Help Steph become an epic Nature educator! - Updates

So Much More Than A Fundraiser

9 September 2019

I’ve said it already but I’d really like to extend a big thank you again to everyone who helped and came to the Piha Winter Warm Up. You have all made my world so much richer and I feel much gratitude towards all of you. I knew it would be a beautiful night because of the people I knew were coming, but, unexpectedly, it turned into so much more than a good night of raising funds.

It felt more like a community celebration of something beautiful, and for me, some kind of right of passage into this journey. As I walk into this adventure, I feel so supported by you all. I feel stronger, more connected to my human community, and interestingly have more faith in myself.

We also recieved so much great feedback about the event, and it makes me really happy to know that I was able to be part of giving you guys a fun, meaningful, delicious and connective experience. It turned out to be a very successful night, with a full house and no spare seats! We raised $2,500 which will go towards me not being homeless – so thank you!!

This whole fund-raising experience has been full of suprises and unexpected gifts, including learning something of recieving, as well as new things about the world of giving. Everytime someone authentically gives, there is a hearty, rising force inside me that wants to give something back. The multiplying effect of true giving is something I have not been conciously aware of before. The monetary gifts provide a platform for this coming adventure to occur, but it is the act of being gifted to and supported that I find truely energising, and this is what will send your gifts on to become more, and more gifts again.

I can’t think of a more appropriate way to begin this experience of deepening into relationship with the wild world, human and non human alike. It is, after all, how we all began – with being given this miraculous gift of life, while at the same time being a gift to the world we come into. I am looking forward to going deeper into gratitude and this remembering that all of our lives are faciltated from the countless daily gifts from plants and animals, from air and sun and sea, from our fellow humans and beings that we cannot see. How full I feel when I remember! Thank you for being part of that!

Ahhh we have achieved so much, monetary and otherwise! I still have the second half of the tuition to raise with the next scheduled payment coming up on on the 15th of September. I would love your help! I have a few ideas for generating some more income but it will take a few months to get off the ground. So, I’ve set a goal to raise another $2500 ( two months worth) by my due date – it’s ambitious but I know with your help I can get there. There two primary ways you can support this mighty mission:

• Make a financial contribution

• Personally share this cause with your people (individually is best), and talk about why you think its a worthy cause

• Donate or sell a gift, perhaps something you’ve made that I can auction

• Let me know if you have any other ideas, I’m open to things happening in new and unexpected ways!

Oh and if anyone knows how to prepare harakeke I thought I could run a workshop here - but I need at least 400 strips of softened, boiled and dried flax. Let me know if that feels good! :-)