Community, Fashion, Giving, Lifestyle
Roma Boots is Giving Poverty The Boot
I love my new Roma Boots, perfect for this wet season and best of all, Roma Boots is a sociallyContinue reading
Why are 84% of Women Missing Out On Sports?
Did you grow up playing sports? Maybe it was a gymnastics class on a Thursday night? Or little league baseball on a Sunday afternoon? I grew up playing sports and I LOVED it. Even when we didn’t get the win, I had a blast spending the day with an incredibly team.
But having all these wonderful memories haven’t been an option for most Canadian women. In a study conducted by Canada’s Dairy Farmers and Canadian Association for Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), entitled Women in Sport—Fuelling a Lifetime of Participation, they found that 84% of women are missing out on the benefits of sports.
“As champions of healthy living and playing an active role in their communities, Canada’s dairy farmers are addressing inequalities through the Fuelling Women Champions (FWC) initiative” says Caroline Emond, executive director, Dairy Farmers of Canada. “Launching this research publication is not only a significant stride for addressing pertinent social issues, but it is step in the right direction to propose actionable solutions and get people thinking about what they can do to change the situation.”
Among the study’s key findings:
- 41 per cent of girls between the ages of 3-17 years do not participate in sport—and this jumps to 84 per cent in adult women;
- Only 24 per cent of all Athletic Director positions and 17 per cent of all head coaching spots in the CIS are female;
- Only 38 per cent of senior staff and 29 per cent of board members are female, among national and multi-sport organizations;
- A review of programming data from Canada’s primary national sports networks, concluding that of approximately 35,000 hours in programming in 2014, only 4 per cent went towards the coverage of women’s sports, with over half of that percentage due to women’s professional tennis coverage and the Sochi Olympics;
- Only 5 per cent of the total area of top national print media sports coverage researched was dedicated to women;
- While only 24 per cent featured any coverage at all;
- The representation of women in sport commonly centres around femininity, rather than highlighting their athletic accomplishments.
The Fuelling Women Champions movement is campaigning to make sports accessible to girls and women nationwide!
Millenials Starting to Become Home Owners – But Not By Themselves
Did you know, that 43 per cent of 18-to-24 year olds are contemplating buying a house in the next two years? But there’s a new catch – young buyers are more likely to purchase a home with a family member or friend.
Erica Nielsen, the Vice-President of Home Equity Finance at RBC said “For many millennials, home ownership is a natural part of their journey and we’re seeing the next generation eager to get into the market, even if that means exploring alternate options like buying with family or a friend. Whether purchasing on your own or with a partner, stress-test your mortgage to ensure affordability so you’re prepared, no matter what life throws your way.”
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| BC | 30% | 27% | 22% | 20% |
| Alberta | 34% | 27% | 28% | 22% |
| Man/Sask | 24% | 27% | 21% | 12% |
| Ontario | 31% | 25% | 24% | 14% |
| Quebec | 26% | 24% | 23% | 13% |
| Atlantic | 23% | 21% | 19% | 9% |
In the next two years, 29 per cent of people are considering buying a home! And why not? If you have the finances, it can be a great investment.
Going in on a home with your friends and family can be tough though. You have to make sure to choose a friend or family member who you can live with, and you have years of experience with. Your drinking buddy from college? Maybe not a smart move.
Here are Nielson’s tips for first time buyers
- Get on the same page:Open the dialogue on your absolute must-haves. There will likely be some different items on each of your lists so work together to come up with one list that you can both agree on.
- Stress-test for affordability:Try out different financial scenarios to see how much you can really afford. Talk about what would happen if one of you lost your job or had a change in financial circumstances, and come up with a plan.
- Get it on paper:Create a simple agreement that outlines your arrangement including what costs each party are responsible for, and don’t forget utilities, maintenance and moving costs. You both might agree on how to handle the home purchase in theory, but life and relationships change, so having a contract in writing is key to solving disputes going forward.
- Have an exit strategy:Include in your agreement how you will deal with the property if one party would like to sell.
Join us at the #SDMBeautyGala Twitter Party and support Women’s Cancer Programs!
With all this warm weather we’ve had lately, isn’t it time to celebrate? On April 30th, the fine folks at Shopper’s Drug Mart are throwing an in-story Spring Beauty Gala to celebrate spring! In stores across the country, gala guests will enjoy complementary makeovers, skincare consultations, free samples, refreshments and snacks. How great is that?
Even better – funds raised go to a good cause! What’s better than shopping for a good cause (other than your own wardrobe!) Funds raised at locations in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada will benefit Beauty Gives Back, a charitable initiative of the Canadian beauty industry, dedicated to helping women beat the Cancer Blues.
How can you attend? Just swing by your local Shopper’s Drug Mart and talk to a beauty expert to get your ticket! Tickets are only $10 – and the best part? $5 of the ticket is donated to a charitable organization. The remaining $5 is redeemable on any purchase made at Shoppers Drug Mart during the event!
About Look Good Feel Better
Look Good Feel Better is Canada’s only charitable cancer program dedicated to empowering women to manage the effects that cancer and its treatment can have on their appearance. At the heart of Look Good Feel Better is the free, 2 hour hands-on workshop offered at 120 cancer care facilities and hospitals across the country. Since its inception, it is estimated that Look Good Feel Better has helped hundreds of thousands of women across the country.
What is the Cancer Blues? It’s a term for the emotional distress caused by cancer and its treatment. The Cancer Blues is a huge and overlooked part of the cancer story. For the majority of women, a cancer diagnosis unleashes as many emotional symptoms as physical ones.
. Visit http://www.beautygivesback.ca/ to learn more about this great cause!
Save the Date! April 27th at 8pm is our Twitter Party, where you can join us to learn more about this fab event and the great cause it benefits!
Twitter Party Details
Date: April 27th, 2016
Time: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM EST
Host: @ShesConnected
Moderators: @BGBCanada @LGFBCanada @SherryLAbbott
Hashtag: #SDMBeautyGala
Prizing: 5 (five) $100 Shoppers Drug Mart Gift Cards
Read the official contest rules
I’m Obsessed with the new #WOWGuide Catalog from Canadian Tire!
I LOVE catalog shopping. What’s easier than shopping from the comfort of your own couch?
Canadian Tire teamed up with some tech wizards to bring you the newest in catalog technology. Now, shopping from home is easy! All you need to do is download the Canadian Tire app, scan an item you have your eye on in the catalog, and a video telling you about all the great features that product has will pop up on your screen!
Now, I don’t even need to wait for the catalog to show up to my house. I just sit back, relax, and let my phone do the work!
Here are some of my favorite pieces from my local catalog
I am FREAKING out over this Louisiana Grill. Cooking up some burgers on this in my backyard all summer? Yes please!
This is probably a bit of a pipe dream, but growing up I always had a pool to dip in during the summer months! Now I’m a city slicker, I don’t have room in my backyard for a pool and putting in a real hot tub is just too pricey. How great is this blow-up option?
I LOVE a good city bike! Cruising around in style on a sunny day? Yes please! This CCM Lucerne bike is the thing of my dreams! Biking around the city is so much better than spending money on gas or the TTC.
I love these Adjustable bar stools – sleek and modern in design so they’ll match my monochrome interior!
What do you have your eye on in the new catalog? Let me know by tweeting at me here or commenting in the comments below!
Let’s Bridge #TheHealthGap with Women’s College Hospital Foundation
We’re very lucky to live in a country where we don’t have to pay exorbitant amounts for regular doctor’s checkups. But as much as it’s a beneficial system, in many areas, women are being overlooked.
Research done by the Women’s College Hospital found that women’s needs, including physiology, cultural challenges and life circumstances are not taken into consideration. Women in marginalized or disadvantaged communities have it even worse – they are even more frequently overlooked. That’s what we call the Health Gap. The health cap overlooks women, and disallows them access to the proper health care. The current state of the health care system overlooks the individual needs of each gender.
“The Health Gap significantly impacts women’s health and their quality of life. As a world leader in advocating for and advancing the health of women, Women’s College Hospital felt it was our responsibility to raise awareness of this important issue” says Marilyn Emery, President and Chief Executive Office of Women’s College Hospital. “With many health conditions, women present differently than men and require treatment and care that recognizes the differences between genders. This is often exacerbated by various societal factors that impact many women – family responsibilities, cultural biases or stigmatization – leading to additional barriers to accessing care and creating a Health Gap which must be addressed.”
The wonderful team at Toronto’s women’s College Hospital have identified just exactly where women aren’t receiving the top care.
Healthcare Research – Women are more at risk for certain diseases. Women’s bodies also adapt to different treatments How important is this to research into? Research trials are tested more frequently on men, so women are disproportionally leaning towards men.
Cardiac Health – Every year, heart disease takes more women’s ‘s lives then men. But, only 35% of research study participants are women.
Mental Health – Women experience depression twice as often as men. Women are also three times more likely than men to experience barriers when attempting to access mental health care. Women also have to deal with periods, cramps, pregnancy, and menopause. All significant life events that come with lots of lots of emotions.
Those are just a few of the areas that wome are being seriously overlooked.
Read more here
Women’s College Hospital is working hand in hand with the health gap to do some groundbreaking research and make advances towards equality.
“Incredible, groundbreaking work is happening at Women’s College Hospital every day and it’s impacting not only the patients who walk through our doors, it’s helping to advance the health of women across the province, the country and around the world,” said Emery. “We’re reaching out to our partners and colleagues throughout the health sector and asking them to join us in affecting change and to help us close the Health Gap for women.”
I’m pretty outraged about this. But we can be part of the amendment. On April 11th, Women’s College ran a campaign to help spread the word.
Declutter Your Life with Schtick Intuition
We all know that simple is better, but how often do we actually follow that? According to recent research by Schick Intuition, the happiest mothers in Canada take active steps to simplify their lives.
Do you have a lot of clutter around your house? I Know I do. Old t-shirts from high school, knick knacks from travel, it all adds up so quickly! I know, it’s seriously time to declutter my life. But how do I go about doing that?
Schick intuition is there to help us!
The new Schick intuition was tested on 750 moms, who all said that they LOVED the new Shicck.
The research showed that 29% of moms are happy, 38% are neutral and 33% are unhappy – but moms agree that simplifying improves happiness, with 92% saying that simplifying aspects of their life would make them happier.Out of the moms who said they were happy, the majority said that they are happier when their life is simplified. No fussy routines, no clutter, no mess!
“The Schick Intuition Simplicity Curve shows that happiness can be a by-product of consistently and deliberately choosing to do things that make life less complicated,” says Christine Jew, Brand Manager, Schick Intuition. “Canadian moms who take the steps to actively simplify various aspects of their lives are clearly reaping the emotional benefits.”
So how do you declutter your life?
Step one: get rid of your extra stuff! If you haven’t worn it in a year, it’s time to throw out those old clothes. Knick Knacks? If it would look just at home in your crazy Aunt’s house it’s time for it to hit the garbage can. Be ruthless with your purging! I promise you will not regret it!
Step two: declutter your work week life. Having a rough day? Order in dinner! Find a way to distress after work and indulge!
Step Three; Declutter your work – organize your emails and make a calendar (and stick to it!)
Watch this quick video to find out how you can declutter your life! Have any tips? Let me know in the comments below or by tweeting me at @ShesInfluential
Virginia Black in the 6ix
With Drake‘s new album dropping any day now (fingers cross!) everyone wants a little bit of the 6God. If you can’t wait for the album drop, then swing over the LCBO for a different Drake product!
Virginia Black Decadent American whiskey is coming to North America! You can be one of the first people to try this exclusive recipe as they take the 6ix.
You may know the man behind the label. A certain Toronto-born rapper, actor, and songwriter often known by the moniker The 6ix God is the mind behind the label. Yes, Virginia Black is a collaboration between Drake, and Brent Hocking, the founder and creator of DeLeon Tequila. Drake isn’t the first celebrity to have his own alcohol line; Justin Timberlake owns 901 tequila, while Dan Akroyd has Crystal Head Vodka.
On Tuesday, April 12th, 100 LCBO customers were invited into the LCBO Summerhil location to taste and pre-order the new spirit of the year. The feedback was phenomenal!
As much as the Toronto-born rapper is all about the big-money spending, the whiskey itself is on the lower-end of the price range; retailing for just $39.95. You can pre order it at the LCBO here
Welcome #TwitterMomentsCanada!
Twitter has been around for ten years. Ten years, can you believe it? Over those ten years people have sent billions of tweets to their friends, families, and favorite celebrities. Those tweets break news, share thoughts, speak on passions and support the people around you and not so near.
Today, Twitter is launching Moments in Canada!
Moments brings together the best of the national conversation across Canada, and highlights the best in sports, TV, politics, and local news. Whether it’s the latest from Justin Trudeau or The Weeknd, Moments will be a great way for staying in touch without following a billion accounts.
How do you access moments?
Tap the lightning bolt tab on your phone or online, and it will open a list lof trending moments. The list will be updated throughout the day.
Some Moments will appear in your timeline for a fixed amount of time, while some will only be accessible on the moments tab.
Engaging with a Moment
- When you click into a Moment, you’re taken to an introduction with a title and description.
- Start swiping right to dive right into the story, with pictures and autoplaying videos, Vines, and GIFs.
- A single tap gives you a fuller view of the Tweet, which you can then like, Retweet, and follow the account. A double tap lets you instantly like the Tweet.
- The progress bar at the bottom indicates how much more each Moment has to offer.
- Swiping up or down takes you back to the guide.
- At the end of a Moment, click the share button to Tweet it to your followers.
- Read more about Moments and how the desktop version works.
Follow @CanadaMoments to see all Moments created by the Twitter Canada team. Moments will also be shared through @TwitterCanada and TwitterSportsCA.
Whirlpool’s #EveryDayCare Campaign
When you were little, what chores did you get stuck doing? I remember I was always on garbage duty – I’d have to make sure all the garbage and recycling bins in the house were not overflowing, and I’d drag the big bin to the curb every Tuesday morning. Although I hated it at the time, looking back it set me on the road to being a responsible adult!
That’s why I was so surprised when I read a new research piece last week. Did you know that 79 per cent of Canadians surveyed feel that Children who grow up without doing chores are more likely to grow up with an unhealthy sense of entitlement? Even more scary – 59 per cent of Canadians surveyed said children today spend less time doing chores compared to when they were young!
Experts say there are two areas where chores influence children’s development – increasing independence and increasing the ability to work well with others.
Parenting expert Alyson Schafer thinks housework is vital to a child’s development – “Too often children are excused from helping, or treated like indentured servants who resist being ordered around,” said Ms. Schafer. “Instead we need to invite them to help and participate in the jobs needed to keep the home running smoothly. It’s these contributions and helpfulness that make children feel valued, feel a part of the family, and build life skills for when they set up their own home.”
Even though it doesn’t feel like a large contribution, small tasks like taking out the garbage or doing the dishes imprint a sense of responsibility in us. It helps us learn to care for our families in the long run!
Further interesting survey data includes:
- 89 per cent of Canadians surveyed feel parents need to lead by example if they expect their children to adopt a positive attitude to doing household chores
- 59 per cent of Canadians surveyed feel it is most appropriate to start giving children household chores when they are between five and eight years old, while 27 per cent view the ages of nine to eleven years the best time to start giving chores to children
- Among parents surveyed with children at home, 50 per cent describe their household as opting for a clear division of responsibility, while only 28 per cent say they try to do chores together and 20 per cent of parents do all of the chores themselves
What do you think? Let us and Whirlpool Canada know by tweeting with the hashtag #EveryDayCare!
#GirlsNightShopping with #CFFairview
Shopping is always a blast – who doesn’t love scooping up a great deal? Or heading to the mall with your girlfriends for a day of dress-up and gossip? That’s why I was so excited to hear about CF Fairview’s great new event! Every Thursday night in April, CF Fairview will be throwing a Girls Night Shopping Event! They’re combining fashion, beauty, cuisine, and of course great company to bring you a night full of laughter, fun, and of course – pampering! This night is a great excuse to bring your friends and family together for an exclusive shopping event. Kelly Vieira, the General Manager of the CF Fairview Mall says “We’ve created an exclusive Lounge to thank our customers for their patronage while giving shoppers a place to relax and be pampered.”
They’ve set up an exclusive lounge on the top floor of the shopping centre, adjacent to Sears, which will be full of exclusive promotions and services courtesy participating fashion and beauty retailers, as well as libations. Customers who spend a minimum of $100 at select CF Fairview mall stores every Thursday evening in April from 5 to 9 will receive a custom reusable shopping bag granting exclusive access to the private lounge. There will be delicious food and beverages available, as well as fabulous beauty services. On display will be the latest in fashion and beauty trends. Over thirty different stores from the CF family will be participating, so there’s a little something for everyone! To pick up your bag, stop by one of the 36 participating retailers and spend a minimum of $100 on any items of your choice.
The bonus? There’s a charitable aspect to the night as well. If you fill and return the shopping bag with gently used clothing, you will receive a $10 CF SHOP! Card. All clothing donations go to the incredible One More Wear Foundation. Make your way to the Girls Night Lounge or the Guest Services desk by Entrance 4 to donate your gently used clothing. Every time you return a bag you are eligible for a $10 CF SHOP! Gift card redeemable at any retailer in the complex.
One More Wear foundation is a great Toronto-based non-profit organization looks to improve the lives of GTA young and women. The foundation is youth-run, and provides young men and women across the GTA with clothing so they can look the sharpest for job interviews or when they’re out with their friends. They will be collecting donations all throughout Thursdays April in partnership with CF Fairview. They will be accepting men and women’s clothing including pants, dresses, shirts, sweaters, shoes, bags, and belts. By providing quality clothing to youth in need, The One More Wear Foundation is enhancing the opportunities available to them, delivering the confidence to pursue their life’s goals – academic, social, career-driven, and otherwise.
Weekly Girls Night shopping event and Lounge hosted every Thursday from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. rewards shoppers while giving back to the community
For more information about Girls Night including a full list for retailers and promotion details, please visit www.cffairviewmall.com.
Links: www.onemorewear.org
