Gaining control, and finding out about myself

i haven't posted in a while. i have been busy since the fire. i have found that i have a talent i didn't know about. Let me explain.

The day of the fire, a group of 3 Moms decided that the survey should hold a BBQ to raise funds for the family that lost everything. They asked me for my help. Man did i end up helping. Thursday and Friday was spent doing things no one else wanted.

i got permission from Victoria Park to hold the BBQ
i got food donations, and raffle prize donations from 21 businesses
i got a cash donation from 1 business
i got ice donated from 1 business
i did running around, and picked-up a number of the raffle prizes and food donations.
i got a float for the two main areas
i thought up 2 activity areas (sprinklers, and Lego fun)
i was asked many times "what should I do now Wendy?"

All that was before the event. Mostly on Thursday and Friday. Even on the Saturday (the day of the event) i was asked what people should do, how to set stuff up, how to make donation boxes, how to handle the money. Sometimes they listened to my ideas, sometimes they didn't. It really didn't matter. This was a community thing.

Saturday, once the event started, i was in charge of the money (making sure everyone had enough change, and making sure the cash boxes didn't have to much cash in them at one time), the first aide station (thanks Mike, you trained me well), the sprinkler area, and the Lego area. i also took lots of pictures. It was fun. After we shut everything down, i, and 3 other people, counted the money. i made sure every envelope was signed on the seal and had the amount that was in it, and the denomination amount on it. To say the event was a success is an understatement. We raised almost $2000, not including actual donations of stuff.

Who knew i could do this? Who knew i am good at organizing a fundraiser, including getting all the supplies for free? i didn't. Sure i have some experience because of DSSG, and the running of S/mer camp, but really, being able to call places and ask for donations? Being able to ask and get stuff was the toughest job. It meant putting myself (and the event) out there to be told "no". i hate doing that. But really, i never thought i would be good at it. When i first started making the calls, it was because no one else would do it. By the end, it was because i was enjoying doing it. (ok, yes i complained while doing it, but it was still fun to hear people say yes).

Today i get to take the money to the bank. i get to take back some stuff to a couple businesses that they donated to use for the day. i get to print out cards/thank you letters to all the businesses that helped us achieve such a successful event. i will probably end up dropping them all off on Wednesday.

And about the reflexology, i put it on hold during this time. i did, right after the event, send out apologies to everyone i hadn't gotten back to. i even did a treatment on someone on Sunday. i have a treatment booked for tomorrow, and 3 booked for Wednesday. i do have one booked for today, but the MIT is sick and in bed, and i am going to have to cancel that.

So, wow. What a weekend. i didn't know i had it in me.