October 2011 31/10/2011
One more day for One Girl Last weekend I did it in a dress. Nothing sordid. In fact, something rather silly. One Girl, an Australian charity raising money to send girls in Sierra Leone back to school, was running a campaign called Do It In A Dress. They didn't prescribe what the "It" was to be - that was left up to each individual raising money for their cause - but whatever you chose to do, you had to do it wearing a school dress. I put it to vote. I asked people to add what they'd like to see me do in a school dress on my 'Cause I Can' Facebook page and to vote. My fate was sealed. I had to ride around Centennial Park in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, in my school dress (kindly loaned to me by someone at Queenwood), singing as I pedalled! And that's what I did. On Sunday 23 October, I set off for an hour of spreading the word and, let's face it, embarrassment. It was fun though. And heavy going. Who would've known how much effort it takes to ride a pedal bike solo? I managed two laps - about 8km - in under one hour. The great thing was people's responses as they pedalled past me on the track. I got quite a few "good onya's" and even had one guy think I actually attended the school! Hmmm, maybe 15-20 years ago... sweet of him nonetheless. So what was this all really about? A belief that by sending just one girl to school for a year in an impoverished third world country makes an enormous difference for her entire community. It's a bid to end global poverty. Education = empowerment. I really, really would like to send at least one girl to school for a year in Sierra Leone, but I'm short of $290. Can you help me reach this goal? Today is the very last day of the campaign so you'll have to be quick. To make a donation, visit my fundraising page and follow the prompts. Your generosity can make a world of difference to an entire community. It really can. To spur you on, have a look at what I looked like as a 30-something year old school girl! And, thank you. Add Comment April 2011 01/04/2011
Super Soggy Sunday Last Sunday, The Paddle Steamers, took to the water for the 17.5km Lifestart Kayak For Kids challenge. The weather conditions weren't the most pleasant - in fact we got drenched before we even entered the water, and again as the first trio neared their transition point - but the mood was buoyant! Despite a few hitches, we finished in good time and were able to enjoy some lunch in the park at Clontarf with families and friends of the recipients of Lifestart's fantastic services. None more memorable than little Oscar who, at about 2 or 3 years old, had the crowd cheering for him as he raised his arms over his head like the champion he is, and ran through the finishing line. Again and again and again. Oscar, and a number of his friends, has Down Syndrome, Autism and other forms of developmental delay. Others didn't. But what was so refreshing to see is that it didn't matter to them at all. They just did what kids do: play. It was a great reminder that, although adults sometimes have hang-ups, they're not innate. Kids are born accepting unless other behaviour is instilled in them. I'd rather be like a kid. Wouldn't you? Please show your acceptance by supporting Lifestart today. Visit www.everydayhero.com.au/_the_paddle_steamers_1 and make a donation so lots of kids like Oscar and his family have access to such a wonderful network of understanding, care and education. The page will be active until the end of April. Thanks. If you'd like to see a few very soggy team members and a few beautiful-but-moody shots of Sydney Harbour, check out the photos. March 2011 23/03/2011
Team of 12. Route of 17.5km. Triple kayak. On Sunday 27 March (yes, this Sunday), The Paddle Steamers will take to the water of Sydney Harbour Lower North Shore in a relay race of 17.5km. This year, our team are a mix of veterans from last year's race and keen and eager newbies including one Brit, one Swede and three women who just completed the 100km Coastrek walk from Palm Beach to Coogee! Lifestart is an early childhood intervention program for children with Down Syndrome, Autism, delays in development, or at risk of delay. It's a parent co-operative providing a family-centred approach to the needs of children with disabilities and their families. It is based on the concept of partnerships between parents and professionals. The charity has set a goal of $250,000 for this event and the money will go directly towards continuing the support and services to the children and their families. Our team would like to contribute at least $2,400 of this - in only 4 days. Can you help us? Please visit our fundraising page before Sunday and be as generous as you can. And if you find you aren't able to help in this way at this time, please share my blog with a friend or 20; Lifestart needs all the exposure it can get! I will keep the fundraising page active for a few weeks so everyone has a chance to support the Paddle Steamers and, more importantly, Lifestart. Let's help these kids get the best start to life and level of care possible? Thanks for your kind consideration!  Logo courtesy of team member Sheryl Cole. February 2011 14/02/2011
It's kayaking time again! Want to join us? The Paddle Steamers had so much fun at last year's Kayak4Kids challenge that we've reunited for this year's event on 27 March. More on the fundraising side later! I've put together a social training schedule starting this Sunday morning at Balmoral Beach. It'd be great if you came along - even if only to have a paddle and a laugh without any expectation of taking part on race day. Pay as you go. If you do want to join the team, all it will cost you is your share of the entrance fee and payment for the weekly training sessions you attend (usually $15-20 per person depending on whether you opt for a single kayak or pair up with someone else). If we train in the morning, we tend to head to a nearby cafe for coffee or brunch afterwards. If we train in the afternoon, we find somewhere for a drink. Nothing like being on the water, working up a sweat and then rewarding yourself afterwards with great company and something thirst-quenching! If you're 'um-ming and ah-ing' have a look at the photos from last year's event for some inspiration. For more information on training times and venues, please contact Malin at Cantor Direct™ on (02) 8021 9696 or email: malin@cantordirect.com.au. Feel free to pass this on; the more the merrier! See you at the water's edge! April 2010 23/04/2010
Up, up and away... We did it! On Tuesday Anne McKevitt and I jumped 14,000ft out of a perfectly good plane at Byron Bay! And both of us are still grinning, giggling and shaking our heads in disbelief. What an experience! I was very grateful to have landed us a couple of t-shirts from Make-A-Wish Foundation when I was in Melbourne last week - especially as they were designed and signed by Hugh Jackman (yes, sorry ladies, we didn't actually get to meet the man - only pretend that he was flush against our skin during the jump!). They came in very handy in promoting the cause when we were interviewed by Prime News Lismore! After about four hours of waiting for the weather to clear, Skydive Byron collected us from our resort (which, as it turns out, supports Make-A-Wish!) only to wait a further two hours at the base. Talk about an anti-climax. Eventually our turn came and we got suited up by a woman who recognised Anne straight away from her various TV shows (so much for remaining incognito in Australia, Anne!). Neither of us was nervous. In fact, I was quite calm until they opened the roller door on the plane and I got a blast of the -5 degree temp! It was only as I was perched on the edge of the plane about to fall forward into nothingness that I felt a swarm of butterflies fill my tummy - but that may just have been the muesli bar I'd eaten an hour or so before, or the rocking motion before launching. My gorgeous, very young dive master Alex was great at keeping me relaxed - even though he came up with a few jokes in an attempt to unhinge me like "If you hear this sound *click click*, start flapping your arms." I only found out after the jump just how young he is - a mere 21 years old - which was a good thing, but also that he just came 6th in the national championships. No wonder he was keen to do all those twirly maneuvers! It did also mean that he was comfortable enough giving me the chute to control though, which was brilliant. The jump itself was a tough one to process. The 60 second free fall was so intense it felt like 5 seconds but was filled with head chatter as I tried to compute what was going on and work out whether I was enjoying myself or not. My ears hurt. Falling through clouds felt like a million needles puncturing my skin and then the same sensation as thawing out after being in freezing weather conditions. And then came the floating once the chute had opened. That was absolutely sublime. Especially when we caught the thermals and soared. It was so still. And so beautiful. I could immediately understand why dive junkies are dive junkies. Although it's been a few days since the jump, I can still sense the wonder, feel the adrenalin coursing through my veins, and smile at the memory knowing it's changed my life forever. And thats' exactly what I wish for the seriously ill kids who have registered their own wishes with Make-A-Wish Foundation! To get to do something they'll never forget. And hopefully make the rest go away - if only for a few minutes. My fundraising page is still active. Please, now that I've learned to fly and lived to tell the tale, be generous. Visit www.gofundraise.com.au/Judith_Cantor_04 and give all the sick children in Australia a high five. Surely the fact that a global personality like Anne was brave enough to take the plunge with me is worth lots and lots of support too? And in the words of our friend Hugh - "Believe in dreams".  Flying high in the sky with Alex.  Anne and her very hairy dive master BJ. For more photos click here. April 2010 13/04/2010
On a high! Would you risk life for social change? Anne and I are! Picture jumping out of a plane at 14,000feet. Screaming as you plummet towards the earth. That's what I'll be doing with global serial and social entrepreneur... Anne McKevitt! On 20 April, we'll be making the jump at Byron Bay to raise awareness for Make-A-Wish Foundation. I, of course, am fundraising for this worthy cause too. Make-A-Wish Foundation is a national organisation that grants wishes to children that have life-threatening medical conditions. Since 1985, the charity has granted over 5,700 wishes bringing joy and strength to some of Australia's sickest kids. How did the skydive come about, you ask? Anne used to be my mentor and it just so happens that we share a sense of adventure and passion for social change - so I asked her to join me on my crazy April challenge. Imagine my disbelief when she said 'yes? She is truly a dynamo and an inspiration. Just to give you an idea of some of her achievements: - Member of President Bill Clinton's Clinton Global Initiative - Awarded Leading Women Entrepreneur of the World 2002-2003 - Member of the Women's Leadership Board at Harvard - Recognised by The International Herald Tribune as a World Class Entrepreneur - Named by Time Magazine as one of Four International Business Leaders to Watch - Placed at #30 in the Sunday Times 500 Most Powerful Britons - Executive-in-Residence Brisbane Graduate School of Business QUT - Chair Ernst & Young, 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards - Mentored, guided and worked with Mercedes, IKEA, Royal Doulton, Peugeot, Ernst & Young, WalMart, Deloitte, Waterford Crystal, Jeep, Bloomingdales, Saks, Pottery Barn, Moet e Chandon, Freeman's, Sainsbury's, Debenhams, Wedgewood, Marks & Spencer, Commonwealth Bank, Optus, Toyota and Hewlett Packard - Attracted an A-list clientele to her interior design business the reads like a 'who's who' including: Sultan of Brunei, Michael Caine, Naomi Campbell, Dyan Cannon, Catherine Deneuve, Faye Dunaway, Linda Evangelista, Sir Bob Geldof, Jerry Hall, Sir Elton John, Annie Lennox, Sophia Loren, Paul and the late Linda McCartney, Kate Moss and Joan Rivers So, now that you know who's risking her life to jump with me next week, please support our mission - to make giving part of social consciousness on a daily basis. Make-A-Wish celebrate their 25th anniversary this year and it would be an even bigger celebration for both the organisation and the kids if you could help spread the joy by visiting www.gofundraise.com.au/Judith_Cantor_04 and make your donation today. Can you imagine what it would be like to grant the wish of a really ill child and help speed up his or her recovery? Or turn what may ordinarily be another day of pain into an adventure? Why wouldn't you want to be part of that? Thanks so much for your encouragement and support, and please remember to forward this on to as many people who you can!  Anne McKevitt March 2010 29/03/2010
We came. We kayaked. We Conquered. Yesterday marked the inaugural 17.5km Kayak4Kids challenge in support of Lifestart - well, for The Paddle Steamers, that is! After much logistical juggling, we got all four trios to their starting points in time to take part in the relay. And let me just say, if you haven't ever been to Sirius Cove, Clifton Gardens, Balmoral or Clontarf - make your way there and fast! They are some of the most beautiful harbour beaches Sydney has to offer. I am proud to announce that we came 59th out of 195 entrants in a time of 2h36m! Not bad for a team that had never paddled together. After the race we all congregated at Clontarf to share stories, have a light lunch (thanks Lions Club of Manly), take some photos, and start planning next year's event. Yes, we had so much fun that we want to carry on paddling throughout the year and enter Kayak4Kids again in 2011! But first things first. If you didn't manage to donate to our fundraising page before the race... it's still active! Please make a difference - no matter how big or small. There were quite a few families at Kayak4Kids whose children have Down Syndrome and it made the charity aspect of the day much more real. Visit www.everydayhero.com.au/The_Paddle_Steamers today and help us help Lifestart help children with developmental delay live a happy and productive life. And to those who have already supported us, the team is extremely grateful and humbled by your generosity. Thank you.       March 2010 23/03/2010
Full steam ahead! Thanks to everyone who has already donated to www.everydayhero.com.au/The_Paddle_Steamers in our bid to raise $5000 for Lifestart. Your support is greatly appreciated! With your money Lifestart will be able to detect and provide the relevant support to kids who have Down Syndrome, Autism and other symptoms of developmental delay. Remember that all donations of more than $2 are tax deductible - and they all add up, no matter how small! Thank you. March 2010 16/03/2010
Heave ho! I feel another challenge coming on... On 28 March, I will be participating in Kayak 4 Kids in support of Lifestart, a co-operative focused on early childhood intervention program for children with developmental delay. Actually, it won't only be me taking part - I've assembled a team of 11 other kayakers called The Paddle Steamers. We have been training at various venues on Sydney Harbour for the past five weeks (well four if you discount the week of the tsunami scare) - Rose Bay, Woolloomooloo (round Fort Denison to the Opera House), Mosman and Manly. We've had a wonderful time bonding over kayaking, the beauty of Sydney, being outdoors, giving back to the community - and you should see our progress! Together we're hoping to raise $5,000 for Lifestart. Please help us. Lifestart is a really important program - it provides early intervention for children with Down Syndrome, Autism, delays in development, or at risk of delay. Based in Sydney, it is a parent co-operative providing a family-centred approach to the needs of children with disabilities and their families. Lifestart is based on the concept of partnerships between parents and professionals. Visit www.everydayhero.com.au/the_paddle_steamers today and make your contribution. You can dedicate it to the whole team - Anna, Brigit, Catriona, David C, David H, me, Maya, Michelle Miki, Nigel, Ron and Sheryl - or just me. Either way it will be greatly appreciated - by me, the team and Lifestart! And if you want to help out on the morning, please let me know. We'd love to see some friendly and familiar faces on the shore before, during or after the event! Thanks! February 2010 05/02/2010
Call for kayakers February is shaping up to be charity challenge central! Actually this challenge is at the end of March but a fair deal of preparation is needed for it to be a success. And this is where you come in! I'd like to put together a team of 12 kayakers for Lifestart's Kayak 4 Kids on 28 March. Why 12 you ask? Because it's a long way to paddle! The course is 17.5km in total which is, even for me, way too far. If we have 12 team members, we can have three to a kayak per leg of the challenge. Much better idea! That plus it makes it far more social and fun. In preparation for the big day, I've arranged kayak hire for the preceding six weeks starting Sunday 14 February. All sessions are at 4pm and, as with any social gathering, there's room to party on somewhere else afterwards. And just so those of you who may be groaning at the fact the first session is on Valentine's Day, I've come up with something that both singles and couples may enjoy to do afterwards - see NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU under the stars at Moonlight Cinema.* Please get in touch if you want details on training, the race, the social program, the cost or the charity, or if you would like to put your participation pants on straight away. And feel free to forward this on - the more the merrier! That, plus we'll need reserves. Oh, and we'll need a team name. Most creative suggestion wins... the admiration of the rest of the team. Okay, I'll shout you a drink ;) Thanks, Judith 0402 257 655 judith@cantordirect.com.au @judithcantor *To see the review and make your booking visit www.moonlight.com.au | AuthorI'm a Sydney based creative with a soft spot for making a difference and giving back to the community. ArchivesFebruary 2012 Categories |
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