Happy New Year Everyone!

Thanks for joining me on my FUN-filled 365 day “STAYCATION” in my beautiful city, Toronto!

Here is what I did on day 1#….January 1st 2010!

Two hundred people including myself  jumped into Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Beach in below freezing temperatures….hence the name “polar bear dip”.

Crazy you might think?  No!  Well maybe just a little bit…OK maybe a lot

It was for a good cause!   To raise awareness & money for the amazing charitable organization, HABITAT for HUMANITY.  They do a lot of great work…check out their site!

http://www.torontopolarbear.com/ ,   http://www.habitat.org/

I was able to raise over $1300 thanks to the generous donations of family, friends and even people I have never met via Facebook and Twitter!   Amazing!  There are so many kind and giving people in this city, and this is a perfect example.   One of the many reasons why I love Toronto! .

Right now I want to give all the people who sponsored me…. (100% of their sponsorship money goes towards building homes for families in need, in Toronto and around the world…and providing them with HOPE) the recognition they so deserve.  There names are on the right hand side of the page in the scrolling box.   I THANK everyone of them!   You all rock!!!    http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2430158

Because of their generosity I was surprisingly the top fundraiser out of over 200 participants yesterday, and I only started fundraising 5 days before the dip!   I was given a prize of a beautiful blue warm & cozy blanket and house robe (that I am wearing right now, on this blistering cold winter night…brrrr :-)) and a tool box full of tools and some gifts.  I have decided to use the tool box in the spring when I plan to volunteer, with a group of friends, to help build one of the Habitat homes in Toronto.

But listen to this….I came home after the dip and posted some pics from the day on Facebook, about the fun and  exhilarating day I had and even ‘more’ people so generously sponsored me, after the fact…about $200 more dollars!  What a surprise that was!  Awesomeness!

I had a few phone calls after the 6 o’clock news for City TV, CTV & Global, aired because my friends saw me doing the dip, in the Hawaiian tropical get up  I was wearing.  A hula skirt and flower leis necklaces!  Hey I had to trick my mind I was *really* in Maui, to build up the courage to do it LOL!

(Everyone who knows me, knows I am not a fan of the cold.  I am actually a big wimp in cold weather…on Friday I was at Dollerama and purchased 30 disposable hand and feet warmers to help me get through some of the cold winter days coming up)  But the Hawaiian outfit didn’t work.  Everyone  asked me what did it feel like jumping into freezing water.  Well…if you want to know…. stab your entire body with about 1000 needles and that will give you an idea…. then multiply that by 10!

But a great way to really wake yourself up.  Saved me $4 as I didn’t need to buy a coffee from Starbucks, to wake me up after that! 

I was numb all over for about an hour, and took me longer to even warm up and  *whispering* I am sniffling but I refuse to call it the “C” word (aka cold shhhh)!  Yes denial is not just a river in Egypt!  A bunch of vitamin C, a shot of Jamaican white rum-150 proof , and a little oil of oregano, or what I like to call “tastes like death in a bottle” , will do the trick and I will be as good as new by tomorrow!

So have I inspired you to do the Polar Bear Dip next year?  Cant you see how much fun it was?  Ok the visual of a thousand needles stabbing you was not too encouraging….I guess!   But if you are looking to give back in 2010 and not sure of a charity to support with either your time and money… keep Habitat in mind!    So see you at the beach next year?…I plan to be at the each next year…but in Cuba…but I will be there in spirit!  Only kidding…!

As Arnold Schwarzenegger says…. “I’ll be backkkkkkkkkkk!”  LOL  I met so many fun, nice people, we exchanged info and will definitely keep in touch!

 

P.S. Hey don’t change that dial…I will be right back in 1 sleep with what I did on DAY 2#….”How a Quick Stop for a Famous Peameal Bacon Sandwich (typical Canadiana food) Lead Me to the Most Fascinating Conversation with a 73 year old Musical Saxophone Legend from the Caribbean Living and Performing in Toronto”!

Please come back daily. You can “subscribe” for free, up there on the right hand side of my blog.

I will never send spam emails or share your info.  I am really just passionately in LOVE  love with my city and want to share all the wonderful things I experience on a daily basis.

I will share FUN daily updates and info… cool CONTESTS & PRIZES that I will be giving away on a regular basis.   Like my 1st contest…. a pair of those cool red Olympic mittens….  They will help you get into the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olypmics spirit and show support for our amazing Toronto athletes, competing in the games.  I have a pair and they are extra warm…I love them!

So subscribe now and look out for the contest details coming up next week!

Have a fun filled day!  See you tomorrow!