November Again!

November is my birthday month, and it is also my favorite month of the year. I am not sure if everyone loves their birthday month, but I am really fond of mine. I read that November is often associated with the transition of seasons and the beauty of autumn. It can be summer, fall and winter all in the same month. For those born in November, it is a month that carries with it the mystery of fall, the falling of leaves, and the serenity of the impending winter. 

I spent several hours driving yesterday. I watched the moon go down and the sun come up. I saw the mist rise on the river in the early morning. There was very little activity in the fields, only 2 combines going. Most of the crops are either in the bins or left as they aren't worth combining. There are still lots of dry corn fields waiting for that "hard frost" to be taken off. It was 11 degrees just before the sun set at 6:30. What a perfect way to close out October and for the kids to enjoy Halloween. 

This year saying good-bye to October and heading into a quieter November will be welcomed by many of my Dragonboat teammates. A year ago, we decided to be "more visible" during October which is also "Breast Cancer Awareness" month. At that time, we were just getting organized to develop a campaign to raise money for a researcher at the Brandon University. Her research is on early detection and better treatment options for breast cancer. One of the Wave's mandates is to "promote early detection of breast cancer". By aligning with Dr. Majumder we could support her research to develop a blood test for early detection of breast cancer and actively fulfill our mandate. We really didn't know what that meant other than we would do some fundraising and spread the word. We named our campaign, "Hope in our Backyard" and so it began. 

Fast forward one year and to say it has been a whirlwind is an understatement. We planned for the campaign to run over three years, we nervously set out goal at $150,000. To date, we swooped by our goal with one generous donation, we have over $200,000 and have set a new goal at $500,000 by 2029, which is the year the team turns 30 years old. 

Our plan of being visible worked out. In the month of October, the Waves of Hope attended: 3 hockey games, Manitoba Finals Rodeo, delivered 20 comfort bags to Westman Cancer Care for newly diagnosed Breast Cancer clients. They won the "Top Group Donations" at the Run for the Cure with 3 members being in the top 5 for top donations. Not to mention the smaller events and speaking engagements that were happening. We brought awareness in a very pink way.  

We closed out the month at the Keystone Centre at the "Pink the Rink" Wheat King game. What happened on October 25th, 2026, was a year in the making, but well worth every minute of work. It was not only an awareness game for Breast Cancer but also for our campaign. What a grand event with the majority of the crowd wearing pink. The female ice technician turned the ice pink. Other special touches were pink decorations, cookies, popcorn and the research team had their pink display set up in the concourse. We have a new pink tent, and it just flies up at these events, and it quickly becomes the epicenter of all activities. No one could escape the promotions that the Keystone Centre and the Wheat Kings hockey team were giving us. The jerseys were auctioned and the $10,500 raised went directly into the research fund. 

This will be a day to remember. For me, "the moment" was when we were invited onto the ice to join the Wheat King Players and write whatever we wanted on the ice. The players had fought hard to win and were probably wanting to get showered and go home. But there they were signing their name on the ice with a bingo dabber. They also made sure we were safe moving about like penguins. The Wheat Kings described it as "when it isn't all about hockey". For us it was "when Hockey meets Hope". Just an incredible and memorable way to end the day. 

There will be a mixed reaction from the team as we move into November. Some will be so glad October is over, just too busy for them. Others like me, are fired up and ready for more. When you see "I am a survivor" written on pink ice with a bingo dabber, it makes it real. I just want to be a small part of giving hope to every person with cancer. There will be many ideas and events that will come from that night. Dr. Majumder's colleague who was at the game was asked by the Children's Hospital in Winnipeg to organize a similar event for their cause. I hope his success to help sick children is far beyond his expectations.   

November is also a time of reflection for me; I will be 70 years old this month. How on earth has there been 70 Novembers in my life. It seems the days, weeks, months and obviously years are flying by. 

As with all milestone birthdays, I will be listing "70 things to accomplish in my 70th year". I was so organized last November, I bought the journal, decided to commit to writing 6 things on the 27th of every month. I have to admit, to date the number is stuck at 44. I work well with timelines, and I am no quitter, so this little idea will be done. 

If I were to impart some wisdom it would be to get up every day with a purpose. A routine is a good thing, as it keeps life in order. It is hard to determine where it would end up without some structure in my world. Always have one exciting thing you are looking forward to happening in the future. Don't wait for others to make your life good, you have to do it yourself. When you say you are going to do something, do it. It is simple, "Get Up, Dress Up and Show Up". Do whatever you can to make a difference. 

In closing, I hope the month ahead is a great month for each of you. As we age, I think we should all celebrate our birthday month, not just the day. Why wouldn't we. I never say my birthday is "just another day", for that very reason.