Where to start…
We have all made a wish in our lives – fame – money – happiness.
What if that wish you made was the last wish that was ever granted in your life?
What if that wish you made was the last wish ever granted in your child’s life?
Meet Audrey Rooney.
Breadan Colemancame to see me and handed over $40.00 for Rope for Hope, Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario. Breadan gave me a hug and will be cheering me on June 6th. I love this man to the moon and back. My real life hero.
Audrey Rooney is a fixture to the farming community in Ottawa. Owner of Rooney Feeds on South Gower Drive Kemptville and in Iroquois – Audrey has been fundraising for Make a Wish for many many years.
To date – Audrey has raised in excess of $25,000 for this foundation!!
Meet Leigh Ann Hayward (that would be me).
Newbie to Kemptville – Newbie to farming.
I’d like to think that I am no longer a Newbie but I sure have a long way to go to be a farmer.
Meet Manon Sparling
I met Manon when I answered a post on a local farming board about a lost cat – looked an awful lot like a cat that had been frequenting our place. I messaged Manon – she came over – we beat through the bush looking for that cat to no avail. I got to meet her beautiful son. A friend was born.
Meet Tasha Vaive
I actually have not met Tasha yet – funny how you become friends with people you have not met and you feel like you have known them forever??
What is the connection??
I’ll get to it.
I opened my big fat mouth when I saw Rope for Hope in support of Make-a-Wish foundation (link below – give give give) and some how wound up on this team of all the above amazing ladies!!!
I like to use the word “voluntold”!!!
We formed our team – we started asking/begging/pleading for donations – a buck here – a buck there – a buck buck everywhere!!
That is kinda how we came up with out team name – I wanted us to be there 4 Bad @SS chicks from Rooney Feeds – but one must keep it PG you know – so buck buck buck?? get it!? HA!!! Chicks??
I digress.
The connection is quite simple – I like to call it 4 degrees from Rooney Feeds.
When we moved to this area – my feed store of choice was Rooney Feeds – Rooney’s has helped keep my herd happy and fat.
During this time I got to know Audrey more as the amazing person that she is – and when she “voluntold” me that I was participating in this worthy cause – how could I say no?
Manon followed a now Tasha -we are the Wish Chicks!!!
We are the Wish Chicks of Rooney Feeds and we have been fund raising our collective tail feathers off so we can attempt to fly off the Courtyard Marriot in Ottawa on June 6th.
The degrees?? – I know Audrey from buying feed – not sure how Manon knows Audrey – come to think of it – not sure how Tash knows Audrey BUT we have a common bond.
We all know and well love Audrey!!!
Audrey is a pillar in this little town – she provides a vital service to any and all forms of farming – she gives back – she is – she is – well Audrey.
I am proud- nay -I am honoured to be part of this team. One- I get to fund a seriously worthy cause – Two – I have made a new sister friend in Tash and three – I get to literally “hang out” with three amazing woman.
I am a little embarrassed to say that I hung up my “cause” clothes years ago. I petitioned for this – I fund raised for that and saw little return in the past.
This is different – most of you have children – grandchildren. What if one of those children was really really ill – would you not want to make a wish come true?
I have been incredibly fortunate in my life to have two very healthy children.
Some parents have not and if what we are doing can grant the wish of one child – then we have done our job. Sorry – wrong – there is so much more to be done to grant wishes.
The mission of Make-A-Wish is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. (source http://www.makeawish.ca).
In closing – I’d like to dedicate this post to Manon Sparling – she is a firecracker – Tasha Vaive – who can still do back hand springs and ladies – NOT to take away from either of you – to Audrey Rooney.
Thank you Audrey – for doing what you do for the community – for being there for the farmers – for making us all laugh – for being the incredible amazing person that you are – for you tireless fund raising efforts for this incredible cause.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for inviting me to be a Wish Chick!
Orange Acres 