“The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.” – Minot J. Savage

Daisy Says: For all we love and believe in, let us stand united.

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.

I did not have to think twice about where I needed to be in the next few days. Flight arrangements were made, it was a coincidence that we could fly the weekend of Easter; this made it all the better as we did not want to break the news of what the doctor had diagnosed and the recommendation was to make his remaining days as pleasant as possible.

The days before my visit, all I could do was remember with fondness the treasure he had given me: the wonderful memories.

Riding with him on his horse while he rustled the cows on the farm. On many occasions I enjoyed sitting atop his leg while he allowed me to shower him with kisses. I followed him everywhere I could and made myself busy so as not to be ’shooed’ away. Feeding the chickens and the pigs. Carrying the little pail of milk to help out with the cows (of course, dipping my finger in the molasses barrel any chance I could). On Sunday mornings we’d go to church and he would smell of Old Spice and look sharp with his dress hat. On the way home we’d make our social visits and stop by relatives… he’d always brag about his favorite grand daughter (at the time… I was the only one and so totally enjoyed being the star of his show). The sweetest gestures I so enjoyed, he always had a treat for me when he came home from his adventures.

>>> Papaito, I love you. Thank you so very much. (It’s wonderful to choose the memory to cherish)

While cherishing the past is wonderful, it is also important to remember to live in the present to create the future. Mom is so amazing and gifted at living in the now… and saw to it that we create a few memories to take with us. We visited two beautiful local rivers.

Rio Fula had a wonderful swimming spot; at the base of the river they had a restaurant and they brought you food to whatever spot you chose to set up camp. Bachata and laughter permeated the zone.

RIO FULA:

The next day we hiked through the beautiful canape of cocoa trees of Rio Jima, this was a magical place with the sounds of running river, songbirds and crickets all about (a contrast from the music of bachata); it is said that there are 12 waterfalls as one ascends up the mountain, we only made it to the first waterfall and it was breathtaking.

RIO JIMA:

My parents are from the province of Bonao in the Dominican Republic (one of the 3 Spanish Caribbean islands)
Bonao borders to the north with the province of La Vega, east of the province Sanchez Ramirez, on the south by the Municipality Piedra Blanca and west by the town of Constanza.

About Bonao:
* It is the capital of the province Monseñor Nouel and has vast natural and mining resources. Bonao is also known as the “Villa of Hydrangeas”, Hydrangea is the flower of this town.
* Its name comes from the Cacique Bonao, named after the chief who ruled this city at the arrival of the Spaniards whom had the highest rank in the area.
* It is a town with a large eco-tourism potential that is associated with its people, characterized by being very hospitable, Bonao is one of the areas of the Dominican Republic that has plenty of rivers including Yuna, Blanco, Masipedro, Jima, Los Quemados, Fula and Maimon.
* Bonao known for good weather, good soil for planting, accessible mountains, rivers and clear streams and constant rainfall.
* The ninth largest reservoir of ferronickel in the world is located in Bonao, exploited by the multinational Falconbridge Dominicana since 1970.

Climate: It has a tropical rain forest climate and average temperatures range between 18 ° C and 26 ° C throughout the year.

How to get there?
By Air: The nearest airport is the Cibao International Airport (STI) located in the province of Santiago.
Other nearby airport is the Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo.

By car: Direct access by the Duarte highway an hour from Santo Domingo towards the North.

Daisy Says: (as quoted by grandpa) Life is but an exhale.

It seems like yesterday yet on paper it has been over 8 years since we bought a little piece of land about an acre and a half in the island. My grandfather was selling it… times were tough and I’ve always wanted to preserve a piece of my heritage and memories of my rich childhood growing up in the island.

With determination and great sacrifice we were able to purchase the land and make that dream a reality.
The land sat quietly overlooking the mountain with each passing season the rains came and went; nearly a decade came and went and finally the opportunity of creation came around again. What to do with the land.

Mom and dad finally retired back to the island and it was on one of my visits that it occurred to me of how wonderful it would be to have a pavilion; a place to spend the day, have a barbecue, play music, feel the breeze come down from the mountain and sit by the watering hole.

The greatest joy has been watching my mom and dad play and run around town pricing materials and meeting with people, it has helped them in gradually getting to know their community and the day to day swing of the island. For me, it brings me such joy to see them living life without the stress.

Dreams are to be pursued with patience and conviction..

In HIS masterful design He has placed angels to watch over us. A world filled with loving angels to guide us on our path when we stumble. Angels disguised as that caring hand from a stranger when we can’t seem to go any more. A gentle smile that brightens our day, a moment of clarity when all seems dark and confused.

Our angels always vigilant in their care for us. To awaken to their presence is to feel loved and safe; feeling the warmth of their embrace and their song of joy in our hearts.

Daisy Says: Unto your day sojourn knowing that you are in the presence of angels.