Switching Gears

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Oh where oh where to begin?

GUESS WHAT!  Yesterday I had my final big fundraiser for Free The Children, and ended the night a mere $230.00 from $1000.00.  However, after my mom posted a Facebook update about where we were at, donations poured in- bringing us up another $110.00! WOW! I am beyond grateful and thrilled to know such wonderful, supportive people.  The final number is due this Sunday so keep an eye out for the big reveal!

This week has been the big shift, as my Free The Children Fundraising comes to a close, my platform is picking up full speed!  Last night I snuck away from the fundraiser for a quick fifteen minutes to open up Palliser Heights Elementary school play with an invitation to the audience to join me on my Spinal Muscular Atrophy Walk & Roll Fundraiser.  Although I had to sneak back out, I was lucky enough to be invited back again tonight!

Doing my thing!

With a larger crowd and my darling friend Shailynn cheering me on- nerves were history and I found it effortless to speak about something I know like the back of my hand.  We stuck around to enjoy the very well done performance, one that took me on a bike ride down memory lane.  I graduated grade eight from Palliser just three years ago and remember the excitement of performing our take on the musical “Twinderella.”  It was a bittersweet feeling to realize how fast time has gone and to see that same excitement in the performers tonight.

 

Tomorrow I will be headed to Saskatoon to make an appearance at the annual Muscular Dystrophy Conference.  Shailynn, my friend through thick and thin who is the root inspiration of my platform, invited me to the conference with her, and I am ready to take full advantage of such a great opportunity.  The day consists of different inspirational speakers, workshops, and closes with a dance party!  I am looking forward to becoming even more connected with the Spinal Muscular Atrophy community and to gaining a deeper insight on the realities of this disease.  Soaking up every bit of information I can builds the strength of my own story to share throughout my time promoting my platform.

Crack a smile, I dare you

Since I will be out of town I will not be able to make it to our school’s pep rally!  Luckily, my fellow SGA members are kind enough to play a video I took of myself, inviting my school to join me on June 16th at the SMA Walk & Roll Fundraiser.   I hope they enjoy the clip, I am sad to be missing such a fun school event- but it’s all for a good reason.  I managed to sneak in this screen shot of myself recording my pep rally video, oh the wonderful faces that occur mid-speech.  I hope if you’re reading this by the time of night I post it you’ll be sleep deprived enough to get as good a laugh out of it as i did.   ;)

 

 

Enjoy your weekend!

xoxo

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , , , , , ,
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Posted On:May 24, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized

Be The Change

One morning in 1995, twelve-year-old Craig Keilburger embarked on a journey that would forever change his life.  Searching for the comics section in the newspaper, he was drawn to a bold headline.  It read: “Battled child labour, boy, 12, murdered.”

Shocked by this tragedy, Craig was moved to action.  This was the beginning of Free The Children, an organization fueled by the efforts and enthusiasm of children Craaig’s own age.  From its modest beginning as a group of classmates, Free The Children would become the largest network of children helping children in the world.  

-excerpt from “Free the Children” by Craig Keilburger

On February 27th, 2013, I, along with my high school’s Student Government attended Saskatchewan’s very first We Day.  We Day guests are chosen to attend as an acknowledgement of their efforts with Free The Children.  It was very much a life-changing experience and one I was proud to be able to attend with my fellow classmates.  It was a celebration of what Free The Children has done and a boost of inspiration for everything Free The Children has the power to continue to do.  Performances by Hedley, Sean Desman, and local talents were intertwined with speeches from children who had seen first hand the changes Free The Children is making in the world.

Each guest received a copy of Craig Keilburger’s novel “Free The Children.” The story is unforgettable.  Craig, at just 12 years old travelled to Bangladesh, Thailand, India, Nepal and Pakistan with a trusted mentor and witnessed the overwhelming truths of child labour, poverty, and prostitution was so prominent throughout the streets of these countries.  Keilburger was transformed from a middle-class, grade seven student into one of the world’s leading defenders of children’s rights.

Bake Sale Fundraiser

The most powerful message conveyed through Free The Children is the idea of children helping children.  As a delegate for the Miss Teen Canada- World 2013 pageant I am required to fundraise a minimum of $400 to support Free The Children’s efforts in a six-week span.  Last year, the Miss Teen Canada- World delegates raised over $50 000!!  Since reading Keilburger’s book and understanding just how vital the work Free the Children does for Children’s Rights in our world is, I am ecstatic to be surrounded by such a strong supporting school and Pageant.

I kicked off my fundraising on April 14th with a Pampered Chef Party,

Stuffed! bottles, bottles, bottles

and raised $200.  April 18th was We Day’s birthday, and I took part in the Vow  to Silence; I was silent throughout my school day to bring awareness to the children around the world who have no voice.  I have deposited two penny bags to the Royal Bank through the “We Create Change” campaign to grant clean water for life to someone in need.  Last week I put together a bake sale at my school and received generous support from so many great people, raising another hundred dollars.  Tonight my mom and I set out on a bottle drive, collecting loads of bottles that filled our shed to the roof! On May 22nd we are hosting a Rib n’ Caesar night at Humpty’s with all of the proceeds going towards my Free The Children Fundraising efforts.  On May 24th, students of A.E.Peacock Collegiate will be participating in our annual 30 Hour Famine.  The task is to stay overnight at the school and collect pledges supporting them through their mission to not eat for the full 30 hours! Unfortunately I will be in Saskatoon, but I encourage all of you Peacockians to be the change and join the Famine.  My official pageant fundraising will end on May 26th, but I know I will continue to be a supporter of Free The Children’s movements.  The delegate who raises the most for Free The Children is rewarded with a fast-track into the top 20 as well as a ‘Me to We Trip’ to one of the Free The Children Locations.  

Free The Children has changed the lives of more than one million young people world-wide.  It has built more than 650 schools, providing daily education to over 55 000 children.  For it’s proven track record of success, Free The Children has received numerous awards.  It all began in the classroom of a grade seven student.  Nothing is impossible.  Stop saying tomorrow, and start today.  You are not too young, too old, or too busy, go make your dreams come true!

Lots of Love

Justine :)

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , , , , , , ,
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Posted On:May 16, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized

Finding Solid Ground

“A man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.”

-Unknown

I have the hardest working mother, ever, seriously.  For you to have any understanding of that I have to give you the cold hard facts.  My mom had my older brother when she was 17, then still in school, moved out to live on her own and graduate with an above 90 average.  She then continued on to University, where I came along when she was still only 19.  Throughout University she moved from Saskatoon to Regina, where her and my father separated.  A single, young mother of two, she graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work and kept pushing forward to give my brother and I the best she possibly could.

Boy oh boy, she really did it.  Working as a Child Protection Worker, she was an angel to countless other children as well as her own.  The three of us have the most unique, beautiful relationship ever that wouldn’t be the way it is if our journey had not taken us where it did.  My mom has remarkable strength and determination that I could never begin to understand. When I met my step-father for the first time I have to say I was skeptical, it seemed impossible that anyone else could have anything to add to what seemed to be our perfect trio.  Believe it or not, he really did!  Soon my brother and I found ourselves living here in Moose Jaw with two younger extremely characteristic half-brothers.

Don't be delicate, be vast and brilliant!

As you may have noticed, we were never really the type of people to stay in one place for too long.  In April of 2012 my mother and I went on a ten day tour through Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.  It was her first time out of Canada, and the start of much more than the ideals of planning many more future trips to these stunning countries & cultures.   It was the start of a new level of friendship in our relationship. Getting lost somewhere completely alien to everything you’ve ever known helps you find different parts of yourself.  My mother and I found these parts of ourselves together and began understanding each other better than ever before.

For a long time I was an extremely introverted, disclosed person. So much that I had myself convinced that if I spoke to my mom about things that had me upset I was being a burden and that my problems were simply childish and mundane compared to what she had pushed through.  As our bond grew I learned how to open up and connect with my mom, I learned the very important truth that she is the best friend I could ever have and that she was always there and always will be there for me.  From that truth I grew into a whole new version of myself, a version of myself that is confident in front of a camera, enjoys being on stage and finds passion is making a difference in my community.

#1 Fan

Now, as a delegate for the Miss Teen Canada-World Pageant, my mother has become my absolute everything.  Working three jobs on her own; while my older brother is in Toronto, my step-dad in Estevan working, and my two youngster brothers trampling around the house she still makes time to basically be my manager, best friend, and strongest motivator.  She has set the brilliant example that no matter what the circumstances are, if you put your absolute best foot forward you will find solid ground.

The past week was crazy busy, but of course in the best way possible.  I had a few promising meetings, as well as a successful bake sale fundraiser for Free The Children.  This week we will be running a bottle drive fundraiser for Free The Children, so contact me or my mom if you have some bottles to donate!  Online Registration for the SMA Walk & Roll Fundraiser is set up here and I promise to blog with more details about each fundraising efforts soon! This week is looking to be another chaotic series of days, and with my Mommacita by my side I couldn’t be more ready.

Happy Mother’s Day!

xoxo

 

 

 

 

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , ,
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Posted On:May 13, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized

Fit and Fearless

WOOHOO!

This morning I made an appearance at Siera Bearchell’s Fit and Fearless Run. There was a fantastic turn out of about a hundred people who gave a bit of their time, money, and support to help provide education, health care and loving homes for orphaned and abandoned children around the world through the SOS Children’s Villages Organization and the Miss Universe Canada Organization.

Siera and I

Siera will be vying for the title of Miss Universe Canada 2013 in Toronto in just a few weeks!  She has been a wonderful role model for me, so it is nice to be able to support her in any way possible! You can vote for her to claim the People’s Choice Award here up to four times a day.

The run was a 5k road race, and the weather was absolutely perfect!  As the runners passed each other they exchanged high-fives and smiling words of encouragement.  The last kilometre led us uphill and it was definitely a challenging stretch of the race, but thats what it’s all about!  Digging deep and pushing yourself to new strengths is something you never regret.

Runner's Rewards!

Each participant was sent home with a gift bag including everything from band-aids to a cookie recipe as well as a thank-you letter from Siera.  Martin Neuhofer, whose business “Wendell Estate Honey” which was featured on the familiar TV show Dragon’s Den was also in attendance with honey samples for all!

I couldn’t have spend this Sunday with a more generous group of people.  I have to give one big thank you to Siera for being kind enough to let me flaunt my sash and crown at this event!  I met new beautiful, kind faces and reconnected with some others in my community.  I <3 all of the Fit and Fearless runners out there!

Enjoy the sunny weather :)

Justine

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , ,
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Posted On:May 5, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized

Where Ideas Roam

Writer’s Block

You see, I am currently in the still of my house enjoying some solitude while my baby brother sleeps soundly upstairs despite the Ben Howard guitar riffs storming through the speakers.  It has been a while since I have been able to sit down with a mug of tea and just write, and just be.  So this thing some would call writer’s block has been chewing at my ideas and spewing them out in rather sporadic bundles of words.

committed to exceptional service

The last two evenings of my life I devoted myself to the exceptional service towards any customer of the Real Canadian Superstore. I am a cashier and have to say that it is interesting how some days I can go to work in the most grouchy mood (we all have those days)…  but after a few hours of smiling and making small talk with strangers I find myself actually feeling the happiness and willingness I portray.  The way we think and the way our actions can control our thoughts (and vice versa) is really mind blowing. Like I said, my ideas are a little all over the place this evening.  This just feels as if it is becoming an honest-to-goodness blog post, the kind of night to have a genuine chat with you reading this out there.

In my last post, I mentioned a certain bake sale I was planning for earlier today, as a fundraiser for Free The Children.  Well, my school is one busy place!  The boys on our track team are headed to an invitational track meet in Toronto next week, and I did not want to interfere with their fundraising, so I bumped my bake sale to NEXT FRIDAY! This gives me more time to promote it and get busy baking, I am looking forward to the new set Bake Sale, so you should be too. ;)

inspiration from instagram

This week was also exciting in that I have officially booked the Sunningdale School gym to use as a Family Fun Centre during my Spinal Muscular Atrophy Walk n’ Roll Fundraiser for June! SMA is my platform and I am very excited about how everything is coming together, I promise to have more details soon!!  I also have been arranging meeting to work on speaking in Elementary Schools to share with them my story and promote SMA awareness. It feels great to be making progress on a goal I have had set and been passionate about right from the beginning.  I also am grateful to call MJ Electric Ltd. a new sponsor!  Going along with the photo to the left, I know I have read more than once that success is built not by one big action by small daily efforts, and it is proving to be more and more true in my life.  I’m not going to lie, I haven’t felt this exhausted in some time, but it is a good kind of exhaustion.  The kind screaming at me to get some sleep before my shift at 8:30 tomorrow morning but also the kind that I’ll forget about once the drive to head out and do some more planning towards promoting my platform kicks in.   I love the pageant world, as it is perfectly chaotic & more wonderful than I ever imagined.

Cinco de Mayo is soon, soon, soon!  I will be making an appearance at Siera Bearchell’s Fit and Fearless Run (registration is open until midnight!) Sunday morning at 11:30 right here in Moose Jaw!  I am excited to be a part of this great fundraiser and to see all of you Fit and Fearless runners out there. ;)

It is time to drift away into a state of mind where it doesn’t matter how jumbled my ideas decide to become.

Sweet Dreams!

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , , ,
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Posted On:May 4, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized

Pageant on the Prairies

It is the last Monday of April!  Time is flying by.

I had wonderful weekend!  I woke up bright and early Saturday morning (literally at 6:30) and decided to go for a little run to enjoy the beautiful weather we finally are getting here in Moose Jaw.  Next task was to get out of Moose Jaw…

I hit the road by about 1:30 and survived through a two-hour drive all on my own with the assistance of some Beyonce and Justin Timberlake tunes to sing along to. The destination was Saskatoon, Saskatachewan (home of Jillian Martin, Miss Teen Saskatchewan-World 2013) where I stopped at Exquisite Fashions & Bridal for a dress fitting to wear to the Photo Shoot the Saskatchewan finalists pulled together!  All of the girls met at the fitting, then headed to a slumber party at Jill’s house.  We were treated with the sweetest welcome from Jill’s darling parents and spent the night watching the Miss Congeniality movie and talking our faces off.

Reunited!

Meeting up with these girls again was well needed.  Each of us have strong personalities that somehow perfectly compliment each other, and I don’t think I have laughed as hard as I did that night in a long time.  It is a very unique bond and one I wouldn’t give up for the World!  We are all in this journey together and I can say I didn’t expect to gain such a great group of friends from this experience. The shot to the left was taken at the very beginning of our shoot at the University of Saskatchewan, and the camera became an even better friend throughout the day.

 

Big Thanks to Exquisite Fashions & Bridal

Our Second destination was the Bessborough Hotel, and here is where I have to add just how awesome our team was.  Ken Yick, the photographer rented out a room for us girls to change in throughout the shoot, it was the kindest thing!  Our dresses were borrowed from Exquisite Fashions & Bridal, whose staff even spent the day with us to help with changing and ensure nothing was out of place for the photos.  I could write a book about all of the generosity we received that weekend but have to sum it up in a major THANK YOU to Ken Yick, Exquisite Fashions & Bridal, and Jill’s Parents.

Sneak Peek

Our last two sessions were held at the Sheraton Pool in our own fun spring clothes, then outside in some Rider gear- us Saskatchewan girls couldn’t forget that!!  These are just sneak peeks to the probably thousands of shots that were taken that day.  Our photos are going to be featured in a “Pageant on the Prairies” calendar to be sold in order to raise money for each of the girls and our general expenses for the National Pageant. I will be posting on my Facebook Page once I have the calendars to sell. This will be a limited edition calendar so contact me if you are interested!

My trip home was graced with the presence of Tara Mignon, Miss Teen Southern Saskatchewan- World 2013 who needed a way back to the Queen City, Regina! It was a great way to the end the weekend, and added some spunk to my long drive.  I made it home safe & sound and have gained a strong start to the week.  Tomorrow morning I will be meeting with the Principal of Sunningdale School to discuss renting out their gym for a future event as well as the possibility of speaking to their students about my platform (exciting exciting exciting!).

Last but not least, this Friday at noon in the student lounge of Peacock I will be having a bake sale with all of the proceeds going towards my fundraising for Free The Children!  Be there!  :)

Lots of love,

Justine

Written by: Justine Farago Tagged with:, , , , , ,
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Posted On:April 29, 2013 Categories:Uncategorized