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Wondering, “Should I send my kids back to school?” Did you ever imagine you’d find yourself contemplating home schooling your kiddos? With only 1 – 2% of North American children home schooled in the BeforeTimes, this option may not have been high on your priority list.
And here we are. 2020 and in the midst of a pandemic. This question has become the most pressing decision of the summer.
Continue reading "Should I Send my Kids Back to School?" →I was born in 1970, a year when the North American love affair with full-size cars (read, BIG cars) was in full swing.
My earliest memory of a family car is a 70's model Pontiac Catalina. Four doors. Forest green. Seats as rough as sandpaper, and an eight-track cassette player the churned out the Oakridge Boys for days.
The interior of that Pontiac was astonishing. My little sister and I had the run of the place -- pre-seatbelt era. We stuffed that mother ship of full-size cars to the roof with our barbies and books. We hunkered into the sunburnt back seat and sang our little lungs out, Dad harmonizing all along, on the long treks to and from Grandma's farm.
That behemoth journeyed us across provinces and down the way to Sunday school. Countless memories were made as we squabbled and star-gazed and explored in the safety of the Catalina.
The march of time and progress have had their effect on our relationship with big cars. Today's full-size cars are feather-light by comparison. A car like the Catalina weighed-in closer to the size of our current mid-size SUVs (at a healthy 4000+ lbs). That said, the Dodge Charger (our best option in full-size sedans, according to CarGurus.com) weighs in with a curb weight of 4500+ lbs.
Length, height, and cargo space -- not to mention our always evolving relationship with aesthetics -- have shifted dramatically over time. Moreover, drivability and safety are deal breakers for today's buyer.
If you've been nostalgically holding on to your 70's, 80's, 90's full-size car, consider extending its service in a different way? What if that non-drivable old vehicle could be transformed into donation dollars? Through our program, you can choose your charity and get that car off the back parking pad for free. Keep the steering wheel, or a chip of paint. Remove a mirror or memorialize it with a hubcap. A tiny bit of insignia is so much cheaper and easier to tend than that big ol' pile of metal. And the pile of metal can do good work on behalf of someone, or something, who needs it!
Nova Scotia car donors are all part of the heart work here at Donate a Car Canada.
Most of the vehicles we process in the Maritimes are recycle-ready. And there are times when we are able to re-sell a vehicle for a higher donation return. Whatever the process, donors and charities alike are well served.
It is our privilege to work alongside donors who have more than one vehicle to donate. Sometimes Canadians submit more than one vehicle at the same time. Additionally, donors may come back to us year after year. And sometimes, we see the same giver roll through the program with several years in between.
One of our Nova Scotia car donors lands in more than one of those categories!
'Back in 2014, our guy came to the program with three vehicles at once! Not only did he submit 3 different cars, he gifted 3 unique charities:
Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia ,
Alice House , and the
Arthritis Research Foundation .
Two of his vehicles (a tired ol' Pontiac Grand Am, and a worn out Toyota Sienna) were ready for recycling. While his '08 Uplander looked scrap-ready on paper, our agent was able to turn it over for higher-than-going-rate!
Just this past month, this same Maritimer gifted Alice House another vehicle! This time his trusty Mini Cooper brought in a donation of a $200.00 for the charity.
Nova Scotia car donors have options when it comes to giving away their vehicles. What a joy it is to serve generous Canadians such as this, time after time!
If you have a vehicle to donate (or two...or more!), we're here to help:
Give to the charity you love in 3 easy steps:
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, too. There you will be able to keep up-to-date on posts. We love to showcase amazing donors and charities in every province in Canada!
Beagle Paws, one of our receiving animal causes, has faithful support!
We had the happy privilege of working alongside one of their donors -- twice!
In 2016, Beagle Paws received a donation of $657.00 for a Ford Focus that we thought was surely recycle-ready. Our cooperating auction house thought differently. The auction house buyers thought more of the car, too. With a little haggling and finagling, the donor's charity of choice was set.
It is a no surprise to us here at Donate a Car Canada -- Canadian donors treat car donations a bit like tattoos: once you've given once, you'll want to donate again! As a business that's been around for a long time, we're thrilled to work alongside donors like this every few years.
Our Ford donor of the Spring of 2016 donated again in the summer of 2020. His chosen cause? Beagle Paws. Again! His second gift to them through our program was a 2008 Chrysler 300.
As is so often the way with our multi-donation givers, this donor doesn't make a peep about his efforts. As with his donated Focus, our guy submitted his donation form online. Without any acknowledgment of his extraordinary generosity, he simply gave a second car away.
Before we say more about how Beagle Paws will benefit from this donation outcome, let's say just a bit about who they are. Why might our donor care so much for this particular organization? Not surprisingly, they're all about one breed: Beagles!
"When you adopt from Beagle Paws Rescue you’ll quickly realize you’re the one who has been saved. This mischievous breed, known for curious noses and eternal puppy-dog eyes, are loyal, steadfast companions. As a rescue organization, we strive to find the perfect dog for your family and to ensure this affectionate, but often neglected, breed is protected and loved.
Once known as a hunting breed or outdoor dog, these clever pets are too often mistreated, abandoned, or left to live outside on a chain or in enclosed pens with no human interaction or compassion. Beagle Paws Rescue was established in 2003 to bring the breed indoors and has become the country’s largest beagle rescue group. Since then we’ve become Canada's largest beagle rescue group. We've rescued and rehomed thousands of dogs throughout Canada and established chapters and connections in every province - but there’s still much work to be done." (Beagle Paws, "About" page)
Thanks to this two-time donor, this hard working charity is going to see a sturdy donation outcome this month end. In fact, he's in line for a a mitt full of the beautiful key chains Beagle Paws is offering their $25.00 donors!
Donate a Car Canada will be disbursing close to $2000.00 in the donor's name this go 'round!
Does this inspire you to give vehicle donation a try? Connect with us! We're at the ready to get your donation dollars into the hands of the cause you love.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish" was this donor's heartfelt post. His donation on behalf of the CPFF was processed earlier this month. A recycle-ready vehicle, the donor received his free tow in quicktime by Quick's Towing. This faithful agent has been serving Donate a Car Canada in Ontario for years. So many donors and their charities of choice served by one company!
Not all of us feel quite so strongly about our recycle-ready vehicles as our Equinox donor! We may not be so ready to call Old Faithful, "junk." Whatever the readiness, our process in caring for your donation will hold steady.
You will always receive a free tow from one of our trusted supporting agents. These stalwarts will either recycle or re-sell your vehicle. This is dependent on many factors specific to your location, and the condition of the auto. Donation dollar outcomes vary from one province to the next. This is as should be: metal prices fluctuate constantly. Your donation outcome will reflect that variance.
And your charity? Monies in hand within weeks of us receiving the pay out from our agent. Your tax receipt is then issued to you in the subsequent weeks.
"Take care of my junk car!" may not be your cry. Perhaps your donation-ready vehicle is in sale-able condition. We're the company for you! Simply submit the car or truck particulars and we'll promptly assess its condition. If we, based on what we know about the industry and our database of sale outcomes, determine that it can be re-sold, or auctioned off, we'll do so! This can result in a much stronger donation outcome on driveable, sturdy, good lookin' units! 'Good for your charity, and great for your tax claims!
Hit the donate button, or give us a call today!
You are also invited to contact and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! From there, you’ll be able to keep up to date on our program as well as see posts that showcase our amazing donors and charities across the country!
Summer travel in the time of COVID-19. Do you have plans in place? Are you desperate to hit the open road, or is the plan to stay close to home?
Whatever your process, the present normal of intentionality, care, and health have likely affected you.
Cross-border travel continues to be in question. Furthermore, road travel between provinces is a bit of a puzzler. With some of us masking-up, sanitizing, and isolating while others go about their business as usual, there is much uncertainty about how to interact with holiday time.
Summer travel is sure to be disrupted by a few key factors. What we know for sure...is that we don't know anything for sure!
First, be prepared for unusual road closures. Some provinces continue to keep roads closed. There are towns that restrict visitation, and others that will allow only residents.
There is an ebb and flow to the way COVID-19 does its thing. For that reason, unpredictable (or, even predictable ones, for that matter!) spikes could result in you being stalled in your journey. Have your car stocked and ready for limited access to amenities.
All that hand washing you're doing at home? Be ready to ramp that up. Keep in mind that some stores may insist on masks, and not all roadside locations will be open for business.
Returning home from summer travel is another thing to consider. The broader your exposure to your fellow Canadians, the higher your chance of exposure to sickness. Consider your circle of contact upon returning home: is your possible contact with the virus going to put others in danger?
While these are limiting and frustrating considerations it may serve well to err on the side of care this summer.
As you've, no doubt, considered, summer travel in 2020 may be a lot more effort than it's worth. Here's to creativity and ingenuity rising to meet the challenge! Perhaps you have already come up with an inspiration that will find you and your loved ones enjoying every moment of the season? Is this the year to make friends with pitching a tent in the back yard? Could exploring the wonders nearby bring new appreciation for what's at hand?
For more on how to sort your summer, check out CTV News. The National Post encourages you in your "staycation" plans. Even more detailed is the Global News guidance on what various provinces and airlines are up to.
Whatever your summer travel plans, we wish you good health and the freedom to connect with the ones you love!
The best charities to support during the ebb and flow of Coronavirus ripple effects are in sight. Savvy Canadian donors do their research. They are careful in selecting who they donate to. We want our charities to run efficiently. Well managed with modest, defensible overhead is a must. Moreover, a charity should touch into our lives personally.
Your decision to donate your vehicle has come with thought and care. Choosing the charity that will receive the monies from that effort poses a unique challenge.
This is an easy decision for some: we give from the heart to the causes that make our hearts leap! Where the money goes is top-of-mind for others. Above all, give where there will be the best bang for our giving buck.
Maclean's ezine article, "Coronavirus: Where to donate and how to help Canada's most vulnerable," offers concise and valuable direction. If you're looking to donate specifically to needs arising from the pandemic, this article will help!
Many of the charities noted in on their break-out lists are charities that we work to support daily. Note the Canadian Mental Health Association, The Salvation Army, and Food Banks Canada. These are on the short-list for monetary donation. Further, SOS Children's Villages and Kids Help Phone are high on the list.
Concerned for the personal safety of women and children in violent domestic situations, consider donating. The Canadian Women's Foundation, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, and your own local shelter need you.
Similarly, we have seen how aggressively COVID-19 has impacted our Canadian seniors. The Alzheimer Society in your province needs your giving dollars now.
As you'll see in the Maclean's article, these quick acknowledgments skim the surface. We should state that impact has rippled to all sectors of our society. Consider gifting indigenous causes, or, turn your attention toward those with special needs. 'Just plum tuckered out thinking about your fellow human? Why not consider a gift to any of our animal charities? It will be welcome!
Wisdom is never violent: where wisdom reigns there is no conflict between thinking and feeling.
Carl Jung
Global events demand the attention of each one of us. We have strong opinions. Such firm beliefs. Furthermore, we are right! I am right. You are right. We have reasons that are good enough for us - every one of us - that to refuse to adapt, or change, or grow.
Good enough reasons to protest. Reasons that are strong enough that we won't protest. Ideologies and understandings that demand attention. It is so very important that I be right.
For this reason, and a thousand others, we squabble with and shame and harm one another. And we each claim wisdom in the moment of heated action or argument. Equally, we argue understanding through inaction and passivity.
Thomas Merton says that compassion is the acceptance of the interconnectedness of all things. So , the state of my heart is reflected in the condition of the world. This may be for peace, or for strife. It could be for goodness, or for greed. Perhaps it will be for love, but it could just as easily be for judgement.
In a wildly disrupted time (pandemic, human rights upheaval, economic disparity, and so on and on!), we have actual control over very little. Really? We have control over one thing: our Self. Who we will be. How we will be. What if your way of being has a ripple effect? What might you determine that effect to be?
For today, we here at Donate a Car Canada will continue to hold to our intention of providing exceptional donor and charity care in a wobbly world. Hands steady-at-the-scrap-car-wheel. Aiming for wisdom and compassion. And this despite our (considerable) differences of thought, belief, and certitude! We're all in this together.
Allergy season is here. I know this because my eyeballs feel like they have fur. My nose is twitching (in a most un-bewitching way). And the tickle in my perpetually raw throat has me asking, "Is this COVID?!"
Allergies in a pandemic are a right puzzler! Am I symptomatic? A danger to my fellow humans? Should I be confined to bed (my fuzzy head and leaden limbs tell me I should definitely be in bed)? Or, am I just at odds with the life that's stirring in the earth and trees and such?
Does this make your nose itch?
Are your teeth feeling the pollen in the air?
If so, you might have allergies!
Asthma Canada notes,
Health Link helpfully instructs,
Symptoms of seasonal allergies include:
Seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, are often caused by exposure to pollen. You can reduce your exposure to pollen by:
The following home treatment measures may help relieve your symptoms:
COVID will affect exposure to seasonal allergies. Many of us are restricting our outdoor movements already. If you're like me, you're making steady use of your Claritin when you do venture out. And we can agree that a few seasonal discomforts aren't really all that bad in light of what we might be facing. Here's to clear airways and sturdy health!
Good customer service is the go-to for Canadian business.
How does that land with you? 'Too strong a statement? Maybe you have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the service industry. Or, if you're a lucky gal like me, you encounter good to exceptional service everywhere you go.
We are in unprecedented times (I believe that's the new buzz word? And an apt one it is!). Every service we attempt to access is embroiled in a new business normal. If you're deemed essential, you're working like a drone. 'Probably for less pay. Furthermore, you're punching in hours and rolling out results just as quickly as you can type, haul, drive, teach, ring-up, or cheerily choke out one more, "Good afternoon! How may I help you today?"
Like you, I've spent more time on hold in the past few weeks than I'd spent in the past several years combined. So many hours spent (musac pulsing in my offended ears) waiting for my essential server to assist. And assist they have. Every time. Knowledgeably, kindly, and efficiently...if a bit wearily.
In most recent days, I've had the chance to be the one offering a service on that same phone. I'm the one you've grown to dread: the telemarketer! Well, not exactly. I'm not selling anything at all. But I have been cold-calling area mechanics to let them know we're here to help. We can haul junkers from their properties quick-as-quick, and for free. Regardless of what's on offer, cold-calling is not always equated with good customer service!
In reaching out to hundreds of Calgary businesses I've noticed some stand-out responses. Good customer service begins with that first "Hello! *insert company name here*, Bill speaking..." A gal can tell right off the hop if she's encountered a professional. I hear the layers of busy, work-weary, bored, and disinterested. Moreover, I know if you're placating me, or if you care about me as a caller.
A hang-up, "Click!" is rarely the answer to my offer of free tow support on behalf of our 900+ Canadian charities. "I don't have time for this!" is an occasional, frazzled response. But most often, in this deliciously polite country of ours, those busy mechanics hear me out. They ask questions. They express interest in receiving information for their customers (because what we provide their business will only help the people they serve every day).
In Calgary, two companies stand out as offering extraordinary care over the phone. These shops are clearly busy, but their calls are answered with patience, curiosity, and genuine interest. Who are these staff-who-made-my-job-a-joy? Auto Pro (you name the location, they're wonderful!), and OK Tire. OK Tire, particularly, made a mundane task feel like a purposeful and important gig.
While we can't speak to their car repair services, I know with certainty that they have good customer service on offer at the switchboard. That's no small thing in strangely tired and stressed-out times.
'Interested in taking advantage of our free tow support for yourself? Check us out...
