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