Winner of the Diamond and Cruise Raffle

I've said it before, fundraising is hard work.  I've never done anything like this before.  Asking for help isn't easy.  I've always had my own business and made my own money.  I don't get paid holiday time so when I take time off work, it costs me double from lost income and lost time.

I agreed to join the expedition because I loved the concept of Kilimanjaro and knew it would fit very well with my own personal story which I had been working on with a number of media as a way of raising awareness of ovarian cancer in New Zealand. I found people were able to empathize with and loved the metaphor of climbing Kilimanjaro after all the challenges I’ve conquered in my life. 

I got 10,000 flyers designed and printed (thanks to my friend and client, graphic artist Trudy Malone and printer Steve Kale), promoting the expedition to distribute around New Zealand.  My story was featured in three national magazines - New Zealand Good Health, M2Woman & Verve;  I was on the radio numerous times and featured in the Hubbard's cereal clipboard newsletter which reached 500,000 homes.  I was discovered by the Ladies Trekking Club based in Estonia and invited to contribute to a book they were publishing about women around the globe who have conquered Kilimanjaro.  Sales of the book will help buy textbooks for children in Tanzania.  

I worked tirelessly, staying up into the wee hours writing articles and chasing up emails.  I was also training very hard and I let my business slide.  It was exhausting.  The year flew by!

I would not have been able to get to Africa without the support of my friends and the local business community. Most of the people who donated to help get me to Tanzania were people who know me. My friends in both Canada and New Zealand donated personal money to help towards my expenses and the business community helped with promoting the cause by donating time and kitting me out for the expedition.

I’m very proud of what I achieved in such a short space of time, a little over 9 months.  I feel I achieved my goal - to educate and inspire.  I am still amazed at how few people know about Ovarian Cancer.  There is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

Having said that, I had not raised enough to afford the trip AND pay the donation of $2,900 ($2,500CAD) to the charity I did the climb through so I had one more attempt at raising the money when I returned.

I have some generous friends.  One such friend charters overnight cruises in the Doubtful Sound.  His company is called Fiordland Cruises.  He donated a cruise for two people on his luxury yacht at a value of $1,300.

I purchased a diamond eternity ring and donated it to the cause at a value of $2,599.

I also personally donated a Magic Hands Massage - a value of $100.

Ticket sales for this package prize were a little better than the other raffle.  I printed off 1000 tickets and sold about half of them in a month.   It brought in just under $2,000 selling 3 tickets for $20. I would like to thank my angels who helped sell tickets.  I really appreciate your effort and more importantly, support and belief in me.

Once again I'm amazed at the support and generosity from this community.  So all up I am just a few hundred short of my goal.  I'm really happy with the result.  

I'm even happier to be finished fundraising for that particular charity.  Sadly, they were a huge disappointment and I won't be supporting them in the future.  I feel I'm better off fundraising for smaller charities who appreciate the effort.  Large charities (particularly in North America) are best targeting corporations who have the funding to match the costs it takes to pay the wages of the charity's staff.  I may write more about this in another post.

The draw was held on Christmas Day.  Click HERE to view the video of the draw on my One Mountain At A Time Facebook page .

Congratulations to the winner - Sarah Cooper!  I had so many good friends purchase tickets wanting to win this prize.  I was so excited to see one of them win.  Sarah is one of my closest friends so when her name was drawn I was overjoyed!  I couldn't believe it.  She's had a tough year so this was a wonderful way to end it on a positive note.  Now I can admire the diamond ring whenever I see her.  :)

It felt great giving away so much this year.  To give away over $8,000 worth of prizes for Christmas felt amazing.  This is the true spirit of giving.  

Auction Item #3 - Fiordland Cruise of Doubtful Sound

Over the next few weeks I will be advertising items that have been generously donated by local businesses to help me raise funds to get to Kilimanjaro.

Item #3 - Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise for two onboard Southern Secret operated by Fiordland Cruises.

Cruise the fiords of Doubtful Sound, sightseeing and exploring the history and splendor, pause at features for photographs and to observe marine mammals, cast a line for fishing, check the crayfish traps and savor the spectacular scenery and wildlife. Activities onboard can include fishing, mammal watching and star gazing on clear evenings. Wildlife often sighted in Doubtful Sound may include dolphins, penguins, seals and sea birds. Fiordland Cruises is the original Company offering Overnight Cruises in Doubtful Sound.

• Maximum of 12 passengers per cruise
• Personalised small group experience of Doubtful Sound
• Double Cabin with private en-suite bathroom.
• Cruising, fishing, sightseeing, kayaking, mammal and wildlife watching
• Heated, warm and dry with professional crew for your safety & interpretation
• Fully catered except alcohol: Refreshments on-demand, picnic lunch, delicious evening meal cooked aboard the vessel, breakfast and snacks

Experience the raw beauty of Doubtful Sound Overnight; nature in its most pristine form. See piercing mountain peaks, deep valleys, rivers that turn into waterfalls and ancient glacier carved fiords. Fiordland Cruises invite you to join your hosts for a personalised and relaxed Doubtful Sound Overnight Journey of Discovery.

Value $1,300 (for two)

Highlights of Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

• Personalised Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise
• Wildlife such as dolphins, penguins and seals may be seen
• Surrounded by spectacular and untouched scenery
• 21 hours on Doubtful Sound
• Kayaking*
• Fishing*
• Checking and resetting crayfish traps*
• Exploring the wilderness and history of Doubtful Sound
• Private Cabin with ensuite bathroom
• Includes picnic lunch, evening meal, breakfast

Season: September - May each year.

 

***Important Note:  There is an option to reserve as many spaces that are available or charter the entire yacht if anyone is interested. Please contact me or Doubtful Sound Cruise for more info.***



I am available to join you as your own personal massage therapist and yoga teacher - for the right bidding price.  Let me know if this is of interest to you.  ;) 

www.doubtfulsound.com

Thank you for supporting me and a HUGE thank you to Fiordland Cruises for their generous donation.  

These items will be on Trade me from Sept 1^st for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.  

If you are willing to pay the asking price prior to the auction the item will be exclusively yours.

If you are interested in bidding before the auction starts, please leave a comment or a message on facebook on my Expedition of Hope page.