done this even if this contest didn't exist. but I am happy that through this contest i can share my story and hopefully inspire others to help, even if I do not win the contest.
I know planning a wedding is hectic, time consuming, stressful and expensive but never forget there really are more important things in life. =)
P.S. If I win the shoot and if it is ok with Jennifer I would love the opportunity to involve my adopted dog, and my fostered dog if he is still with us in order to always remind myself that generosity breeds generosity.
Thanks Jen!
N.
#3. I thinking on what to do for my "BIG GIVE"... I had so many thoughts in my head but couldn't narrow it down. I decided that you gave me seven days, I would try to do something everyday... I didn't make it to 7 but got 5 big things that I'm proud of.
Day 1..... Told my daughter and son(5 & 9) what I wanted to get done this week, they were so happy and wanted to help out as well. We all went to the grocery store picked out some food and took it over to the food bank. LOL my daughter wanted to open the peanut butter on our way there for "just a lick", she said she was hungry like the them and she needed it to.
Day 2.... Cleaned up the kids old clothes and gave them to a lady who really needed it. She had just lost her job, I felt really bad for her. I put a grocery gift card in bag for her. She e-mailed me a couple days ago, and was so happy that a total stranger would do something like that.
Day 3..... We went GREEN ( well tried), it's not just for one person. It's for the world and our kids. I switched to online banking, got most of my bills online, switched all the light bulbs, rechargeable batteries, better cleaners, reuseable bags, I took the kids to get new clothes from a second hand store( we went the next day) no driving just walking all day, and no computer.
Day 4.... Went to my mom's older friend's house and cleaned it. In and out. She was so sweet, she tried to pay me.I told her no, that I'm doing it cause I love her.
Day 5.... How many smiles and thanyou's can you get in one day? Try for the whole day to open the door for people, offer advice, give compliments especailly on woman's shoes!!! lol They will love you. Buy them their coffee, whatever you do, you will feel such power on being a human. I asked my FH who is a police officer in Toronto to be nice for the day, try not to give to many tickets tell them that it's their lucky day. LOL he did, but I don't think he will do that again lol. I got 62 thankyou, and 70 smiles.
I had one of the best weeks.. it's so true that people just don't have the time to give anymore. If you put your mind to it, you can find so many ways to help out and "GIVE BIG". We only had a week to think of something and to get it done.
Everyone can do this...
Sitting here with 70 smiles in my heart
C.
#4. Hey Jen!
So I think this Big Give contest is fantastic (as you know) and really wanted to do something. So, my Big Give Entry is for a woman who I’ve known for years who works for Ryerson University. This woman, Dawn, is one of the kindest, generous and passionate people I have ever met and truly deserves to be recognized.
A bit of background…
Dawn (who is Caucasian) is a hardworking single mom to son, Tyler (half black). Countless times on-campus I have seen Dawn have to stand up to people’s racist remarks towards both her and her offspring. Who knew? I thought the world was becoming more enlightened but often I am reminded that we are still archaic in nature. Dawn was formerly the Ryerson Students’ Union, Events Coordinator, which she loved but in the end she loved her son more. Long hours and often evening and weekend work eventually forced Dawn to switch jobs for a more 9-5 position to be more available to her son. Her sole purpose in life has been supporting and bringing up this boy. No matter the sacrifices she has had to make in the process.
Today, Tyler is a strapping young adult with a full basketball scholarship to a College in the United States. He has grown from a young child into a man in front of my own eyes and to Dawn’s dismay, in front of her own. This upcoming fall, Tyler leaves the nest for a new home in Rhode Island where he’ll continue to thrive and work towards becoming an NBA superstar, a dream his mother always fostered and supported no matter the cost to her personally or professionally.
That said, I want to honor my “foster mom” Dawn. Someone who always took time to share a smile, a kind word, or a piece of advice with myself and everyone she’s ever met. Because of Dawn I am the strong, independent and fierce female that I have become. Because of Dawn, Ryerson has had a leader, a mentor and friend for over 10 years tirelessly working and giving back to students. And finally, because of Dawn, her son Tyler is seeking fruition of his dreams – an International scholarship, the chance to grow as a basketball superstar and to give back.
I am honored to say that in just over a week young Tyler will travel to Senegal, Africa for a basketball tournament where he plans to not only compete but to give back what he can to those he meets. This young man has packed every item of excess clothing, shoes, jerseys, etc that he can for the children he will meet and interact with on his journeys. This trip is more than just a chance to play; this is a chance to give back.
She has created a core value in people of giving back, being tolerant, and always being accessible. Honestly, this accolade only deserves to go to someone who gives of themselves tirelessly and in my mind that is no truer seen than in the lives of Dawn & Tyler. As for me, I continue to “pay it forward” in small ways everyday because of their example. We have an office challenge to see how many smiles we can create a day, we often send emails to one another with smiley faces, and we always try to have a kind word and a friendly open space for students, friends and family alike. My current joy is in seeing a mother and sons dream come true – in more ways than one.
C.A.
#5. About a year ago, my father, an avid cyclist, former marathon runner, enthusiastic Who fan - the youngest - 65-year-old you'll ever know - started to show signs of his age. He was having trouble urinating and experience various other male symptoms. He spent moths floating between doctors, getting various tests and diagnoses, and eventually was told he had an enlarged prostate, a treatable and common condition. But in late summer, after a CT scan revealed that the enlargement was due to an aggressive stage 4 cancerous tumor, his life, and the lives of my family, were changed forever. By September we found out that the tumor was also in his bladder, and were told that bladder cancer has a 50% five year survival rate. In October, a year after he had been biking the Pyranees in Spain, he had his prostrate and bladder fully removed, and is now living cancer-free. I can honestly say that this experience changed my life and has really taught me the value of family and friends.
This event, combined with the experience of seeing my a close friend loose his mother to breast cancer only to loose his one his own testicles to the same disease, inspired me to do something big and dramatic. Defiantely a Big Give. Like most Frugal Brides, I don't have the means to make large donations. But I do have my skills, and one of them happens to be a love of personal fitness and an active lifestyle. I heard about the Ride to Conquer Cancer for Princess Margaret Hospital, a two-day, two hundred kilometer bike ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls, and knew that this was my way to make a difference. My father, once able to cycle, for weeks on end from morning to night, plans to complete the Ride alongside me.
I am about halfway to raising the $2500 I need to participate. Raising the money has not been easy, but if I can get just 100 people to give $25 each, I will reach my goal. Training my body has also not been easy. While I was a 10k runner before, the stamina and endurance required to bike for two days will be a whole other challenge. But the discomfort I might feel froma few (or, 6) hours in a bike seat does not compare with the challenges faced by those who battle cancer every day.
This Big Give is something I am doing for my father and for my friend, and for everyone else affected by cancer. It is not strictly speaking something I am doing to get an engagement photo shoot. However, if this amazing gift would come from my participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, it would be a great honour. Either way, knowing that I am making a difference and helping Princess Margaret Hospital, a place that has helped so many families, is all the reward I need. Knowing that I am helping to Conquer Cancer, just like my dad did, is worth more than any monetary or material good.
Thanks again for the chance to share my story. WE CAN CONQUER CANCER IN OUR LIFETIME!
L
#6. Like most other Brides-to-be out there, I'm financially strapped until the big day is over. Any spare change I have is dumped in a "change bucket", and fiance and I are turning our pennies over in our hands in hopes that they multiply (sadly, this doesn't work). So my "Big Give" had to be something affordable for me, so donating a sum of money to charity wasn't exactly an option.
As I wracked my brain for an idea, I realized that I have a skill that I'm able to share with those around me, free of charge, but at the same time very rewarding. I'm a massage therapist and I occasionally teach an adult intro to massage course and an infant massage course at a local community centre (and get paid for it). I decided to put together a little program for local moms, free of charge, teaching them the gift of massage for their most precious treasures. Their babies. I also gave them a little booklet so they have a reference for themselves, as well as my contact info in case they should have any questions or concerns once they're home.
Moms responded extremely well to my little program and truly appreciated the opportunity to learn something so beneficial for free. And me, well, I can't express how truly rewarding it was for me to know that I helped some local moms and provided them with a skill that they can use for years to come with their little ones as they grow.
K.
#7. Day 1: How far can I stretch $25?
* coffee for all!! Bought coffee for all my dance moms (who all are single) who treat me each week to a coffee. This wa my 'thank you' for being cool moms
* thanks for the drive mom: I gave some change to two of my student helpers for them to treat their mom to a coffee as a thank you for driving them (coffee from the kids to the mom). I told her that in return they are to pay if forward to someone at the competition
* is that change for my piggy? I made the mistake a few months back about telling a 6 yr old where they can find money (ie couches, dryer etc). Well, that kid climbed onto her fridge and took $20 of her dad money. I gave the little girl $4 to put into her bank, and told her dad that was in lieu of the $20 she had to give back :) ** Her parents came in a few days later and told me how it made her day and told everyone about it **
* m'm m'm, pizza: I went to pizza pizza to pick up a slice for me and the fiance. I heard a group of teenagers talking behind me about how they were short $5 for a pizza. I turned around, and handed them $5 bucks and told them I expect them to do acts of kindness for the rest of the day. My coworker was with me, pumped her fists in the air and said "that was so awesome!"
Day 2: Sponsor a child for soccer camp: Fiance and I decided we wanted to sponsor a child and donated $90 to the camp. To add to this (out of scope), I reached out to my dance kids, family, friends a co-workers to donate athletic clothes and equipment to the camp. The donations started trickling in, and once they're all in my hands, mom and I will be driving out to Stoney Creek to donate to the soccer club.
Day 3: Big Ride: The Fiance signed up for the big ride (bicycle fundraiser for the heart and stroke foundation). My family has history of heart disease, so this means so much to me. I'm too out of shape so I'll be raising money on his behalf!!
Day 4: Craigslist: This is my fav .. I was looking on craigslist and saw my calling. Special Olympics Baseball Coach. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! I've been trying to get involved in this amazing organization for years, and here it was! My way in! I met with the guy 2 days ago and looks like this will be a go. I can't wait! Bonus, my father and I were able to do find some baseball equipment from when he coached me that we'll be donating to the team. UPDATE: I got the gig!! season starts May 15!
Day 5: "I believe you have my stapler": I have a customer who's going through a crappy time at work. You know how it is, "you're imperative to our business, but we won't pay you what you're worth" story. So, I picked up the "Office Space" gift package for him, complete with red swingline stapler, initech note pad (with "work sucks" printed on it) and "we're not in Kansas anymore" flare. When I gave it to him, on behalf of the group, I told him it was for my most disgruntled customer. He laughed and was thrilled. He sent me an email later that night telling me he loved the gift, and would have it forever. "Through rain, snow, and burning buildings (accidental of course)".
Its amazing how I started off this challenge to win (I'm competitive) but in the end, I got so much more of this than I could have imagined. When you open you eyes and tune your ears to whats going on around you, there is so much one can do to help someone and make their day. The fiance and I have always done little things. For example, we've been sponsoring a child from Haiti through World Vision for 4 years now, and I've been helping out my friend with her new business by working as an admin every Saturday morning (just being that 'sane person' in her life for her to bounce her ideas off of). This week long task just reminded me that I should keep my eyes open and ears turned on more often, and that the littlest things can make someone's not so great day of on their bests.
Thanks again Jennifer. Great contest :)
A.C.
I'm going to repost the "Big Gives" that were excecuted and written about for our contsest. Please read them all carefully.
When you have chose the one that touches your heart, please feel free to vote bye leaving a comment at the bottom of the blog post. Please only one vote per person.
As of midnight tonight, the contest voting will close and the person with the most votes will win. You can choose the winner by voting on the number beside the entry.
Thanks so much for your help, and good luck to the entrants.
Here are their write ups, in no particular order:
#1. Here’s my pay it forward story.
Well it took me a while to figure out how to do our big give. We’re in the process of spring cleaning and getting rid of some of our baby stuff and toys that have been neglected because of all the new ones our two boys got for Christmas and their birthdays. We decided to send some of the toys to church day care and the rest went to the local community center for their drop-ins. We ended up giving away about 2 garbage bags full of toys for others to share.
We already do a “pay it forward” thing with our baby clothes since we received a good amount of it from my fiancé’s sister, and we’ve been giving it to a friend/co-worker of his for her little boy. But we feel that we truly helped out someone when we found out that one of our bridesmaid’s cousin was pregnant and with both her and her boyfriend being college students were having trouble affording the big items they needed. We were looking to sell our crib, stroller, and change table in the next couple months ( we’re done having babies due to some medical conditions) now that spring was here and after hearing about them needing them we talked and decided to give them to our bridesmaid cousin. We told them yesterday that its waiting for them whenever they want it and seriously the smiles and thanks we got makes it more than worth it.
J.
#2. I came up with something that I can do to give back. I have always told myself that when I move out on my own i am getting a dog. In October I finally moved out of the family home with my partner of four years. I was still in school for one last semester so money was very tight and we ended up moving into a bachelor apartment downtown Toronto.
Back in December I adopted a rescued dog. He is a 7lb senior Maltese. Poor little thing had to get surgery to remove all his teeth which the rescue organization paid for. I paid $400 for the adoption. Buddy has some behaviour issues that we are working on but for the most part he is a loving dog that has had a hard life. He shows so much love almost as if he realizes that we would never hurt or neglect him and he is thankful.
Having an experience like that is very addictive. I want to help so many more dogs. I talked about getting another but my partner thinks that we do not have the money or the space to take in another dog. He told me we should wait until after the wedding and until after we at least move into a one bedroom apartment. That does make sense but thinking about all the dogs (I am highly allergic to cats) that need help and not being able to bring another one home saddens me.
I thought for a while about volunteering at a shelter, especially after this contest came about, but it would be difficult right now as I am working Mon-Fri 9-5 and looking for retail part time work just to save enough for a decent wedding. Helping at a shelter would take a lot of traveling and would take a lot of time away from my dog.
Just when I was about to give up I got an email from the rescue organization I got Buddy at telling me they were in desperate need of a foster home for one of their dogs. How could I say no? Yes there isn't much space in our small apartment but this little dog needs me. He is a 22 lb poodle. I talked it over with my partner and let him know that when fostering there is no need to pay for any vet bills and that the dog already had supplies or adoption fee so the only money out of our pocket was for dog food. I also let him know that it is only for a few months until they find a forever home for the dog. It seems like the perfect way to help. I do not have to leave my home or spend a lot of money, also my dog has a companion for the hours I am at work. I just have to give a warm place to sleep, warm food and lots of love for a few months.
If all goes well I plan to continue fostering until we finally move into our one bedroom apartment, then I can adopt one more dog and if ever we move into a house I will adopt one more. I highly recommend that anyone who has room in their home to do the same. There are so many rescue groups at petfinder.com in need of foster homes so that animals aren't kept in the scary caged up pound with little human contact (mind you this is after their traumatic experience of being abused, neglected or lost).
I probably would have done this even if this contest didn't exist. but I am happy that through this contest i can share my story and hopefully inspire others to help, even if I do not win the contest.
I know planning a wedding is hectic, time consuming, stressful and expensive but never forget there really are more important things in life. =)
P.S. If I win the shoot and if it is ok with Jennifer I would love the opportunity to involve my adopted dog, and my fostered dog if he is still with us in order to always remind myself that generosity breeds generosity.
Thanks Jen!
N.
#3. I thinking on what to do for my "BIG GIVE"... I had so many thoughts in my head but couldn't narrow it down. I decided that you gave me seven days, I would try to do something everyday... I didn't make it to 7 but got 5 big things that I'm proud of.
Day 1..... Told my daughter and son(5 & 9) what I wanted to get done this week, they were so happy and wanted to help out as well. We all went to the grocery store picked out some food and took it over to the food bank. LOL my daughter wanted to open the peanut butter on our way there for "just a lick", she said she was hungry like the them and she needed it to.
Day 2.... Cleaned up the kids old clothes and gave them to a lady who really needed it. She had just lost her job, I felt really bad for her. I put a grocery gift card in bag for her. She e-mailed me a couple days ago, and was so happy that a total stranger would do something like that.
Day 3..... We went GREEN ( well tried), it's not just for one person. It's for the world and our kids. I switched to online banking, got most of my bills online, switched all the light bulbs, rechargeable batteries, better cleaners, reuseable bags, I took the kids to get new clothes from a second hand store( we went the next day) no driving just walking all day, and no computer.
Day 4.... Went to my mom's older friend's house and cleaned it. In and out. She was so sweet, she tried to pay me.I told her no, that I'm doing it cause I love her.
Day 5.... How many smiles and thanyou's can you get in one day? Try for the whole day to open the door for people, offer advice, give compliments especailly on woman's shoes!!! lol They will love you. Buy them their coffee, whatever you do, you will feel such power on being a human. I asked my FH who is a police officer in Toronto to be nice for the day, try not to give to many tickets tell them that it's their lucky day. LOL he did, but I don't think he will do that again lol. I got 62 thankyou, and 70 smiles.
I had one of the best weeks.. it's so true that people just don't have the time to give anymore. If you put your mind to it, you can find so many ways to help out and "GIVE BIG". We only had a week to think of something and to get it done.
Everyone can do this...
Sitting here with 70 smiles in my heart
C.
#4. Hey Jen!
So I think this Big Give contest is fantastic (as you know) and really wanted to do something. So, my Big Give Entry is for a woman who I’ve known for years who works for Ryerson University. This woman, Dawn, is one of the kindest, generous and passionate people I have ever met and truly deserves to be recognized.
A bit of background…
Dawn (who is Caucasian) is a hardworking single mom to son, Tyler (half black). Countless times on-campus I have seen Dawn have to stand up to people’s racist remarks towards both her and her offspring. Who knew? I thought the world was becoming more enlightened but often I am reminded that we are still archaic in nature. Dawn was formerly the Ryerson Students’ Union, Events Coordinator, which she loved but in the end she loved her son more. Long hours and often evening and weekend work eventually forced Dawn to switch jobs for a more 9-5 position to be more available to her son. Her sole purpose in life has been supporting and bringing up this boy. No matter the sacrifices she has had to make in the process.
Today, Tyler is a strapping young adult with a full basketball scholarship to a College in the United States. He has grown from a young child into a man in front of my own eyes and to Dawn’s dismay, in front of her own. This upcoming fall, Tyler leaves the nest for a new home in Rhode Island where he’ll continue to thrive and work towards becoming an NBA superstar, a dream his mother always fostered and supported no matter the cost to her personally or professionally.
That said, I want to honor my “foster mom” Dawn. Someone who always took time to share a smile, a kind word, or a piece of advice with myself and everyone she’s ever met. Because of Dawn I am the strong, independent and fierce female that I have become. Because of Dawn, Ryerson has had a leader, a mentor and friend for over 10 years tirelessly working and giving back to students. And finally, because of Dawn, her son Tyler is seeking fruition of his dreams – an International scholarship, the chance to grow as a basketball superstar and to give back.
I am honored to say that in just over a week young Tyler will travel to Senegal, Africa for a basketball tournament where he plans to not only compete but to give back what he can to those he meets. This young man has packed every item of excess clothing, shoes, jerseys, etc that he can for the children he will meet and interact with on his journeys. This trip is more than just a chance to play; this is a chance to give back.
She has created a core value in people of giving back, being tolerant, and always being accessible. Honestly, this accolade only deserves to go to someone who gives of themselves tirelessly and in my mind that is no truer seen than in the lives of Dawn & Tyler. As for me, I continue to “pay it forward” in small ways everyday because of their example. We have an office challenge to see how many smiles we can create a day, we often send emails to one another with smiley faces, and we always try to have a kind word and a friendly open space for students, friends and family alike. My current joy is in seeing a mother and sons dream come true – in more ways than one.
C.A.
#5. About a year ago, my father, an avid cyclist, former marathon runner, enthusiastic Who fan - the youngest - 65-year-old you'll ever know - started to show signs of his age. He was having trouble urinating and experience various other male symptoms. He spent moths floating between doctors, getting various tests and diagnoses, and eventually was told he had an enlarged prostate, a treatable and common condition. But in late summer, after a CT scan revealed that the enlargement was due to an aggressive stage 4 cancerous tumor, his life, and the lives of my family, were changed forever. By September we found out that the tumor was also in his bladder, and were told that bladder cancer has a 50% five year survival rate. In October, a year after he had been biking the Pyranees in Spain, he had his prostrate and bladder fully removed, and is now living cancer-free. I can honestly say that this experience changed my life and has really taught me the value of family and friends.
This event, combined with the experience of seeing my a close friend loose his mother to breast cancer only to loose his one his own testicles to the same disease, inspired me to do something big and dramatic. Defiantely a Big Give. Like most Frugal Brides, I don't have the means to make large donations. But I do have my skills, and one of them happens to be a love of personal fitness and an active lifestyle. I heard about the Ride to Conquer Cancer for Princess Margaret Hospital, a two-day, two hundred kilometer bike ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls, and knew that this was my way to make a difference. My father, once able to cycle, for weeks on end from morning to night, plans to complete the Ride alongside me.
I am about halfway to raising the $2500 I need to participate. Raising the money has not been easy, but if I can get just 100 people to give $25 each, I will reach my goal. Training my body has also not been easy. While I was a 10k runner before, the stamina and endurance required to bike for two days will be a whole other challenge. But the discomfort I might feel froma few (or, 6) hours in a bike seat does not compare with the challenges faced by those who battle cancer every day.
This Big Give is something I am doing for my father and for my friend, and for everyone else affected by cancer. It is not strictly speaking something I am doing to get an engagement photo shoot. However, if this amazing gift would come from my participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, it would be a great honour. Either way, knowing that I am making a difference and helping Princess Margaret Hospital, a place that has helped so many families, is all the reward I need. Knowing that I am helping to Conquer Cancer, just like my dad did, is worth more than any monetary or material good.
Thanks again for the chance to share my story. WE CAN CONQUER CANCER IN OUR LIFETIME!
L
#6. Like most other Brides-to-be out there, I'm financially strapped until the big day is over. Any spare change I have is dumped in a "change bucket", and fiance and I are turning our pennies over in our hands in hopes that they multiply (sadly, this doesn't work). So my "Big Give" had to be something affordable for me, so donating a sum of money to charity wasn't exactly an option.
As I wracked my brain for an idea, I realized that I have a skill that I'm able to share with those around me, free of charge, but at the same time very rewarding. I'm a massage therapist and I occasionally teach an adult intro to massage course and an infant massage course at a local community centre (and get paid for it). I decided to put together a little program for local moms, free of charge, teaching them the gift of massage for their most precious treasures. Their babies. I also gave them a little booklet so they have a reference for themselves, as well as my contact info in case they should have any questions or concerns once they're home.
Moms responded extremely well to my little program and truly appreciated the opportunity to learn something so beneficial for free. And me, well, I can't express how truly rewarding it was for me to know that I helped some local moms and provided them with a skill that they can use for years to come with their little ones as they grow.
K.
#7. Day 1: How far can I stretch $25?
* coffee for all!! Bought coffee for all my dance moms (who all are single) who treat me each week to a coffee. This wa my 'thank you' for being cool moms
* thanks for the drive mom: I gave some change to two of my student helpers for them to treat their mom to a coffee as a thank you for driving them (coffee from the kids to the mom). I told her that in return they are to pay if forward to someone at the competition
* is that change for my piggy? I made the mistake a few months back about telling a 6 yr old where they can find money (ie couches, dryer etc). Well, that kid climbed onto her fridge and took $20 of her dad money. I gave the little girl $4 to put into her bank, and told her dad that was in lieu of the $20 she had to give back :) ** Her parents came in a few days later and told me how it made her day and told everyone about it **
* m'm m'm, pizza: I went to pizza pizza to pick up a slice for me and the fiance. I heard a group of teenagers talking behind me about how they were short $5 for a pizza. I turned around, and handed them $5 bucks and told them I expect them to do acts of kindness for the rest of the day. My coworker was with me, pumped her fists in the air and said "that was so awesome!"
Day 2: Sponsor a child for soccer camp: Fiance and I decided we wanted to sponsor a child and donated $90 to the camp. To add to this (out of scope), I reached out to my dance kids, family, friends a co-workers to donate athletic clothes and equipment to the camp. The donations started trickling in, and once they're all in my hands, mom and I will be driving out to Stoney Creek to donate to the soccer club.
Day 3: Big Ride: The Fiance signed up for the big ride (bicycle fundraiser for the heart and stroke foundation). My family has history of heart disease, so this means so much to me. I'm too out of shape so I'll be raising money on his behalf!!
Day 4: Craigslist: This is my fav .. I was looking on craigslist and saw my calling. Special Olympics Baseball Coach. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! I've been trying to get involved in this amazing organization for years, and here it was! My way in! I met with the guy 2 days ago and looks like this will be a go. I can't wait! Bonus, my father and I were able to do find some baseball equipment from when he coached me that we'll be donating to the team. UPDATE: I got the gig!! season starts May 15!
Day 5: "I believe you have my stapler": I have a customer who's going through a crappy time at work. You know how it is, "you're imperative to our business, but we won't pay you what you're worth" story. So, I picked up the "Office Space" gift package for him, complete with red swingline stapler, initech note pad (with "work sucks" printed on it) and "we're not in Kansas anymore" flare. When I gave it to him, on behalf of the group, I told him it was for my most disgruntled customer. He laughed and was thrilled. He sent me an email later that night telling me he loved the gift, and would have it forever. "Through rain, snow, and burning buildings (accidental of course)".
Its amazing how I started off this challenge to win (I'm competitive) but in the end, I got so much more of this than I could have imagined. When you open you eyes and tune your ears to whats going on around you, there is so much one can do to help someone and make their day. The fiance and I have always done little things. For example, we've been sponsoring a child from Haiti through World Vision for 4 years now, and I've been helping out my friend with her new business by working as an admin every Saturday morning (just being that 'sane person' in her life for her to bounce her ideas off of). This week long task just reminded me that I should keep my eyes open and ears turned on more often, and that the littlest things can make someone's not so great day of on their bests.
Thanks again Jennifer. Great contest :)
A.C.
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