Dress for Success - Power Walk

I am honoured to be the face of the Power Walk for Success in Vancouver, Canada. This event happens in just over a week on May 7, 2011.

As a Paralympian, I typically get asked to speak to children in
schools, university students, sponsors or those attending gala dinners
or conferences, all of which I love doing and that are important to the
Paralympic movement, awareness and my personal beliefs.

I was thrilled when I was approached to be the face of the Power Walk
benefiting the Dress for Success Vancouver.  The fit is great!

Why? Where’s the fit?

I am proud of my accomplishments on the international stage as a swimmer

but I'm equally as proud about my interests outside of the pool: sport, recreation, active and healthy living promotion for all and challenging perceptions!

Dress for Success:

1.      Provides hope, encouragement, education and skills training to
         women who have been unemployed.

2.      There is no typical client. They range from 16 to 60 years in
         age. They are refugees, single moms, retirees who need to keep
         working; women with disabilities and women most would not think are
         struggling to find employment.

3.      Believes every woman who wants change should have the
         opportunity to do so – regardless of her circumstances, she deserves
         support and chances many others have.

4.      Collects professional clothing for their Clothing Service
         which levels the playing field for their clients. These women can show
         up to interviews and look and FEEL as good as anyone else.

5.      Their clients gain long term friendships, access to networking
         and increased confidence.

The 5km Power Walk:

1.      Raises awareness and funds for Dress for Success.

2.      Highlights the aspect of health and the importance of work-life balance.

If you can’t pitch in financially or participate in person, I’d love for you

to spread the word about the Power Walk for Success and Dress for Success.

If you have professional clothes you no longer wear, love or fit, donate them! Follow the links below. The clothes you donate will make a huge difference in someone’s confidence headed into an interview.

Dress for Success has locations (affiliates) around the world.  Click here to find an affiliate near you.  

To find a Suit Drive near you contact the affiliate near you.

I'm thrilled to be a part of the event and this organization. Dress for Success challenges society’s perspectives on who can/should/is able to work and helps women challenge self-perceived perspectives as well.

I'm off to meet the staff at Dress for Success next week and will follow that up with motivating everyone prior to the Power Walk on May 7^th!  Woot! Woot! Great event here we come!

Be well.

Elisabeth

Register or Join "Team Elisabeth" here: http://supportdfsvan.org/powerwalk.php

Read the Dress for Success Q&A regarding my involvement in the Power Walker here:http://www.dressforsuccess.org/userfiles/file/DFS%20Vancouver/Interview%20with%20Elisabeth%20Walker-Young.pdf

p.s. I'll be more timely with my next post. Promise!

Garlic

I love to cook and try new recipes. One thing I might love more than cooking itself, is garlic. I sometimes joke that I have a "problem" with how much I crave and enjoy garlic.

Here are a few interest facts about garlic (thanks to wikipedia):

• garlic cloves are used for consumption  both raw or cooker
• garlic is said to have medicinal value and uses  (fighting the common cold, combating bad cholesterol & high blood pressure)
• the juice of the bulb or clove is used to repair glass and china
• the reduction of the smell of garlic from ones breath and pores after consumption is best alleviated while consuming the garlic**. Drinking milk at the same time as ingestion proves to decrease the pungent smell.
• an irrational fear of garlic is alliumphobia

Last night I put that love of garlic to an ultimate test. Inspired by one of my favourite food blogs http://smittenkitchen.com I made an adapted version of 44 clove garlic soup for Ian and I. The house smelled delightful and the soup tasted great! It is definitely a keeper.

Today, Ian and I have been sending each other texts, checking in on each other's garlic infused selves and statuses. I knew that much garlic would likely make its way through our pores today. But we are most certainly a potent pair! To think I ran out of garlic cloves at 36! We noticed the garlic aroma today especially while exercising. I fear others in the gym and spin studio may have started craving cesar salad or fettuccine alfredo or garlic read as a result of their proximity to us.

I will make this soup again and maybe even for company. I'll just have to make sure, they are garlic lovers and not in line for a first date or job interview the next day.

Bonne Appetite. 

** that would have been helpful to know last night

to blog or not to blog

I guess this answers the question.

"e little bit" is one of the many nicknames I have adopted over the years. In future posts I may get to explaining how I got this nickname, for now it seems a fitting title for my blog.

I have many interests and goals and a diverse area of interests and passions. In other words, you’ll get a little bit or rather e little bit of this and e little bit of that. One day you may read about music or food, on another given day one might come across a posting related to diversity awareness or active living. Whatever the post is; I hope you take something away that resonates with you or challenges you.

Welcome. And here we go...

Family