updates!

Hello today was a good day because...

We finally got our many running tags! Now you see them clean and sitted in the carboot, by the end of this month ALL of them will be scribbled over with lovely messages and in the gaze of our disabled friends!

Big A3 posters on my floor that will be on walls of schools and other places soon!

**T shirt sizes (measured by the shoulder to shoulder length of t-shirts)

S- 45cm

M- 50cm

L- 55cm

the mile barrier.

So why a mile, exactly?

More than sounding right with smile, than making sure runners at least sweat to love, than rounding it off a perfect 4 rounds on a typical track.

So why a mile, exactly?

Prior to 1954, many things were impossible. It was impossible that dinosaurs still existed, that man could fly to the moon, that the mile could be run in 4 minutes. The mile barrier. It was impossible, they say. The human anatomy just wasnt shaped for it. Look out for the cheetah or something. We can't do it.

Then, on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister of England ran the first under 4 minute mile (3:59.4). Soon, several runners had broken the supposed 4 minute barrier.

Today, people break the mile 'barrier' like jamie oliver cracks an egg. Why the discrepancy? Many times, whether we can or cannot lies within a matter of mindset. Why believe something that many people believed in. Its the same here, we're trying to build a bridge of love between the disabled and the abled. There're obstacles of prejudices, of sympathy, and of condescension.

But nothing is really impossible if you set your mind to believe and your heart to love.

We're gonna break that mile a little come July.

-ericsoraus

Be a Fundraiser!

Have a Heart,

Raise your hands and do something!

WE WANT YOU

to be a volunteer for our project!

HOW?

Be a fundraiser selling our smile for a mile running tags to the public along the streets of Orchard, Bugis and Toa Payoh on:

29 July and 5 August

1130am - 3pm or 1pm - 5pm

Meeting Venue: YMCA - Dhoby Ghaut

Smile for a Mile shirts and goodie bags will be given to all volunteers :)

CIP hours will be endorsed

it pays to be kind, so what are you waiting for?

Sign up Online Now!

or email your particulars to teamsmileforamile@gmail.com or contact choonyee 96892573 :)

Have you Smiled yet?

How can i Help?

All ready to Smile YOUR Mile for our disabled friends? Yes, you can! Here are some ways in which you can show your support to this campaign:

1. Adopt a pair of running tags!
Unlike the usual number tags, these tags bear the heartfelt messages and encouragements penned down by YOU to THEM (:
Your tags will be collected and compounded into a large collage of running tags; symbolic of the collective effort to accept the disabled into our lives.

If you are:
- a student in our participating schools,

Approach your student leaders of this project to purchase your running tags. Next, gather all your buddies and get ready to sweat it out! Run your mile to show your support to this worthy cause!
Your words of encouragement would mean a lot because you walked your talk.

It is a collaboration: You do the mile, watching you… they smile : )

(Note: Students leaders are encouraged to carry out this project in any creative ways they wish, therefore fundraising methods may vary according to each school)

- a member of the public

Don’t fret if you aren’t able to participate in our run. You can contribute generously by adopting a pair of running tags at just $5. Just Smile and approach any of our friendly volunteers stationed at various parts of the island to purchase your running tags.

Dates of street sales: 29 July and 5 August (Sundays)
Venue: Along the streets stretching from Orchard Road to Bugis to City hall, Toa Payoh

A group of C.O.R.E runners have committed to match the funds raised according with the miles they will be running, meaning, running on behalf of our public donors on the days of our street sales!

The running tag you have adopted will still be in action. Your message still completing a mile and bringing a smile.

No wonder they say, “We can lend you more than a hand” (a pair of feet here!)

2. Volunteer your help in making Smile for a Mile a success!
We believe that everyone have a unique role to play in this campaign. Therefore, we invite you to be part of our 'Fundraisers' team!

'Smile for a Mile' shirts and goodie bags will be given to all volunteers :)
CIP hours will be endorsed.

Please refer to Be a Fundraiser! for more details.

Our Beneficiary

DISABLED PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (DPA), is a non-profit, self-funded Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) and a member of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).

With members who come from cross disabilities background, DPA helps to improve their living standards and contribute to the better of the nation. Acknowledging that the people with disabilities inevitably faces many challenges on a day to day, DPA aims to be the voice for them, helping them achieve full participation and equal status in the society through independent living.
DPA is a one-stop organisation focusing on creating awareness through providing public education and advocating disability issues.

They can only organise fund-raising projects in their own capacity and has to depend solely on the generosity of the general public.
In order to fund their public education services and ad-hoc training activities, DPA is in need of $25,000 monthly.

This large amount of money is necessary for the following services: public education material, in-house Independent Living Centre (ILC) - an informative and useful guide with its in-house display of assistive devices, database of assistive devices, IT training courses. At the same time, DPA is also looking to make available a job placement service to open up gainful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
All these services will help to empower DPA’s members with the skills and knowledge to achieve independent living.

All funds raised will therefore support a range of programmes and training courses operated by DPA to help the disabled integrate into the society as normally as possible and to heighten the awareness of the limitations of the disabled in society.

About

Smile for a Mile is a social project to raise funds for the Disabled People's Association (DPA), primarily to support a range of courses and training to help the disabled integrate into the society as normally as possible.
This event is also part of the Citibank-YMCA Youth for Causes as well as the President’s Challenge.

This extensive project consists of two main fundraising components, aimed at soliciting funds from both school students and the general public.

:) The schools:
For the month of July, youths would be at the forefront of the project, whereby a massive base of voluntary student runners from participating secondary schools and junior colleges would run a mile - that would amount to many miles! With the help of student leaders from the respective schools, running tags will be sold to these students during curriculum hours. This is a chance for compassionate youths to put their energies to good use!

:) The public:
For two Sundays (29 July and 5 August 2007), members of the public can adopt a running tag and thus a mile during our street sales. Public donors are encouraged to adopt a pair of tags at a nominal fee of $5 and subsequently, the total no. of miles accumulated through the total sales will matched by a tag-for-mile collaboration as closely as possible (up to an max of the targetted 2000km). Written on these tags would be personalised messages of encouragement and support to the disabled friends in our society.

It is said that action speaks louder than words, though also true that it is the thought that matters most. Hence, this project would be a great success with the generosity of the donors and the dexterity of our CORE runners together! What is more important is being able to contribute happily within our own means :)

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