Dreads for Wishes

A Year Later

2007-07-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hello again to everyone!
It has now been over a year since I had my dreads cut off, and I thought a little update was in order.

Since I never officially posted the final amount that I managed to raise, I should let you all know that the final tally was $2055.00!!!! Thank you all so much for your generosity!!!

Over the past year, I have received many comments, both here on Blogger, and on my video on YouTube. The majority of the comments have been overwhelmingly supportive, but of course some individuals have also felt the need to insult me. Such is the beauty of internet anonymity I suppose. I have done my best to take in only the beauty, and to push out the negativity. To all of you who left beautiful blessings and support, I truly thank you for your lovely words. To those of you who felt inclined to be less than nice, I wish you the love and courage to step outside of yourself and try to see the world through the eyes of others.

Even though it has been over a year since I parted with my dreadlocks, I still do miss them dearly. I have considered getting them redone many times, but for my neck's sake, I will wait a little while longer. Though I do miss my dreads, I realize that the fundraiser was not about me, but rather about my dear friend Alice, and about all of the sick children who are helped through the Children's Wish Foundation. I am so happy to have been able to contribute in my own small way.

Some of you have asked me why I chose to burn my dreadlocks. To me, burning them allowed me to release their good energy into the world. Burying them, or keeping them in a box, would have kept them confined and trapped, while burning them allowed them to be set free. That may sound strange to a lot of people, but it meant a lot to me. Burning them on Denman Island was the perfect way for me to let them go.

A lot of you have told me that you are interested in starting a similar fundraiser. To you I say, muster up the courage and go for it! Cutting off your dreads will indeed feel quite disturbing, but think of the good you can achieve!! If you can make a difference in the lives of others just by cutting off your hair, don't let fear alone hold you back. You only live this life once...

I want to thank you ALL again for your love, support, and generosity. I never thought that one little idea I came up with would turn into not only a wonderfully successful fundraiser, but also somewhat of an internet phenomenon. It's funny how life surprises you sometimes!

Thank you again, and please know that I am sending all of those good vibes right back in your direction!!

And finally to Alice, I hope you are smiling somewhere out there :)

Donations are still rolling in!

2006-05-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

I received a very thoughtful, and very generous envelope from the Marine Mammal staff at the Vancouver Aquarium yesterday. Apparently they had been fundraising for a little while, and handed me an envelope stuffed with cash, and a beautiful card with dolphins on it. I am so touched at the generosity that this fundraiser has inspired, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do something special, just by cutting off my hair! It almost seems too easy...
The point of this post is, if you'd been meaning to donate, but thought that it was too late, don't fret! I've been receiving little donations here and there since the "end" of my fundraiser, but I simply keep sending them off to the Children's Wish Foundation. They should be fairly used to mail from me by now! :)
Again, a big thank you to the Marine Mammal staff, and another big thank you to ALL of the generous donors out there!

Video of the chop

2006-05-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

Adrianna from Knotty Boy salon has put together a great video of my haircut, so now all of you who couldn't be there can see the haircutting action!
The video is here
Thank you for putting this together Adrianna! Your dedication to this fundraiser has been truly astounding.

A fantabulously successful fundraiser!

2006-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

The fundraiser was so successful that I had to create a new word to describe it - fantabulous!!
Thanks to all of you incredibly generous folk out there, we managed to raise $2000 for the Children's Wish Foundation!! That sizeable sum of cash will no doubt provide a child out there with a great deal of happiness - therefore, I encourage you all to give yourselves a big pat on the bag for spreading love in this crazy world.
It's now been just over a month without my dreads, and although I do still miss them, I am really enjoying this short hair! I will never, ever get sick of being able to towel dry when I get out of the shower, and washing my hair now takes about 2 minutes, as opposed to the 40 minutes it took me before! I still don't quite recognize myself when I catch my own reflection in a store window, but I'm slowly getting used to the newly designed me....
The dread-burning-bonfire on Denman Island was the perfect way to celebrate the passing of my dreadlocks. I had 69 dreads, so I composed 69 wishes for humanity, and wrote them down on paper, which I then tossed into the fire with the dreads. There were eagles and trumpeter swans soaring overhead as I watched the smoke rise into the sky. It was both calming and renewing to see my dreads disappear into ashes, as my sisters, Sam & Wind, chanted around the fire.
The lovely Adrianna over at Knotty Boy took some great video footage on the day of my haircut, which she has edited into a fantastic (rather I should say fantabulous!) video, which I will soon be putting up on this site. Thanks Adrianna!!
I should also mention that those of you who requested tax receipts for your donations should be expecting them in the mail this coming week.
Thank you, thank you, thank you again and again to all of you wonderful, generous people out there who allowed me to achieve fundraising success. This was my first fundraiser, but I don't think it will be my last!!

69 wishes

2006-04-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Today I am heading over to Denman Island with my sister Sam. We are going to have a bonfire tomorrow, and I am going to torch my dreads!!
Now here's the fun part: I have 69 dreads, so I would like 69 of your wishes! When I toss the dreads into the fire, all of the wishes will be released! Post your wishes in the comments section of this post, and I will make sure they go into the fire :)
Ready...set....WISH!

A Perfect Day

2006-03-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the greatest day it possibly could have been, made so wonderful by all of the beautiful people who shared this experience with me.

Since I was shaking with nervousness and anticipation before I left my house, my neighbour offered to drive me over to Knotty Boy. Thanks Shaine - that was a huge help, since I don't think my legs would have taken me there!!
When I arrived at the salon, I was greeted with big hugs from everyone, and presented with balloons, and an AMAZING (that isn't a nearly good enough word) carrot cake with cream cheese icing. I don't know how on earth they knew, but carrot cake is my favourite cake in the entire world!! A few minutes later, the two Jennifers from the Children's Wish Foundation showed up, and brought me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers (which is currently making my kitchen table look so much prettier!). Everyone truly made an effort to make the day special for me, and they definitely succeeded!
We all chatted for a few minutes (though I'm not sure how I managed conversation with all of my jitters) and then got started on the big chop...
I sat down in the chair, and tried to prepare myself, but before I knew it I had 2 pairs of scissors going at me! I can't even describe the rush that I felt as I watched each dread fall to the floor. My heart was racing, I was taking as many deep breaths as possible, and I had one single tear trickling down my cheek. Then just like that, my dreads were no longer attached to my head, but instead in a pile on the floor. Wow! The second picture shows my "shocked hair" right after the dreads came off. After the initial shock, the rest of the process was pretty easy (and even included a group sing-a-long of the Golden Girls theme song! HA!). I was given a beautiful cut and some highlights by the lovely, and very talented, ladies at Knotty Boy, and ended up with an adorable 60's style "twiggy-esque" hairdo!
I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful the day was to me. As I was leaving the salon, I was given a card, which I didn't open until I got home. It was so appropriate - it had a beautiful butterfly on it, and all the wonderful Knotty Boy women wrote that they were happy to take part in my transformation. When I first thought of this fundraiser, I knew that it HAD to be with Knotty Boy's assistance. I've always felt such a connection to their business (how many truly ethical businesses can you think of!?) and I've always had so much fun each time I've been to the salon.
I couldn't have spent my day with more special and beautiful people. Everyone's efforts were truly meaningful to me, and I can't thank everyone enough. Even though my dreads are gone, the fundraiser is still on for a little while. As of yesterday, we've raised nearly $1,800 and I know that more donations are still coming in. A pretty darn successful fundraiser if you ask me!!

Thank you again and again to everyone who has helped make this so special. The money raised will make a huge contribution to a sick child's life, and I know that I will always have these memories.
The first few pictures are posted, but I will be taking more over the next few days.

My last night with Gloria...

2006-03-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

I once had a very sweet elderly woman for a neighbour. She gave me homemade jam and gardening tips, and for some reason always thought my name was Gloria! I tried to correct her a few times, but finally just gave up and resigned myself to being Gloria when I was around her, which was actually pretty fun. Over time, the whole Gloria thing sort of evolved, and somehow my dreadlocks became known as Gloria. Gloria has been a great friend to me for years now, but tonight I have to say goodbye...
To celebrate Gloria's last night with me, I decided to bake my first ever pie!! I made it with delicious organic gala apples, and crunchy asian pears that our friendly neighbourhood grocer added to our bag the other day as a free gift! The crust was a bit tricky to make, but I added pretty decoration on top to make up for structural flaws. No matter what it looks like, I know it will still taste great :)
So tonight I will eat a gigantic slice of pie, and celebrate all the life that Gloria has shared with me. Tomorrow I will part with Gloria, and emerge with a short haircut for the first time in my 22 year life!! Pictures to come.....

March 29th, 12 noon

2006-03-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

That's the official day and time that I'll be cutting off my dreadlocks!! On March 29th, at 12 noon, I will be at Knotty Boy Salon in Vancouver to be de-dreaded among friends. I will be sitting in the very same chair that you see in the photo, and I will emerge from that chair with a short new 'do!! I am excited to see the final outcome, and don't worry - I will post before and after photos!

Astounding Generousity

2006-03-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

Over the past week, I have been amazed by the generousity of everyone who has become involved with the Dreads for Wishes fundraiser. Since my last post, the donation total has risen to $1,600!! I am touched that people are so moved by this fundraiser - I receive encouraging comments on a daily basis, and to be honest, my heart feels like it's going to burst with everyone's good wishes. I am exceedingly happy at the number of hits my website receives each day; just knowing that people are reading about Alice makes me smile.
Thank You Everyone for making this fundraiser as fantastic as it is - I couldn't have done this without you!
Now let's keep it up!! :)

We've just surpassed the $500 mark!

2006-02-28T00:13:00.000-08:00

Great news! After receiving a very generous donation of $250 from Klassen Technologies, I am pleased to announce that we have just surpassed the $500 mark. Great work everyone! Please keep passing along the information, and we'll get to $10,000!!

Knotty Boy has joined the fundraiser!

2006-02-23T21:59:00.000-08:00

I received a wonderful e-mail from Adrianna at Knotty Boy today. The Knotty Boy team has generously offered to donate $100 whopping dollars to my fundraiser, and they will also be providing me with a donated haircut, deep cleaning treatment, conditioning treatment, scalp massage and highlights if I so choose. They will also throw in a Knotty boy t-shirt or tank top of my choice. WOW!! How's that for generous!? THANK YOU KNOTTY BOY!!
I highly recommend that you head over to their website and check out all of the amazing products and services that they have to offer. I've been a loyal Knotty Boy customer for about 3 1/2 years now, and I can honestly say that my dreads greatly benefited from their expertise. They've been such a part of my dread experience that I couldn't imagine being "de-dreaded" without their help.

Our First Donation!!

2006-02-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

I would like to express a huge thank you to Christopher from Quebec, who generously made the very first donation to the fundraiser!! Christopher, you will have the honour of going down in history as the first Dreads for Wishes donor!
Since Christopher's donation, I have also had 2 more sent by cheque. I am confident that we'll make it to $10,000 and possibly beyond!
I encourage everyone to keep passing along the information. This webpage is getting more and more hits each day!
Keep up the great work everyone, and pat yourselves on the back!

Help promote Dreads for Wishes

2006-02-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Do you have a blog or website? If so, you can help promote the Dreads for Wishes fundraiser by placing a banner or text link on your site.

Banner: 468x60 (click here to view)

Banner: 125x125

Button: 80x15

Text link:

Dreads for Wishes: A fund raiser for the Children's Wish Foundation in memory of Alice.

Thanks so much for your help promoting this project!!

What your donations help to achieve

2006-02-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Children’s Wish Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling the heartfelt wishes of children across Canada who are suffering from high-risk, life-threatening illnesses. These wishes don’t merely give a child a few days of happiness and normalcy (which in itself is an amazing accomplishment), but they have actually shown to help a child’s treatment. Often it is noted that children find that the otherwise monotonous, and sometimes painful, treatments associated with their illness become easier leading up to their wish. Planning and experiencing their dreams gives sick children a renewed sense of hope, which can have visible effects on their healing.

The Foundation prides itself on the fact that it has never had to deny an eligible child their wish, no matter how intricate it may be. The Foundation also prides itself on the fact that it keeps its administration costs to an absolute maximum of 15%, so you can rest assured that your donation is going to help a sick child, and not to printer toner.

If nothing else, the Children’s Wish Foundation gives a sick child a chance to be happy and carefree for a few days. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

About Alice and why I'm doing this

2006-02-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

I remember meeting Alice on the first day of Grade 7, at Glashan Intermediate Public School in Ottawa, Ontario. She seemed so friendly and accepting from the first moment she introduced herself to me, and at that point I never could have imagined the impact she would have on my life. She never had that snarky air about her that most adolescents do, but was always available to talk to anyone, about anything, anytime. She didn’t adhere to the standards of middle school cliques and instead embraced everyone for who they were. She was truly a light of compassion. I was drawn to her, as was everyone else she met, so her time was truly valuable and she spread it around generously.

She approached her illness with the same acceptance and unwavering faith. Even at the age of 15, she seemed to gain a complete understanding of life in a short while, while others strive their whole lives to arrive at the same conclusions. Despite the fears of those close to her, she remained courageous and positive in the face of an overwhelming force. I didn’t know how to react to her illness, and I spent many days wondering what I “should” do. At the same time, in the back of my mind I knew Alice would be accepting of however I chose to deal with her sickness. I know she was.

Now after all these years, I have found an opportunity to do something that will truly represent all that she was to me. Conveniently, my opportunity comes attached to my head! I have decided to cut off all 69 of my mature, well-loved dreadlocks in exchange for donations to the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada.

I intend to “sell” each of my dreadlocks for a donation to the Foundation. If there is enough support to surpass 69 donations, I will set a cut-off deadline for accepting donations. After all of the money has been collected, I will cut off all of my dreads! This will be a mix of “liberating” and “terrifying” for me: I have never had short hair in my life and I am fearful that my head will feel much too small! I hope to raise $10,000 for the Foundation with my efforts.

The Foundation sent Alice on a wonderful trip to Banff a few months before her passing and I have always wanted to give back to the cause that allowed her to forget about her illness and have fun for a few days. The Children's Wish Foundation gives more than generously--and indiscriminately--mirroring the exact way Alice gave herself to others.

One of Alice’s last requests was, “Remember me”. I want this fund raiser to let her know that she has not been forgotten, not even for a split second. I still wait for the day when I will meet up with her again, and we will once more discuss the antics of the Little Blue Men, and just how wild Ronald’s shoes can drive us. I want this fund raiser to reflect her undeniably gigantic heart and to enable even just one child to feel happiness in the face of anguish.

I want to extend an enormous, heartfelt Thank You to everyone who has read this page, regardless of whether you are able to donate or not. If you are unable to donate money, you can still help by donating good vibes to the children who need it most.