Act of Kindness: Give Someone a HUG! (The kind that comes from the heart, not just the arms!)   What’s even more awesome than one hug? A whole day dedicated to giving and receiving HUGS, so mark your calendar and get your arms ready! See how you can be involved in the VOICES Free Hug Day below!       JOIN Orly Wahba and Life Vest Inside in Times Square (by the bleachers) on Sunday, May 13th for a day all about human connection! Let’s spread kindness by showing the importance of human touch and affection! The following piece is written by Stephen De Groot from Getting to Better, and cross listed here with his permission: On Saturday May 12th, 2012  Getting to Better, Life Vest Inside, See Beautiful™ and a whole bunch of amazing people from all over the world have joined up to support VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network and VOICES Free Hug Day. * See below for locations and helpers. Free Hug Day was initiated by VOICES and the VOICES Leadership Team to promote the importance of making connections and building caring, supportive relationships with kids who are in care (CFS/Foster Care/Group Care). Free Hug Day is also used to promote the importance of hugs and connections between all people. Options and How YOU can HELP: 1. Forward this message to as many people you think may be interested. 2. Visit the Voices Free Hug Day page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VoicesFHD) and click on “LIKE” – it’s like a virtual HUG! 3. Encourage as many people to visit the Free Hug Day Facebook Page to get involved. 4.  Upload a picture or video of a smiling face or hugs on the Free Hug Page 5. Give someone a HUG and tell them it is to bring awareness to the importance of making connections with kids and former kids from care (CFS/Foster/Group Care) 6. Join one of the Free Hug Day locations (see below) and give or receive a Hug 7. Host a Free Hug location – it’s easy; just make a t-shirt or a sign that says “Free Hugs” and offer hugs from a Park, Sidewalk, School Campus, or anywhere in your community 8. Host a Free Hug Day location in your community and handout informational pamphlets (Let us know and we can send a PDF to you) 9. Learn about the important work of VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network Support and Inspiration If you would like more details on how you or someone else can help or, you are thinking about a Free Hug Day in your community and would like some help, please contact Steve at degroots@mymts.net If you would like to know more about VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network and Free Hug Day, see the VOICES web page or contact Marie Christian at marie@voices.mb.ca If you would like to follow all of the Free Hug Day developments and action you can check out the Voices Free Hug Day page, or follow my Tweets on Twitter at – https://twitter.com/#!/GettingtoBetter If you would like to feel good or be inspired by Free Hug Day, check out some of the footage from last years VOICES Free Hug Day – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIPRmIvX8G4 If you would like to learn more about the Importance of human connection and touch, the importance of connecting with children and youth in care or, would like some tips on hugging see this article – http://www.gettingtobetter.ca/newsletter/november-2011/ Current List of Locations and Helpers – Growing Weekly and Room for More! List will be updated weekly at – Free Hug Day Facebook Page Winnipeg, Manitoba(at the Forks) 11:00 am – 2 pm – Marie Christian and the VOICES Leadership Team Sydney Australia at the Queen Victoria Building from 10 am – 12 pm – Steve de Groot, Neil Davies and company New York City at Times Square at 12:00 noon (47th Street and Broadway) – Orly Wahba and company (This is the only location that will occur on May 13th, 2012 ) Atlanta Georgia at Centennial Olympic Park from 12 – 1 pm – Lydia Criss Mays and company Hong Kong, China at Time Square (time to be determined) with Tara Alderson and company London Ontario at the Core Family Health Centre – http://www.corefamilyhealth.com (time to be determined) – Andrea Nair and company Victoria, British Columbia(TBA) with Tracy Morrissey and company The Kawartha Region, Eastern Ontario (specific locations TBD) with Heather Sago and company KingstonOntario(location and time TBD) – Katy Rittwage and company Frankford/Trenton Ontario (TBA) – Lisa Kellar Young and company Ottawa, Ontario(TBA) – Tania K, Gail Steeds and company Toronto, Ontario at the Queens Street entrance of Trinity Bellwoods Park between 12 – 2 pm – Alicia Sales and company Thompson Manitoba (TBA) – Adrian de Groot Sr., Kelly Hause, Katey Kirkwood, Sarah Blair Flin Flon Manitoba – (TBA) – Tami White Brandon Manitoba (TBA) – Carissa Rose Taylor, Michael de Groot, Deborah Asham Altona Manitoba (TBA) – Kelly Skelton and company Saskatoon Saskatchewan(TBA) – Pam Walby, Winston George Blake Calgary– awaiting contact (feel free to suggest) Vancouver– awaiting contact (feel free to suggest) More locations would be great.


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