PENTICTON'S FINEST

Have you ever been to Penticton?

As a summer or winter destination spot, this is the place to be! From your choice of skiing at Apex mountain or having your choice of two lakes Skaha or Okanagan lake, one at each end of town maybe 10 minutes from each other. Even if you don’t want to drive, blow up your inner tube and float the canal from lake to lake. The restaurants to ice cream shops and the many free concerts that take place all summer long you really can’t go wrong. One thing that is a must see and do is to stop in at Loco Landing. This is a place that starting with the owners Dustin and Diana and filtering all the way down to each and every one of their staff that no matter whom you are you are treated with respect and kindness. I had the honor of meeting Dustin and Diana, each one took the time to speak with me and wanted to know more about Santa and what he does and why he does it. I will admit at one point I got a wee bit emotional when discussing my wife’s journey right now and some of the plights that my son has to endure on a daily basis over his almost 9 years. These two people are teaching the young people of Penticton that there is a way to work hard while still having fun, each one of the staff that we had come in contact with were nothing but respectful and courteous, I made sure that Dustin and Diana knew my feelings on that, they already knew that of course they too had nothing but praise for each staff member and their dedication to making the best possible experience for each person that walks through the mist arches and into the park. People like Alesha who some of you may remember I tweeted about last year when she took time from her duties to help my son find the perfect way to use the monkey swing with only being able to use one arm. She actually remembered me from our last visit when the Santa Drop Doll came into conversation. This year not only were Madison and Alesha a big help but also a young lady Myra who when mini Santa was stuck high up on the Sky Trek she took the time to go up and walk him through his fear and by the end he was walking the rope bridges like a champ. Bumper boats, go Karts, mini golf does not matter how old you are it’s a great time and a great over all experience. I hope that I can talk more and learn from Dustin and Diana, as a man who is kind of struggling to find his way right now I would find them to be a big inspiration and great role models for anyone who is running a family business. These people get it, they are in the trenches setting the example and working just as hard as their staff to make work rewarding. The City of Penticton should be proud of what these people are doing for the youth in the town , giving kids a chance to shine in their community , be proud of the job they are doing while learning a valuable life skill, Hard work.  I say the words above because I admire a commitment to community, these people have it. Support this small family business the next time you are in Penticton or send them an email thanking them for employing the youth in the community each and every summer and letting them shine. I can’t wait to go back and neither can the Santa family. Thank you Loco Landing JOB VERY WELL DONE. http://www.locolanding.com/

Time flies

Is it just me or is time flying? Middle of August already?
This has a been an extremely busy month or so for the Santa house , I am proud to say that we have purchased our new house and are very excited to be moving in at the end of this month. Our house is a wee bit of chaos at the moment but exciting none the less. Also, the start of FVsecretsanta.com has been a welcome addition to the busy schedule, I cannot convey into words just how excited I am with this site as I know with time and effort it will become a great tool for people to use and connect on, for spreading good will and equality all around the world. I hope that you tell your friends and help Santa build this site to amazing heights.

This month has also seen the start of the “Personalized Growth Chart” fundraiser. Word is starting to get out and we have sold a few boards so far, the pictures really do not do the charts justice. I am optimistic that once a few sell the word of mouth will get out and sales will take off and we can raise money for charities. If you do have interest in the Growth Charts just let Santa know and I will get your info , I can ship the boards anywhere that UPS goes, understandably it will cost a bit more, the extra cost for memories is Priceless.

Personalized Growth Charts

The next bit of exciting news to come through the Santa house is that the latest Santa present drop was made in Langley. Santa was sitting at the Starbucks at Fraser crossing having a cool drink on a hot day. I was able to notice there was a small child with her mom and her Grandma sitting at the table next to me, it must have been fate as I overheard the child, I came to learn her name was Adeline talking about her push bike and going for a ride. I just knew that the shiny new bike that was in my car with the cobalt blue paint job and pink accents had her name on it. I spoke with Grandma and explained who I was and what Fraser Valley Secret Santa does to promote kindness and good will in the communities that surround my home. It was kind of cool because they said they had actually heard of me on the news before. So it was set Adeline was going home with a new bike. At first she was a bit overwhelmed but when I made my exit she looked me in the eyes and said “Thank you so much for my new bike, I like it”. All that I asked in return was maybe one day if the situation affords it “Pay it Forward and be kind to someone you don’t even know”. I Love making Santa Present Drops !

Santa present drop

To date we have made present drops to all kinds of places
England – Australia-Germany-USA and of course my home Canada.
The last item of business is the Santa letter campaign, once again this year I will be doing ELetters to people and their children, all you have to do is send me an email on FVsecretsanta.com and I will try and respond as quickly as my chubby little fingers will let me. I am not charging for the Eletters but I would hope that each person that receives a letter would hit the donate button on the site for $1.00 (or however you feel like giving) all letters will generate funds for the local Christmas bureau, Let’s try and fill the food bank at Christmas. $1.00 donated to a food bank can purchase $3.00 worth of food .If you don’t have the ability to donate do not worry your child will still receive a Letter from Santa, it’s just a suggestion it’s not a requirement.
Please help Santa with his efforts to help Charities at home and in your communities.
Santa and Family.

Started with an Idea

I have had an idea for some time and now, today is the day that dream becomes reality.

Starting 7 years or so ago I just wanted to make 1 person smile because I had seen enough tears through my son’s eyes, people can be cruel to those who are different. Long before the TV news stories, twitter, or having articles published in print and on blogs I was just a guy who wanted to help those who need help , change people’s perspective on disability and find respect and equality for all, that has not changed.

  Today I want to introduce  everyone to www.fvsecretsanta.com .With the utmost gratitude I have to express a huge thank you to  Utahsites for donating time and resources towards my goal of charity awareness , in particular Damon Burton for his patience with me and the development of the site . Damon was able to take the vision that I had and make it real. , I had always wanted to have a place where people could go and find out what’s happening in their community because most times you hear of an event close to or after the fact by then it’s too late to really make an impact. Where persons with a disability could display their talents and post items they have made for sale. I have seen people take advantage of the disabled and low-ball offer them on fantastic soap stone carvings to paintings and handmade crafts, plus much more, this stops now. People that have items to sell or want to try and sell can now post and display their items FREE, they set the price they get the money if the items sell. There will also be room for ANYONE to post items for sale that agree to donate a part of the proceeds to a Charity of the month. On the site you will have the option to donate now, this will help in a Number of ways, site operation, food and warm clothes and also donations to animal shelters, all you have to do is specify upon checkout where you would like the money to go. There have also been places specified on the site to have sponsorship's for add space once again another way to generate funds for a charity.

On the site you will also be able to keep up to date on the latest Santa Space Blog, The next big Santa fund raising event and every one of the Random Santa Drops that will take place not only in my community but all around the world. I have been exploring the possibility of a number of different FVsecretsanta items that can be purchased on the site; all will have a Charity component. There is room on the site for contacting Santa directly , feel free to say hi , send me your event or simply see if there is a way we can work together and make the world a better place.

I will continually work to update the site and keep it fresh and new, with your help this could be an AMAZING opportunity for all of us to create smiles all around the world.

I have to thank my wife and Children for the understanding and patience they have in me. My wife is an amazing woman that I honestly do not know where I would be without her. Not only does Mrs. Santa have the strength to work 2 jobs, chase 3 children, find time help the local animal shelters when she can but she has to put up with me too. I love her so much and have nothing but respect and gratitude.  FVsecretSanta is important to me as it allows me to show not only my children but my community and the world compassion for others and the ability to know we can make a difference in this world through hard work, determination and never giving up on what you believe is the right thing to do.

I hope you enjoy the site and check in often, “Kindness is Contagious, Pass it on”

Twitter = @fvsecretsanta

Facebook =  FVsecretsanta

Instagram = Fvsecretsanta

Santa Space = http://fvsecretsanta.blogspot.ca/

Exciting times

It’s been some time since I posted to “Santa’s Space” for those of you who read on a regular basis I apologize. Over the past few weeks some exciting new events have come across the table for Fraser Valley Secret Santa, I will get to them all as this ramble goes on.

Coming soon care of www.Utahsites.com, FVSecretSanta will be launching a new interactive website that will allow for the post and promotion of non profit charity events around the world and in communities in your area. My idea for the site was to give a voice for not just one charity but for all charities that need to be heard in their community. I am also hoping to get the sale board up and running on the site that would allow persons with a disability to post items they have made for sale, charities that have items for sale or individuals that are selling items that have a charitable contribution associated with the sale to anyone who may be interested. And I must add that unlike other sites FV Secret Santa will not be charging a fee for items sold – 100% of the money goes to the disabled person or charity selling the items. There will be space available for sale on the site once more funds generated from the site will be recycled back into community. Cool huh, I am very excited about this new project and I hope that all of you would help promo the site, you would be helping Charities all over the world.

The next item that I am SOOOOO excited about is the “Personalized Growth Charts” that I have been making for people, when a friend of mine said hey you should make these for everyone I thought, WHY NOT! Made from either Cherry wood or Black Walnut they are simply stunning. No more leaving marks on a wall or on a door frame and not being able to take the memories with you when you move. These boards look as good as the hardwood floor in your home. I have had people use the boards in their office, rec rooms and dens; I have even had grandmas use them in their home to mark each occasion when the grandkids come over. Whenever I sell one of these boards I am happy to say that a percentage of each growth chart sold will be donated to a local charity. If you are interested or know someone who may love one of these just send me an email or Direct message on Twitter and I will make sure that they are made and shipped to you wherever you may be (shipping charges obviously) I have also opened a paypal account to make it easier to get your growth charts made faster. The cost is $90.00 but the memories are priceless.

I wanted to mention a fantastic fundraiser that will be happening in Vancouver on September 18 at the fan club. Awesome Music and tons of fun and interactive events happening that night in the attempt to raise money for CanuckPlace children’s charity and for 60 minute kids club, tickets for the event are $25.00. if you need any information just give a quick shoutout to @malcomchrysta1 on twitter or email malcom@exercise-is-therapy.ca . I hope that you will all find some way to support this fantastic cause.

The last and final part of my rambling is in regards to the “Disabled Persons BBQ” that is happening on August 22, if you have been following FVSS for some time you know that each year in the summer the NPO that I work for has a HUGE BBQ for all of our disabled clients to attend and to have fun. Over the past 3 years I have been able to secure donations of hats, shirts, CD’s sporting tickets and various other female/ male hygiene items to give away to each and every person. I don’t see the point in having a raffle type draw and having just a select few feel like winners at this event and that is why I make sure that each and every one of the 113 clients that show up leave the BBQ feeling like winners because they are. For people who make $95.00 per month as a living allowance, anything they receive they are grateful for and cherish for a long time. So far this year I have only been able to secure 6 donations for this event, I have yet to fail in the 3 years I have been doing this so I am asking for help from all of #TeamSanta and your friends, if you know of any company that has a promotional budget and may be able to spare a donation or two please let me know. With just over 3 weeks to go I know it will be tough but we CAN do it.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I hope that you will take just a few more seconds to share with all that you know through email or Facebook and especially with the great people of Twitter. Just because you may not know of someone who may have a donation I am sure that someone on your follow list does.

Be kind to everyone, Fraser Valley Secret Santa @MalcolmChrysta1 @CanuckPlace @MalcolmChrysta1 @CanuckPlace @MalcolmChrysta1 @CanuckPlace

Summer BBQ 2014

Where has a whole year gone ?

It's that time already As most of you may or may not know every year the NPO that I work for plans a SUMMER BBQ for our mental health and physically disabled clients in the Vancouver and Fraser Valley area. I started a few years back trying to make sure that everyone who attends leaves with a little something instead of just a few who may get lucky with a door prize, the first year was not so great with prizes so I turned to TeamSanta for help. The generosity shown by local businesses and individuals was amazing as for the last 2 years we have been able to make sure each and every one of these special people was able to leave the BBQ feeling like a winner! Incase you were not aware most of these people receive a living allowance of $95.00 per month , can you even imagine trying to buy something as simple as a new hat or shirt and still have money for bus passes , hygiene supplies or the odd lunch at a restaurant , I can't. This is one of the main reasons why once a year I have asked for simple donations of items that most of us take for granted everyday. During last years BBQ through the amazing donation from the Vancouver Canadians Baseball club , we were able to send 6 people to see their very first professional sporting event. For these individuals it was like a dream come true. The great Country artist Bobby Wills was kind enough to send multiple signed CD's for the clients . My friends the BC Lions donated 4 tickets to a game , I have to tell you the look on the clients faces and the fact that a few players signed a team photo was priceless and a memory that they will never forget. I wish I could name everyone who donated items to the cause last year but here are a few @sunrisetoyota
@vancanadians
@angelasenger2
@Bobbywillsmusic
@janetolgive
Roush performance
@Timhortons

We have 113 people attending this year and once again I hope to send these amazing people home with a little something new to call their own.if you can help or know anyone that can help please forward this Blog Post and spread the word, Team Santa is about creating smiles and positive memories for those who have a hard time doing either! The items that I look for are below
Hats
Shirts
Gift cards
Sporting tickets
Female items
Hygiene items
Trinkets
Key chains
Or anything that you can think of.the BBQ is on August 22 this year so 2 months should give us plenty of time to make something special happen. Thanks for reading and sharing this POST with everyone you know. Send me a DM if you would like to help.
Fraser Valley Secret Santa

Salute

Warning some may find this controversial , you may not agree with Santa but the opinion is my own and in this great world we all have the right to have our own views

"GUNS" just saying the word can set off a wide range of sub topics , discussions and fierce debates! Some believe that guns should be regulated , some believe in the freedom to own carry and use guns in anyway they choose! Me I am not sure what I think could be the solution to stop the massive epidemic that is Gun violence around the world , what I do know is the mental state of some people who carry guns is outright the scariest thing that I can see. The guns are not what kills people it's the people using them that does. Playing devils advocate if the guns were not made then people couldn't use them , kind of like the chicken and the egg analogy. Every day across the world brave men and women choose to get up and spend their days and nights trying to make our world a safer place police men and women , firefighters , military personnel and lose their lives doing so. To those men and women in uniform I salute you and let you know that I thank you and my family thanks you. Not only do men and women in a service role lose their lives but innocent bystanders , children mothers fathers aunts and uncles. In the profession that I am in I incur inherent risks every day working with the mentally ill. On a daily basis I see just what a broken mind can do to a thought process and how it affects a persons actions. We as a people must work together to gain a stronger understanding of mental illness and band together to find ways to repair the fractured mind. Much of the world has a me first attitude and lives in a superficial state of mind, socially isolating people due to look , the way someone dresses , religion , color of skin and we wonder why their is so much hate and depression. If you look at a magazine , what do you see ? The perfect body , perfect hair , perfect clothes simply perfect in an imperfect world. We glorify the impossible and isolate the ones that we feel are inferior. Just because someone is different does not mean that they don't Have feelings and long for a sense of belonging. Since the dawn of time humans have been pack animals and stuck together and worked as a Family for protection and survival. Now is the time we should all get back to being a family , include everyone and stop killing each other , take back our streets help who needs help , give something as simple as a smile to a stranger , it may be the difference in them having a bad day and doing something they regret or having a fantastic day just knowing that someone out there does care. To all that have fallen and given their lives in the pursuit that I could live mine, I love you and your families for the ultimate sacrifice you have made for freedom.

So much going on

So much has happened since my last post where do I start ?
Let's start with some personal changes! RAfter a trip to the Great Wolf lodge I started to feel ill and was very lethargic ( More than usual )  after testing and blood work I had a diagnosis of Type2 diabetes and a blood sugar that was WAY out of wack . Wouldn't say I was shocked , more confused. I don't  eat a ton of sugar based foods , I am reasonably active and have the body of a Greek God , not sure what God it is , but find one that has a big tummy and red hair :) that would be me. After some digging and talking to Granny Santa it appears that diabetes runs in our family and my Dr says I had a pre-disposition to get it and I could not have stopped it. For me yah I was not happy but the silver lining is that now the issues I was having with tiredness headaches and so on makes sense.i have made lots of life changes and am proud to say that I am now only 27lbs from meeting my own personal weight goal. Great support from my family and friends helps so much.  In lighter news
I  had a friend of mine ask me to go in a local Golf tourney, this got me thinking , a #FVSecretSantaGolfShootout could really make a difference in our community! All money raised from this tournament and auction would go to a local charity . I put the idea out there on Twitter to see who may be interested in hosting such an event and a fantastic course called "Redwoods Golf Club" in Langley stepped up and said that they would be honoured to host should I be able to pull it all together! I have played there many times , I love it .  I am currently researching into just exactly what it takes to make this a reality. I would hope that TeamSanta will help me to promote and make this event highly successful and hopefully a yearly event that can grow! I will work as hard as I can to raise sponsorship , celebrity players  and awareness for the idea of helping those in need. Having a golf tournament is a great way to meet new friends who have a big heart and will walk with you to make a difference in our communities. If you have any sponsor ideas or would be interested in playing or donating let me know , all is appreciated. Be kind to everyone you meet, you just never know who may be your next best friend.

The War Amps

Hello everyone,
I know it's been awhile since my last post and I could give you a million reasons but they would only be excuses😊.I am adjusting to my former position but once again the company I work for has mislead me and have tweeked my position.I was however approached by a competitor a couple weeks back to jump ship and go to work with them, I am still thinking about it but I am at a crossroads , I am not getting any younger , I have built up seniority and honestly I love the job I do. I am loyal to a fault sometimes and maybe that isn't the wisest decision, to work I believe that you and almost everyone is just a number , in my case and what I do I know that my clients think differently. For example a young man MS who I have written about In a previous post , he and I had to have the conversation on Friday that I have been transferred from his case again due to finding cuts, he cried and kept repeating " Not again" I feel horrible when I have to deliver news such as that because not only have we worked so long to build up a great rapport and trust he thinks of me as kind of a saviour and a voice of reason.Funding for people with a disability is so egregious and so inconsistent. My choice to move is unclear but I am leaning towards staying where I am , better to dance with the devil you know rather than the one you don't!
This past couple of weeks I have posted many tweets that relate to @thewaramps I can honestly not explain the scope of help and confidence they have instilled in my son! I am not sure that people know, all the funding that @thewaramps receives is through private donation and Keytags , no government funding is used or given. Not only do the War Amps help the children of the CHAMP program but war vets who have lost limbs or anyone who needs help due to accidents or mishaps. There were a few people from TeamSanta that made donations and for that I am greatful.i hope that people order some key tags and there is no minimum donation. If each member of team Santa was to donate just $1.00 that would make $12,500, we could buy prosthetics for as many as 4-5 people. Thank you for reading and I hope that each day is sunny and you are kind to all that you meet. @FVsecretsanta and family

Do you see Disability or Ability

I wanted to point out that I am so happy to be back working with one of my former clients , I will give you a little background on him! MS is a 29yr male who has cerebral palsy, this young man and I have been together for almost 5 years minus the 6 months this past year when I went to another position. MS is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met in my life , when you meet him you instantly fall in love with his charisma charm and his amazing outlook on life. Not once has he ever asked for help with a battle that he could do on his own, with clear and precise articulation he will debate his case and show that his disability is clearly cosmetic. During my time off of his case MS came to my home, socialized with my friends and even attended social outings with just the guys. MS is not only my client he is my friend. In my line of work you should not pick favorites or become too emotionally attached to clients but how can you not when they are as amazing as him. My family loves him my kids love him and hell I swear my father in law has a bromance going on with MS. The unfortunate part for MS is that for 5 years we have been looking to find him a job because all he wants is to feel like he is productive citizen and that he contributes in a positive way back to his community, no one will hire him because all they see is his disability and not his ability . I wanted to post word for word of a letter that he wrote to the producer and host of the radio show "The Current" it is as follows :
"Dear

My name is MS , I am a 29 year old resident of Surrey BC and a long time fan of your show. I recently was listening to an episode of the "Current" and the subject was a documentary regarding the anti Gay movement in Russia. While listening I could not help but realize that I was taken back to the thought of the national socialist party circa Nazi Germany WW2 . The sudden and frightening realization has given me pause for thought, the tactics used in Russia today are a stark reminder of the atrocities that were used against the Jewish population at the start of the War.the only primary difference is that instead of using a religious background as a social fall guy as you will , the Russians are choosing to use a state of being as their target. I would also like to share my thoughts in a statement made in the documentary ( indirect quote ) " good people can do terrible things " in a case such as this evil is evil let us not mince words here. While it is true that good people can do terrible things , I am sure a man with your background can attest , there is no denying that these vigilante groups that are given autonomy by there  government could be considered a declaration of war against the subculture of the international community ! In closing it is my belief , as the international community we need to stand up for the rights of every individual regardless of race , religion or sexual preference or face the real possibility of a world wide revolt and a repeat performance of the horrible and heinous acts of our past."

This man has so many great thoughts and ideas in his head and it's a shame that no one will take him seriously in life and give him the chance to feel whole. The writing may be rough in areas but I hope you can see the brilliance in this man and the next time you meet someone with a disability you may stop and want to know more about their ABILITY. Be kind

Santa To 10k

As I inch closer to my goal of #SantaTo10k I find myself wondering , how far do I go ? My whole idea for growing @FVSecretSanta is to be able to spread more awareness of social issues , be an inspiration to more people and  promote the donation of time -money or word of mouth for numerous charities here in Vancouver and around the world. I had someone ask me the other day how much have you raised for Charity ? Honestly I can not answer that question, there has been so many different causes that I have been a part of and to be frank I don't keep track and I don't want too ! If you start counting the pennies you lose track of the dollars and lose sight of why you are fund raising in the first place, helping people. I would love to one day hit 100k in followers and be able to know that I am reaching a large audience and making an impact. When I do leave this world ( not anytime soon I hope ) I don't want to be remembered for the material things I have , but for the heart in my body and for the values I have instilled in my children hoping they will carry on the KINDNESS TO OTHERS mission I find myself on. I want to thank everyone who has stood behind @fvsecretsanta and helped to build #TeamSanta to the point we are at now. It's never been about me or what I can gain from this whole thing , it's about you and what we can do together to help others in this world that have been dealt a hand that is hard to play. Thank you Vancouver , Canada , the World and especially every single person who believes in #TeamSanta. It's about People helping people. Much Love

Valentines Day

Ahhh another holiday upon us , the corporate world telling us that the only way possible to show someone that you love them is by showering them with lavish gifts , cards from the store and way too over priced flowers that are sold on every corner. Did I buy a card? . YES did I buy flowers? Of course but I bet you if I would have written on the chalkboard in the kitchen "I LoveYou" it would have just as much impact. Just like at Christmas it's not the cost , not what you buy ,it about the expression of feelings towards the ones who mean the most to you. I still remember the day that I knew I had met the woman of my dreams, feeling down due to the ending of a relationship and hating women and the world , a friend dragged me to the bar to get out from the house. Minding my own business, drinking rye and ginger like it was Gatorade, I started shaking my head at a girl walking by that was wearing those "Chewbacca" fuzzy hairy boots ( They really were horrible boots). I guess  the head shake did not go un-noticed because I was approached by another woman who was smiling and laughing at my reaction to the boots. When I saw her I could not take my eyes off of her amazing smile, you know when you see in movies that everything slows down and almost seems in slow motion? That's how it felt, that's how it still feels almost 8 years later. I know sappy stuff huh , it's not quite "The Notebook" and it's definitely not "Baywatch" slow but you get the idea. Mrs Santa has given me 3 beautiful children and I am positive they got their beautiful looks from her. I honestly couldn't have  imagined the life I have now 8 years ago but I can imagine life without Mrs Santa and my 3 amazing children. Sure we have struggled through adversity , family issues , financial issues the sickness of our family members and children and even death but one thing we haven't done is give up on each other and the love we have. What I hope for all of you reading this or not is to someday find that one person or have already found that one person that is a key piece to your hearts puzzle. Happy Valentines Day everyone

Pride of a nation

The Olympics have begun and are off to a fantastic start. I know that many people find the Olympics to be an over priced  political event but once you see past all the government bureaucracy , you can almost feel the electricity that it brings and the unification of a country. Every 4 years no matter what country you live in you will find those people that are enemies standing side by side cheering for one common goal , the pride of a nation. Yes in some cases there are professionals that play in the games but the Olympics are about best on best not paycheck for paycheck. There have been many stories that have come out of Russia regarding the homophobic ideations of the Russian leader and the senseless slaughter of innocent animals for being homeless. These stories are an outrage and make me sick to think about ! I am so proud of our gay and lesbian athletes from around the world that had the courage to not back down and to attend the games with pride and to represent not only their country but also themselves. One heartwarming story I heard about was during a Biathlon race ; a Russian skier broke one of their ski's on the way to the finish line , a Canadian skier stopped gave the Russian skier one of their skis so that the person could finish the race to boisterous cheers  in front of the home crowd. That to me symbolizes what the games are all about , passion , compassion , fair play and the show of unity. Sure we all hope for the most gold medals so we can pump up our chest and say for that moment we are the best but I am sure if you would ask people at the end of the day , would you rather have all the medals and be known as a nation that does not care about anything but winning and is seen as arrogant or would you take no medals and be known as a nation that played their hearts out for the crest on the front of the uniform and not just the name on the back. Regardless of the medal count , to me , every person that puts on a Canadian uniform is an Olympics champion to me.I hope that you feel the same from which ever country you represent. To all the moms,dads and coaches this is a time to be proud you have prepared your champions well.

Unconditional love

Many believe that life gives you only as much as you can handle. Life must think we can handle a lot.
I am sure that some of you who do follow Santa's tweets were aware that  about a week ago Mrs Santa had what we thought was an Asthma attack, it was very scary watching my wife battle for air and not be able to help her in a moment when she needed me.sitting there helpless I can't even make her laugh ( it's just what I always do to try and lighten a situation) wanting to see that beautiful smile. Mrs Santa is not only the mother to my 3 children but my soul mate and I was truly worried for her at that moment. I tried not to let it show ,she needed me.
Fortunately the attack passed and we were sent home , unfortunately Mrs Santa has a diagnosis of of another kind other than Asthma , I will not get into the dynamics of what she has at this point but I will say we are thankful that it's nothing terminal or threatening to her life.
There were many tears and hugs from all of us, if we didn't know we loved each other before we sure do now . Mrs Santa keeps saying " Thank you for being so supportive" I just let her know that no matter what she may be dealing with , we deal with as a family and there would be nothing that she could be dealing with that would make me love her any less . Love should always be unconditional there should not be any parameters or guidelines.
Same should be said about our love for helping other people, there are so many people out there that are hurting and in need of someone to love them or at least show that someone in this world cares.
I wanted to mention that I was able to attend a conference this week that dealt with a subject that I feel is so important " Violence against women" I am sure that each and everyone who reads this knows of or has heard of a woman
Who has been a victim of violence of abuse. This cycle has to stop , we can no longer turn a blind eye. When you see or hear of abuse #DontBeABystander report it , call the police be a friend . There is a few people that I would like to thank for there efforts in taking a stand for ending violence. The @bclions @j_tonto27 @angusreid64 #JamieTaras @TravisLulay @GM_Brillo as you know the lions are an outstanding organization that have helped Santa in the past with donations for events for some of my disabled clients as well they made a dream come true for 2 clients who are wheel chair bound to come and see a game Live  that they had only experienced on TV. Mr Lulay even made time to sign the  @timhortons gift cards I had  to give to the homeless in our community so they could get shot meal. Another great example of Unconditional love . Please everyone who reads this thank all of the people listed above plus anyone else that has the courage to #DontBeABystander
http://www.endingviolence.org

Owning up to your mistakes

 I know its been awhile and here is an explanation why.

 Over the past few months I have to be honest, Santa has been on an emotionally draining roller coaster. For obvious reasons I can’t get into the details due to Privacy issues with a client. What I can tell you is that I am now back in my former position , my former office and getting to work with the same  wonderful people I had met over the last 5 years doing case management.

To say that I am happy to be back is a HUGE Understatement for me to make! I took the other position to better myself and better my family with a raise in salary; Money isn’t everything! Each day I would start off trying to present a positive attitude and optimistic outlook on the day ahead, by the end of the day I have smoked 2 packs of cigarettes and I was about to explode like a volcano. I did not like who I was becoming. Stress was a major part of my mood swings and I realize that stress is a part of life, unfortunately I was the one who added the stress on my own when I could have prevented; just not taking the job in the first place. I have wrestled with that fact since the first 2 weeks in the former position, I knew it wasn’t working.

Due to my stubbornness and  crazy  inner  voice that does not let me give up on anything , I stayed hoping that things would change and maybe get better; I was wrong it only got worse – ALLOT worse. Being saddled with a manager who I know did not want me in the position was difficult but  I am just like everyone else in this world and I need a paycheck to pay my bills. Unfortunately, I am now stuck in the middle of a very high profile case that could have been avoided if someone had done their job in the first place. Placing me and a few of my co-workers in a position that could have been potentially dangerous and career ending is absolutely unacceptable. This person not only did not do their due diligence, they have now tried to throw all of us under the bus to try and save their own skin. Fortunately the investigation portion appears to be over and through thorough examination, my name is clear of wrong doing (As it should be anyways). The next phase is to  DE-stress and come to the realization that I did the best I could in the situation I was put into. I feel good with the job I did while I was there and I KNOW I left my clients in better shape than when I arrived.

The moral of this rambling is that, I own the fact that maybe even though I had the best of intentions; I made a mistake in accepting a position knowing  it was going to fail. After the dust settled I have my old position back, I am doing what I love to do and working once again or people that I know respect and value my work.

To my former manager as a leader and someone that each and every person who works for you looks to in times of confusion or crisis you have lost the confidence of all your staff and also  throughout the organization. If you do lose your job I empathize with you because I know what it’s like to be unemployed but at this point I know you would not have shed a tear for me if you had gotten away with having 2 of your staff losing their jobs while yours was safe.

As Santa I have too, and believe in teaching forgiveness and compassion for others when they need a hand, eventually I will forgive you for the nightmare that I have been through for the past 3 months but what I can’t do is forgive what you put our client through in an attempt to make yourself look better. A person in this world no matter what age they are has the right to feel secure, be nurtured and know that when they go to sleep at night they are in an environment that allows them to explore their dreams knowing they are safe. You didn’t do that and I am ashamed (even if it was unknowingly) that you made me become a part of that.       

If you are man or woman enough to make a mistake everyone does , be man or woman enough to OWN YOUR MISTAKE.  

Merry Christmas everyone

As Christmas draws close and the final few hours are ticking off the clock I have to be honest I have been contemplating retiring as Fraser Valley Secret Santa after this holiday season for various reasons. Not knowing what impact I have had and needing to concentrate on my career that is in a spiral keep me guessing ! Then I think about the people that are or have been part of my life and the smiles they have created and I want to do more.its a tough choice to make, you all have made me feel incredible for what we have accomplished. One reason to stay,  I keep being flooded with emotion , thoughts of those who are here and those who are no longer here with us in body but in spirit. At this time of year I seem to always be thinking of my grandparents who were some of the best people I ever had the pleasure of meeting. I am grateful for all the life lessons they have instilled in me on how to be a decent person and how to be a man. I remember getting so excited at Christmas as a boy when I saw my grandparents arrive , how my grandpa could see through the window I will never know, remember the Griswalds and their Christmas tree ? Well that was my grandma but with presents! They would often make the journey from Vancouver island to spend the holidays with us in our home. Hope you don't mind but I wanted to tell you about one Christmas when I was young that I will never forget! Times were hard and my mom was sick, and for Christmas all this little man wanted was a blue 10 speed bike. I dreamed of this bike but I knew there was no money to get one. On Christmas morning I woke up and of course no bike , I opened my presents and the last one my grandpa have me was a model.it was a model of a blue bike! Though dissapointed I thanked my grandpa and gave him a kiss and told him maybe next year! My grandpa said to me that day " that's the right attitude and I am so proud of you" my grandpa asked me about 10 minutes later if I would help him get the Turkey from the porch so mom could get it ready for dinner! We walked out on the porch and there with a big red bow was a Blue 10 speed bike with the shiniest wire wheels you have ever seen . ( I am not afraid to admit that I have a tear in my eye as I am writing this ) I rode that bike everyday I washed it , polished it and appreciated that bike like no ones business. Take the time and try and recall your most Favorite memory and hold on to it. I miss my grandparents but their memory will always be present as long as I live! Enjoy the time you get to spend with your family this holiday season, create your own memories, you never know it could be one that lasts for a lifetime.
From the entire Santa family to yours I wish you the Merriest of Christmas's and a very prosperous New Year

Feeling it

I know I am not the only one that this happens too and that this has been happening everywhere , just have to open the newspaper and there is more stories to read but I can't seem to find the answer we are all looking for "WHY"? Three days removed from the big decoration heist and to be honest as I told a follower of #TeamSanta , I am not angry anymore I just honestly feel like by stealing more decorations they have taken more than just material things from all of us.as late as last Saturday as I told my neighbour over a beer in my front yard at 8 at  night in the dark " I need to get this finished it looks to good but I know I can do more" each night I would put my lights on and walk around the yard to see how things could be better , making sure all lights are working then neighbours would come out and chat we would laugh and talk about our day  , that was Tuesday .today all the talk is how people don't want us to move , tears from some of the best people you could ever hope to meet in your life!  I have to be honest I am not a good mover I get lots of anxiety , I know that staying in this house is an option but maybe moving is a necessity , we have had so many things happen in this Cul de Sac and it's starting to get better but when is enough enough ? We have had SWAT teams in our bedroom due to a hostage taking in the Crack house next door , all our kids witnessed a man being beaten with a bat down the alley! Believe it or not we can not even put flower planters out because they go missing ! Don't get me wrong the area I live in is new construction unfortunately it's mixed in with about 5 houses that are still old school and owned by a known Felon and his son who is a crack an other kinds of drug dealer , those few houses have brought down the whole block . I know I got off topic  but explaining a bit about why I am not feeling the Spirit may give insight into my statement that " they didn't just take material things when the stole my displays"
I have to say the offers of support are somewhat overwhelming , I still have faith in humanity  and I thank each and everyone of you.  a few isolated incidents against us should not warrant losing the over all christmas spirit but the point I guess that I am trying to make is this
At what point in this life did it get to the point that your own yard can not be a safe place for you or your kids
Christmas isn't even sacred anymore ! All of us 7 families have been affected by someone's urge to grab a few lights and decorations from my lawn. You have influenced our lives and changed our course for the future! I truly hope the feeling comes back soon because I love Christmas and love being Santa but right now I am trying so damn hard unfortunately  I just don't feel it .

Careful What You Wish For

Hello everyone:

Well this has been a world wind kind of week for me, back at my new OLD job but this time in Vancouver, supposed to be on a temporary basis and I sure hope that is the case! I have wished for a long time for this position, Be careful what you wish for huh. In all seriousness I absolutely love my job and what I do but I am struggling with the fact that this new position is not in the same office as before and I have just added a minimum hour to my commute each day plus the unfortunate cost of the toll bridge and the extra gas consumed. The tolls and gas I can deal with, eats up my raise but it’s the time away from my wife and family that has me conflicted. An hour a day may not seem so long but I find that my children are growing up so fast, and with a hectic schedule of kids and work Mrs Santa and I don’t get lots of time together as it is. They have told me that this is a temporary move and that I will be out from the city and back in the burbs in no time. Lesson in patience for Santa.

With only 41 days remaining until the big day I know that most of you are starting to make holiday preparations, shop for gifts and organizes festive parties, we are too. I would hope that the people reading this have a safe and happy upcoming holiday season. PLEASE do not drink and drive.

As for an update on the Santa Block Party, well unfortunately I could not pull it all together in time for the event, I was not able to secure the necessary lights and decorations could not be made in time. I will say that I will be working on the block party for next year and hope that maybe a sponsor or two may join in as it was just too expensive to do on my own for this year. What I have done instead is started to make and design light blocks in an attempt to make my personal goal of $500 for Variety Club Children’s Charity. I have sold a few so far and Mrs. Santa will be going to a Craft fair on Nov 23 and has a booth so she will be taking some of them to try and sell also along with her crafts that she makes.  Mrs. Santa is one of the most talented people I know between making custom cloth diapers, quilts, stuffed animals and so much more, on top of that she works and keeps our crazy lives organized in the home. I don’t think I give her enough credit for what she does. Hope everyone had a chance to see the one light block that I have made in support of Breast Cancer research, that block will be going up on a bidding site in the coming days and will start at $60.00 and hopefully go up from there. If it’s bought by someone in Vancouver or the Fraser valley I will deliver it personally and thank you for helping to find a cure. If anyone is looking for a personalized block or for any occasion not just for Christmas let me know they start at $40.00 + shipping and partial proceeds will be going to Variety Club Children’s Charity. I hope that you all have a FANTASTIC week and be kind to everyone you meet.

Your Friend SANTA

@fvsecretsanta

updates on the Street Party

Another week is in the books for 2013. Halloween decorations are up and look great with the few new additions that Mrs Santa was able to add to her collection of ghouls.
 One of the best additions we have made is the installation of a security camera ( unfortunately it's not real just battery operated )to hopefully be a deterrent to those who like to steal our decorations . It's a sad reality that in this day and age you have to protect the very things you have worked so hard to acquire from those who have no respect for what hard work is. The truth is if people would come up to the door and knock , The Santa family would probably give them something to eat or help in anyway they could so that the people don't have to steal. As you may have seen in tweets over the last few weeks decorations are being cut painted and prepared for the holiday season. I worry if they will make it but if I let that get in my head and think "oh no someone is going to steal my stuff again" I would be letting the few criminals ruin what is a special time of year for my family , my friends and the charities I try and promote. I am still hoping to have the Santa street party , my concern is that there will not be enough decorations up to attract people to want to come see and donate though bake sales and Tree sales. I will be sitting down with my neighbours in the next week or so to figure out our game plan, with 60+ days to go it may be tough! I am still on the hunt for display items and MORE lights , Santa does not give up and will try my best to make it happen.
As most of you know I recently lost my position in mental health and have been working as a youth development worker . I am happy to announce that though my work in youth development is important and I have been able to help and connect with troubled youth , I have been offered my old position back managing case loads and I gladly accepted. I love the job that I did in mental health and look forward to returning to a fresh case load and once again being able to make a direct impact in the lives of persons with mental health and disability issues.
I will keep this week short and sweet and hope that everyone has a magical week upcoming. Take care #TeamSanta and we will talk again soon . @FVsecretsanta

What's on my mind

As the season’s change and the nights get longer I am starting to realize just exactly how close we are to the Christmas season and how far behind I am. I would love to say that I am prepared for the Santa block party and that all decorations have been made and painted , all the lights have been found but unfortunately I cant .
I have Tried many times in vain to have a local company or even the city of langley allow us to borrow some of the tremendous amounts of surplus decorations they have to allow for an even better reason for people to show up and donate to our Christmas fund raiser. What i can tell you that is confirmed, well we have 20-30 Christmas trees that will be available for sale on the block @ a min donation of 20-25$, fresh homemade Christmas baking will be available for purchase, hot chocolate, and possibly popcorn should we be able to find a popcorn cart. As I stated before we are looking to raise a min of $500.00 for variety but will be happy with any amount raised to be honest.
I would like to say thank you to so many people that have been making the attempt to grow the #TEAMSANTA over the last couple of months. I would like to clarify to others the reasons why there is a #SantaFollowTrain. I as many of you have tried countless times to have people interact and become vocal and passionate about what you or I do. The idea of the #SantaArmy was to show the world and everyone within ear shot that people will stand together while continuing to grow towards the importance of ending homelessness, poverty and the mistreatment of persons with mental illness or those affected by physical disabilities in our communities. Unfortunately when I was making a pitch to promote a charity, event or a plea for help I was encountering very little response so that’s where the #SantaFollowTrain comes into play. Grow the numbers, become noticed by more people, and be able to help so many more. There is great power in numbers and just because you may not know of a solution or where to donate or who may have access to programs in a community, someone on your timeline just very well may. To those that have exited the Santa TL, I am sorry that you are gone but all that does is open up a spot for others who really believe in change and want to help be the change this world needs.
The last item I wanted to touch on was the whole "Cost of Christmas" mentality that I have been encountering more and more over the last few weeks as the holiday season approaches. Christmas only costs what you want to spend, there are so many free and interactive events that take place in you community each holiday season. No one told you that you had to buy a PS4 for your 6-year-old, no one said that you must buy a gift for every person that you have ever met. Live within your means and try and get the people surrounding you to see that its #NotTheCost that makes the holiday season remarkable, it’s who you are with that does. As time goes by {maybe I am just getting older} I find that there is more and more emphasis and effort on how much you can spend, than what is put into the thought and consideration the present itself. Lets get back to simple Christmas traditions like enjoying our families, enjoying our friends and most of all enjoying the life we live because it’s the only one we will ever have. The only thing that needs to be considered in a monetary way is the memories you will create, they are PRICELESS.
@FVSecretSanta