Nothing could be more exciting than having others join in on your adventure.

This adventure is one of the chapters from our nonprofit organization The Helpful Hands Foundation. One of the focus of the foundation is helping youths via sports and our young entrepreneur program. A subsidiary of The Helpful Hands Foundation is Community Youth Development Association which is overseen by its Director – a dynamic gentleman, David Shannon.

David came up with the great idea of a Golf Tournament Fundraiser. Of course… neither he nor I have ever initiated a ‘fund-raising’ event. (Now we have something to add to our resume).

We learned a lot, had a lot of fun and are looking forward to doing it again!

Now comes the lesson. The lesson comes in the experience, in the doing and the journey. To embark on a mission for the sake of the mission means nothing. Yet the excitement of the adventure, the possibilities of a positive outcome, the relationships forged, the inner spirit is revealed as the passion behind the mission comes forth. The why.

Why do anything? Why go forth onto untrodden territory? Why step out of the comfort zone?

Embark on the journey beyond your comfort zone and you’ll have the answer to your ‘why’… and with that you’ll discover your passion.

Your ‘why’ and your passion will become one in the journey.

This combination will spawn you onward making the journey alive with purpose. The challenges that present themselves will be but like pieces of a puzzle that with time will find its match.

THHF CYDA Annual 2010 Golf Classic was our first fundraiser of this magnitude… what could we have done better for the next one? More volunteers, more time!!

If you would like to create Golf Tournament Fund Raiser (A great warm-weather fund raising event) here are some tips:

-Promote with quality posters at golf stores, high-traffic, high-visibility locations. Use newsletter and email lists, and online social networks to get the word out.

-Distribute a press release about your golf fundraiser to all your local media outlets.

-Most golf courses will give you a substantial discount for a large group, you can charge the regular price and do quite well.

-Contact local businesses and ask them to sponsor a hole. Show a mock-up of the signs that will be placed for each sponsor and your event program where you’ll list all your sponsors.

-Contact corporations and ask them to sponsor your event.

-Have a sponsorship request on your letterhead and offer: prominent signage at the event, corporate logo golf balls for all golfers, newspaper coverage, etc.

-Player sponsors, ask each player to raise at least $100 in pledges.

-Silent auction: Solicit items from local businesses.

-Hold a raffle: Increase sales, sell tickets to the general public and not just to your group of supporters. You can even set up a sales table at high-traffic locations like shopping centers – this will get your event more recognition.

-Cater lunch: Offer a boxed lunch of sandwich, chips, and a cookie. Depending on what you’re offering, markup your costs by $3 to $5 per person and you’ll do well.

Daisy Says: Step out of comfort and into excitement.

It boast of 5 acres with a small Heirloom Orange Grove, with over 100 trees of various varieties of oranges:
* Satsuma
* Navel -(Regular, Yellow and Red)
* Ponkan
* Robinson
* Hamlin
* Pineapple Orange
* Murcot Honey
* Ambersweet
* Ruby Red Grapefruit
* Duncan Grapefruit
* Pink Grapefruit
There is also a pear tree (they say its the cooking kind). In the front of the house there is a majestic camphor tree, which dates back to WWII, the dried leaves are very aromatic. It has an old run down house along with 2 barns.

Despite the work that we have ahead of us, there is such sweet serenity; there simply are no words to describe the peace that makes the work turn to joy.

Daisy Says: In simplicity we will find richness, joy and peace.

It was really fun to introduce my friends to the joy of walking through a corn maze.

A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. Just like life… it has twists turns and blind alleys. Sometimes you get lost and other times being lost does not feel like being lost and before you know it… you begin to enjoy your surroundings and your journey.

With a maze — many choices must be made; an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. You’ll have many paths to choose from, some with many entrances and exits. You’ll run into dead ends which will offer you riddles to be solved.

Mazes challenge the choice-making part of ourselves. In life we are presented with many choices… usually the choice of action or in-action. We must have an active mind to solve the issues as they arise. On occasion things don’t go our way and we must look at the circumstances and find alternate ways to reach our objective.

Common features in most mazes are trick corners and blind alleys. In all mazes – the object is to find your way through the elaborately twisted paths to reach a specific goal. Life is full of challenges, yet it is upon us to maintain our focus and persevere towards our goal.

“Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… exactly where you are meant to be right now… And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love.” Caroline Adams

Daisy Says: Begin your sacred journey today.

Ocean spray, white sandy beach, seagulls gliding gently overhead… just got back from a serene walk at Smyrna Beach, FL.

One of the things that I found so interesting … that unlike many of the South Florida beaches, in Smyrna Beach you can actually drive your car on the beach and pick a spot for the day.

Area Info: Blue skies meet over 13 miles of white sand in New Smyrna Beach, historical and cultural sites also make New Smyrna Beach noteworthy: the Turnbull and Sugar Mill Ruins, the Eldora State House and the Ponce Inlet lighthouse.

Daisy Says: Happy Sunday.

Picnic anyone? The only thing anyone complained about was the heat! We invited the members of the Helpful Hands Foundation to come and hang out this weekend at Sylvan Park in Florida.

It was old fashion fun. We had bounce house for the kids, music and delicious BBQ ribs all set in a beautiful Florida rustic park. Wonderful tall trees all around under a perfect Florida sky.

It is so relaxing to come together with people that you work so hard with and have common goals with. It is wonderful to show love and appreciation through laughter and goodwill under the sweet embrace of nature. All problems just melt away.

Come take few minutes and let me share with you my wonderful picnic adventure!

Daisy Says: All work no play can wilt a ‘daisy’ in your garden.