Hugs For Peace
"My cousin John started me off with Free Hugs - and I'll be forever grateful. He told me a story about a pilgrimage he did to the USA in the seventies, where he met a man called The HugMaster. The HugMaster just travelled around all over the place hugging people.
I lived in South Auckland at the time and knew that plenty of people not only needed hugs, but needed to know that they could be loved unconditionally by a stranger.
In time I have hugged thousands of people. I convinced a friend to join me and had to get a permit from the local council to do it. I am, technically speaking - a licensed Free Hugger."
"The top tip? Take a sign, or wear a Hugs for Peace or Free Hugs tee-shirt. It's just easier. Unless there is a really large crowd, 2 or 3 huggers are all you need.
1. Relax, breathe and don't do it if you're feeling grumpy because your hugs will suck.
2. You MUST let people have time to see you, weigh up the risk and decide that it works for them. You are helping them to walk through a comfort zone gap.
3. Honour comfort zones (don't walk along heckling them, that's not a Free Hug ) let them bring the zone to you.
You can quite often ‘sell' a hug to someone that is a little unsure with a great big smile, open arms and a "hey - it’s just non-alcoholic, calorie free goodness.” You can give a gentle second chance and say "are you sure?" to them if they smile and laugh when they say no.
4. A firm 'No', means no. Hugging anyone that doesn’t want a hug is counter productive and flips all your good energy over.
5. Hug the people who say YES. If they don't want a hug - they are not rejecting you - they are coming up against a wall of their own stuff. Your open heart may be the most threatening thing they have seen for days. But you might inspire them. And quite often people change their minds.
6. Some people will think you are nuts and go away growling. Let that roll off super fast - they are not your audience.
7. Some people will be a bit scared to hug you, but they will laugh and POW! the good vibes will have got them - just like that!
8. Be prepared for surprise huggers. Now and then people will jump into a hug. Some people will get out of their cars and run across the road to get to you for a hug. - Please DON'T go Hugging if you have a sore back."
http://www.debx.co.nz/hugs-for-peace.html
Pink Shirt Day - May 20th
"Pink Shirt Day is about working together to stop bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting positive social relationships. It’s about creating a community where all people feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or cultural background.
On Pink Shirt Day we ask New Zealanders to Speak up and Stand together to Stop bullying.
Celebrated annually around the globe, Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 when two students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new year 10 student was harassed and threatened for wearing pink. David and Travis bought dozens of pink shirts and distributed them to their male classmates to wear the next day. The word got out online and hundreds of students showed up in pink, some from head-to-toe, to stand together against bullying.
We’ve been celebrating Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand since 2009 and the campaign grows stronger and larger every year.
Pink Shirt Day is led by the Mental Health Foundation, with support from: The Peace Foundation, RainbowYOUTH, InsideOUT, New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association, Youthline and Family Works."
https://www.pinkshirtday.org.nz
Random Acts of Kindness Day - September 1st
Joined by a small team of four friends, we chose September 1st to be Random Acts of Kindness Day as it was easy to remember: the first of Spring. Then we set out to let the country know and to inspire kiwis to come up with some fun and crazy ways to surprise and delight others. For no reason at all.
To lift the “kindness temperature” in our country.
Over the last ten years people have been RAK’d with strangers buying them coffee, paying for their parking, neighbours arriving with gift hampers or introducing themselves with a bottle of wine, schools throwing events for their community and even huge giveaways like flights and cruises given to unsuspecting people.
RAK Day is a simple way for businesses and individuals to step outside of their comfort zone and to see for themselves that giving is even better than receiving."
Loud Shirt Day - September 23rd
Loud Shirt Day is the annual appeal of The Hearing House and the Southern Cochlear Implant Paediatric Programme, two charities dedicated to enabling deaf children with cochlear implant or hearing aids to listen and speak like their hearing peers. Neither charity charges deaf chldren or their families for their services.
The Hearing House is based in Auckland and provides services to families living north of Turangi, and the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme is based in Christchurch and provides services to families in the rest of the country. Loud Shirt Day donations go to the region in which they were raised."
Others
National Stress Awareness Day (November 4th) - Spreading awareness for how stress can effect employees
Red Nose Day (November 18th) - Using entertainment/comedy to raise funds for various different charities depending on the country
Hug/Heart A Ginga Day (May 27th) - Show your appreciation for the redheads in your life
Walk2Work Day (March 8th) - National day promoting walking
Red Ribbon Day (December 1st ) - Aids Foundation fundraising and awareness
Pink For A Day/Pink Ribbons (October) - NZ Breast Cancer Foundation fundraising and awareness
White Ribbon Day (Primarily November 25th but also throughout November) - Show support for the elimination of violence against women
Blue September/Blue Ribbons - Promote prostate cancer awareness and raise funds
World Mental Health Day (October 10th) - To educate and increase awareness about mental illnesses
Daffodil Day (25th August) - NZ Cancer Society fundraising and awareness
Random Acts Of Kindness Week (February 12-18th) https://www.randomactsofkindness.org - An international spin-off of New Zealand's Random Acts Of Kindness Day
Children's Day (March 6th) - A day to do something special for the children in your life
National (US) High Five Day (Third Thursday in April) http://www.nationalhighfiveproject.org -
The proceeds from the high-five gear (branded merchandise) purchases go to CoachArt; who provide arts and athletics to kids impacted by chronic illness.
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