I have been training hard for the upcoming x-country
ski marathon. In mid-January, I went away on a mini
retreat in the snow for my birthday with my good
friends. While they were still warmly tucked in bed, I
was up before dawn every day skiing. The feeling of
being at peace with the snow, the stars, and the world
at 5:30am as I was skiing through the magical quiet
winter wonderland was well worth it. I even surprised
myself by skiing a total of 28km in one day. I am
getting close to being ready!

Thank you so much for your generosity. So far we have
raised a total of $575. $215 of that was during the
donation matching event, so with $215 of my own money,
we have a great start.

But this is just the beginning. If you have been
sitting on the fence wondering if you should
contribute, now is the time. I chose these charities
carefully, and they need your support. With your
donations, they will be able to help girls in single-
parent homes build relationships with a friend,
sounding board, and mentor (Big Sisters); create
outdoor classrooms so that students can develop a
healthy relationship with nature (Evergreen
Foundation); and protect important habitat for plants,
animals (The Land Conservancy of BC). Even if you can
only give just a few dollars, every little bit counts.

Please donate here now:
http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=1062

Also, some great news – I am honoured to be featured on
http://www.wearewhatwedo.ca as the star of the month, for
“doing something for nothing”!

Warmly,

Julia