In just a couple short days, I’ll be embarking on another travel adventure. Whenever I plan a big trip, I always want to make sure it has some kind of purpose. Not necessarily because I want to get the value out of the money I spend, but rather because life’s just too short. It’s important to sprinkle it with meaningful adventures, whether that’s taking yourself out of your comfort zone, experiencing something breath-taking, learning about other cultures or the way other people live in this world, or giving back to society.
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What did I decide to do this time? I’m traveling to the rural parts of South West India with six complete strangers to give 4,000 children in need a better nights rest as part of a volunteer distribution with a Canadian charity called Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW).
Every child is photographed with their bedkit, showing the SCAW donor’s name/country (or special occasion message) on a label. Each photo is then mailed back to the donor as a way of remembering the child he/she supported (Togo bedkit distribution in 2008).
How I Got to This Point …
I work for a PR agency called MAVERICK PR. Four years ago, our president (Julie Rusciolelli) told us about a charity that we were to offer pro bono PR services too. She told us it was founded by the Dryden family (the parents of NHL legends Ken and Dave Dryden) and that it raised money and distributed bedkits (typically consisting of a mosquito net, mattress, school supplies and clothing) to children in need in underdeveloped and developing countries. You can read more about them on their website, but that was all I really needed to know before I knew I wanted to help out in any way I could.
I knew I would one day go on a distribution trip with the charity, however different variables always got in the way, whether it was timing, money, or just plain ”˜life’.
Fast Track to Today …
A team of seven volunteers (we’re paying our own way as SCAW is a 100 percent charity so every cent of a donation goes directly to a bedkit/child in need) are traveling to Belgaum, India to distribute 4,000 bedkits. One bedkit is a donation of $35.00 to the charity. SCAW then works with third party rotary clubs in the designated country to organize and assemble the bedkits and source children in need to receive them. A team of volunteers (us), then travels to that designated country, hands out the bedkits and ensure a smooth transaction. We even take pictures of each child receiving their bedkit and send them to the donor upon our return. To date, the charity has raised more than $23 million to provide bedkits for children in 33 countries.
Much more will be said about my adventure to India in my blog posts to come, so until then, I have two more days to wrap up work, pack, and tie up any other loose ends. The next time you hear from me, I’ll be in India! Hope you follow along!