Thursday, March 8, 2012

Strong Women in Action

Today is International Women's Day!

I am so very fortunate to know so many amazing and wonderful women and to have been able to intertwine myself into such an amazing network of supportive women.

Today, I want to focus on these amazing women.

This may sound very strange to some, but I am very grateful for having found the a4cwsn community.
(I know, some of you don't believe me at all about this, but it is what it is. I have always said that iPad or not, I am most grateful for the amazing friendships I gained and I still to this day stand behind that 100%. It was never just about an iPad, or just apps to me, and to many others.)

I was able to virtually meet some of the most inspirational women I've ever known in my life. Advocates in the true sense of the word.
They don't just advocate for their own family either. They advocate for mine, yours, anyone who crosses their paths that may require it.

These are women of action.

When a4cwsn asked for something to happen, they made it happen.  When the 50/50/50 fundraising began, a4cwsn had an idea to ask individual app developers to support the cause. It was asked that a4cwsn members go to their facebook pages and ask them to donate.

 
 
 
 
 


Many responded and happily donated to the cause.

 

Obviously, these are just a few examples. This also isn't the only work that these women did.  They also blogged, and another mom held a huge fundraiser at her daughters school.  It was dubbed the iCheer For Special Needs Kids event.

Linky-do for full article
 

The iCheer event raised 10k.
Lois Annette Smith donated 3 iPads for the 50/50/50 campaign (in total she donated $2,269.00, WOW!).

These are nothing but a small example of the work that these women have done for a4cwsn.
Not only did they help a4cwsn owner, Gary James, expand and grow the page.
They helped members on the facebook page. Finding them apps that would work with their children, supporting each other during difficult and stressful times. Giving ideas, encouragement and sometimes just a virtual shoulder to cry on.  Cheering and laughing with the good times. We became like a family.

These women should not be vilified. They should be applauded.
They had friends, family, therapists join this mission, they had developers jump on board to support this cause. They made a4cwsn what it was (and please, don't try to tell me it's the same or better now. You'll never know because you didn't have an opportunity to experience it! Its now just a shadow of what it once was.)

I am so proud and honoured to call these ladies my friends.  They have not only endurance that Superman would be jealous of but they also have dignity and class.  (That's not to say they do not have the ability to curse like sailors when need be). When they see something that does not make sense, they don't just sit back. They ask questions. They don't do something just because it's the popular or easy thing to do. They do not stand idly by and watch something bad happen while not saying a word. They speak out.  Despite the attempts at intimidation and the threats.

I love you ladies. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to me when I and many others were new at a4cwsn.  Thank you for being strong for myself and others during times when we could not. Thank you for finding the joy and happiness in life. Thank you for sharing and celebrating it not only with me but with all of those around you.

12 comments:

  1. Very beautifully written!

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  2. I am equally inspired by our mutual friends and YOU! I am proud and blessed to have this amazing group of warrior mothers as a support system. I will forever be indebted to all those that I now call my sisters. <3<3<3.

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  3. The women I have become close to because of A4 are amazing. They are like the sisters I never really had. Thank you all!

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  4. Lovely blog. I am proud to call these women and you my friends as well. They are the ones who will always have our backs no matter what

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  5. If it wasn't for A4 I wouldn't have met any of you!  I'm thankful for the friendship and support and just look at the abuse and lies as a means to an end!  Love you all!

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  6. You forgot to mention yourself as one of the strongest women, you have done so much to help everyone get a realistic picture of Gary James, I appreciate your strength and friendship everyday!

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  7. you ladies are all so beautiful and wonderful.  <3 I love all of you. <3

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  8. I am truly amazed at the strength, intelligence, compassion, and diligence of the women I have met. I am proud to call them all friends. Oour common goals of advocating for our children and clearing the path for the next mothers that will take the reins in the schools, community, and social networking sites is the tie that binds us. I consider myself very fortunate to be in such company.

    "A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.
    It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down
    remorselessly all that stands in its path."
    ~Agatha Christie

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  9. Beautiful post my friend...I too feel so grateful for the friendships I have made. These women are truly amazing and I am honoured to call them my friends. By them I mean you Mama Monkey. It has been truly horrible what we have all been through these past few  months but I would do it all again because I now have such a wonderful family of women to laugh and cry with <3 <3 <3 

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  10. What a great post! I'm so grateful to have such a wonderful group of ladies to share with, to get advice from, and laugh or cry with that I would never had met had it not been for A4cwsn.  It WAS a great community of people that truly shared information, life experiences, and resources.  I'm glad that we still have each other and a NEW & growing community to support parents of special needs children without all the hype.  I cherish each one of you!

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  11. You guys are all truly amazing!!! Amazing in what you helped create with A4CWSN, as that page would not be even HALF of what it is now with out all of your hard work and dedication!!
    And now, so proud that you all willing to once again step up to the plate to warn others and share what you learned by working so closely with that group. You are all willing to suffer the consequences in order to spare the next family the same fate.
    So glad I found you all through that black list on twitter. :-) 

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