This month...

• Giving For the Good
• Re-inventing Self
• Thought for the Day

Giving For The Good

This year A Clayton's Secretary reaches 13 years in business and I have toyed with the idea over the past couple of years of seeking out a worthwhile charity to support through ACS. There are so many good ones out there - and some are far more prominent than others. Over the past 5 or so years I've been mixing with people who have worked in areas of charity - not just financially, but giving of themselves, their time, their abilites and resources and it has really made me aware of what they go through in their work. Many of these people put up with all sorts of behaviour from hurting people and those who do not understand what they're trying to do, in order to help those less fortunate than those providing the help.

May 2006 I did an article about what to do with items you no longer needed and how they could be donated - I had several email comments from people who wanted to participate and/or suggest more places for donations to be delivered at that time. I also included an article from Jason Smith with a link to his Donate To Charity website and added an Australian website I found as well.

In 2005 I joined a group of people that elected to purchase a home in South Africa late that year and house 10 HIV affected children in 2006. These children might either be infected themselves, or lost parents to the disease and were on the streets, without a home. We had a joint dream to purchase a home, send a team to do it up, and then find a couple to look after it and care for the children housed there. The couple that were found had been out of work and separated from their only daughter because they couldn't provide for her. The family are now intact once again, and the house is fully occupied and has been operating for a year, but of course has ongoing monthly costs.

As from 1st March a percentage of ACS membership fees will be donated to the Bayside Forever Home on a monthly basis, to help towards their costs. I don't for a minute imagine we could meet all their financial needs but do know that every bit helps. On the front of our webpage is a small image of the home and a link to the website where you can place a donation for that home in particular, or any of the Forever Homes you feel drawn towards. Periodically I will give you updates as I become aware of them.

Re-inventing Self

It's the big 'five 0' for me this year (I still can't say it yet). I know a few Heinz Variety people (born in 1957) and so there will be some celebrations over this year. But it wasn't until someone (a client) mentioned to me about his big 'five 0' over the phone that I began to realise that perhaps that is what's behind some of the changes I'm planning for the next twelve months. You see, I'm in the process of re-inventing myself. The girls have all grown up, the youngest recently got married and has left home. We have two daughters who come and go, come and go, but all the other three live permanently away from home now. My husband talks about what he's going to do when he retires and I've begun to think about the things I really enjoy doing.

Over the past 12 months my passion for writing has been renewed, and with that, speaking publicly at seminars and events. So I've begun focussing more on these areas and have cut down on the number of hours I spend personally doing secretarial and admin work. I won't give that up altogether - after all, it's some of what I speak and write about, and I also mentor and coach many others to do what I've been doing for the past 13 years. But, like many before me, I am feeling a desire to share more of my knowledge and experience to help others who want to follow a similar path (I wonder if that's a sign of getting older?). Of course, there is a team behind me who have always been there to provide additional support and generally most new clients that come along are looked after by a very capable team member and not me - I only have so many hours in the day!

Why am I telling you this? Because you might hear from someone who is looking for a speaker or an article writer on the topics that I cover. Details can be seen at KathieThomas.com or you're welcome to give me a call, or email me for discussion. I have a particular passion for helping women/mothers who wish to work at home and be there for their families at the same time and, having raised a family of five girls whilst working at home, I feel I am well positioned for topics that centre around this.

Kathie M. Thomas

Thought for the day:

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
- Theodore Roosevelt

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