Rosie has just arrived in Taiji, Japan to kick off Operation Infinite Patience. When I had originally heard that Rosie was going to become the campaign leader, I thought it was a very good choice. We met last November in Taiji and after proving herself dedicated and capable, she received a surprise call from Paul Watson, inviting her to join in the Antarctic campaign. I have no doubt that Rosie will prove to be very successful this year in Taiji.
I am planning my trip to Taiji for early November. Recently Typhoon Tales swept through the area and caused some damage. Many people were killed with more missing and part of the train route to Taiji was destroyed by the storm. It is my hope that the missing citizens of Wakayama are found and well.
On to fundraising. In my previous post I told you how I was planning to fundraise full time for my upcoming endeavours. It has now been a little over a month and I have been doing bottle drives consistently, selling watermelon in the downtown core of my city "by donation" and this past weekend I held a Bake Sale for the Dolphins very similar to last year's. All of this has yielded much success! I was a little unsure at the beginning of all of this, hoping that my determination would steer me in the right direction, and has it ever! I have more work than I could have imagined. I spend my days educating the public about environmental and animal issues while dictating my own time, and raising money to follow my passions. My community has been extremely receptive and I owe my success in a large part to their contributions. I really cannot see myself ever working what one would call a "normal" job, as now I've had a taste of what passion and determination can bring forth.
Here are a few pictures of my recent fundraising initiatives.
I want to thank everyone who took part in the bake sale this past weekend. Your baked goods were enjoyed by all and raised money to help me continue spreading the word and prepare for Taiji and Antarctica.
Many of my friends and family originally scoffed at the idea of fundraising full time, believing that it could not bring in sufficient funds to afford food and shelter, along with all of the other expenses that come with volunteering for campaigns. Now, in a little over a month's time I have come to realize that anyone can succeed if they clearly determine their goals and persist until their dreams are reality.
For the Oceans,
Tarah
