Maybe I don’t get out much but how often does an 89 year-old woman raise $6,000 on her own for her charity of choice? My mother, Mary Schlanger, did it this year!
My mom had actually raised $3,000 before the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation or CIBC had printed the donation forms for the 2008 Run! When she first went into CIBC to get the forms the teller didn’t know what she was talking about because she was so early in starting her fundraising.
From a tiny village in Latvia, one of six kids, born to a very poor cobbler my mother watched her impoverished and pious grandmother go from door to door begging people to spare an onion or a carrot -not for herself – but for people even hungrier than her. She would collect these vegetables in her apron and then quietly leave them on doorsteps before the Sabbath. So in this way my mother learned how to give and she often says “I do this for the cause and I do this for my grandchildren so that they learn about being charitable.”
My mother will approach anyone to sponsor her. She carries around self addressed envelopes so if someone says yes (and of course no one can refuse her!) she slips them the envelope to make it easy for them to send a donation. She also bakes cakes and breads and takes them to her various doctors-the biggest contributors are always encouraged and rewarded ahead of time!
To top it off the day before the Run my mother fell on her forehead, was taken to the hospital and given stitches-and all she could was worried about was whether she could make the Run. She did of course and also managed to get her hair done before!
Way to go, Mom!
Soozi Schlanger
Thank you so much for sending this Soozi.
What a magnificent doogma(example) for all of us.
AND
what a fabulously joyous picture.
I would love a copy for my fridge.
WAY TO GO MIRIAM!!!!!
big hugs,
aviva
We love Miriam and she is a great inspiration for us!
We have been away from email for a while, and just saw this. Miriam is indeed an inspiration for all of us, and her challah is the best in the city! We are so proud of her and feel fortunate to have her in our lives.