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Delivery of aid to Haiti

Published by admin March 1st, 2010 in Other Sites, Press, Press Releases, Hero Holiday, Mainpage and Featured. 0 Comments

Haiti Your kindness made a difference! Our Haitian friends needed to know that they are not forgotten, and thanks to the kindness and sacrifice of so many of you, we were not only able to help them out right now, but we are able to help them begin to rebuild for a stronger future. Thank you for responding to those who need it most. We are honored to be able to deliver aid and compassion that was made possible by the friends of Absolute.

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Timeline:

January 15 - We arrived in Port-au-Prince to assist the orphanages which we support. We spent ﬁve days helping and assessing the best ways we could be a support to both them and the families which they are now helping to survive.
January 21 - We reached out to our Absolute network to assist in helping those we are connected with in Port-au-Prince and you responded with compassion and love.
February 3 - We left for Port-au-prince with the first $10,000 raised for Haiti through Absolute. In The Dominican Republic we ﬁlled a commercial truck with approx. $8,000 worth of aid.
February 5th - We were delivering the aid to the orphanages and tent cities.

Aid supplies (approximately)

200 cases of water
400 packs of rice
400 bottles of oil
400 bags of ban
600 bars of soap
1000 pack of soup mix
900 roles of toilet paper
1000 packs of cookies and crackers
6 cases of milk
600 packs of pasta
400 small bags of detergent
300 cans of sardines
900 bags if corn mix
5 Large tarps
2 tents
6 Large boxes of medical supplies. (donated by servant heart min.)
4 boxes of clothes (donated by Servant’s Heart Ministries)
500 candles
2200 Honda generator

Other Giving and Expenses

$1600 went to support the orphanage (orphanage staff, orphanage vehicle maintenance, baby supplies and orphanage bills)
$400 went to pay translators, travel expenses, border fees, and other misc. items needed for this project

The Aid was divided into 4 different places: two different tent towns, the orphanage and a displacement camp.
Most of the tent towns we delivered aid to hadn’t seen any aid yet. Absolute is now preparing for our Hero Holiday in Haiti for May. We will also be working with participants on the boys orphanage, installing doors, building a kitchen and replacing a roof on the children’s school.

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Absolute in Haiti

Published by absolute January 14th, 2010 in FB, Student Zone, Mainpage and Featured. Closed

I am sure you have all heard, in some form or another, about the great tragedy that has occurred in Haiti. Many of you, including myself, probably thought to yourself, “Really! This is the last thing this country needs!” It is true, parts of Port-au-Prince had looked like a 7.0 earthquake already hit it before January 12th and we can only imagine the state it is in now.

I have been quite impressed by the volumes of messages and emails I have been receiving from people who want to do something to help. Everyone’s heart is broken for this nation and no one wants to sit by and let the people of Haiti deal with this disaster by themselves. Absolute has been directly involved with an orphanage of 60+ children in Port-au-Prince run by a man we know and love named David. You can read all about him in our 52 blog: http://52.absolute.org/2009/04/19/what-do-you-do-with-a-lost-pearl/. Currently, we have not been able to contact David or anyone connected to his orphanage. Some volunteers of Absolute have decided to jump into action and travel directly to where the orphanage is (or once was…) to make sure that all the children are safe and taken care of. Once this is done they will assess if there is something that Absolute can do to take care of our extended family. We will keep you posted on the progress of the team and will let you know if there is anything you can do to help.

Please keep an eye on our website and facebook page (absolute.org) for more updates. Thank you for your concern and desire to help. To give towards this pressing need please contact our office, or donate online here.

Hero Holiday is traveling to Haiti in May 2010. Check out the trip details on our website: http://heroholiday.absolute.org/haiti

Check out our 52 story on the earthquake: http://52.absolute.org/2010/01/14/but-a-breath/

**UPDATE: Absolute has received word that the children at the orphanage are all safe and accounted for. This is great news! We are going to hear from our volunteers as to how their homes are but will keep you informed.

Christmas Sale! - “one” books for $15 each

Published by admin December 4th, 2009 in School of Leadership, ONE, Other Sites, Billeting, Mainpage, Hero Holiday and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

We’ve got a great offer for you this Christmas season!

ONE: A Face Behind the Numbers, Vaden Earle’s best-selling book on social justice issues, is available for a limited time for only $15!

It’s a great Christmas gift, with all proceeds going to Absolute and Hero Holiday’s charitable projects, (www.absolute.org), and is even printed on environmentally friendly paper!

If you buy 5, we’ll even pay the shipping!

Order online by clicking here or call all our office (1-866-432-4464). Order by Friday, December 11th, in order to ensure delivery by December 24th.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Absolute

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Change is Possible!

Published by admin December 4th, 2009 in FB, Other Sites, Hero Holiday, Mainpage and Featured. 0 Comments

Hello! 2009 is coming to a close, and for us here at Absolute, it has been an incredible year of growth, change and warm memories. Through the course of our year we have spoken to hundreds of thousands of Canadian youth through our Think Day presentations and have had over 450 participants join us on our Hero Holiday trips around the world. Cory was one of the students that joined us in Mexico on Hero Holiday this year, and his story reminds me of why we do what we do.

When he was 13, Cory’s dad was killed in a tragic accident. Lost and hurting, Cory began to drift and alienate himself from his family and friends, falling into the abyss of alcohol and drug abuse. When he was 16, in desperation Cory’s mom talked him into joining Absolute on a Hero Holiday to Mexico for his spring break. He reluctantly agreed, not yet fully understanding what was about to happen.

As fate would have it, Cory ended up with a team that built a house for an incredible Mexican family. They were able to move from a shelter of tarpaulins, sticks, and cardboard, and were put into a beautiful new home with clean beds, warm blankets, and a dignity that comes with knowing you are safe. But this family had one thing in common with Cory that he wasn’t counting on: this family had recently lost their dad in an accident as well. As Cory stood outside their house that day, helping to present them with the keys to their new home that he had personally helped to construct, something changed in him. Hope took on a new perspective. Cory’s eyes were opened to what life can look like and to what he can be a part of. That day as that family was lifted out of some of the acute pains of poverty, Cory returned to Canada with a new resolve: to be a part of the change that can happen here at home. Today, Cory is a student in Absolute’s School of Leadership, traveling across Canada and sharing his experience to hundreds of thousands of Canadian youth, telling them that there is a hope and greater purpose to live for. Today, that Mexican family is still safe in their home, and still moving forward to build a better future.

Cory’s story reminds me that together, change is possible. Absolute is committed to bringing hope to a generation and helping them to realize the incredible power of their lives. This is only possible because of financial donors such as yourself. …. (continued on other side)

This holiday season, would you consider partnering with us to help us build more homes for families such as this one and help us to reach more “Corys” that are the future of our nation?

Your one time gift of $50 or $100 can help us to continue to commit to building safe, efficient homes for the families that desperately need it most. In the year ahead, with the help of our financial partners, we are hoping to reach many more students like Cory and build many more houses for families such as this one.
Would you consider a one time donation to our 2009 campaign in the name of a family or friend? The recipient of your gift will receive a post project report showing them the impact of their gift and you will receive a tax receipt for that you can apply to your 2009 tax return.
At the Absolute office we have recently launched a monthly partners program. A monthly contribution of $20, $30 or $50 is all that it takes to help us to continue to provide a safe and happy home for a family in need. Monthly partnership helps us to use each dollar to its maximum effectiveness throughout the year. To become a monthly partner, download our pdf form by clicking here, or sign up faster online by clicking here.
Please help us end the decade on a high note! Consider joining us on a Hero Holiday in the year ahead. For more information go to www.heroholiday.com.

Absolute has a unique approach to bringing hope and change to our global community, and our financial donors can be assured of the value of their contribution. Every dollar that is donated is essentially used for double effectiveness: the impact can be seen both here at home in a generation that is given hope, perspective, and life direction, and globally as we help to bring hope to the developing world through the houses and schools that we build for those who cannot do it themselves.

Like many other Canadian charities, we are dependant on our donors. We can’t do this alone, nor do we want to. But in Absolute, we truly believe that we are in this together, and that we need each other to succeed. This Christmas, please consider joining with us to make a difference and to give the gift of hope in a tangible way.

Thanks for your time. I hope you have an amazing 2010!

To donate, go to www.absolute.org/donate or call our office at (866) 432 4464.

Christal Earle

Co-founder, Absolute
I’d love to hear from you or answer any questions. Email me at: christal@absolute.org

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Job Position Openings: Road Team Manager

Published by absolute November 25th, 2009 in FB, Employment, Newsletter, Think Day and Mainpage. 8 Comments

Effective Nov 19, 2009:

We have some exciting job position openings for dynamic young adults that love to make a difference and enjoy new challenges, experiences, and travel. We have immediate openings for a Road Team Manager for our Canadian school tours. If you have questions, please contact us at (905) 777 1662.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Road Team Manager

We have a job position open to lead one of our road teams that performs motivational presentations in schools across Canada.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Think Day Teams on cross-Canada tours
- Facilitate a positive and successful team experience
- Facilitate effective and powerful Think Day presentations, and customer experience, in schools
- Tour Management (driving, feeding team, arranging billets, etc)

Here is a description of what we are looking for in this position.

Personal Skills
- Ability to think and learn independently
- Major adaptability and desire to learn and enjoy new situations and challenges
- Have a philanthropic world-view (desire to use your life to help others less fortunate)
- Good sense of humour
- Desire to travel
Strong and mature interpersonal skills
- Ability to genuinely care and listen
- Make people feel significant
- Very positive thinking and speaking. Negativity from leaders will destroy team morale.
Dynamic public skills
- Comfortable in front of large crowds
- Ability to speak with passion and conviction, and tell an engaging story
- Ability to promote and represent Absolute’s vision effectively
Team Leading Skills
- Take responsibility and assertively take charge in tough situations.
- Ability to resolve conflict and remain objective and rational
- Ability to mentor team members and build team morale
Technical Skills
- Experienced Driver. Experience with operating larger vehicles is an asset
- Basic knowledge of Audio and Visual Equipment is helpful
- Basic mechanical skills are an asset
- Problem solving skills
- Above average computer skills an asset
Experience
- Have previous experience in a leadership position, team management and/or public communication.

APPLY HERE

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2010 Calendar

Published by absolute November 6th, 2009 in ONE, FB, School of Leadership, Student Zone, Mainpage, Hero Holiday and Featured. Closed

We’re excited to announce our 2010 Hero Holiday Calendar, “Together”. This calendar is full of incredible photos taken on Hero Holidays around the world by some of our very own photographers. Included in the calendar are excerpts from our blog, “52″, as well as some great quotes and thoughts on how to make a difference.

The calendar costs $20 and proceeds from the sale of each calendar go towards Absolute and Hero Holiday’s charitable projects.

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Keys, Pens, and Paperclips

Published by meagan November 5th, 2009 in Team 2, FB, Road Team Blogs, Staff Blogs, Think Day and Mainpage. 0 Comments

They are only the elite, specially selected few.
They parade across our stage brandishing their weapons of choice. These are no ordinary instruments of torture, unusually, they are in the form of a broom, hockey stick, and a severed pool noodle. These ‘creme of the crop’ are showing us their rock and roll moves like never before (literally, I don’t think any of them have ever done this before!). They head bang as in the days of their youth, and while doing so there are generally three items that come spilling from their pockets.

Keys, pens, and paperclips.

Once in a while there will be an unlucky individual who flings their glasses inadvertently across that glossy hardwood floor not caring a bit, because they need to rock harder than their students did. They will let nothing stand in the way of their ETERNAL GLORY! For that is what they will receive if they can rock harder than a bunch of high school wussies!

These are the teachers who have bravely sacrificed eyesight and dignity alike to participate in our “school of Rock” and no matter how many teachers we see on stage we are always shocked at how well they perform!

Canada has some of the most amazing teachers, many of which end up on our stage and its their students who choose them because they know that these are the teachers who know how to have fun. These are the teachers who are trusted and liked by their students. They are the elite only because of the dedication to their students, dedication that is clearly seen when they rock out no holds bar to make sure their students get a laugh! we congratulate you teachers who are chosen for our air band rock off because you are the teachers who care for their students. We did not preselect you, you were chosen by the students you teach. In fact its almost as if you selected yourselves. How you ask? By being there for your students, approachable, and friendly. You selected yourselves when you decided to love kids and not just teach them. Our country is full of teachers and administrators
who love their students, who only want the best for them and their futures. A lot of the time you are the elite, the specially selected few, who will humbly rock out with us, and for some reason you are always carrying in those magnanimous pockets of yours:

Keys, Pens, and Paperclips

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Its the Circle of our Lives

Published by meagan August 5th, 2009 in Staff Blogs, School of Leadership, FB, Think Day, Student Zone, Mainpage, Hero Holiday and Featured. 1 Comment

Think Day, Hero Holiday, School of Leadership, ONE Book … Absolute.org has a variety of interesting programs, but are they related, tied together somehow? Absolute is like a ring, no no not the one ring…you know the one…”in the darkness bind them?” That’s not us, that’s some other guy. At Absolute.org every one of our programs support and lead into the other. Someone asked me today what I do for Absolute, in what capacity I work for them. The truth is that my job title is irrelevant. Each of our jobs support and are connected to each other’s. Absolute is a circle.

I just returned from a Hero Holiday trip in the Dominican Republic. I met some fantastic people. There are few things more surprising than how content the people of Dominican Republic really are, compared with someone living in a developed country. Even more surprising is the effervescent joy that overflows and spills onto us from the displaced people of Haiti living in Dominican Republic. There are too many stories to tell here and now. For more on Hero Holiday, please visit Hero Holiday’s site or subscribe to 52 Stories. What I’ve come to realize is that my job, my official job at Absolute, is incredibly tied into Hero Holiday. The members of Team 3, my Hero Holiday team, had students (and one mom) from all across our fine country. Almost every province was represented by Team 3’s members, and we even had a girl from the Yukon! Most of these participants were there because of Think Day, a multimedia motivational experience that visited their schools. That is my job, Think Day. I am a Road Team Manager, along with my husband JP. We travel with teams across Canada from September to June (we break for Christmas of course!) tirelessly (most days) driving, setting up, performing, speaking, running workshops, discussion groups, etc etc etc. We tell our stories to bring hope and courage to our listeners and to let our generation know that they have value, that their voice can be heard, and that we want to join our voice with theirs to change our world!

On my Hero Holiday trip I saw those values not only realized in the lives of our participants, but applied to a people who are considered regrettable and forgettable by a world who has done very little to better their situation. All year I talk, and I talk, and I talk about social justice and trips like Hero Holiday, telling Canadian students that they can do something about the injustices they see in their world, and that it is just that; THEIR WORLD. And here they were! All 19 of them on Team 3 asking the same question I asked myself over and over again this year. “Have I actually accomplished anything? What is it that I’ve really done?”

The answer to my question was in the 100+ students who participated in Hero Holiday Dominican Republic Week 1, and more directly in the 19 members of my team. Not all had been at the shows that I spoke at, but there were quite a few who had been, and most of them had seen an Absolute show or had known someone who did, and that was why they were there! Their experiences in Dominican Republic taught them, not just told them, that they matter to the world. They matter to that stateless Haitian child, or to that Dominican Grandmother. They are actually making a difference.

My purpose in Absolute was reflected in the eyes of a girl who had been given the power and opportunity to help when she thought she couldn’t. When she thought she was helpless to do anything about the situation she saw in front of her, I got to help her realize that we’re stronger together and that we really could help this life, this girl, this time.

Hero Holiday had changed my life before I had ever been on one and experienced it for myself, but now it’s not just stories, it’s real. I got to work alongside some people I had met briefly in a gym somewhere in Canada and had asked “Now that you know, what will you do?” and they showed up. That gives me 19 new reasons to keep going. To keep telling my stories, stories about myself, and about the people I have met and been inspired by. To keep touring, and driving, and setting up, and tearing down, and talking and talking and talking, because though you may not all come on a Hero Holiday, some of you may. Some of you will hear for the first time that you are valuable, that your life counts for something, and you will take that message with you wherever you go, including a Hero Holiday.

I will step out onto the road again with fresh perspective on what it is that I do. 19 faces and stories to keep me going, and this is the cycle, this is the circle: Think Day, School of Leadership, Hero Holiday, 52, One, Think Day, School of Leadership…

So watch for us this Fall. Are we coming to your school? If we’re not and you want us there, CLICK HERE .

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Urgent Request for a Physician

Published by christal June 26th, 2009 in Mainpage and Featured. 0 Comments

The developing world faces many challenges, but one of the greatest is the lack of access to health care. This summer, we hope to be a part of the solution. From August 15th-25th, we are returning to Dominican Republic with 50 Western-Fanshawe Collaborative BScN students and the Fanshawe College Practical Nursing students. In addition to some regular projects, we will be hosting medical and dental clinics in villages and communities, free of charge. Each day is an adventure, and each day is filled with incredible memories as a result. The trip, affectionately called “Danica’s Dream,” is named after a little girl who inspired the building of a clinic that we continue to support and partner with. However, we have an urgent need! We need another physician to accompany our medical supplies, to help with clinics, and to share their expertise and knowledge with those who need it most. Do you know anyone who can help us? Are you a medical professional who may know a doctor that would be willing to invest some of their time this August to be a part of the Hero Holiday experience? Would you be willing to approach your family physician or any doctors that you know, on our behalf? If you have any suggestions or questions, please contact our Hero Holiday department as soon as possible: nettie@heroholiday.com or call 1-866-432-4464 and ask to speak to the Hero Holiday department. Together, we can bring love, hope, and change!

Is Mexico Safe? Our perspective…

Published by charles April 30th, 2009 in Staff Blogs and Mainpage. Closed

My name is Charles Roberts and I am the Director for Hero Holiday. I, along with my wife and three children, the Bernardi family and the Boyce family, are all currently in Mexico representing Hero Holiday here. Over the past couple of years, my wife Tricia, our sons, and I have been living here off and on. Our boys know this as their home. We know this community very well and have many friends here. We have been fortunate to be able to partner with local government agencies and authorities to better assist the people we are here to help.

Considering the media coverage of the Swine Flu, and the Drug War along the northern Mexican border, I feel it is important for you to hear from us on a personal level. We are living here, day in and day out and would love to share with you, from our perspective, what is really (or not really) happening.

Safety has always been, and will continue to be, our number one priority for all of our trip participants. Safety is always at the forefront of every decision we make and every trip that we facilitate.

I am continually saddened by the media in Canada and the US. Their overreaction and selective coverage to the Swine Flu and to the Drug War stories in Mexico have created and continue to create an incredible amount of fear in people. Considering the media’s business approach to ’sell’ stories to the public, we are constantly seeing more and more ’stories’ that are slanted to instill fear in their listeners. Looking at it carefully, it is clear that ‘fear’ sells.

When hearing news stories, always remember to use a personal filter and your own common sense to read between the lines of what is being reported. When considering traveling to other countries, the most reliable information is official government information that they publish for our safety. It is direct, to the point and usually not ’selective’ or ‘over-dramatized’. A few trusted sites that we gain our information from are the following:

Canadian Foreign Affairs (http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/menu-eng.asp )
Canadian Health Agency (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/index-eng.php). )
The World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/ )

These three are highly respected government agencies, and are accountable to people for what they say. Our Canadian government will ALWAYS air on the side of extreme caution when it comes to travel advisories. If there is any reason for concern at all, our government will clearly communicate that to us, again, sometimes to an extreme.

Today, April 29th, 2009, the World Health Organization communicated again that there is no need to advise against regular travel.

“WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.”

If you are a Hero Holiday participant, concerned about traveling to Mexico on your trip, please do not be alarmed. I understand that the media is making a big deal about this, and it may appear that the world is falling apart. However, I encourage you, as I did earlier, to please filter what your are hearing, use some common sense, and research this a little further on your own. Please do not believe everything you hear, and do not just take my thoughts on this either. Look into it for yourself via trusted sources. I am confident that a lot of your concerns will be eliminated. The worst thing you can do is to make a quick, uninformed decision, based solely on something you have heard/seen on TV.

Thank you for your understanding. I hope you are encouraged by this. I am available anytime if you would like to contact me personally.

Charles Roberts

Hero Holiday Director

Mexico Cell: (to dial from Canada) 001 521 (616) 109-9404

US Cell: (for when I am in the USA) (619) 370-6303

Email: charles@heroholiday.com

Absolute Leadership Development

Archive for the 'Mainpage' Category

Delivery of aid to Haiti

Absolute in Haiti

Christmas Sale! - “one” books for $15 each

Change is Possible!

2010 Calendar

Keys, Pens, and Paperclips

Its the Circle of our Lives

Urgent Request for a Physician

Is Mexico Safe? Our perspective…

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