On a recent work/play trip to Naramata, my friend and I discussed the many options available to those with money and what they accomplish here at home, versus what other's do with it in many foreign entities.
I've heard many people wax and wan on the subject at length and what they would do with that kind of money. Now this is a side of me many already know and understand. It's also a notion of how our charitable system works. I've given this much thought over the years, when you're a single parent working yourself to exhaustion, occasionally you get a few spare moments to dream up a utopia. There were many hours of dead time when I was working in law enforcement with intermittent showers of furious activity in the dead of night where I could design my perfect world. Bare with me as I bare my idealistic soul to some of you for the very first time. Please be gentle on your comments as this is a subject dear to my heart.
I have had many mentors over the years that have shown me the value of having copious amounts of liquid assets to make the world a better place. I've always admired those corporate entities that take a portion of their company and get the employees engaged in a giving attitude. I love my friends at CAWST.org for their selflessness in assisting the third world in clean water and sanitation. Here at home, we take this for granted and consider it a right and not a privilege. We have governments here in the west that have passed laws to grant us these rights to disease free drinking water and sanitation. We have Civil Engineers that ensure our safety on a daily basis, and for this we are only just getting the message that our wasteful ways of the past are socially unacceptable. In the third world, this is the privilege of few that can afford it. CAWST.org makes it as affordable as possible to those that would not have the option otherwise. They offer education and sustainability over the long term along with their initial investments in each location they work with. I love to work with this group doing photography. They are true leaders and all have a direction not born out of financial gain. They all work for much less than what they could make in the Oil and Gas industry. please look them up and get involved if you like what they stand for. A lot of their biggest supporters are our own Oil and Gas and banking big names. CAWST.org.
I have volunteered my skills for many non-profits here in Calgary and abroad and learned important lessons about each of their charitable cause of choice. A local company that I work for often and consider my most favorite, I have learned the most important lessons of all. When I have major liquid assets, I'll be following the model of charitable giving they have presented.
Each and every event they throw is dedicated to a new organization except one. At Christmas, they support our Poppy Fund. The Poppy Fund gives to our veterans. Need I elaborate? These men and women put themselves in harm's way so we can live the comfortable lives that we live... everyday. I would make provisions for The Poppy Fund in my ideal world.
The one thing I would most certainly do, because it's a subject close to my heart, is build a scholarship fund for single parents. When I was a struggling single Mom, the help available was limited by my government, local, provincial, and federal. There was nothing in place that could help me better myself or the lives of my children. There were systems of assistance that made sure we would stumble along in poverty and government dependence for a lifetime. There were very few options available to us and I can say very strongly, I didn't feel that being a drain on the system or stagnant in the welfare-mother pool a path I wanted to experience, or an example I wanted my children to emulate as they progressed into adulthood. I worked, often to exhaustion to keep our heads above water and show my kids that working hard may be tiring and sometimes difficult, but worth it in the end. I am proud to say they both have this as part of their general life values. They learned to take nothing for granted as well.
Okay, enough poetry of my last life... here's my plan...
With 'money to burn', I would establish a foundation that makes grants, micro loans, and assistance available for single parents. The criteria would be simple and to show commitment, the parent would have to meet a strict set of non-negotiable steps to qualify for the foundation, and during the whole period of time, regular meetings, check-ups, and references to ensure the criteria is being adhered to would be required as well. There would be very little or no actual money available but bills would be covered for each successful applicant over a period of time. Bills would be living, childcare, transportation, and tuition/textbooks etc. Micro loans would have to meet a similar criteria as well as a viable business plan.
The whole point of the grant is to give people the tools to be successful. To be successful, sometimes people just need that little push to change their world for the better. The criteria required weeds out the ones who may not be a good risk, because essentially there will always be a risk of some people not being emotionally strong enough to stick with anything. A big part of this would be giving a first year of application to the foundation all about counselling, developing coping skills, inner strength, and problem solving. Even those that don't make it through that first year of assessment, may benefit and become stronger, better human beings.
For every 4 single parents that qualify after the first year of assessment, 4 more from a developing nation would also get a grant, micro loan, or some form of assistance to improve their lives or the lives of their whole village. It is essential to keep the program small and personal so no one is lost in the system, no one falls behind, and everyone, including the future employers or customers of the successful foundation members, can go forward and be successful. Even the tiniest success can make a huge difference in the lives of a single parent.
I firmly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to have success, no matter how small their success may seem to the rest of us, it may make a major difference in their lives, the lives of their children, and possibly generations to come. This is something I take from working with the non-profits and corporations that spend major amounts of their money on helping others. Who knows what I could have done with a little help when I was a struggling single Mom? With my career success based on massive personal effort, sacrifice, and serendipitous moments, I can claim very few people had stepped forward to give me an assist. Those that have, I continually Thank them and remember to convey my gratitude whenever another big success is accomplished. I will continue to do so for all my future success as well. The best way I can show my gratitude is to take what I have learned and give it back to others. Who knows what they can achieve with a small lift up?
I know there will be groans of protest and perfectly valid points of rebuttal to my Utopian dream, but truly, I don't care. It only takes one small effort to give someone the power to get on their right path, make a difference, and change the world for the better. Even if you're only changing one person's situation, at least that's one more person who can hold their head up everyday. One more person who may be able to teach their children to live a better life. For any of you friends reading this who are screaming liberalist, socialism, communist, blah, blah, blah... I'll make my $50,000,000.00 the good old fashioned capitalistic way... it only takes a few years of good photo ops to make it happen... or Lotto Max... Hahahahaha.
SO yeah... don't forget to check your Compass.
Cole
PS... still no word from National Geographic.... I can only imagine the amount of photographers sending in their stuff everyday hoping to be 'discovered' and dragged out of obscurity to be stabled by National Geographic. After 28 years of chalking their boots, I've learned the patience of sainthood. I'll be sure to let everyone know how that pans out as it goes. Thank you all for the emails, comments, letters, and words of encouragement. Thank you for standing beside me while I wait. I am so grateful.
I've heard many people wax and wan on the subject at length and what they would do with that kind of money. Now this is a side of me many already know and understand. It's also a notion of how our charitable system works. I've given this much thought over the years, when you're a single parent working yourself to exhaustion, occasionally you get a few spare moments to dream up a utopia. There were many hours of dead time when I was working in law enforcement with intermittent showers of furious activity in the dead of night where I could design my perfect world. Bare with me as I bare my idealistic soul to some of you for the very first time. Please be gentle on your comments as this is a subject dear to my heart.
I have had many mentors over the years that have shown me the value of having copious amounts of liquid assets to make the world a better place. I've always admired those corporate entities that take a portion of their company and get the employees engaged in a giving attitude. I love my friends at CAWST.org for their selflessness in assisting the third world in clean water and sanitation. Here at home, we take this for granted and consider it a right and not a privilege. We have governments here in the west that have passed laws to grant us these rights to disease free drinking water and sanitation. We have Civil Engineers that ensure our safety on a daily basis, and for this we are only just getting the message that our wasteful ways of the past are socially unacceptable. In the third world, this is the privilege of few that can afford it. CAWST.org makes it as affordable as possible to those that would not have the option otherwise. They offer education and sustainability over the long term along with their initial investments in each location they work with. I love to work with this group doing photography. They are true leaders and all have a direction not born out of financial gain. They all work for much less than what they could make in the Oil and Gas industry. please look them up and get involved if you like what they stand for. A lot of their biggest supporters are our own Oil and Gas and banking big names. CAWST.org.
I have volunteered my skills for many non-profits here in Calgary and abroad and learned important lessons about each of their charitable cause of choice. A local company that I work for often and consider my most favorite, I have learned the most important lessons of all. When I have major liquid assets, I'll be following the model of charitable giving they have presented.
Each and every event they throw is dedicated to a new organization except one. At Christmas, they support our Poppy Fund. The Poppy Fund gives to our veterans. Need I elaborate? These men and women put themselves in harm's way so we can live the comfortable lives that we live... everyday. I would make provisions for The Poppy Fund in my ideal world.
The one thing I would most certainly do, because it's a subject close to my heart, is build a scholarship fund for single parents. When I was a struggling single Mom, the help available was limited by my government, local, provincial, and federal. There was nothing in place that could help me better myself or the lives of my children. There were systems of assistance that made sure we would stumble along in poverty and government dependence for a lifetime. There were very few options available to us and I can say very strongly, I didn't feel that being a drain on the system or stagnant in the welfare-mother pool a path I wanted to experience, or an example I wanted my children to emulate as they progressed into adulthood. I worked, often to exhaustion to keep our heads above water and show my kids that working hard may be tiring and sometimes difficult, but worth it in the end. I am proud to say they both have this as part of their general life values. They learned to take nothing for granted as well.
Okay, enough poetry of my last life... here's my plan...
With 'money to burn', I would establish a foundation that makes grants, micro loans, and assistance available for single parents. The criteria would be simple and to show commitment, the parent would have to meet a strict set of non-negotiable steps to qualify for the foundation, and during the whole period of time, regular meetings, check-ups, and references to ensure the criteria is being adhered to would be required as well. There would be very little or no actual money available but bills would be covered for each successful applicant over a period of time. Bills would be living, childcare, transportation, and tuition/textbooks etc. Micro loans would have to meet a similar criteria as well as a viable business plan.
The whole point of the grant is to give people the tools to be successful. To be successful, sometimes people just need that little push to change their world for the better. The criteria required weeds out the ones who may not be a good risk, because essentially there will always be a risk of some people not being emotionally strong enough to stick with anything. A big part of this would be giving a first year of application to the foundation all about counselling, developing coping skills, inner strength, and problem solving. Even those that don't make it through that first year of assessment, may benefit and become stronger, better human beings.
For every 4 single parents that qualify after the first year of assessment, 4 more from a developing nation would also get a grant, micro loan, or some form of assistance to improve their lives or the lives of their whole village. It is essential to keep the program small and personal so no one is lost in the system, no one falls behind, and everyone, including the future employers or customers of the successful foundation members, can go forward and be successful. Even the tiniest success can make a huge difference in the lives of a single parent.
I firmly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to have success, no matter how small their success may seem to the rest of us, it may make a major difference in their lives, the lives of their children, and possibly generations to come. This is something I take from working with the non-profits and corporations that spend major amounts of their money on helping others. Who knows what I could have done with a little help when I was a struggling single Mom? With my career success based on massive personal effort, sacrifice, and serendipitous moments, I can claim very few people had stepped forward to give me an assist. Those that have, I continually Thank them and remember to convey my gratitude whenever another big success is accomplished. I will continue to do so for all my future success as well. The best way I can show my gratitude is to take what I have learned and give it back to others. Who knows what they can achieve with a small lift up?
I know there will be groans of protest and perfectly valid points of rebuttal to my Utopian dream, but truly, I don't care. It only takes one small effort to give someone the power to get on their right path, make a difference, and change the world for the better. Even if you're only changing one person's situation, at least that's one more person who can hold their head up everyday. One more person who may be able to teach their children to live a better life. For any of you friends reading this who are screaming liberalist, socialism, communist, blah, blah, blah... I'll make my $50,000,000.00 the good old fashioned capitalistic way... it only takes a few years of good photo ops to make it happen... or Lotto Max... Hahahahaha.
SO yeah... don't forget to check your Compass.
Cole
PS... still no word from National Geographic.... I can only imagine the amount of photographers sending in their stuff everyday hoping to be 'discovered' and dragged out of obscurity to be stabled by National Geographic. After 28 years of chalking their boots, I've learned the patience of sainthood. I'll be sure to let everyone know how that pans out as it goes. Thank you all for the emails, comments, letters, and words of encouragement. Thank you for standing beside me while I wait. I am so grateful.
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