I’ve got those Labour Day Weekend Blues!

 I’ve got the Labour Day Weekend Blues!

For many of us, Labour Day weekend is the real end of summer as kids head back to school and holidays wind down.  From Gander to Galiano Island everyone is starting to think about that last loon call from the lake or the end of summer back yard barbeque.

 It’s time to put away your white pants and start pulling out sweaters for the cool evenings that lie ahead once September rolls around!  And speaking of rolling…..

 At Willow we are thinking about all those pennies (and other small change) that may be lost in the pockets of clothes soon to be put away until next year.  Please take a final look for spare change and find them:  roll them, wrap them and bring them to a Scotiabank near you so that they can join the other 6million pennies already donated to the Every Penny Counts campaign.

 We have had a great summer of rolling and wrapping.  We cannot believe how generous Canadians have been with their donations.  Ken McNeill in Winnipeg made the news when he took his collection of pennies to the local Scotiabank branch.  He also issued a challenge to all Canadians to help gather up their small change to make a big change for everyone living with breast cancer.  Judy Fowler (an Avon angel) from the Niagara region just hosted a penny rolling party and we have many other events planned for the coming months.

 So please, when you think about the summer coming to an end think about rolling into the autumn months with pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies and toonies! We can use them all and it will make the clothes you are storing away until next summer that much lighter.

Have a great long weekend, Canada!  And remember, every penny DOES count!

 Penny

Penny Lane

The heavy heat of August makes you want to sit on your porch with a cold glass of lemonade and think back on the long days of summer. Making this moment perfect is the soft droning of music in the background. Something smooth and classic, a song you know all the words to. A song that everyone at Willow knows the words to: Penny Lane.

And how appropriate this song is on a long August afternoon. One month into our Every Penny Counts campaign and two more to go until it wraps up in October. Penny Lane by The Beatles is the perfect song for reflection. So let’s reflect on the song of the campaign.

Penny Lane was written by Paul McCartney and released in 1967. The song still remains popular today and in 2000 was named 449 of 500 on The Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The title of the song is taken from a street near John Lennon’s house in Liverpool. It is said that McCartney and Lennon would meet up at the Penny Lane junction in the Mossley Hill area to catch a bus which would take them down to the centre of the city. The whole area that surrounds this particular junction was also commonly referred to as Penny Lane.

After the song immortalized the street, it is of little surprise that any street sign reading “Penny Lane” was a target of theft. More than a few street signs disappeared and had to be continuously replaced. At one point city officials simply gave up and started painting the street names on the sides of buildings. Eventually in 2007 street signs of the tangible kind reappeared, with some sturdier installation.

Before fame came to Penny Lane (the location) it wasn’t much to look at. Soon after the release and hit of the song, the area was slowly converted to look a bit trendier. A cafe replaced a public toilet and smartly called itself St. Pepper’s. Cafes, bars, bistros, and other trendy shops make the area a popular for local students.

Have you ever roamed the streets of Penny Lane? If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, do the next best thing. Turn the song on a bit louder than you normally would and sing while you roll some pennies for the Every Penny Counts campaign.

“Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
There beneath the blue suburban skies…”

Keep rolling those pennies friends!

A Penny Story!

We at Willow are really excited to share a quick story with you. It’s from an Avon District Sales Manager, Barb Duff. We think it’s really special.

——————————————————————————————-

Had awesome day! Just finished the first of my 3 day Pennies event. Not sure how much money we raised as I have not been home yet to count but just wanted to share a quick story with you…

A young boy (5 years old!) came to the table with his Mom and saw that I had pennies splashed all over the table so he asked if he could put some in the boxes. Of course I said YES! As he was putting them in the box he kept repeating “every penny counts” because he heard me saying it to his mum. On the table I also have pennies already rolled in their wrappers so people can see what we’re taking to the bank. His Mom said they were on their way to the bank right now (Scotiabank) so I asked him if he wanted to take a roll to the bank with him and deposit it. His eyes lit up so wide! A few minutes later he returned to my table with a receipt from the bank telling me he had put the money in. He was so excited!

I love this because even little people are getting involved and although he may not understand the ramifications right now he certainly understood that “every penny counts” when he went to the bank. So cute!

Regards, Barb Duff District Sales Manager Avon Canada Inc.

PS His Mom is one of my appointments on Friday and guess what I’m going to bring her son… Another roll of pennies to deposit into the bank!

Keep those pennies rolling!

Friday all ready!  Where did the week go?

We had dinner with friends on an outdoor patio this week and it reminded me how lovely summer in the city can be.  Diane met me carrying a large shopping bag … full of loose coins!  What a friend.  She had rolled most of them but had run out of time and wrappers so I was pleased to take over the job.  Today we took her contribution to the bank….all  11,700 pennies worth.  Thank you, Diane!

Just 1 month has passed since the launch of the Every Penny Counts campaign and to date we have raised over $42,000.  That is over 4,200,000 in pennies.  And all it took was YOU!  To those of you who have turned out your pockets:  emptied your purses:  hunted under cushions:  looked on the car floor … THANK YOU.

Please keep those pennies rolling.  We are counting on you so others can continue to count on us to provide the support they need, when they need it, during their journey with breast cancer.

Have a good weekend.  I hope it is sunny where you are and if for any reason it is not, then I hope it is raining pennies from heaven.

Penny

Pennies from Coast to Coast

The Power of Youth.

There is something very special about volunteers. It’s a combination of their passion, time commitment and willingness to help others that make them so valuable and loved.

Over the years, Willow has been fortunate to have some incredible volunteers join our team.  In this blog post we are taking the time to thank some volunteers who have recently joined us.

Colin, Elliott, and Matt are three young men who have been working hard on the Every Penny Counts Campaign. Throughout the month of July they have not only made every penny count but they have made every hour count too!

They have canvassed the surrounding area to spread the word about the campaign and Willow Breast Cancer Support Canada.  They reached out to local businesses and to their delight found that many were very responsive to the campaign. (How could you not be?)

The boys braved the Toronto heat wave in order to ensure that everyone they came in contact with learned about the Every Penny Counts campaign and made a contribution.  So today -   Colin, Elliott and Matt – we salute you over the World Wide Web!

Thank you for your dedication, your creativity, your passion, your spirit, and your great work to provide women and their families the support they need when living with breast cancer. Willow is very fortunate to have you as part of the Every Penny Counts and Willow Team.

Here’s to all the volunteers out there!  Because we can count on you, thousands of people can count on Willow in their time of need.

You DO make a difference! Thank you!

The Pennies Roll in Moncton

It may be raining in Moncton, New Brunswick  today but everyone will be in the pink at the Royal Canadian Legion on War Veterans Avenue where from 3:00 – 6:00 this afternoon local Avon representatives and volunteers will be rolling up small change to make a BIG change for Willow Breast Cancer Support Canada.

I have been to Moncton many times and just love the city and people who live there.  Home of the world-famous Tidal Bore; there is nothing boring about Moncton!

I remember going to the Magnetic Hill for the very first time and the thrill of experiencing the pull up as the car rode to the top!  Magnetic Hill began as just local folklore in the early 1800′s. Farmers living to the northwest of Moncton recounted wild stories of wagons running up on the heels of startled horses. Barrels and bales of dry goods were said to mysteriously roll “uphill”.  The hill moved from folklore to hard news in 1933, when three newspaper reporters spent an embarrassing morning stopping at the foot of every hill waiting for the magical magnetic forces to take over. Eight frustrating hours later, when the reporters were ready to give up, the phenomenon of Magnetic Hill was recorded as the reporters watched their 1931 Ford Roadster roll up the hill without them.

Imagine if we covered the Magnetic Hill in pennies! Now THAT would be a sight to delight every member of the Every Penny Counts campaign.

Good luck to Kelly Currie – Avon District Manager who has organized this event – and her wonderful team! We’re counting on you so others can count on Willow to be there when they need support and information to make living with breast cancer easier.

Thanks and keep rolling!

Penny