Hi! Happy January 2023!
I am writing from living room floor in the house we rented in SW Florida for 90 days! I am enjoying the result of my husbands goal setting. He writes down his goals every year for decades. What’s most impressive is the fact he reaches them … every year.
I planned on a carefree 90 days. Days filled with all things health and GOD focused. Rest, refuel, get in shape, spend time with God.
NOT stressed out about some upcoming conference like last winter. I held two conference last winter and one in person conference last October. I was very clear that I did NOT want to continue on the way I was…. no staff…no money to hire independent contractors for help…and chasing money without really knowing HOW.
The money for the fall 2022 conference came through a friend I made in 2019. Regal and I were both nominated as 20 Outstanding Women in our community. As a grant writer she felt she could help me and offered to. Not only did she speak the words of offering but she did the rarest act…. she fell through and took action! She nominated me for a MVP grant with the New England Patriots and I was chosen and received $10,000. She also nominated me for a grant from the the Maine Marathon and was chosen for another$2500. Thanks to Regal I was able to meet a large portion of the $30,000 to fund the in person conference called UNDELETEABLE on technology…how to keep kids safe on and off line. It was a huge success but I was exhausted after the event.
I had a talk with God and said… Dude (I call God “dude” sometimes) Dude! I know you want me to be happy and Im not. I get that my situation is unique… I get that it has a lot to offer in protecting children and giving hope to victims… and I have proven my tenacity and willingness to serve… but I HATE chasing money and I need help from those how master where I am weak. I just do not want to continue on “this way”. Maybe you want me to join a team… or whatever… Im open.
So after the conference I put everything but social media posts by a friend, on pause.
Right before Christmas I was taking my Mom to Hannafords when I got a call from Senator Susan Collins office. I was listening to Halsey Frank speak to me but it wasn’t computing in my mind. Then on December 22 I got two letters of congratulations and …well… I still struggle to believe it… I was awarded a large amount of money to continue my work in child sexual about prevention. $300,000. There are organizations in Maine that have received over 2 million dollars in funding. Still, I can do a lot w $300K I am waiting for the documentation that gets signed from the President and tells me the rules for spending the money.
After Christmas, my husband Charlie and I drove down down to Florida and I began pursuing my due diligence re possible programs to get the best training… best trainers… how can I serve my community and have the greatest impact… how can I stretch these funds… can I engage funders to “match” what the federal government is giving? Lots of really informative conversations!
I also wrote out where I needed help and sent that description out to my peeps. There is a stay at home home that is more than
qualified…. $25 hr. Id like to have her 20 hrs a week.
Id like to spend the money in a few ways… after consulting with Victor Veith from the Zero Abuse Project… one of the greatest authorities in all this… he suggested this…
Two programs for schools… train the trainer type so its purpetual. There is also a “game” that is very popular and educational for kids. Each of these are several thousand dollars plus a yearly license fee of $500.
Currently in Maine, none of our Colleges has a CAST (child abuse studies) program. The federal government has funded zero abuse to teach it but someone needed to cover the cost of the teacher who would need to forgo pay while getting up too speed in the CAST program. Id like to cover that income. Im not sure what that cost is yet.
Engage the faith based organizations across our state in a 3 day conference like we did in 2019. It was a huge hit… every attendee reporting it was one of the best educational events they have ever experienced. That event cost $25,000.
As always, I won’t be taking anything for salary. Everything will go towards the education for prevention of child sexual abuse and empowering front line super heroes to also understand how to keep kids safe.
I wish I had a team for educations webinars and social media education… You tube is a huge opportunity to educate. I wish I had a epic event planner to do a yearly fund raiser that funded all I would like to do to keep kids safe. I wish the billionaires who love Maine would hear my idea for youth housing…a whole community project of love. I wish I had movie makers and the right connections to bring in movie stars and athletes to participate.
Child abuse and neglect is the largest contributor to the lions share of social ills that cost of state billions of dollars that could have gone to so many other places if we just could have prevented the abuse from happening in the first place.
So… now I wait. I check the mail box everyday. AND I go to the gym and pilates… I attend my spiritual group every Wednesday morning… I have my spiritual practice. I have my helper picked out and on board.
Im excited to experience all the good that will come out of this new year with funds and help! Whoop whoop!
You know I have well over 6000 followers on Stop Trafficking US FB page. If all of them gave 10 a month… WOW! But how do I motivate them to do it? I wonder what I would need to say or offer to get them to do that?
BTW The conference training from UNDELETABLE is not only on the State of Maine website, but it is all on the StopTraffickingUS.org under events. Amazing information for parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone who wants to understand more about online exploitation and how to keep kids safe on line.
Its going to be a great year! Thank you for being apart of team!
In service,
Catherine