If you’ve read Spinning on a Barstool you will be well aware of the homeless situation in the City of Chilliwack BC. Inspired and Funded by Daryl and investments made by Haney and myself we had our sights set on eradicating homelessness by working with our youth before they became homeless. This was the intention of the Foundation of Hope. As the Foundation was waiting for registration and funds to be released through Fintrac, I investigated and explored the deepest needs and what our City was doing to address them. Many programs were already in place funding was missing. Two places touched my heart, the Schools and The Cyrus Center. 

It was when we went and spoke with our schools that we comprehended the state some of their students were in. I won’t go into detail here, please read Spinning on a Barstool for a deeper perspective. Along the way, I found Cyrus Center and I saw what they were doing and I heard from others, some of the situations the youth have found themselves in and their needs. I won’t go into private details. There are many, many people in Chilliwack doing many great things. Reaching out to give a hand up to our youth who are hurt. Poverty and the problems within that are real, and they exist here.

When the Foundation of Hope didn’t turn out as planned, when Daryl didn’t turn out to be who he portrayed himself to be, the sorrow was magnificent. The hope, the funding, and the aid were gone, but the problem wasn’t.

After I brushed my off my ego and washed off the dried snot stuck to my face I started writing Spinning on a Barstool. Its intent was to protect the Canadian people from Daryl (and perhaps people like Daryl) but I had a bigger desire, to do what we were planning! To help our youth, and to bring attention to their needs. Homelessness is still an issue, If we work to aid youth to prevent them from becoming homeless then our future looks better. Why not try?

What can I do?

I’m a waitress in a pub, clearly not educated in matters such as these!

But the problem still exists and it natters against my soul.

The majority of the profits of Spinning on a Barstool have been designated to aid in the prevention of homelessness but it’s slow going. Profits happen after the expenses are paid. The expense to put the book out was quite substantial and we need to sell a large number of books before it turns a profit, this hasn’t happened yet. I have hope 😀 There is $100 in Hopes’ Project’s account, donated by a couple of ladies at the pub who have the same desire I do. In the meantime, the problem still exists.

Last November I had the idea to fill the Christmas stockings and the  ‘shoe closet’ of the school by donating all of my tips on Tuesdays through the month of November. The response was enormous! It was AMAZING! Elderly people brought in their extra loonies and toonies and people came specifically to hand me hundreds of their own money to give to the school on their behalf. One of our former servers Nikki, got wind of it and took her enthusiasm to her new place of employment CamTran and they got on board. I was so busy at work I couldn’t keep up…

 TO THE RESCUE … TINA!!!

“I’ll give up my day off Glenda! I’ll come and help you!”

Oh God, I needed it too!… together we tackled the rest of the Tuesdays and at the end of November our customers had donated over $3600! With another $2200 added from the generosity of Cam Tran’s employee’s

The school filled the shoe closet. Gym strip and running shoes and toiletries and food gift cards were purchased by the school with these funds to help any of their students in need throughout the year. And Christmas Stockings were filled! And Corky’s Customers did that! It was amazing!

Last week Tina said, “Are we doing it again Glenda?”

I said, “ are you volunteering, I can’t do it on my own?”

“Absolutely!”

Tina is again giving up her day off to come and do Tip Tuesdays at Corky’s.

I’m grateful and I’m humbled.

This year we decided to split the funds exactly between the school and Cyrus Center. The intention is to help our Chilliwack youth and both do a spectacular job!

With this all said,

Everyone is invited to come and visit Tina and myself, every Tuesday through the month of November from 11 am until 4 pm.

100 % of our tips will be donated and we are happy to do it!

Please come and have fun with us! Bring in your extra rolls of quarters and dimes, if you are a cheque kind of person we can direct who you can make cheques out to. If you are a Chilliwack Business looking for an area to give, then get on board we would LOVE to have you!

Let’s surpass last year!

And let’s have an amazing time doing this!

And

THANK YOU!

Please follow our progress here;

  https://www.facebook.com/corkys.chilliwack