Movie/Charity Night

Hey gals! It is about that time! Let's go see a movie!

Julie and Julia will hit theaters soon. Once it gets closer, I'll post the official time of our showing. I do know this. We will go to the show that's most close to 7 p.m. and it will be at Edwards. Have you heard about the movie yet? Click here to see what it is all about!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjvJHsJD8ic


The movie is about finding joy in what you do. Part of what we're doing for August's meeting is sharing our bounty with others.

In addition to your movie ticket (which you will buy at the door) I'm asking everybody who can to donate some pocket change (hopefully the kind that folds) and we will make a donation to a charity. This idea was inspired by a group I found out about that does this every month. Their mission is simple. They have a lot. They would like to give. Individually, they can't do a lot, but together, they can truly make a difference in people's lives.


The charity I've chosen is All About Care. I'm an active volunteer with the organization, operated by my dear friend Cynthia Karraker. She is passionate about her nonprofit group and gives it 150 percent of her time, energy and gifts.


Let me tell you a bit about Cynthia. Her husband Randy was Fresno's first AIDS case. He contracted the disease well before Fresno knew what it was. He was faced with intense prejudice, apathy and fear by the doctors and caretakers he came in contact with. People were scared because they didn't know what the disease was or what to do with this man who had these strange symptoms. He was isolated, with most medical professionals simply refusing to treat him. Throughout it all, Cynthia was at his side. She was just as confused as the rest, but her heart told her to stand by her husband's side. She fought for him when he couldn't fight for himself. In the end, she lost her husband to AIDS, but developed a life-long mission to fight for better treatment and support programs for families who are infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

All About Care provides practical, emotional, spiritual, and charitable support to people with terminal illness, especially those with HIV/AIDS. Because of donations, All About Care is able to offer food, nutritional support and support groups for Women with HIV/AIDS, their children, siblings and parents. Additionally, All About Care offers individual counseling, bereavement counseling, phone support, and crisis counseling.

Once a year, All About Care also operates Camp Care, a four-day camp for All About Care families. For these four days, these families can be around others that know and understand what they're going through. They never have to worry about a snide remark or a prejudice. They can simply be kids, families and moms and dads at camp. It is truly a joy to see what freedom comes from that.

My most recent project with All About Care is something I'm so excited about. For the past year, I have been meeting monthly with a dozen women, two children and several health workers, coaching them on writing. They are working on writing their stories, or as we like to call them, dispair-to-hope stories. They have a disease, but it does not define them. They are hopeful to be living now in the age where living with AIDS is possible. Surviving it is possible and thriving despite it is absolutely possible. It is an exciting project. When the stories are complete, we will be publishing a book that will be sold in bookstores throughout the Fresno area and hopefully beyond.

Join me in letting Good Things support Camp Care. I'm hopeful our financial support can help send a kid to camp!

Please RSVP to the blog, so we know to save you a seat. Like I said earlier, before I got on my soap box, everybody will buy their own movie tickets at the door and I will post the exact time the week of Good Things.