On Saturday 27 August, raize the roof is hosting its fifth Gala Ball at QT Hotel, Canberra.
Stay up late with raize the roof for an enchanted evening with host Amanda Whitley from Her Canberra. The fifth raize the roof Gala ball is a gathering of Canberrans who are changing the world and supporting kids a little less lucky. Among the glitz and glamour, be entertained and inspired with amazing speakers and uplifting performances including Sebastian Terry (100things.com.au), Amber Nichols (The Voice), Minh Ha, Big Boss Groove and more.
You will have the opportunity to make a real difference through an auction or raffle on the night. Early bird tickets are available until 30 June and all tickets include drinks and canapés on arrival, a five hour drinks package, three course meal and entertainment. Tables seat 10 guests, but individuals can purchase tickets too!
TICKETS HAVE SOLD OUT FOR THIS EVENT
GOLD SPONSOR
We are very proud to have SHL Development on board as a Gold Sponsor for the raize the roof Gala Ball. Find out more information here: shldevelopment.com.au
We would also like to welcome the Club group as a major sponsor of the event. Find out more information here: http://home.clubgroup.com.au.
If your business or organisation are interested in being involved as a sponsor for the event please email bonnie@popmedia.net.au.
To view the list of exciting auction items at the event, click here.
To subscribe to the raize the roof monthly e-newsletter click here.
Be sure to check out our Blog, Facebook and Twitter
Check out the short video from the trip co-founders Lincoln and Danielle Dal Cortivo took to Botswana, to walk in the shoes of those a little less lucky. It can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmoT0FAlLM8
Check out this short video created by Sharni Williams, she created for our team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8pkt6i_7tQ
The intention of tonight’s ramblings is to leave you with ‘buona bocca’; a tantalizing, satisfying favourable flavour for your palate and your taste buds.
The way to achieve this: To inform you that last week was a week of preparation and idea creating… so on this chilly Sunday evening I ask you to keep an eye out for a unique culinary experience coming to Canberra soon.
Bite size details to be spoon fed to you shortly.
I read something a while ago that caught my attention. I was reminded of it today.
Recent research has found that people who appreciate what they have instead of focusing on what they don’t have tend to experience better health outcomes. Oh, and naturally they are generally happier.
I felt particularly grateful today. Not for anything in particular, but maybe just for being able to know what it feels like to be grateful. To appreciate.
I found this.
I love that kids can so easily rattle off oodles of things things they appreciate, when sometimes, for us oldies, it can be a struggle.
I know it can be a lame question, but if you had to list 5 things you were grateful for everyday what would you say?
I’m grateful you read these blogs. Now, all going to plan I’ll survive this Winter and be cold and flu free! Let the experiment begin!
Weird. I can’t seem to stop thinking about the video that I posted yesterday. Mostly, I can’t stop thinking about the generosity of people you least expect. Often from those who have even less than you have.
For those who missed it yesterday, here it is:
It’s been playing on my mind. All day.
I mean, I have a big family. A big hungry family. It’s literally fight for the last malteser…honestly. It’s like survivor – and the winner takes all.
When you see the corner of the red square malteser box peering over the side of the bin; a little part of you dies. It’s that moment. That realisation. It hits. I’ve missed out on the last one. Ones. Let’s be honest… it’s never one. Maybe one handful. A handful every 30 seconds or so.
But in all seriousness, I keep pondering about just how generous I would be in a similar situation. The realisation that I might not be equally as compassionate and selfless as the man in the video makes me kind of sad.
I saw a girl today begging for money on the corner of a shopping centre in the ACT. She looked cold. And hungry.
I parked my car and made my way up to where she was sitting. She was gone. I felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment. And sadness. I guess it wasn’t meant to be today.
My action in lieu of being able to do it today, is to purchase a meal of choice for a stranger that might just be doing it a little tougher than I am.
And, I’m taking this global. I promise to the same thing at least once when I am overseas.
To be honest, the whole idea excites me. I suspect I will gain significantly more from the experience than they will. And the theory will no doubt prove itself – it’s often those with the least, that give the most.
There are definitely movers and shakers in our city. They move and they shake. And most importantly, they get stuff moving and they get stuff done. That’s pretty self explanatory on reflection.
They get the credit too. And the acknowledgement and the exposure…oh, and a lot of the attention.
But sometimes, it’s the quiet achievers, the unsuspected people that can provide the biggest punch in a project.
I was talking with an exceptional woman from Canberra. Her name is Cherry and she’s dealing with the recent news that her dearly loved father is terminally ill with cancer. Her response; get fundraising to cover the costs of treatment and get fundraising fast.
So, she did. She single-handedly decided to organise a trivia night just days after hearing the news. I asked her a very simple question:
“What is the one thing this whole [experience] has taught you?”
Her response was short and sweet:
“I have learnt that the strongest support often comes from those you don’t expect.”
That got me thinking about the quiet contributors that stand in the background at raize the roof, and seem to appear when their subtle touch is required most.
This has happened at raize the roof. Another extraordinary woman contacted me in light of the 30 days: 30 ways to change project and kindly offered her creative abilities. She offered to create a way to share our story and support our cause. All going to plan, you’ll get to see the work of art this week. You might even get to see her name on it.
This generosity touched my little old heart. I may have shed a tear.
We really do live in an extraordinary world, where sometimes the most unsuspected people, do the unexpected, without credit or fame. And they do something that leaves you completely breathless and moved in a way that is remembered for a life time.
This video reminded me of just that. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Oh, and just how exceptional is this Cherry woman I speak off? The trivia night was organised and sold out in 95 hours. 170 tickets sold in less than four days. That, in itself, is exceptional.
If there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s that age old chestnut. Determination; that’s what I’m talkin’ bout (*snaps fingers, grinds neck from side to side, and waves index finger with pouted lips*).
Dictionary.com is all over it. For the linguistics out there, I provide you with the most subscribed definition:
Determined [dih-tur-mind]. adjective
1. resolute; staunch: the determined defenders of the Alamo.
2. decided; settled; resolved.
3. Grammar . (of a phonetic feature) predictable from its surrounding context.
Origin: 1490–1500.
Today I learnt that sometimes, against all odds, 5 hours sleep, a kangaroo jumping into your car and a serious shortage of maltesers, it’s not necessarily an action or taking another step that is required to achieve a goal. It’s standing still. Standing strong. And never giving up. Even in the face of failure.
That’s the mantra we’ve been living by at the raize the roof camp. It’s Day 9 and we’re still going. More people are taking action, none of us are entirely sure where things will end up. But we’re determined and we’re not deterred.
Urbandictionary.com captures today’s sentiment most accurately:
1.Determined
Pounding your cranium against an obstacle till your ears hemorrhage and you lose vision due to an unattainable, impractical objective that all others prior to you have failed to accomplish using equivalent techniques.
Furthermore, it’s this level of negotiation, communication, determination and drive that I can only aspire to acquire. This kid has talents. He’s going places. And he’ll get there.
If all else fails, do not take your eye off the prize (or the cupcake). Chances are, if no one else can deliver, Ellen can!
Oh, and for the record, I did take an action today. Just waiting for the outcome. And my cupcake.
No major updates for today…well, that I can share just yet. But here’s a quick recap.
Rochelle is still rocking out alcohol free and laying the foundations for a healthy lifestyle…and for the charity house.
Eva has resisted all things naughty and nice, and sugary and sweet. And she’s sweated it out all in the sake of cement.
Snap pants are not yet back in fashion.
Excitement levels in the raize the roof remain high.
A few sneaky surprises are brewing in the background to satisfy the senses.
Day 8 and the blog is still being written. Without the consumption of too many white chocolate raspberry bullets. Or alcohol. Or experiencing too many powernap face-plants into the computer at midnight.
It’s been a good day!
Give me an E… E!
Give me a V…V!
Give me an A …A!
What does it spell?
It spells Eva—the raize the roof member who is taking it for the team today. She’s got the challenge baton and she’s running with it… literally!
As a child, Eva loved nothing more than running around the house, singing, dancing and making film clips. At age 11 she even made up a song; ‘Go Go’. It didn’t really ‘go’, and sadly never made it to Video Hits.
As a teenager, Eva’s love for all things RnB really flourished. Enter the Usher addiction.
But it was Eva’s love of fashion and trend setting that is of greatest note. Her fashion favourite was none other than wearing ankle socks. White ankle socks with Adidas masseurs (more accurately known as Adidas Adissage Massage slides).
Oh. These are not Eva’s feet. This is Larry Long Foot. I think he needs a slightly bigger pair of these bad boys!
Achieving this fashion statement was risky business. School teachers weren’t quite as fashion forward as Eva and she was forever in trouble for breaching school uniform rules. But she was committed to the cause; rain, hail or shine.
Eva also loved rocking the Kappa snap pants – the shinier the better. There was no stopping her…then or now.
Rocking the sporty look, soon blossomed into a love of exercise and a continued love of food. Here’s what you should also know about Eva.
Favourite gym exercise: Weights. We don’t call her Arnie for nothing.
Most hated (and avoided) exercise: RPM
Favourite food: sugar. Succulent, sweet, delicious sugar.
Most highly desired sugary treat: white chocolate raspberry bullets. Oh, and hazelnut chocolate.
But what Eva loves more than anything is supporting and empowering others. So she’s ‘hardening up’ and taking on our 30 days: 30 ways to change challenge.
The challenge:
From 8 July 2014 until 8 August 2014, Eva’s giving up the sugary goodness, hitting the deck, exercising daily and committing to the project – balls and all.
The cost:
As a token of gratitude for her sugar withdrawals, Eva is encouraging her friends, family and fellow sugar craving and lounge loving pals to purchase 100 bags of cement—if she has to harden up, maybe our raize the roof charity house concrete will too!
She’s also ridiculously keen for her supporters to help her ‘eat her way out of the challenge’ by purchasing free passes so she can have an exercise and no-sugar free day.
Otherwise (and she doesn’t know this!) if more than $100 is donated to the cause… no donation less than $100 will enable her to have a day off!
Donations can be purchased here by clicking on the number 1: https://www.raizetheroof.org.au/donations/
Let’s keep this lady off the sugar, off the couch and out of snap pants and socks and masseurs.
SUCCESS TRACKER BOARD
Extraordinary results to date: Increased followers, increased donations, increased excitment and increased momentum. It’s been a brilliant week.
Lessons learnt: Sharing is caring!
Followers on Twitter: 181 @raizetheroof
Total online donations: $112,120 https://www.raizetheroof.org.au/donations/
Number of cement bags remaining: 200
Number of bundles of bricks remaining: 999
Likes on Facebook: 434 https://www.facebook.com/raizetheroof?fref=ts
Average daily website hits: 176
In the midst of conversations about our project and what we’re out to achieve, I stumbled across an interesting project being undertaken overseas. It’s the inspiration for today’s blog.
The project aim was to transform a community through combining language and art. One word, one mural and one underpinning philosophy “Words inspire change, but well chosen words can transform.”
Here’s the project:
Intrigued, we’re keen to capture our supporters, followers and our communities’ vision for our project, and what we hope this creates for the Canberra community as we build the raize the roof Charity house.
So, the first step was to ask our raize the roof team:
“If you could choose one word that defined the vision you hold for our raize the roof project and the future of the Canberra community, what would it be?”
Here’s what they said:
Brilliance
Community
Contribution
Dynamic
Hope
Integrity
Limitless
Unity
While our project may not result in a monumental piece of art, it WILL result in a monumental creation—evidence of the extraordinary power of community and contribution.
Our aim is to enable as many people as possible to contribute… so, we ask YOU:
“If you could choose one word that defined the vision you hold for the raize the roof charity house project and the future of the Canberra community, what would it be?”
Please tweet your response to @raizetheroof #raizetheroof #charityhouse #CBR or add it to the comments on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/raizetheroof
Over and out.
Today has been a remarkable day. It’s been a day of reminders, heart warming reminders of the power of contribution.
To clarify, it’s not always tangible contributions that make a difference. Sometimes, it’s just knowing people are still by our side, as eager to see our vision transform into a reality as we are. It’s that which has left me inspired today.
You see, when my brother Lincoln, who wanted to build a house for a less fortunate family in Canberra, and I, who wanted to build an orphanage for children in Africa, had our first conversation about our dream, we were nothing more than, well, lone nuts with a very big dream—the raize the roof dream.
As we, and our extraordinary volunteers, shared our vision with the Canberra community, our followers came, showing early support and making following raize the roof, the cool thing to do!
We’ve been sharing our vision even more widely as part of our 30 days: 30 ways to change challenge, and from nowhere, it seems we’re securing additional support and followers.
It’s best explained by this quick video:
Today, I say thanks to you all; our supporters, for continuing to ensure we never return to that first dance as the lone nut.
The daily grind, the paperwork, the ups, the downs. Sometimes, the everyday happenings of life can cloud the bigger picture, the real inspiration for the pursuit to change our world.
This is what inspires our vision at raize the roof. This is why we keep our eye on the prize.
This will be our contribution locally.
Half of the proceeds from the auction of the raize the roof Charity House will fund additional Captain Starlights in the ACT. This means more smiles, more frequently for seriously ill children and their families in the ACT and surrounding regions.
This will be our contribution internationally.
The other half of the proceeds from the auction of the raize the roof Charity House will not fund wells. It will enable a safe place to live; a home, fresh food, access to education and people to call family. More smiles.
This is why we’re creating raize the roof Charity house…we believe the opportunity to contribute should not be limited to a few individuals. Instead, we believe in unity and working as a community.
And I get to start the day with a smile.