Movember And Other Fundraising

All the things we do, all the actions we take, it is the accumulation of these that shapes and defines us in the minds of others.

Throughout the year, you may be approached by people to contribute to some kind of fundraiser, be it through your time or your wallet. You need to be aware that like a decision whether or not to get involved and participate, like any other decision you make, can and does have consequences with respect to how you are perceived. So whether it’s someone in your neighbourhood knocking on you door, or a co-worker sitting next to your cubicle, or maybe the person standing next to you on the assembly line, they are constantly forming an opinion of you based in part on what causes you support or choose not to.

This it should be stated, does not mean that if you throw around a lot of money you will be thought of highly, and if you give nothing all the time you will automatically be negatively thought of; but you and I would both do well to realize it does have an impact on how we are judged and perceived by our neighbours or co-workers.

So to take the cause of Movember for example. For the first time ever, I decided that I’d participate when I was asked by a colleague to help form a team. Now I knew that Movember was about growing a mustache, but had you asked me for what purpose, I’d not have been as readily able to tell you why prior to getting the associated information. So for starters, I benefitted from the experience just learning more myself.

Once I realized that raising funds was a big part of my responsibility and encouraging other men to get tested for prostate and testicular cancer, I suddenly realized I’d best get going. I shared my online link at http://ca.movember.com/mospace/ As part of my fundraising, I spoke directly with colleagues at work, I sent out emails to my colleagues who work at different locations for the same employer, and I told my global colleagues via LinkedIn and Facebook what I was up to. Family, friends and neighbours all soon knew I was involved with the Movember fundraising.

Of those I asked for money, some said yes immediately, some said no, and some said nothing whatsoever. Now personally, I wish everyone had said they would contribute, visited my Movember website and made a contribution or just given me cash on the spot. However, I appreciate that we’re all different, and we support different causes, or we support the same causes but direct our fundraising to those we know best. And we can’t support every single person that knocks on our door or sends us an email.

I myself have declined to support others in my own office who in the past have come to me with outstretched hand asking for money. Sometimes it’s the cause that doesn’t motivate me, sometimes it’s the timing, and sometimes I’m just not in the mood. When it’s an online request, I’m more cautious about supporting someone I don’t know, and the possibility of a scam.

However, even when I say no to someone, I do get more information about what cause they are motivated to support. My ‘branding’ of that person, or how I perceive them, takes in a nugget of information and adds to the accumulated other bits of information I know about them which collectively forms my opinion of them. Everything from how they talk, listen, act, don’t act, use manners, foul language, have a sense of humour, do their assigned work well or just put in a mediocre effort; it all goes together and in this case, with the causes they support and back. Put it all together, and like I say, you and I form opinions about each other.

It is all these things that help reveal our character. I want to acknowledge publicly how much I appreciate the support I personally have received. I’ve had donations from my daughter and her husband, my three sisters, my mom, many of my colleagues at work, a friend of my daughters I’ve known for years, and even two colleagues from my LinkedIn network whom I’ve never met in person.

Over the years, I’ve raised funds for my daughter’s school trips and projects, donated to kids selling apples, health-related fundraisers, Terry Fox marathons, etc. I’ve also turned down more than I’ve said yes to. Some folks fund in secret their causes, not wanting the accolades and the publicity. Some contribute for the tax receipt, others decline this and contribute for the cause alone. Some drop money in Christmas boxes on the street where Salvation Army fundraisers stand, and others donate to their religious orders.

There’s a lot of money changing hands out there. It says a great deal about our charity; our willingness to give and help others. There are many others far more generous than I with their coin and their time. And it may depend on our financial status as to whether we give or not. There are many factors at play.

I had hoped to raise $1000 which I now concede was ambitious having never done it before. I’m sitting at $630 and it’s now November 27 so I will undoubtedly fall short. No matter, that’s my disappointment. On the other hand, as of October 31, 2013, my tally was exactly $Zero.
Thank you one and all nonetheless for contributing or at the least having read this to its end.
Cheers