Life is what you make of it, and I guess I have chosen to make it a busy one, haha.

Although I stopped rowing competitively, I have been rowing here and there each week as a spare for a local women’s 8+ racing at the upcoming “Head of The Charles” (a big race held in Boston every October).  They are a very competitive crew so I have been very lucky to row with them.  Since it’s an 8+ (eight rowers and one coxie), each rower has one oar – the technique used is called “sweeping”, versus the “sculling” technique I did all summer with two oars.  The one oar used is heavier and your hands move somewhat differently...which is why my hands now look like I was burned – skin ripped and blisters as red as cherries, quite attractive if I say so myselfJ. 

Other than that, I am preparing for a lot of work travel in October – I’ll be going to Indianapolis, Miami and then Boston.  This is why I used all of my spare time this month to get things really going with the charity.

SAVE THE DATE: January 13^th, 2013!

On Sunday Jan 13^th, I will be partnering up with my friend’s AMAZING fitness studio called Work It Out Fitness Studios (http://www.workitoutfitness.ca/) to host our very first fundraiser for Shaping Her Esteem (SHE). 

SHE is the charity I will be starting with my amazing team (Carrie, Trang, Lauren, Robyn, Dan, the guidance of MaRS Discovery, and YOU!)J.  It is an organization dedicated to boosting the physical, mental and emotional self esteem of young women (12-20) through physical activity.  We will have two programs that we plan to launch in the early new year, soon after the fundraiser.

Money collected from the fundraiser will go towards covering rent for program space, equipment (medicine balls, bands, etc), and other start-up costs of the after-shcool programs.  Through donations and fundraising, the goal is to make the programs available for FREE to all girls aged 12 to 16.

All girls have the right to feel valued, confident and empowered!  I am hoping you can help me achieve this through Shaping Her EsteemJ.

Every year Work It Out Fitness Studios fundraises for a local charity.  It was a great success last year for "KidSport", and this year we hope to do the same for SHE.  The fundraiser will be SO MUCH FUN: 1 hour of muscle conditioning, followed by a break to socialize and snack, then 1 hour of ZUMBA!!  Robyn, founder and instructor, is very involved with the community - hosting fundraisers as well as running Corporate Wellness programs.  If you have or are looking to start a wellness program at your work, I strongly recommend Work It Out Fitness Studios, just contact Robyn at robyn@workitoutfitness.ca.

Thank you for following and for your amazing ideas/feedback with respect to the charity!  We are doing this together!

Laura