Day 3: The game changer

We met.

We chatted.

We strategised.

We have lift off.

But, first…we must all wait.

More details to follow. Soon.

Day 2: Operation Abort Alcohol

This is Rochelle.

As you can see, Rochelle likes alcohol.

This is the low down on Rochelle:

Upstanding Canberra citizen. Check.

Mumma of two beautiful boys. Check.

Public servant. Check.

Chartered accountant. Cheque.

raize the roof Treasurer. Cheque.

Raging, partying alcoholic-loving rockstar at night. CHECK CHECK CHECK!

Ok, so sometimes I have a tendency to over exaggerate. She’s not a raging alcoholic. #mostofthetime

This is the low down on what Rochelle is doing:

Rochelle is taking on the ‘operation abort alcohol’ challenge for the month of the July. This means Rochelle is changing her drinking habits (read: not drinking anything) for 30 days.

Rochelle is generous. Rochelle is also persuasive.

As a reward, Rochelle is encouraging her friends, family and fellow alcohol lovers to purchase 500 bricks for the raize the roof charity house.

Bricks can be purchased here by clicking on the number 1: https://www.raizetheroof.org.au/donations/

Rochelle gets sad when people don’t reward her efforts.

Sadness might make her drink alcohol.

Please don’t make Rochelle drink. Please donate to Rochelle’s brick fund.

Day 1: clarity for charity!

Happy new financial year and, of course, happy Day One of the 30 day challenge.

Yikes! Already things are taking off with our 30 days – 30 ways to make a change campaign! In fact the project is stirring up so much interest, like today’s to do.

Today’s task was to start spreading the word! I got in touch with some movers and shakers. I successfully probed them for all their valuable thoughts which I now plan to turn in into golden goodness! Ideas came a flowing and we’ve received offers including:

• famous athletes creating promotional videos about raize the roof;
• people pledging to give up coffee for a month and donate the funds saved to raize the roof; and
• people offering to donate dollars for every kilo of weight lost.

We’ve also had lots of people wondering how they can be involved.

So, here’s the deal…the goal of this project is to encourage:

• people to share about raize the roof and become supporters;
• as many people as possible contributing to the cause;
• people jumping online and donating up a storm to the cause; and
• people making daily, weekly or a monthly gesture to positively impact the life of someone else.

For the raize the roof crew, we’ll be taking one crazy action every day to progress our project, secure important funds to build the raize the roof Charity House and to spread the word about what we’re up to.

For our incredible supporters, friends, family and unsuspecting new followers, what you do is up to you. We’d love for you to take actions to progress our project. The possibilities are endless, and the most extreme are most welcome!

You can give up something every day, you could share the story of raize the roof every day, you could tee up some new followers on twitter or you could embark on a shopping spree at our website https://www.raizetheroof.org.au/donations/ or you could do a random act of kindness.

Whatever you get up to, we’d love for you to let us now!

All this excitement is making me tired! Over and out!

SUCCESS TRACKER BOARD

Extraordinary result 2: Momentum is gaining…we’ve not hit the steroid level… yet!

Lessons learnt: Creativity is key… but so is clarity!

Followers on Twitter: 171 @raizetheroof

Total online donations: $112000 https://www.raizetheroof.org.au/donations/

Likes on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raizetheroof?fref=ts

Website hits: 54

30 days – 30 ways to make a change!

#FirstWorldProblem alert. I’m bored and I feel a little unfulfilled. I have an awesome job and a fabulous life, and I live in the most livable city in Australia. #CBR  #WOOT  #Imstillbored.

I’m also the co-founder of local Canberra Charity, raize the roof. That’s not boring.

For some reason things aren’t moving quite as fast at the raize the roof headquarters as I would like…and I’m getting impatient. Mostly, with myself.

When we first started raize the roof, progress was tracking at a completely mind-blowing pace.

What’s the difference between then and now?

I cringe.

Ugh – the insight must be coming. The churning of my stomach begins, the uneasy feeling arrives and BINGO! Enter the realisation… #Ihaterealisations. I lie. #Iactuallylovethem.

What was a mind-blowing pace back when we started raize the roof, is now normal. Our volunteers are old hands at running events, convincing people to overdose on fundraising chocolates, and successfully sharing the raize the roof vision. Our vision. Eek! Another realisation. #great

With life’s ups and downs, and reality getting in the way, Winter’s rained on my parade… and I feel it’s dampened my vision…I don’t do damp. I do sunshine and lollipops.

What used to be full steam ahead kind of feels slow now. It’s like I’m craving a new level of excitement. I want full steam ahead… but on steroids. God help us all… especially our dedicated volunteers.

What to do next hits me all too quickly and uncomfortably… the old chestnut… time to take responsibility, get creative and most importantly to take action, any action… just some action!

So, I start thinking, like that naked dude pondering life’s mysteries with his finger and thumb on his chin…this guy.

I’ve got a month to go before I jet off overseas for 5 weeks. #Itsatoughlife There’s no point waiting until I venture back to the land down under…it’s time to start something, anything…now.

I’m definitely onto something. The adrenalin starts rushing, I find myself awake at midnight excited again…and boredom and my life don’t seem to fit in the same sentence anymore.

Just how much momentum can be created by taking one random action everyday for one month?

The plan:  Take one action for raize the roof every day for one month. Write a blog about each daily action. #reduceannoyinghashtagusage

The rules:

1. The action must not impact, or take people from their full time job for longer than the average lunch break.
2. The action has to be undertaken on short notice.
3. The action has to be achievable in a day/overnight.
4. The action has to be in keeping with the raize the roof vision and values.
5. The action should come at no financial cost to the person undertaking the action.
6. Friends of raize the roof can nominate volunteers to take the action.
7. Creativity is key.

I don’t know what actions I’ll be taking or the anyone else will be taking. I have no idea what the outcomes will be. I just know that something amazing will come from this. Hopefully lots of amazing somethings.

All I know is I’m nervous, excited and petrified. It’s on.

Oh what a night!

What do you get when you cross Dr Karl and the chance to win a .5ct brilliant cut diamond?

A night full of fun, with ROAR, raize the roof’s 4th gala ball.

Guests were welcomed with the beautiful voice of Kirrah Amosa unleashing the Circle of Life to kick off the animalistic night!

The main attractions included Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (who apparently is slightly less trustworthy than The Wiggles), a gelato man, an endless candy bar, a photo booth, a Nelson Mandella signed time magazine, an around the world ticket, 10kgs of chocolate, a Bali holiday, and an auctioneer who was willing to sell the clothes off his back (literally), all in the name of raising money for charity.

Then, after the main course, a bag full of lollies and an ice-cream, people flocked to the dance floor as the Bee Bee Gees played their sweet symphony of dancing shoes tunes (although admittedly, not many of us were practical enough to wear our dancing shoes, never the less, we were there busting out our greatest moves).

Those who wanted a break from the dance floor (due to the shoes issue) were able to take a ‘time out’ to don oversized novelty glasses and jump in the photo booth. If you were lucky enough, you were able to get a photo (or four) with Dr Karl, who provided options such as, ‘serious’, ‘smiling’, ‘blow a kiss’ and ‘bunny ears’.

And there were questions, oh the questions: Is there a cure for hiccups (apparently it’s DRM – Digital Rectal Massage..)? Can women take Viagra? What is ‘sleep’ in our eyes? and most importantly (I think), Where is the universe expanding into?

All of which were answered in perfect Dr Karl style.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the MC provided a match making service setting up a fine young lass and fellow.

Oh what a night!

Well done to the raize the roof team, and big thank you to all the sponsors and guests who have helped the team get one step closer to raizing the charity house roof!

Blog: Adventure to the Starlight Express Room

The colour, the brightness and the atmosphere is what hit me as I walked into the Starlight Express Room at the Randwick Children’s Hospital. It was a big change from the stark white walls and quiet corridors of the rest of the hospital. It was immediately evident that this is a special place.

There was a boy in the corner playing the drums, a big smile on his face. A giant screen fills up one side of the room and a mother and her baby were sitting in one of the many coloured beanbags, watching a movie. There was a craft table, musical instruments, a wall of televisions hooked up to video games, toys and music. It’s a pretty cool place.

We met the two Captain Starlights on duty – Captain Curly and Captain Hip Hop – and they gave us a tour of the room. Then it was craft time! We sat with a little girl, colouring in, talking and making ‘shrinky dinks’ (I made a care bear). As we got all crafty, the daily Starlight Room quiz took place. Run by Captain Hip Hop, the quiz is broadcast to the hospital rooms of those kids who are too sick to make it to the Starlight Room. The kids are able to phone in with their answers. It’s during the quiz that we met a 12 year old boy who has been in and out of the Randwick Children’s Hospital for several years. He was hilarious, putting on funny voices and different accents each time he dialed in with an answer – you could tell he was enjoying himself.

After some more craft and a few games of ‘Go Fish’, it was time to go. As I helped Captain Curly tidy up the room ready to be enjoyed by another group of kids the next day, I realized just how special a space the Starlight Room is and how important it is in the lives of these kids and their families. This is a place where kids can go to escape, to feel normal, to play, to have fun and to just be kids.

Inside this room there are no doctors, no medicine and no talk of surgery, treatment or being sick – it’s a place to escape from all of that. Kids can go there to have fun, to get away from their hospital room, to interact with other kids and parents get to have a break, relax a little and see a smile on their child’s face.

My trip to the Starlight Express Room made me realise just how important the work we do at raize the roof is and how what we do does make a difference – to the many children that find themselves living in hospital.

It was really great to experience first hand how much of an impact the Starlight Room, and the Starlight Foundation, has on sick kids and their families, and I got to meet some awesome and inspirational children along the way.

Laura C.

Blog: Talk, talk and more talk…

I have always been a bit of a talker (some would say rambler), and I always enjoy a good chat.  But I was reminded recently of how powerful a simple conversation can be.

I was attending a daylong training session for work and happened to be placed on the same table as someone who I had met last year at work, and hadn’t seen in quite some months.  Over a coffee during our morning tea break we got talking about random stuff and I happened to mention my recent volunteer work with raize the roof.   She seemed interested enough, so I continued to ramble, telling her more about the organization and the charity house project.   And then before I knew it, she was telling me how her husband is a builder and how she thinks he would definitely be keen to help out in some way with the charity house.  She went on to say that he is working for himself at the moment, with very few staff to help him out, so he might be limited in what help he can actually provide.  But every little bit counts right?  I passed on all the details to the guys at raize the roof and hopefully something will come of it. 

I was pretty excited – my rambling had come in handy for once!  Before I stepped into the room for a day of stakeholder engagement training, I was convinced it was going to be a long and very boring day.  Instead, I got to catch up with an old colleague, ramble on and help out raize the roof.  A good day indeed!

Laura – Resident Volunteer and Communications Legend

Colourblind love…

Meet Tan Hong Ming. He is in love. This is the cutest moment ever.

Danielle’s Campaign 25 challenge: a reflection!

It was the linguistic challenge of all challenges, and no, I don’t mean I was fulfilling my dream to win the spelling bee for ten year olds! I mean honestly, being able to spell daiquiri, conscience (i before e except after c, and not in a number of instances like this one!) and onomatopoeia have all proved very useful! Oh the word ‘raize’? Let’s not start on that one!!!!

However, I digress and apologise (it’s an s, we’re in Australia!). The challenge was set as part of raize the roof’s Campaign 25. I was to bid farewell to some of my most cherished words to raise funds for kids a little less lucky.

The task was set. 25c for every expletive said out loud for the month of August! I mean, kids don’t need to swear, why should I? And that’s when it began.

The damage/donation!

Day 1

Easy. Time to eliminate all swear words, with particular emphasis on those beginning with ‘f’. Was off to a roaring start, tongue was on high alert and willing to save my pennies. NO situations requiring the odd expletive…helps when I’m away from work!

Day 2

Much the same, the wallet remains overflowing with coins…

Day 3 onwards

This was another story! Here’s when the jar really started to gain coinage momentum.

It Seems Mother Swear (Nature’s nasty older sister) was out on a mission to get me spending! I walked straight into the side of my desk and smashed old mate thigh—reason enough to unleash a wee little bleep surely! Bruise is still on the hip pocket… 25c is not!

Almost running up the ahhhh… back… of the car in front on my way to work, resulted in an ‘inside car’ swear and then laughter and then tears as I departed with another 75c!

The retelling of funny stories; that’s been my biggest killer! I mean saying wholly ‘smokes’ when sharing hilarious stories, just does not suffice! Like the news of my boss entering a hotel room to find a man half starkers and then pushing me into my room just a few doors down, only to find my room full of someone else’s stuff! I mean now that is surely worthy of an extra adjective or two! And let’s be fair here… this story has been shared a lot! And the coins keep compiling!

And skyping with fellow potty mouth girlfriends, seems using swear words is contagious…and expensive! And honestly, sometimes the words would just escape… like the chocolate cookies from our biscuit jar or the block of chocolate in our fridge! Even Carrie Bickmore was letting fly with her comment regarding QANTAS!

What I learnt

Kids are much better at not swearing and are far more intelligent, articulate and creative in their literary abilities. While it appears nothing makes a story as fabulous as the occasional f’bomb, I have had the pleasure of learning an array of new substitute words. Words for moments when there is no toilet paper left on the roll…in the middle of the night and when I toe bash the laundry basket in my room at 5.30am in the morning. Words like flip diggity, son of a nutcracker and fudge nuggets!

Though I am significantly more broke, I am at least ready to unleash with my substitute words at job interviews, opening speeches and generally when I’m wining and dining with the rich and famous. Also, I have never been more excited to celebrate 1 September 2012!

Finally, in light of what I have coined excusable opportunities worthy of the odd swear word, the following visuals highlight when it is ok to drop a few extra adjectives.

While I can’t proclaim to have experienced anything as extreme as these, I can proclaim to contributing to the raize the roof cause.  $70 is my donation (yes, approximately 9 swear words a day) and yes, $70 to feel better about my fowl, gutter trash mouth moments of expression.

Top 5 moments to drop the F bomb #5

Top 5 moments to drop the F bomb #4

Top 5 moments to drop the F bomb #3

Top 5 moments to drop the F bomb #2

And the top moment worthy of dropping the f’bomb…is this one!

Disclaimer.

The author of this post does not endorse swearing, however, does encourage people taking on the challenge and similarly, donating your spare change to change the lives of those a little less lucky.