Lent, Easter, and Community

Last weekend was Easter and those 40 days of Lent went by fairly quickly!  Easter is a time for sacrifice, reflection, and positivity.  And of course, celebration, which I certainly did!  You can read more about that in my next blog ;)

At your service :)

This year I gave up the usual, candy, soda, and fast food, but new this Lent I also gave up swearing.  Overall, I did a really good job, no soda at all, and candy only once on accident at Yogurtland (it was a topping and I totally forgot), and no fast food, not even Subway!  Now, swearing on the other hand, was far more difficult.  I don't swear all the time, but there are times when you're feeling passionate, or frustrated, or even excited, and one or two happen to pop out.  In actuality, I really like some swear words, and missed using them during the 47 days of Lent.  And there were times where I swore on accident, and other times, I did on purpose, and those 30 swear words are hours I will be putting towards community service and charity.  I'm really happy to be doing some good from it all!  The point of giving up swearing was to force myself to find better and more intelligent words to use.  I've been doing my best to continue to not swear this past week and decided that I'll be more aware of when I'm swearing and contain myself to those highly anticipated moments where it's the right time and place.

Before Lent had started I was doing some Community Service for Habitat For Humanity, working at one of their Re-Stores in Torrance.  It was really fun to help people pick out items for their homes and help them decide what would work in the space they told me about.  I also got to price items, clean up around the store, and do a little home decorating as well to make sure the displays looked awesome.  I'll be happy to be back and working with some of the same people over at the Re-Store and also look forward to working on building a home when there's one a little closer to where I live.  

It's such a great feeling to help others, and to be there because I choose to be, it makes it all the more worthwhile :)

How do you give back?

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has clearly gone viral and beyond.  It's brought awareness to this disease as well as donations from all over the world.  Although there's questions of whether all the donations will go towards finding a cure, you can't deny that it's raised millions of dollars and brought attention to the disease.  Whether you're donating for a cause like ALS, the Alzheimer's Association, or St. Jude's Hospital, or you volunteer at a Homeless Shelter, Children's Hospital, or your local Church, it definitely makes you feel like you're doing something for someone else in a selfless way.  So are all these videos out there to bring attention to the disease or for someone's personal promotion?  

I actually didn't watch the first and second round of Ice Bucket Challenge videos that were making their way onto the news, Facebook, and other media outlets.  I guess I was trying to avoid having to do the actual Challenge and if I wasn't watching, then I wouldn't be called out.  I certainly didn't mind donating, as I've done the Walk for Alzheimer's, I enjoy going through my closet and getting rid of things to take to a discount clothing store, or donating magazines to a women's shelter.  Then as this whole Challenge was getting bigger I did start watching some of the videos from celebrities and such, and sure enough, one of my best friend's from college challenged me to take the plunge.

You're supposed to complete this Challenge in 24 hours so the following afternoon when I got back from my four mile run and stair work-out, I figured that would be a good time to do it.  I grabbed a tray of ice cubes and a bucket and made my way down to the pool.  Los Angeles is in a drought so I didn't want to waste fresh water, so I filled the bucket up (making note that it had been played and splashed around in all weekend long, enjoyed by many), stood by the edge of the pool, and flipped that bucket over my head.  Yes, it was cold but the moment of chills is nothing compared to the suffering that takes place all over the world.  So if this could bring awareness or have someone donate to a charity of their choice or volunteer their time, then it's totally worth it!

We can all find meaning or moments that touch us, so find your truth and give towards that!

So you don't have the money to donate, then what about your time?  There are websites dedicated towards finding volunteers for tons of different activities based on the city you live in.  You don't have the time?  Then how about the next time you go through your kitchen and find that extra set of silverware, or are getting rid of a few pairs of shoes your children have out-grown, or are changing up your living room so those chairs won't match anymore, donate them to a shelter, or find a place that will find good use for them!  And if you don't have time or the money, share your smile as you walk down the street; it could brighten someone's day and spark something inside of them that they want to share their happiness and time with others.  There's a million ways to give back, and I can promise the feeling you have after doing so, can almost make you feel a little selfish because it feels so darn good :)

The Alzheimer's Walk

Daylight Saving's Time in Fall is my favorite because you 'Fall Back' and gain an our of sleep that night.  I was so looking forward to that extra hour after knowing I was going to have a late night Bartending at Bar Lubitsch, but didn't know I was going to be there until 4 am (real time, before the change) and by the time I got home and got to bed it was 5 am.  Ugh.

Walking for Alzheimer's with a Mass of People!

For some reason, waking up at 6:45 am on Sunday morning was easy.  Neil and Jamie met me at my place and we all drove to Century City together where the Alzheimer's Walk was happening!  After we got parked, we all registered, got our wristbands and I picked up my Walk T-Shirt because I had raised over $100.  I actually reached my goal $250 through help of family and friends and I was so happy to raise the money and create awareness for Alzheimer's.  Then we picked up our Flowers, which signified if we lost someone to Alzheimer's, cared or supported someone with Alzheimer's, or wanted to create awareness, and we took a Team Photo together!  Go Tiny One's!  Then we grabbed some snacks and coffee and walked to the stage to listen to some of the speeches by celebrities before we made our way to the Start Line.

Jamie had hiked 8 miles the day before when she was in Catalina, Neil needs to have surgery on his MCL, and I really enjoy my Sunday Walk, so I don't think any of us really planned on running but once the Walk got started, that all got thrown to the wind as our competitive spirits came alive and we all took off to get ahead of the pack.  Neil decided to run the whole 5k and actually ended up 'Winning' even though it was a close race with a 19-year old kid who did his darndest, but Neil prevailed.  Jamie and I walked and ran the 5k, as we chatted about our weekend and made it to the Finish Line just a few minutes after Neil.  My only frustration was that the course they had mapped out had you going back and forth, and with all the people walking at different paces, you were crossing people and it was kind of confusing.  One of the greatest things about the race was how supportive all the Volunteers were, when you were walking by one, they would clap and cheer you on, and they offered water as well.  I handed out Hi-Fives along the way and was very excited to be doing my first ever Charity Walk!  The Finish Line was the coolest with the biggest cheers, and there were actually Cheerleaders there, and people congratulating you.

Team Tiny One's

After the Walk we stopped at McDonald's for Breakfast and enjoyed eating some fast food after knowing we got in a good work-out!  But the best part of the whole experience, was knowing that we helped a cause and created awareness about Alzheimer's and the Association and hopefully made a difference in someone's life!  

*Thank you to Jamie and Neil for Walking with me, your support means so much to me, and I had a blast 'Running' with you!  Thank you also to my Mom and Dad, Linda & Dave Opitz, Katie Schamberger, Jeff Walker, Thi Nguyen, JJ & John Long, Karen Girard, and Jamie Boalbey for donating to my Team!*

This one was for you Grandma...love you always! ~ Your Tiny One

Alzheimer's Walk...Donations Please :)

I'm walking for Alzheimer's on Sunday in Los Angeles and I'm also raising money and awareness for this cause in hopes that we can find a cure!  If you'd like to Donate to the Alzheimer's Association please click on the link below and know that any donation helps and is greatly appreciated :)

The Tiny One's Story and Donation Page 

Here's my story:
The Tiny Ones

Hey Everyone,

My Grandma, Angie, died from Alzheimer's just over 7 years ago.  She was an amazing woman, loved by everyone she met, and could always make people smile.

When I was younger, I was a pretty small little girl, so she would call me her 'Tiny One.'  As I was growing up and in school, when we'd attend Church, she'd be at the Kids Mass, and would always give me a big hug and call me her Tiny One.  Some of the kids started to make fun of my nickname, and I'd get nervous and tell her not to call me that around them, but then something made me say to her, 'I don't care, you can call me your Tiny One anytime you want.'  About 10 years later, even when she was being taken care of and in an Alzheimer's Facility, she still remembered me, even when her memory was failing, she would always call me her 'Tiny One.'  Eventually, she wasn't able to communicate vocally anymore, but we saw it in her eyes when she'd recognize us.

Grandma, I miss you every day and think of you very often.  Every time I see 'The Price is Right,' or make Eggs with Cheese, see Crueller's in a Donut Shop, or watch a chef on a cooking show use Rhubarb, or sing Christmas Carols and Church songs that we'd sing together, it reminds me of you.  And I will always be proud to be your Tiny One.

By walking for my Grandma, I'm raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer's research, care and support.  Currently, more than 5 million American's have Alzheimer's and that number is expected to grow.  Please help support this great cause, even if it's just a couple dollars, every little bit helps.  Your donations to help the Alzheimer's Association advance research into prevention, treatments and a cure for Alzheimer's.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I appreciate any help you can give :)

Love,

Lyndsey 'Tiny One'

If you'd like to join my team and walk with me, please let me know!  Having the support of family and friends is the greatest gift anyone can recieve!

Again...here's that link and thank you :)  Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to turn those clocks back one hour tonight!

The Tiny Ones Story and Donation Page