Behind the Button

The Happening. Elizabeth Fallon's Road to Recovery

Where to start? A few short weeks ago I was introduced (through Facebook) to a woman, a cancer survivor who is once again thick in the fight. As a friend told me Elizabeth Fallon's story I was at once saddened and inspired to hear how she had been battling cancer - as you'd expect I've heard many many stories like this but then my friend Scott Helms emailed me this picture and it was all different.

Something happened, what I call...the Happening! (listen here I think this song fits) 

I don't know Liz very well but the first verse just seems "so Liz"

Hey life look at me, I can see the reality
Cause when you shook me, took me out of my world
I woke up, suddenly I just woke up to the happening.

Back to the story - Scott's Mom Wendy Rawlings had become good friends with Liz all because of a crazy, fantastic, magical "purple wig" - Scott had the idea to surprise Liz with some buttons (badges as their called in the UK). This is in part what Liz said upon receiving the badges... 

"You people have to the kindest most wonderful people in the world!! I'd been to work today and was feeling quite tired.  Pete and I had our dinner this evening and then afterwards he said "Oh.. did you see this parcel that arrived today?"  Well... you all know what it was. The FABULOUS buttons of hope!  Your kindness and thoughtfulness brought tears to my eyes."

Well Liz took that energy and passion and turned it right around to give back - LIz came up with the idea of asking for a donation in return for a button (to date she's raised £1414 or $2165) If that wasn't amazing enough then her many Facebook friends decided to take Liz on the road posting what seems like hundreds of pictures wearing her badge...on a Dubai beach, in Hawaii, at the Eiffel Tower, in more than one pub, in Australia, across the US and Europe - even proudly at her brothers wedding! It is phenomenal...truly a happening!   

I hope you become a friend of Liz and if you make a donation here we'll get you a badge - and then you can post a picture on Liz' Facebook wall - let's keep Liz' Road to Recovery going strong! 

On a personal note Liz's story and the amazing response on Facebook has shown me what I always knew Buttons of Hope can be - it's much more than button. I want to do this for thousands of people like Liz - you can help me - starting May 1 my Buttons of Hope will be up for a $250,000 grant through the Pepsi Refresh Everything Competition - I hope you'll vote for me. Become a FaceBook Fan of Buttons of Hope today to keep up with our progress  http://www.facebook.com/Buttonsofhope

Will you help Buttons of Hope change the world? Pepsi Refresh Everything May 1

Voting changes things and we hope you'll mark May 1** on your calendar! We'd be honored to have your vote for Buttons of Hope in the Pepsi Refresh Everything competition! Your vote(s) you can vote each day in May - will allow Buttons of Hope to make millions of custom photo buttons to help people put a face on their cause!
**vote link woks 5/1 http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope

In the meantime...if you're not yet a fan of Buttons of Hope on Facebook please click here (right now-just one click) we'd be thrilled to have you!

see full size image at http://mim.io/e9b53 (or simply click on the image)

Feel good, Do Good! Pepsi Refresh Everything 2010

What's Pepsi up to? Changing the world.....one project at a time!    

We get puzzled, overwhelmed, tired, frozen when we think about "changing the world" (forget all that REBOOT)...BECAUSE it doesn't mean we have to change the WHOLE world - even small changes can be remarkable. A kind word to a waitress can change her world, a new playground might change the world for 25 kids and I can assure you a surprise gift box and a friendly handwritten note can change the world for a soldier serving overseas!

Change is change whether it's small or big...and it's all BIG, really BIG!

  
So what's the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project all about? Simply Powerful. Pepsi took the money they would have spent (ten million plus) on Super Bowl Ads and put it work for good! Pepsi is providing grants $5K, 25K, 50K & even $250K for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. Change things!

I think the Huffington Post summed it up best...it works like this

"...in 2010 Pepsi brought this idea to life with the Pepsi Refresh Project. The site invites people, businesses, and nonprofits to submit ideas that will have a positive impact on the world; these ideas are eligible for grant money in one of four amounts -- $5k, $25k, $50k, and $250k -- within six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.

The ideas are then voted upon by visitors to the site for one month. At the end of that month, finalists are selected to receive grant money -- up to $1.3 million each month. But more than just providing money, Pepsi helps connect grant recipients with others who are passionate about the same cause and want to offer their support. These connections are made through some of the non-profits aligned with the project, such as GOOD and GlobalGiving...(read more here)

YOU can help - in fact it's ALL up to you! Each month Pepsi presents 1000 new projects on the Pepsi Refresh website - the grants are awarded based solely on the your VOTES! No committees, no bureaucracy just YOU voting for the project(s) that touch you heart - the projects that you think will make a difference! (and you can vote for up to 10 each day in May)

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....