One of my favourite traditions with my Mom is going to K-Days in Edmonton. We’ve done it for 21 years now, with the exception of maybe one or two when I was having babies. We enjoy a leisurely lunch while we watch the thoroughbred races at Northlands Park. We spend the whole afternoon laughing and enjoying each other’s company. She bets, I post them for her, we have our little routines. Then we wander through the exhibits, buy fudge and mini donuts. We stay at a hotel because we both come from other places. They are memories I will treasure as long as I live.

What does going to the Exhibition have to do with Mother’s Day? Well, those memories contribute to the embodiment of who my Mom is, and when it comes to celebrating her, those moments mean something. When I think of her, there is no thing I can do, nor words to fully express my gratitude for all she represents to me. When Mother’s Day comes around, I fall so short in acknowledging her but then, maybe demonstrating my love and appreciation is something I should do more of all year through and not just leave it for one day out of the entire year! This year she’s going to be in Cow Town with me (a rare treat), and we get to enjoy an Elvis impersonation dinner theatre. Can’t wait! After all, Elvis was always her first love!! 🙂

Memory lane and Mother’s Day

I read an article this week that took me down memory lane and it offered a great idea for making Mom’s day special. One dad bought a journal and has his little girl write/draw a card in it every year instead of buying one. How sweet is that? I like that dad! Thoughtful, all I’d need to draw a tear or two! Isn’t that a great idea?

There are so many creative things we can do without spending a ton of money. Breakfast in bed – the old standby. A hand-made coupon book filled with ‘gifts’ of time, chores done, good attitudes, no sibling fights for a day… Flowers of course, family. Surprises.

Mom’s Day and Donate a Car Canada

All of us working at Donate A Car Canada are moms [This was the case when this was originally posted back in 2014 — we’ve had a few shuffles in staff since then!]. We all have lots of stuff. I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that we don’t need more stuff. We want more meaning. If you really wanted to do something meaningful for Mom, you could ask what her favourite charity is and make a donation on her behalf. Maybe it’s MADD, maybe it’s Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, maybe it’s Inn from the Cold. Take a look through our thousands of Canadian charities and you’ll find an organization I’m sure, who could use the love and generosity of a family honouring their Mom, whether it’s a monetary gift, a vehicle donated through our program, or even volunteering.

Whatever you choose to do to make Mother’s Day memorable, know that even the little things mean a lot to us Moms!

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World Cancer Day: a blend of heart, stats, and hope for the future

World Cancer Day strikes a chord. At the time of this writing I have many loved ones and family members facing their personal Cancer diagnoses head on. I’ve lost people to the disease just this year, and many others over my lifetime. Maybe that rings true for you, too?

The Canadian Cancer Society offers some clear-eyed statistics on just how Canada is affected by this kind of illness as a whole. Their pie charts are not for the faint-of-heart.

And there is now more hope for cure, recovery, and remission than ever before.

The Alberta Cancer Foundation notes, “The impact of a donation is far bigger than any statistic. Your donation and your kindness reaches all over…It touches our neighbours, our friends and our loved ones–those who face cancer today or later down the road.

By donating…you help fund support programs for patients close to home, helping ease their cancer journey, and make life better for patients with cancer when a specific cure is not yet an option. You help us provide immediate assistance when it’s needed most, create inviting spaces for patients to heal, and drive innovative research that will lead to life-saving discoveries.

This impact translates into heartwarming stories. Stories about people. People who are helping others. People who are persevering. People who have left behind legacies that inspire. And so on.”

Your impact on World Cancer Day

Anecdotally, we know that this disease (in its many, many forms) is one of the most impactful in our country. We see this reflected in vehicle donations daily. There are so many ways to care for the charities that are caring about this cause!

If money is tight and resources limited, your time and ingenuity will be welcome. Reach out to the charity that has been supporting you and your loved ones in your own health journeys. Because this is such a cheaky disease, there are many health-related charities specific to the many ways in which Cancer presents. So, you can be specific in the charity you support through that 10K run, or that bottle drive!

If you have an unused or unwanted vehicle, look no further for your simple, quick, and always-free process. We manage every detail of your van, motorcycle, truck, SUV, and car donation. Not only that, your charity will never pay a penny for the service! And, the tow is always free, of course.

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It’s a personal thing

If you’re reading this, you could probably write this. Cancer affects all of us. Have you experienced it firsthand? More certainly, you have had a loved one who has.

My earliest memory of the disease was my Grandpa’s long and painful illness. That was almost 50 years ago. That introduction was preamble to the close-call diagnosis of many loved ones. It was the first of dear ones falling ill.

Research and medical practice have made progress, despite the many faces of this disease, in the past few decades. ‘Research and practice made possible, in large part, by donations like yours!

Canadian Cancer Society

The CCS is one of Donate a Car Canada’s most-chosen Cancer charities. It’s easy to see why! It is their vision to foster a world where no one fears cancer. With the support of volunteers and donors, they improve and save lives. They do this by taking a comprehensive approach to their work against more than 100 types of cancer. CCS funds research and provides services to those living with cancer. They are advocates on important cancer-related issues.

Alberta Cancer Foundation

Second on our most-gifted list of receiving Cancer charities is the ACF. Here’s what they value, and how they meet their marks:

Compassion – by meeting the needs of patients, families, donors, staff and volunteers in a caring and compassionate manner.

Collaboration – by working and celebrating as a team, and nurturing partnerships that add value for Albertans.

Boldness – by innovatively discovering and taking balanced risks to continuously improve.

Responsiveness – by grounding the work in purpose, propelling them to be nimble and responsive to opportunities.

Integrity – by being truthful and accountable to each other and to their stakeholders.

Energy – by seizing their purpose with energy and passion, and by bringing a generosity of spirit to everything they do.

Your region, your charity

We have so many unique Cancer charities across Canada! You can choose the charity near you to receive your vehicle donation. To see your options, visit our charities page. You can narrow this by searching, “Cancer,” and you’ll pull up our complete list of related organizations.

Listed there are Cancer care charities for children and their families. Womens’ and mens’ Cancer charities, too. Moreover, camp supports, and services for pets needing treatment are free for the choosing.

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