Ep 186 Step Up for Team Celiac

A Conversation with Julie and Megan from the Canadian Celiac Association.

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

As the pandemic has progressed, organizations have become more creative in adapting their annual events to still continue, but in a different format.  That is certainly the case with the Scotiabank Run being held in Toronto.  The CCA is heading up Team Celiac and inviting anyone across the country to Step Up for Team Celiac and participate in whatever way they can – choose a suitable distance, walk and run, challenge yourself with more than one distance, or run during the in-person event in Toronto.  Other cities host Scotiabank Runs and some of our celiac groups are very involved in the events in their own locations, but if you can’t participate locally, or the Toronto run is your local run, head to the CCA website to sign up to Step Up for Team Celiac.  Julie and I also discussed the upcoming virtual CCA conference, which has a different format this year.  The first day is for the yet to be, or recently, diagnosed with the second day being for the those of us who have been diagnosed more than a couple of years.  The CCA is also asking for our help in formulating their proposal for labelling of some foods, including supplements that do not currently fall under the labelling regulations for food.  More information on these initiatives can be found on the CCA website – www.celiac.ca

You can learn more about many of the topics we discussed on the social media platforms for the CCA and the Events page of the website at –

www.celiac.ca/news-events/events/

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Celiac Kid Stuff – https://www.celiackidstuff.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

My Thoughts –

My husband tells me I have the best jobs, and work hard, problem is, most of my jobs are volunteer and don’t pay me anything.  I learned from my mother how satisfying being a volunteer is.  As a child not yet in full-time school, she brought me along with her to the local “old folks home”.  Now we call that a long-term care facility, and retirement homes, many with great facilities, have sprung up everywhere.  Those many years ago a long-term care home was part of our community and I learned very young, that the very old were usually very kind.

To me, being a part of a volunteer organization came naturally, I grew up with it.  Nowadays, time seems to be so much more precious, and it’s difficult to pull yourself away from your time-consuming and ultimately valuable family responsibilities to simply give of your time.  I can’t fault anyone who isn’t able to see their way clear to volunteer.  In some circumstances we can only consider being able to allocate that time to a charity or not-for-profit, as a luxury.

It occurs to me that with everything else going on in our lives, if we can somehow take some of the time for things we are doing already and focus it toward a bigger purpose, maybe that can allow us to do more.  Most of us are trying to do more on a regular basis, and it can be exhausting.  This brings me to the organized runs, in this case the Scotiabank Run.  You aren’t asked to organize the run, or even organize a team.  The ask here, is for you to take the time you already allocate for a walk or run and make that time do double duty.  Chances are a couple of times of week at least, you walk the dog, or walk the kids to the park, or go for a run, or hike – let’s do the same thing, but make it count more – double duty.  That’s a perspective on volunteering and supporting our community that most people can get behind, and involved in.  Sometimes we just have to be creative to make it work.