http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/05/how-to-be-a-man/

I’m not sure I agree with the second point (Put your relationships second). Point number 9 tends to say more about relationships that I agree with.

The question that the second point raises is: Am I using my relationship with my spouse/family to hold myself back from being the best I can be?

Another way to look at this question is similar to a question I would ask myself about whether or not I am behaving in an “addicitive” way. One of the questions that I would ask myself when I suspect I am being compulsive and obsessive is: Does this relationship interfere with my job?

When I make a comittment to go from A to B, what life events am I allowing to get in the way of that? Can I get my life together, find enough support, enroll my family members, my boss, my men’s team to support me in this effort?

When I hear a man say “My family comes first” it sounds noble and committed at first, but I get a niggly question in the back of my mind that asks: What is it about this man that he allows his family to suck the life out of him?

Ask and You Shall Receive Immediate Needs

* Clean Water; a drilled well and hand pump with yearly maintenance costs approximately $500 CAD – within the village of Nagwa a conservative 10 pumps are needed.
* The Cooperative Garden requires new technology. The money for a water saving sprinkling system and a solar powered water pump.

Health Needs List

This funding is the backbone of our charity. Monies are needed for;
* Food Sponsorship for the new programs being implemented at Ashray.
* Diagnostic Test Fund
* Hospital Stay Fund
* Surgeries Fund
* Referral fund for those needing to see a specialist.
* Cataracts Surgery fund (Cataracts are very common because of a preventable Vitamin A deficiency).
* Medical Supplies Fund (with any hospital or doctors visit in India, it is the patients responsibility to provide all the necessary equipment; solutions, medications, and even gloves!).
* Ten Water Purifiers – one for each of the schools that Ashray is affiliated with. Cost $500CAD each.
* Donation of or financial support for the purchase of a Foetal Cardio-Toco-Transducer for labouring women at the centre.
* A small portable Doppler (with digital display) for Foetal Heart detection/calculation.
* A digital scale for infants.
* An Oxygen Saturation monitor with probes for infants as well.
* A wheelchair for the centre.

Education Needs List

* Education materials, games, school books.
* Donations for the purchase of sewing machines for the training of young women.
* Our growing school children need uniforms and foot wear so they have the basics that other school children have (many have no other clothing and wear their Ashray uniform all day every day, wearing the clothing out quickly).
Other Needs
* Donations to create a Land Fund – we wish to expand the work of Ashray to include a women’s shelter, an Ashram to provide food & shelter for those in need.
* Conversion of the shaded plot in the cooperative garden into a sports field for the children of Nagwa and Samney Ghat.
* Donations for the purchase of cotton saris, women’s cotton underwear, woollen sweaters, and children’s cotton clothing.
* Monies for the employment of a properly qualified computer technician; for regular servicing and web-site updates of the happenings in the Centre.
* Construction of the paraplegic unit – a wheelchair accessible room to be built with parallel bars, weights, elevated toilet and other necessary equipment needed to assist the paraplegic and elderly that live in Nagwa.
* Donations for the Almond Milk program – for the purchase of almonds grown in India. Almonds are one of the richest sources of ‘bio-available’ Calcium known (Chlorella being another). We wish to prepare and make a glass of fortified Almond milk available for anyone who walks through our doors.
* Support of a Vitamin A food program helping to eradicate childhood cataracts related to Vitamin A deficiency.
* Financial support for the purchase of Chlorella, Spirulina, Arnica, & Essential oils for medical treatments.
* Sponsor the “Veg as Meds” program – Fruit & Vegetable Coupons issued to those visiting the clinic and seeking medical treatment for common ailments that can be alleviated with consumption of certain fruits or vegetables.
* Poultice support – financial support for the making Ayurvedic poultices out of Neem, Turmeric, Camphor, Mustard oil, etc.
* Diabetes Clinic Support of Glucometer strips – one of the costly things are the strips, which are single use only and cost over $1 CAD each and Type II diabetes affects 80% of those over 40.

The fund raiser will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at the Lula Longe, 1585 Dundas Street West.

Some features of this event:

Mike Bullard to be the MC
Larry Bethune and Steve Maric’s band, The Tybone Schlock Band, will be playing
Jazz singer Genevieve Marchesseau, and a variety circus act

To learn more about Ashray visit http://www.ashray.org/index.htm.

To learn more about the fundraiser event visit https://www.rsvpsites.com/members.php?uri=ashray.

Orest

All funds raised from the Ride for Sight go directly to the Foundation for Fighting Blindness whose primary role is funding research for key eye diseases.

Steve’s target this year is $5,000 and all the money he raises will go directly to the Foundation. Steve writes,

I am not a doctor so I cannot do the the research myself. What I can do is spread the word and give people the opportunity to help this wonderful cause….which fits directly to my life’s purpose.

Thanks in advance for all of your continued support Men. I know in my heart, what we do in Division as well as what we do for this causes like this, make a difference in the world.

Please spread this out to your teams, families and friends.

Once again, I am asking you to dig deep and donate what you can to the is wonderful cause. Breakthroughs in eye research are happening as we speak and this can only continue through our hard work, generosity and support that have been brought about through your efforts.

To sponsor Steve online, click on this link.

Orest

One of the great men in our organization is Steve Oliver. Read the two letters below to learn about how he is making a difference and how he is being recognized for it.

Orest

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Good morning friends,

As you are aware I have been quite involved with our local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association for about 12 years.

A long time family friend had asked me to help out with a little fundraising for them. Since then we bought a small apartment building in Bobcaygeon with 6 apartments(without any government funding) and we are getting ready to start construction of a new “affordable housing” 18 unit townhouse style apartment building in Lindsay. This is being done without any government funding with the possible exception that the municipality might waive development fees. Our programs have steadily grown and the number of individuals and families we assist grow every year. We have learned how to make every penny count.

Earlier this week, I received a special letter in the mail from CMHA, Ontario Division, and I wanted to share the news with those of you who have had a positive influence on me over the years. Thank you for your support and friendship. Please see the note below.

Sincerely,
Steve Oliver

>

Dear Board members, friends and staff,

I am excited to inform you that our own Steve Oliver will receive the CMHA Ontario Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, on June 6th, 2008 in Toronto.

Congratulations Steve…well deserved and we are proud of you. Everything that you have done has made a difference & has improved the quality of life for the people whom we serve.

Naresh James
Executive Director

This is our mascot Mury, for whom the event is named. Mury is the big black one on the right. The small purple figure on his left is TinkyWinky. It sucks to be TinkyWinky.

Starting a fire… something that men love to do.

Here is Mury’s cousin, Glenda the pig. You’re looking a little pale, Glenda.

After a day in the sun, Glenda is sporting a beautiful golden tan. She certainly looks good enough to eat. So we did.

Orest

The organization we are committed to:

• speaks to men’s emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical needs and well-being
• has a mission agreed to by all men, standards, and code of conduct that support it
• has a purpose bigger than all individual purposes
• is an organization way more public than we are now, with a solid marketting plan
• is a place where men want to be
• provides clarity around the organization and Legacy Weekend
• enrolls, inspires and trains great men
• understands what winning means for each man
• has standards, responsibilities, consequences
• is accepting of all men
• has a system of open and honest communication
• is a world-wide organization with its own building
• is dedicated to learning
• we are teachers and we learn by teaching
• has a clear purpose and a structure that supports the purpose
• sets tangible measurable goals for group to rally around
• its leader acts as a rudder that keeps the organization on track
• transfers men between teams

This tool will be here for us all to use 24/7 and will be a powerful resource for us to help eachother.  Send men to MDIontario.com and perhaps they will find a lesson of value that attracts them to a team meeting.

This is a community and a place to socialize for men.  It’s a place where the truth is spoken after all we are FRANK!