The Pride of the Flames - "Give Unto Thy Community"

Flames Lodge submission for Challenge Two - Inaugral 'Try-Wizard Tournament'

El Capitan: Laneth Sffarlenn

Lieutenants: Xyaida & FrogsDancing

 

Challenge Two: To Give something Beneficial, something Charitable, to our Community

Challenge Begins: 10am PST, Monday 18th Feb, 2008
Challenge Ends: 11:59pm PST, Friday 22nd Feb, 2008

Participants: Laneth, Xyaida & FrogsDancing

Challenge Details:

"Now we come to the second task. That dealing with the present. How do we, as Wizards. impact our communities? How can we make a difference? Many of us do so already. We sit on the city council, we recycle, we clean our parks, work for charities, etc."

"For this challenge you are asked to do something for your community. Something beneficial, something charitable. This can be as simple as taking a can of dog food to a pet shelter, or as
complex and far reaching as you have time to accomplish. This activity can be something that you will continue at the end of the contest if you wish, but you must be able to post an early
immediate result as well."

"If you are able to do so, carry out this task in the name of The Grey School of Wizardry. If applicable, share a picture with us of your completed task, and or, write up a brief description of what you accomplished."

 

 Tasks:
• All Participants:
    • Participate in the discussion and implementation of the Pride of Flames’
challenge submission
    • Participate in the chosen task, despite personal fears and reservations;
provide small personal account of those fears, and what one did to overcome
them in order to complete the task.
    • Assist in the development and implementation of a proposal for the
involvement of the Adult Student and Staff population of GSW in a perpetual
act of ‘giving to one’s community’.

 

Completed Tasks:
• FrogsDancing: Donated Blood (20th February 2008) – Wrote up about
personal reservations & ways of overcoming one’s fear in order to complete
the challenge.
• Xyaida: Donated Blood (21st February 2008) – Wrote similar account as
FrogsDancing.
• Laneth: Donated Blood (21st February 2008) – Write up personal feelings on
the matter; compile group notes, Flames Lodge support tickets from the Social
Forums & create Web Page containing notes of challenge and host PDF File
for download, as in Challenge Two.

Challenge Details – Our Chosen Task:

“Give of yourself, so that others shall live.”

We chose a very personal way of serving our community, in that we would
each donate Blood to the American & Australian Red Cross Blood Bank
services

How we came to decide on Donating Blood:

“…do something for your community. Something beneficial, something
charitable…”
After much discussion about various charitable events and organisations we
could get involved with that we each shared a common link with, the pieces
all fell into place when Lady Xyaida suggested:

“What about a personal donation and give blood? Red Cross is
Universal and we would help whomever needed it ... another form
of non-theological connections. And it is Very Personal…I gotta
be honest I faint with needles so this is a Biggie for me to
suggest!”

Our Lady Frogs wasn’t too enthused with the idea, right down the line, until
she submitted and had her blood drawn, after which she had this to say:

“Okay, I survived. It really wasn't too bad. I could see it becoming
a regular thing.”

Personally, I didn’t have many reservations about donating blood – merely my
ability to donate and actually getting an appointment, (they said they were
booked until April when I first called…so I explained it was partly for a timesensitive
challenge for the GSW and wondered if there was time this week, to
which an opening was found for me.

A very good point raised by Lady Frogs was that,

“…we have accomplished this task on personal, community and
global levels. Just the thought that if needed our blood, all of ours,
could be shipped to wherever the need on this planet may be
greatest is just way huge for me.”

The gift of life has been granted to 3 People, according to the nurse that took
Lady Frogs’ blood and the statistics they held.

“I learned that I just saved not 1, not 2 but 3 lives today simply by
giving a pint of blood! That is incredible to me. 3 lives that could
have been lost because I did not give. Talk about a new sense of
responsibility.”

Part One of Challenge Two:

Part One of our Challenge was to actually achieve the immediate results, as was necessary under the rules of the challenge. Hence, we three each donated a Pint (470ml) of Blood to the American & Australian Blood Banks.

Part Two of Challenge Two:

Taking our idea the next step, Lady Frogs, Lady Xyaida and I have all come up with a way that we can extend this Challenge both outward from our team to encompass the entire school, and forward in time - virtually indefinately.

I am currently working on a Proposal Document that won't be completed for this Challenge, but will however be ready for submission to the Grey School Faculty quite soon.

This ongoing challenge component of the Pride of Flames' submission for this Challenge is one that will, if all goes according to plan, engage all willing Adult Students and Staff in Giving of Themselves for the betterment of the Community and the World as a Whole.

 

Lady Frogs had this to say of the whole ordeal:

“This was the most difficult task so far. The first thing we had to do was to
find something that all of our communities had in common. This was not as
easy as one would think. You see we had to deal with two different countries
and the differences between urban and rural communities. We wanted to work
as a group/team. We all wanted to participate equally in the physical portion
of the task, if at all possible.

We looked at the conventional things…clothing drive/donations; book
drive/collection for inmates; donations to various groups with our time or cash;
garbage pickup. None of them felt right.

Xyaida came up with idea of making some kind of personal donation, like
giving blood. This met the criteria we needed for our whole team to
participate in the Task. The need for blood is universal and it goes to help
whom ever needs it.

Even though it was Xyaida’s idea she was somewhat reluctant due to her
personal fears. I also had a difficult time endorsing this idea at first, due to my
own reservations. I observed that ‘some ideas are meant to be run with and
that others just carry one away.’ This was one of those ideas that carried you
away with it. It was just the right thing to do.

This Task challenged me on a personal level. I had some reservations about
giving blood. I am not overly fond of needles and do not take nor volunteer
for them if I don’t have to. I knew I had to complete this Task for my team
and for myself.

I knew that I was meant to donate blood for this Task when there just
happened to be a blood drive going on not even 10 miles away from home and
scheduled right smack in the middle of this Task’s time frame.
I almost did not go through with it. But I just could not let my team, nor my
Lodgemates down. My Lodgemates have been providing us with such a
tremendous amount of support that I just had to do it.

I copied the photo of the vampire bat that Firesnake had posted and Shade’s
encouraging words. I took that paper with me. When doubt/fear threatened to
overtake me, I would look at the picture and read Shade’s words.
I went to the donation site. I was given lots of information to read. And a
sticker that announced me as a first time donor. The sticker was to let the
phlebotomists know that I was new and to take extra special care, so as not to
frighten me off. The longest part was the interview process to make sure that I
was eligible to donate.

The donation process was not too difficult and relatively painless. I felt a
stinging sensation and the blood pressure cuff they put on was a little too tight,
but other than that I was fine. I filled up my bag within 10 minutes.
I was then sent to the canteen area for cookies, pretzels and juice. While there
I learned that I had just helped to save 3 lives just by giving 1 pint of blood.”

My Prepartion Ritual – FrogsDancing

I grounded and centered. I then drew a nice hot bath. I added sea salts for
cleansing and purification. I also added a couple drops of the following
essential oils….

Lavender for calming and anti-infective properties
Chamomile for calming and relaxation
Tea Tree for its anti-infective properties.
I lit some patchouli and rose scented incense, well because I like the scents. I
find them calming and relaxing.

I soaked in my bath for about 10 minutes. I then scrubbed thoroughly with
some sea salts and sandalwood scented soap.

All the while I was visualizing healing energies filling my blood. I hope that
the extra healing energies will aid who ever receives my donation.

 

Laneth’s Turn…

 

I find it quite amusing that I was more worried, initially, about not getting an
appointment that actually letting go of my blood!

I applied for my appointment online and the confirmation page said that a
Blood Bank representative would be in contact with me within 3 Working
Days. 3 WORKING DAYS!? I nearly panicked, but when I got a call at 9:30
the next day, I was fine.

Until she said that the next appointment was in APRIL!!! (OK – it’s at this
point I must realise that no-one else can hear the sound effects I’m making!)

I arranged my appointment for 5:20 pm, AustEST on Thursday 21st February
– it was over 24 Hours away. Apparently they didn’t have any appointments
on the Wednesday, so I had to make do. I’m one of those people who, when
set with a really good idea that is within reach, I don’t wait. I Act. Yet being
forced to wait gave me time to consider my actions.

It also gave me time, through discussion with my fiancé, to truly discover
what a gift of Life donating blood can be. It also challenged some of the very
Core Beliefs I have in relation to Death and Western Medicine (separate and
linked issues) and has helped me to evolve that belief just a little bit further.
When it came down to the line, I was driven to the clinic by my fiancé, who
spent the entire time freaking out (including up to an hour afterwards) – not a
phobia of needles, but the entire process and idea of it scared her and shocked
her deeply.

I had my interview with the Nurse – discussing such past ailments as my
having had Scarlet Fever in 2004, dying briefly from salmonellosis
(salmonella poisoning) when I was 4 and breaking my collar bone when I was
5. Turned out I’m fine to donate!

They took me through to the couch where two nurses assisted me in setting up
the photos below, (ye can just see my open briefcase in the background – I
edited our the nurse’s hand for privacy reasons)
One of the things I found amusing about the whole ordeal was that the nurse
who prepared my arm for the needle said the best thing would be to look away
– no way, josé! It actually hurts when I’m not looking – (plus there’s my
fascination with medical procedures!)

All-in-all, my donation took only ten minutes. When I was done, I asked the
nurse what each bag held and was told “470 ml” which comes out at
something like 0.99 pints.

They recommend that ye eat and/or drink something straight away afterwards,
but upon seeing what was on offer I decided against it. I live only a 5 minute
drive from the clinic and dinner was waiting for me at home – I was fine.

The one thing that comes out of having grown up around two parents studying
alternative medicine all the time is that ye develop an interest yourself…

I’m certainly feeling it today though – excuse the pun, but I do really feel
“drained” – I’ve been eating and keeping my fluids up, but I simply cannot get
motivated – could also be the strange dreams I had last night…

I personally feel quite rewarded, knowing what Lady Frogs was told about the
3 Lives Saved statistic. Also, the support given by our Flames Lodgemates has
been amazing – people have really helped to buoy our spirits both before and
after the event. (I’ve added some of the comments we’ve received in the
Cheerleading section of our forums, in the “Good Luck Team!” post, at the
bottom of our submission.)

Below are two photos of my donation visit.

Thursday 21st February 2008, 5:40pm AustEST

I'm here, and here it begins...

Ok…so it’s in…“just squeeze that ball occasionally”
In this shot ye can’t see the needle, so it’s ok for those who’re squeamish,
however ye can see the blood-bag on the scale thing, as well as my student id
card & the Grimoire. Oh, and btw – that’s me…Laneth.

My “Battle Wounds” are neatly covered up and I’m ready for a lie down…

Last to donate among the Pride of Flames team was Lady Xyaida. She had
this to say about our challenge and her involvement:

I showed up about 10 minutes early and about a half hour later
they took me in for the preliminary interview. When they heard I
hadn't eaten yet I was sat down for juice and cookies. I had never
done this before and when CloudsGazer has had blood drawn for
tests they always tell you not to eat so ... about 3:30 they finally
started that interview all over again! I had the poor guy laughing
since I told him I had never crossed the ocean before so together
on certain questions we would say 'Never crossed the ocean' and
start giggling!

Since I warned them I don't so well with needles they kept trying
to talk me out of doing it. Of course I kept telling them I thought it
was for a good reason and I am OK with it all but that I want them
to be prepared in case I do. Finally, the head blood drawer and
supervisor does the poke! It was fine if you like things like that.
(They hurt me! I'm such a big baby about needles!) The other guy
who was drawing the blood thought it was funny since I got tapped
after another older gentleman but I was flowing fast; I filled mine
before he was done. I had some other tubes taken too for the tests
they do before they can ship it anywhere (new donor and all!)

They were fine with pictures. CloudsGazer took a couple for me
and I snapped one of him as I was heading to the juice and cookie
area they sent me to afterwards. I forgot my note saying I was there
but could easily go back and get it first thing tomorrow (or 11 am
when they open) and get them to write me one. I spaced it on the
way out.

So here are the pictures ...

Here We Go...

And so it starts…(not lookin’ to happy there Xy!)

(Looking a bit better…hint of a smile )

There! All done! (How come Xyaida get’s pretty red bandage-tape!?)

And, my friends, to prove that we Flames are over achievers, we managed to
get Blood out of a Stone! Below, ye’ll see CloudsGazer happily reclining and
donating away, (like it’s easy to extract blood from stone or something!)

The Pride of Flames’ Fan Club
Quotes of support from our Fellow Lodgemates

Someone is quite interested in your second task working thread...

Blessings, Firesnake

---

 

I have to admit that this current task would scare me too. I'm afraid of needles
as well and it's always difficult to have to give even a blood test for me when I
go to the Doctor's. I had to give a small blood test a week before some minor
surgery and the nurse came in to take the blood. With everything in her hands
she asked which arm I wanted her to take it out of, looked down at the paper
in her hand which had a doctors note saying I hated needles, and told me that
"neither" was not an answer.

With that in mind, I must say that I'm proud of all of you for putting your
fears aside and donating blood. Not only is it helping the community but it
also gives those who need it a chance to live. And just think of all the cookies
you get afterwards!

Go Flames Go!

Shade

---

 

Way to go!!! I never would have thought of doing this for a challenge. You 3
have to be commended!
I'm proud to be a Flame
Healing Maiden

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Here Ends the Submission of the Flames Team – The Pride of the Flames
Challenge Two: Give Unto Thy Community