My Inspirations & The Aware-A-Fair

Speakers from the first annual Aware-A-Fair

(From left to right) Latifa Abdillah, Zoya Jiwa, Allie Graham, Veronika Bylicki, Selin Jessa

I'm so proud and feel unbelievably fortunate to have such inspiring and loving friends!! These girls are some of my favorite people and I'm so thankful to have been a part of this! Sharing my story and speaking alongside you all was incredible and overwhelming. It was an amazing day full of great opportunities and commendable people! I had the best time dancing, making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, learning about different organizations and initiatives, and grabbing lunch right after with some of my girls! Thank you to my family and friends who came out and supported me- You're the reason I'm able to do these things and having you there meant so much to me!  To all of the lovely friends who couldn't make it- you were there in spirit!!

Congratulations to my friends- the hard-working and inspirational organizers: Jahaan Pittalwala, Emily Luba, Zoe Luba and Cara Mayer! 

My heart is full! ♥

P.S. Latifa, I love you and I'm so happy to have you in my life. I'm proud to call you my friend, and know that our adventures have just begun! 

P.S.S. An ENORMOUS THANK YOU to Victoria Chen and Melinda Mennie for providing knowledge, resources, and for being so passionate and supportive. Because of your hard work and dedication- I think I speak for many- I've learned and gained so much and have been connected to so many amazing and inspiring people, who I now happily call friends. What you do makes a gigantic difference! Thank you! ♥ 

Speaking at The Aware-A-Fair

Hey everyone (Anyone? Anyone.... Bueller?)!

I'll be speaking at The Aware-A-Fair - a social issues/change-the-world event at around 1pm on Saturday May 19th (tomorrow) at Lougheed Mall in Burnaby . 

My talk will be focused around obtaining the right mindset, my fundraising efforts, and my trip to Kenya, and the joy of helping others! There will be I encourage you all to come and check out the amazing organizations there are around the Lower Mainland and discover ways you can get involved in making a difference in our community and world! 

The Mayor of Burnaby, Derek Corrigan, is a special guest and other incredible student speakers include: Latifa Abdillah, Selin Jessa, Veronika Bylicki, and Zoya Jiwa!

Find out more here: http://www.vancouveryouth.ca/node/1291

Wowee!

Thank you to everyone who has helped me so far! We're gettin' close!

- Allie

Thank You For A Great Night

On April 5th, 2012, from 6-8pm my community fundraiser, The Kenya Coffee House, took place at Cariboo Hill Secondary! There was a line-up of incredible performers from all over Burnaby and the Lower Mainland who blew the roof, amazing food and drinks provided by my sponsors, and not to mention all of the wonderful volunteers who made the event possible by transforming a rank cafeteria into a gnarly night cafe! 

Special thanks to Ms.Montabello- who provided food for all of the performers and volunteers, and my Mum and Matt for helping with getting things done before and after the event. Many friends, family and teachers came out to support me and over $1000 was made towards my volunteer trip to Kenya and a great time was had by all!

I now have over $4000 raised out of the needed $6000 for the trip!!!

The beautiful, Chloe Rowat singing "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

Thank's to my sponsors: Thrifty Foods, Tim Horton's, Safeway, Starbucks,  Creative for Change.

Amazing Latifa, with her hilarious and moving poetry.

Rebecca and Chloe <3 

Sari Courtyard

The lovely Keziah and Abby, with "Stand By Me".

The Kenya Coffee House

          As some of you may know, I will be hosting a community fundraiser called "The Kenya Coffee House", where guests will enjoy an intaite, chill-axed night of live musical, theatrical, and poetic performances. Along with great tunes and musical collaboration, there will be yummy pastries, desserts and hot beverages! It's an all-ages event and EVERYONE is welcome! 

*All of the profit will go towards paying for my volunteer trip to Kenya next summer.

Check out the event and RSVP here: 

http://www.facebook.com/events/314103475313408/

      

TICKETS:
$7=Students, $10=Adults
*Not able to make the event? I've got a ticket ($5 donation) for that!!

Ordering:
1) Email me at alliee.graham@gmail.com
2) Call/text me at 778-892-4352

*Include:
a)ticket quantity.
b) when and where you can meet up to receive the tickets!


PART WITH $7/$10 AND YOU'LL EXPERIENCE:

-Artistic collaboration
-Cafe-like atmosphere
-Amazing food and drink
-Stimulating conversation
-New friends and faces
-Empty pockets....
*The warm feeling of working towards helping our friends in the Maasai Mara.

Peace and love,

Allie 

Positively Progressing

          

           In the past couple of months since deciding to make my dream in to a reality and start fundraising for my school-building trip to Kenya, I have realized that it's the people you have the least expectations of   that surprise you the most.

I have been collecting recyclable bottles and cans, and will continue to until I leave for Kenya, next summer. Relentless collecting has brought in several hundred dollars and overwhelming support from my family, friends, colleagues, and community. It means so much to me that you all believe in me and this cause!

Today I had my second collection day around my neighborhood, and boy was it successful! I raked in $168, not including the bags in the back of the car and two very kind donations I received. 

Thank you to my neighbour, Margaret, who gave me a very generous cash donation along with her bottles and to my friend, Merlin. 

While I was recycling everything I had collected at the depot, Merlin (who I had met at a Red Cross social issues symposium in mid-February) saw me and said "hi", and noticed my huge mountain sticky aluminum, glass and plastic- I showed him my flyer, in explanation, and he smiled and congratulated me. He returned to his counter and finished recycling his lot. About 15 minutes later, he was on his way- but not before he had dropped all of his recycled cash he had just made and wished me well and gave me a big warm hug.

Thank you, thank you... Thank you!! The bright smiles, kind words, and donations have been appreciated to no end! I still have a ways to go, to make this dream a reality, but I know every step will hold a new lesson and experience- closer to my dream coming true with each one.

Here are some of the cute little notes people have attached with their recyclables:

Special thanks to the people and groups who have kindly sponsored my trip, so far: Viva Orthodontics, Dr.Bengston: General Dentistry, Sanghera Law Group, Rhonda Giles, and GM Management Group Ltd.

My total, as of today, is $2,555.00! ONLY $3,445.00 more to go! 

P.S. Congrats to my friend, Maddie Clarkson, who has just reached her $6000 goal and will be travelling to Kenya on a volunteer trip this summer! Her story: http://madeleinelclarkson.blogspot.com/

Kenyan Adventure 2013

Since attending my first WE DAY, back in 2009, I have wanted to travel to Kenya on a volunteer trip with Me to We! At the "pep-rally" I was extremely inspired by internationally-known speakers and change-makers. 


Since then I have been supporting and creating sustainable change within my community and abroad. I am an active Free the Children ambassador and member of the Vancouver Mobilizers.  We are currently raising funds to build a school in Kenya and funds for our village in Berna, India (providing a means of alternative income, water, health, and education). I am very passionate about social issues, like homelessness and poverty, facing our local community, as well. 



I will be venturing to Kenya in July of 2013 for approximately 20 days, with shameless idealists from around North America! Not only will I learn more about the struggles faced within the dynamic region of the Maasai Mara, but learn more about myself. While on the trip I will be assisting in the building of a school room, teaching children, planting trees, meeting and speaking with the mama's, learning Swahili, and receiving intensive leadership training and knowledge!


So far fundraising and getting the word out  has taken hard work, and there's many more challenges to come... As they should- $6000 is a lot to raise!