Edmonton Women's Magazine with Rayanne Forbes.

Rayanne FORBES - The Condition of Giving

JAN 09, 2015 - POSTED BY RHONDA KRONYK

Rayanne Forbes
The Condition of Giving

Curtis Comeau

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Rayanne Forbes is surrounded by volunteers. 

She says, “I’ve always just grown up

like that.”

Her late Grandfather, Jerry Forbes, founded Santa’s Anonymous in 1955.

http://santasanonymous.ca/about-us/history/

Rayanne advocates for local charities through her Twitter account and blogs about charities for the

Edmonton Sun. 

She is also in the process of finalizing her own charity and

helps local businesses raise funds for Youth Empowerment and Support
Services (YESS), an organization that depends on volunteers.

Rayanne also gets to act as a “cool aunt” to the kids who use YESS.

I first came across Rayanne’s Twitter account at the end of 2013. A local radio
station does a roof drop each winter and Rayanne noticed that many of the
items being dropped were usable. Rayanne sent out tweets telling people
how they could contribute their unwanted items to local charities.

If you follow Rayanne on Twitter (@RayanneForbes and @GDFyeg), you’ll often see tweets
that remind us that there are many ways to help people in need.

Rayanne’s story reflects one of the many things that makes Edmonton special.

She volunteers her time, energy, skills and money to help others.

Rayanne created her charity, the Graves Disease Foundation of Edmonton,

because she was diagnosed with Graves in her early twenties.

The foundation “started because I did a lot of searching and there wasn’t

anything out there for people in Edmonton.” Rayanne realized that it was

within her power to create a support system for people who needed one.

Graves disease is “a heart condition, thyroid disorder, and immune disorder
all in one. It’s life-changing.”

Women in their twenties make up more than 90% of those who are diagnosed.

Rayanne readily admits she was scared and had a good cry when she first realized

how precarious her health and financial situation had become.

But Rayanne and her dad came up with a motto: “You get bitter or you get better.”

As Rayanne sat in her car trying to find a way forward, a lot of questions about

her future ran through her mind.

“And then I decided ‘The Graves Disease Foundation of Edmonton needs to exist.’

And that’s how it came to be.”

Like many, Rayanne has faced serious economic difficulties since her diagnosis.

She doesn’t qualify for health insurance because she has a pre-existing condition.

Yet, her life-saving medications and treatments are expensive.

Eventually, Rayanne faced the impossible choice of paying rent or purchasing medication.

Rayanne doesn’t “want people to have to choose between rent and pills.”

The goal of the foundation is simple, but it will change the lives of individuals
and their families who live with Graves. Eventually, anyone with Graves from
the Edmonton area will be able to apply to have medications, medical travel
expenses, and some living expenses paid for through the foundation.

The funding is necessary because life-saving medications can cost as much
as $10,000 every year. Rayanne’s expenses are expected to grow as the
disease moves around her body and she requires more medications and
surgeries beyond the six she’s already had.

While Canada has a healthcare system, “it doesn’t really help for people who fall
between the cracks like I do  because I didn’t have a health plan.”

It's the people that fall between the cracks that Rayanne wants to help financially.

Another important aspect of Rayanne’s foundation is the personal connections
that she encourages. To help people connect, the foundation holds “support meetings,
both online and in-person. About 40 members live in the Edmonton area.”

Rayanne wants to make sure that nobody gets missed, so she goes “to all the hospitals
and all the doctor’s offices, especially surgeons who deal with Graves.”

Rayanne is willing to go to such lengths because “I don’t want people to feel as
hopeless as I was.”

Soon after her diagnosis, Rayanne began a blog that shows readers how her
illness affects her. She admits that the stories and pictures aren’t always pretty.

One of the things that Rayanne struggles with is the effects of Graves on her eyes.

She says, “I’ve been bullied significantly for the way that my eyes look.”

Rayanne shows blog readers pictures before and after surgery even though they
make her uncomfortable. “I have highly unflattering pictures of myself all over my blog
because that’s what the illness is and what it’s doing … if it helps someone else
what’s the harm.”

Rayanne’s blog helps a lot of people. “In just two years my blog has almost 50,000
reads because there really is nothing out there like it."

www.rayannesthoughts.blogspot.ca

Doctors are coming to my page to read about things that aren’t in medical textbooks.”

“There’s a lack of awareness and I think that’s where I need to come in.

I hate doing media, but I do it anyways to get the word out there.”

http://www.gravesdiseaseawareness.blogspot.com

Rayanne wouldn't change anything about the last few years.

“If I didn’t have [Graves] things wouldn’t have happened the way they have.

I wouldn’t have a foundation, I wouldn’t be meeting other people, and I wouldn’t
have found such a nice community of people that understand me.”

Over the year it has taken to build the foundation from the ground up,
Rayanne’s inner toughness keeps coming out.

Rather than quit when the cost and work became overwhelming, she “worked on
credit for a long time.” Her family contributed seed money and she regularly
puts her own money into building the foundation.

Rayanne has received a lot of support in reaching her goal.

A website designer who worked on credit, a boss who designed her business
cards, a job that gives her time off to take care of paperwork and promotion,
and a family and boyfriend that support her unconditionally have come
together to help push Rayanne over the finish line.

All of her hard work is about to pay off. Rayanne has been issued a
Canada Revenue Agency charity number and will soon be able to issue tax
receipts to donors.

As important as the foundation is to Rayanne, don’t expect her to expand
beyond the Edmonton area anytime soon.

“I truly believe what my Grandpa believed: we want to give where we live.
And I’m a big fan of that."

I want to meet the people that I help and I want to know them personally.”

That spirit of giving on a local level is a good way to contribute to a strong community.

Rayanne says: “I get to meet a lot of cool people. I get to meet people who
have the same vision as me of making the community a little bit nicer of a place.”

Rayanne is just one of many Edmonton volunteers who understand the
importance of community building through giving.

For more information: http://gravesdiseaseyeg.com

Celebrity Burger of the Month - courtesy Delux Burger Bar  January 2015

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Santas Anonymous - Dad would have simply said... "Thank You Edmonton!"

I was lucky to be born a Forbes.

I was lucky to have Jerry Forbes as my Father.

Murray McIntyre 'Jerry' Forbes

I was lucky to watch the amazing growth of his 'baby' - 630 CHED's Santas Anonymous - as I grew up as a 5 year old here in 1955 and watched year after year to see how it has blossomed to where it sits today as (his line) "part of the social fabric of Edmonton."

Being very young in the 50's I have little recollection of the early years of Santas Anonymous but as I grew up Christmas was a pretty special time of the year in the Forbes household .

Brothers Gord, Gerry and I all followed Dad into the radio business and all were geographically separated from both of our parents in Edmonton and Toronto for most of our lives.

However when we were all fortunate enough to be under one roof with Dad Santas Anonymous was very much part of our gatherings.

Often Dad would be on the phone (his line) 'directing traffic' to the crew - station personnel at their 107th street downtown location - the Chief Elf Gary Draeger for the many years he handled Santas - and/or just friends and people we don't even know phoning the house with stories.

To this day I can see Dad in 'his chair' - fire crackling - a glass of Cutty Sark in his hand - pipe firmly in his lips as above - and some Dinah Washington on the 'record player' waiting for that final phone call that said "it's done Jer - we did it again!'

What started in that downtown building with approximately 300 toys has now grown to around 25,000 toys annually.  It is one of the biggest toy donation programs 'in the world!'

Three generations of Edmontonians have now been part of the experience of bundling up in the cold weather (and some years have had MAJOR blizzards) - often with their children and now grand children in hand - getting their green garbage bags full of toys; addresses and directions and heading out on delivery day.

Joel Forbes standing by the streets named after Dad in Riverbend.

Over the years, as CHED was sold by Moffat Communications - they moved out of the downtown core on to Roper Road - joining CISN, FRESH FM, and i880 news under the Corus banner.




Also, over the years, a few other 'key' people have had the reins of Santas Anonymous including Debbie Walker and now Lana Norland.

Both have taken the program to new heights; both have had several major challenges to keep the program as successful as it is today.

Currently there is a group of us who have been working on building a permanent home for Santas Anonymous, which would include several other community groups all working under one roof.

This will be dedicated to my late Father and his work with Santas Anonymous and be called The Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit.  

Information is here:  http://jerryforbescentre.ca

Dad passed away at just 58 years of age in September of 1981 but every December he is 'very much alive' as 630 CHED airs his legendary 'A Creature was Stirring' that honours the true champions of Santas Anonymous - YOU - the volunteers and people who deliver presents to needy families in our city.

Here's a great video of how the entire program has worked over all these years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--T8_e6J16Q

And here's the Creature "audio."   http://santasanonymous.ca/galleries-media/audio-video/

Each September approximately 2,500 Edmonton motorcyclists host an annual Santas Toy Run and thousands of toys, and dollars, are donated to the cause.  http://edmontonmotorcycletoyrun.info

Edmonton Santas Toy Run - Capilano Mall

The cash donated during the Toy Run  is used to buy 'supplies' for Santas Anonymous - ie. Scotch tape, wrapping paper, etc.

The Toy Run is culminated at Hawrelak Park where bikers from every walk of life - from Hell's Angels to Grandma's gather.

Each and every Christmas I take a few personal moments to find a quiet corner and 'reflect' on this amazing event.    There is no way to measure my pride; nor of how wonderful it is that my children also enjoy the benefit of the name Forbes - and how his 'giving back to the community' is very much a part of their daily lives.

Every year I enjoy hearing his 'A Creature was Stirring' on 630 CHED - which is likely the longest running piece of creative on Canadian Radio.  I've searched high and low through industry sites and simply can't find anything that has run on any radio station in Canada year after year for close to 45 plus years.

Finally...I'm asked often "What would your Dad say if he were alive today ?"

My answer is very simple - honest - and respectful!

He'd simply say............................. "THANK YOU EDMONTON!"



                                     Merry Christmas from the Forbes Family!

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The list of people to thank is far too long to list - however special thanks goes out to the family of Gary Draeger; Bob McCord for Production of 'A Creature was Stirring'; Corus Radio for keeping the memory of Dad alive all these years; the people of Edmonton who deliver the programs; and all the volunteers who help out in one way or the other year after year. 

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Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree 2014

Dec 18 thru 21st, 2014 - Jubilee Auditorium


TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW 

Here's the full information for this years wonderful 
Christmas show.  

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John Cameron Entertainment is pleased to announce that tickets for this years Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree performances (Dec 18-21st at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium) are about to go on sale and this year there are two different ways to access tickets.

First off, you can sign up to the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree newsletter and you will receive an exclusive pre-sale opportunity Oct 15-17th to purchase tickets prior to them going on sale to the General Public.

Go to www.edmontonsingingchristmastree.com and click on the FAQ link.

Simply sign up and shortly you will receive an email invitation to buy 'any ticket to any show' with a unique pre sale code and direct link to Ticketmaster.   It's a great way to sit wherever you desire with family and friends at this wonderful Christmas show.

Tickets then officially go on sale to the general public on Saturday October 18th through TICKETMASTER or via the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree website.

SHOWTIMES this year are:

Thursday, December 18, 7 p.m.

Friday, December 19, 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 20, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Sunday, December 21, 2 p.m.

Tickets are once again priced at just $30 to $65.

This years show features our legendary 35-foot singing Christmas tree adorned with thousands of glimmering lights, filled with 150 heart-felt singers, all accompanied by a live orchestra and some of the finest entertainment in Alberta - including the hottest voice in current country music...

Brett Kissel

Brett is enjoying a huge year after the release of his Warner Records CD 'Started with a Song' having won several industry awards including a pretigous Juno Award.  Currently he is on tour across Canada opening for country superstar Brad Paisley.

John Cameron states: "We're so pleased to have Brett join us this year.  Allready we are getting lots of requests for tickets to see the show and having Brett perform with us will truly be spectacular." 

Proceeds from the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree are distributed to several local charities through the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree Foundation, and since moving into the Jubilee Auditorium five years ago more than $700,000 has been directed to Santas Anonymous; the Christmas Bureau; the Edmonton Food Bank, and the Edmonton Public School Board Foundation in support of music programs.

This years show is 'proudly' presented by Bill and Grace Knight!

For tickets, go to www.ticketmaster.ca or access the ESCT website - www.edmontonsingingchristmastree.com 

Follow us on Instagram, edmsingingxmastree - or on Twitter @edmsingingtree - and LIKE our Facebook page. 

For more information please contact:   

Marty Forbes

mforbes07@shaw.ca

780 905 7860

Edmonton Bikers "Making Noise for Santas Anonymous"

There's been an ongoing  contraversy here about motorcycle noise.  Granted there is a debate about whether bikers noise is a safety factor (if you can hear me you can see me) or just some clown who wants to be the loudest jerk on two wheels.

Either way I can safely bet there were precious few complaints today (Sept 28) when more than 2,000 bikers started their engines and left the Capilano Mall parking lot on their way to Hawrelak Park in their quest to help children at Christmas.

During the last Sunday each September, since 1984, the motorcycle community meets at the Mall for their annual toy run to assist 630 CHED Santas Anonymous.

Virtually every type of two wheel (and now three wheel) vehicle shows up at the ride, many adorned with gifts that will be distributed to Edmonton's needy at Christmas this year.  

Little 50cc Honda Cubs - the brand new Polaris Slingshot (picture) - Bombardier Spyders - Scooters - and they're all being ridden by men, women, war veterans, Hells Angels, and even some of the 'elite' fund raising business people in our city - the likes of Quick Cards Lyle Best.

There are millions of dollars worth of fine metal at this event every year....


....and as Head Elf Lana Nordland understates "yes this is a very pricey parking lot!"

Bikers that don't bring toys contribute either through purchasing 50/50 tickets and/or by picking up this years 'custom' t-shirt as modelled here by my nephew Joel Forbes who drove in from Golden, BC for his first Toy Run.

This weekend is huge for Santas Anonymous with a large influx of toys and cash to officially start this years campaign.  The toys will be now be delivered to a warehouse at Northgate Industries and readied for 'volunteers' who will come wrap and designate the toys to the proper age group.

The bikers do a short route around the city and eventually end up at Hawrelak Park where the gathering is entertained by a classic rock band - enjoy find food from some of Edmonton's finest Food Trucks - and enjoy 'bonding with your brothers' no matter which walk of life you are from.



Fathers and Grandfathers.
Mothers and Grandmothers.
Kids and Grandkids all attend.


One group walked up to the volunteers holding the cash donation bins putting $20 bills in several of them.


When the volunteer said "thanks" they said "hang on...there's way more coming."


The cash is needed as much as the toys - paying for scotch tape, Christmas wrapping, and other needs for the annual campaign - which now donates over 25,000 toys in Edmonton.

It's an annual event for the Forbes Family.

If you know me that statement is obvious.  If you don't know me the reason it is so close to me is that my late father Jerry Forbes started Santas Anonymous in 1955.

Unfortunately Dad passed away in September in 1981 and obviously had no knowledge of this event and how it has become a very important part of the annual Santas Anonymous campaign.

However, as I get home and think about this day, I can vividly see him in my mind with an all too familiar look when he awaited the call from the likes of the late Gary Draeger saying "another year is done Jer...we did good." 

The fire place is going - the NFL is on the tv - there's a Cutty Sark scotch in his hand and he's likely enjoying the 'pride' of yet another campaign knowing that the citizens of Edmonton have made Santas Anonymous part of the "social fabric" of this city.

So - 'thank you' Edmonton motorcycle riders one and all.

Today, with the sound of 2,000 bikes starting up and heading towards Hawrelak, you get no apology from me for any 'noise' we make because it's damn well worthwhile!


                           Enjoy a few more pictures here from today's event.  

The Grinch (left) shows up every year with his dog dressed up too.



My Edmonton bike (right) is a 2009 Yamaha FJR 1300.  I keep
a Honda Gold Wing in Arizona.

Things I heard or overheard at HIVIO in San Diego

Hivio (means Hive in Spanish) is an annual 'non conference' in San Diego, California put on by Mark Ramsey.

Non-conference means it's by 'invite only' - as he gathers a wide variety of people from media from around the world to discuss current and future trends in radio, television, and new media.

As Mark states "....gather a 'hive' of smart people and amazing speakers to see, discuss, and develop big ideas and rising trends in on-demand, radio, content, social, mobile, and technology that will shake up all audio entertainment and information platforms."

http://hivio.com   (full session link here)

I proudly made the cut and highly enjoyed an 8 hour whirlwind day of high energy thoughts; positive thinking; innovative ideas; and interesting comments from not just Mark and his special guests but from the people I chatted with or simply stood beside waiting to introduce myself.

It's generally agreed that both radio and television are undergoing a huge paradgm shift in consumption mostly from technology but also from the dramaticaly changing habits of a new generation (that is often followed by the older generation).

Through consolodation companies have gotten larger and less mobile - and usually less 'innovative.'  I'm not criticizing just expressing my opinion.

It's awfully hard to roll out new platforms and ideas when you control 100 plus properties in various market sizes (remember how long it took/is taking to roll out HD?)

Here are some of the thoughts and comments from Hivio 2014.

Media/new media:  "It's a hodge podge.  We've confused the customer/listener/viewer."

"You don't fall in love with the distribution channel.  You fall in love with the content."

"Old media is losing consumption to 'everything' digital.  There's a huge platform of choice now."

"As brands become meda - media become brands."  (Describing how Red Bull does 'all' their own promotion/advertising/marketing through extreme sports tied to their target demographic)

"Take control of your own stream.  Go big or go home."

"It's all about storytelling in marketing.  The 30 second commercial is dead!"

"Make radio fun again.  How many 'did you hear' moments. "

"Podcasts taking over...listeners trained to 'on demand' with video...big trend to hear the best stuff."

"Music services adding personality...Pandora, iTunes, etc.  (distribution vehicle)"

"It's not about beating another station...it's about being a great radio station."

"Emotion - get in their heads!"  (discussing the positive commercials out there - ie. Dove type)

PD from large Austalian corporation "We used to come to North America often to listen and get ideas.  We stopped coming a few years ago."

"Invest in your own brand.  Be your own media."  (Referencing podcastone - Adam Corolla)

PD's/Talent:  "Look for companies willing to innovate and try new things.  Most often these days that's in a smaller market and a smaller company willing to learn from mistakes."

Question from Audience:  "Where's the farm team these days?  There's nowhere to learn on the fly anymore and noone to teach at those levels."

*Note: I'm working on an application to the CRTC with the Broadcast Educators Assoc of Canada to address this - more to follow - http://www.beac.ca

"Google hang outs are big for Next Gen's - they travel in packs."

Podcastone had 97 million downloads/listeners last month - quote from agency speaker "nobody has pitched me on a podcast!"  (Opportunity)

"You don't run commercials on a podcast - you integrate the commercial into the podcast - and the best ones are honest testimonials from the hosts."

Austalia again: "Our number one focus is talent."  Note:  Hammish and Andy work for this company - and hold multiple platforms in media - radio, tv, Youtube, etc.

Question to Aussie PD:  "What's the best promotion they ever did?"

A:  "They dropped a car out of an airplane and right on the target - the clients logo in a field.  Huge video exposure."

"Your social media accounts are part of your branding...if you don't or can't say it on the air don't...."  (Note: Most senior management are not even ON most SM platforms and few know of some of the crap that gets sent out under their brands.)

"With Social Media it's all about the share - or RT."

"Make sure your Social Media is mobile friendly - amazing how many sites/apps crap out."

"Make sure your Social Media is compatible with all platforms (and releases....some are cut when companies upgrade)"

Robert Rose:  "We need to again create 'delight' for our audiences.

"Share your audio in bite size pieces"  (Television does this best - who doesn't want to watch 24 after that short promo?)"

"The battlefield is the car dash. There is great change on the horizon."

"Downloading is dying a fast death - it's a streaming world now."

Final guest:  Randall the Honeybear...."Honeybear don't give a shit!"  (Youtube it...)

"I wouldn't want to be selling transmitters in 5 years."

"We've completed devalued the talent now - telling them people turn the station dial when they come on.  PPM is a creativity killer."

"We shop for talent in the Comedy Clubs - that's where you find the best storytellers these days."

From Twitter:  @hiviosd

Podcastone - "it might be tough to sell, but providing a network of shows and personalities enables podcastone to (package.)

"Remember that youtube is more than just a free place to host video - use the social platform."  (More monthly views than NBC/CBS/ABC/Fox combined.)

"Can't lives on won't street."   (Try new things.  More is learned through correcting mistakes than not trying)

"Building your email list is not about extending your marketing reach.  It's about being more engaged with your user."

"You're not in the radio business.  You're in the content curation and creation business."

"Pandora is now selling 'channels' and National clients are buying/programming their own feeds."

The wrap:

It's pretty obvious to see that change is going to continue in a rapidly evolving media/new media world.

To me it's not a 'them versus us' scenario which seems to come up every time I get into a discussion with current media folks.

Yes I'm into digital.  Yes I'm into creativity.  Yes I'm happy I lived through the greatest era in media (hence the invite) but the sooner RADIO has a full media plan to 'co-ordinate' and 'integrate' Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Vine, Instagram, Text, into their operation - constantly assessed from the top down - constantly evolving - then the quicker I think the 'rebuild' is going to take place.

And I don't mean built by your 'digital kid' but by Management, the PD, Promo, and Sales people.

Social Media should be the 'loop' that brings the listener/viewer back to Traditonal Media.  

When you remind me via your SM platforms that 'something I'm interested in' is coming on then I schedule the tune in.

"On demand" in television is beginning to shape "on demand" in radio.

We all don't live under YOUR schedule and still want to see - listen - and enjoy your best work but more and more so now 'on our own time frame - and on our own platform."

For businesses out there you too 'must' get caught up to mobile technology and the impact it is having on your current and future customers.

The best time to plant a tree is...'today'...and the same goes for Social Media.

It doesn't need to be completed 'tomorrow' but get on a platform that works for you, start to develop it, 'engage' with your customers and you too will benefit from the shifting viewing, reading, and listening habits that are going on currently.

It was a thrill to be part of such a progressive media/new media gathering and most of the innovation and creativity seems to be coming from 'outside' the business - but it matters not.

Media is media.

I'm passionate about it from the past.

I'm more passionate for the future - but only in the hands of 'creators.'

Marty Forbes
Radiowise Inc.

about.me/forbesmarty

*San Diego is a stunningly beautiful city...highly worth spending a few days here.*