I was thinking about Create Possibilities the other day (much like most days). Unfortunately, I seem to do a lot of thinking and not a lot of marketing or advertising when it comes to growing my little business. Maybe that is because at heart, I am not a business person, my mind doesn't think that way. I don't understand much about marketing or strategic plans or competitor analysis. I am a teacher by trade and much like the students I taught, my mind bounces from idea to idea, my excitement about something ebbing and flowing depending on how hungry I am, how long I have been sitting, or what I just overheard my friend say. The content of the thought bubble above my head is constantly changing.
It seems that this applies to the products I create, as well. Obviously, I know that the main financial goal of my non-profit is to raise money for Cerebral Palsy research and treatment. But when it comes to deciding what products to sell, I'm at the mercy of my creative whims. So, I've gone from t-shirts to pillows, aprons, tea towels, potholders, and baby toys. And somewhere along the way, a few of my creations began to include an homage to the amazing little town that I call home: Truckee, CA.
While at first there may seem to be no obvious connection between Cerebral Palsy and a small town in California, I promise there is! This town has been my home since 1998 and I can't imagine living anywhere else. Truckee is a community that rallies around its own, not just in good times, but in bad times, as well. We decorate Christmas trees downtown, we pick up trash every June for Truckee Day, the Fire and Police Departments give "lights and sirens" escorts to the high school teams when they leave town for State Championships. Young and old alike attend the 4th of July Parade every year, and people with no one on the high school football team still go to the games and cheer on our boys. When the unimaginable happens and a young person passes away, the memorial service is standing-room only. We cry and we cheer and we love together. And we accept people for who they are. Olivia's disability has never been an issue in Truckee. As she says, "no one cares how I walk, Mom. To them, I'm just Livi." We have been loved and supported throughout our journey with Olivia's Cerebral Palsy. Her Girl Scout troop decorated our front porch when we came home from a major surgery. Families have brought us meals on more occasions than I can count. And teachers and coaches alike have gone out of their way to make sure that Olivia was always able to participate fully in any school or extracurricular activity.
Grateful. I am incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing community. So, when I first started sewing the "Heart of Truckee" pillows, placing that heart on the California map right where Truckee sits, it was an idea sparked by the love that I feel for this town and the people who live here. It may not have a direct connection with Cerebral
Palsy, but that logo symbolizes the love we've been shown, and hopefully, the love that this little non-profit can give to others.
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