Contribute to THE MAKE DEN's FundRazr!

It's no secret our Fierce Bambi, AKA Irene Stickney, has an amazing job working with at-risk youth at the Make Den teaching valuable sewing skills. Along with sewing skills, these awesome kids are mentored, coached and given an amazing community to grow in and develop a firm foundation of awesomeness they then take forward with them into adult hood. If you've ever wanted to help- now is the time!

The Make Den just launched it's fundraiser! They need 75K to grow the program and take it to new heights! Contribute now and feel awesome!

From studio to runway- Fierce Bambi makes fashion magic happen!

The Make Den is a small sewing studio in the west end of Toronto. We are a social enterprise which has been providing sewing classes for at-risk youth since 2010. Our students participate in an 8 week sewing class, where they learn the basics of threading up a sewing machine, sewing straight seams and then making a simple tote bag and a make-up pouch.

The results of our sewing classes are then donated to Covenant House, a youth shelter in Toronto. We have given away handbags, make-up cases and even prom dresses to deserving youth living in care.

Our students come to us from all over the GTA - some of them are living in group homes or youth shelters, some of them have been through the court system and some of them have been victims of bullying in their schools.

The Make Den provides employable skills as well as advanced fashion design instruction. Our goal is to raise money to provide our most talented students with intensive summer programming, post-secondary application support and the materials to bring their dreams to life.

Our goal is to provide positive role models as well as access to opportunities, resources, skills and materials to at-risk youth in the GTA. Here is a powerful testimonial from one of our students who was bullied from the time he was 8 years old, and still faces discrimination because of his sexuality at school today. ( You can also see some of his remarkable styling work online here as well.) 

Craig Gives Back

There is a really good chance you are reading this post with a vision rate that allows you to do things that lets you be equally at ease with doing physical tasks. (Chances are if you are reading this blog, biking is a component of how you propel your life forward.) So what happens to a person when they loose the sense that lets them navigate the world with the most ease and independence?

CNIB, Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and YMCAs are there to help.



When Nova Scotian Craig Aucoin lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 16 after being an active kid and teenager, it was the start of an unhealthy lifestyle cycle. "Over the next seven years, I battled depression, blowing up to 240 pounds, eating everything and anything in sight. I shut everyone out and kept to myself.” Accepting his eventual vision loss, making the decision to be healthy, and partnering with his family and the three above national organizations gave Craig a new lease on a life lived without sight. Now Craig and his and his training partner Lloyd McLean are currently day 8 into an 85-day, 8,200-kilometre journey across Canada to raise funds and awareness for the three organizations above that helped Craig.

"Inspired by the likes of Terry Fox and Rick Hansen, Craig wants to motivate Canadians of all ages to overcome their personal challenges and adopt healthy, active lifestyles."

Along for the ride is Flat Stanley, their partner in the trip and an adorable personal version of a travel gnome. So cute, right?

Quickest way to contribute is to donate 5$ by texting CRAIG to 45678. (Donation will be charged on your phone bill.)

 Now take a minute.


p.s. This is a sponsored post, but we would have written about the story anyway. MegO! worked for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics and enjoyed that experience probably 100x more then the Olympics themselves. Read more about it at an old blog she wrote whilst working for ethicalDeal.

Ride the Ravines with Evergreen Canada!

MegO! here. I've been a bit absent as of late on the blog, mainly because I have been working hard on my new sweet job at Evergreen Canada, coordinating Ride the Ravines! Now if you don't know... now you know! I'm LOVING my new job in the beautiful Toronto Don Valley, so check it out and show some love! :)


Evergreen is a national environmental organization that connects people with nature for the benefit of both. For the past 20 years, Evergreen has been engaging Canadians in greening projects in communities across the country. In Toronto, Evergreen has transformed the historic Don Valley Brick Works factory from a deteriorating collection of buildings into a thriving and truly unique environmental community centre in the heart of the Toronto ravine system. 

 

Ride the Ravines is a family-friendly charity bike ride on June 16th, where riders can experience Toronto’s hidden valley system like never before! The ride gives families, urban recreational riders and nature enthusiasts a chance to pedal 12km or 25km through the Don Valley ravine system and Toronto beaches. The route begins and ends at Evergreen Brick Works and is led by Evergreen staff and volunteers.

 

The funds raised from Ride the Ravines goes towards our Active Living Programming and like our Community Bike Hubs. This is our incredibly special program that works in various low-income communities across Toronto, getting kids learning and riding bikes, while providing a healthy food program and mentorship, along with entrepreneurial and activist skills. 

Remember how the Deadly Nightshades were interviewed by NOW magazine? Well, the awesome Now online editor John then interviewed my supervisor, Shah. Check it out! You'll feel great, I promise.

Ride On Part Four - Advocacy (Evergreen Bike Works) from NOW Magazine on Vimeo.

 

LADIES ARMY IV FUNDRAISER PARTY = SUCCESS!

A HUGE thanks to everyone who came out to the Ladies Army Fundraiser on saturday night! We had a packed house, ridiculous amounts of fun, and I even won at gold sprints (#fiercecompetition)!!

Bikelordz

Bikelordz is a short documentary about the self-taught, self-invented bicycle culture which young people in Accra, Ghana have created and passed on to their younger contemporaries over time. It follows crews of these young bicycle gurus as they try and use their skills to make money, gain recognition, and live on their own terms.

Bikelordz : Stunts and Styles from Accra, Ghana from Bikelordz on Vimeo.

This team needs money to make this movie and their dreams happen! Show some love! <3 $ <3 $ <3