My Big Day Downtown – how I doubled my money and gave it all back.

It started with this tweet from hope cottage.

And…like all things I find thought-provoking and interesting on Twitter…I hit the Re-Tweet button.

I was having a fairly busy day in the office and while the Tweet caught my interest, making me think I should run to the store and grab a few tins to help out…to be totally honest, taking the time out of a hectic schedule seemed like a huge dent in my overly stuffed calendar. Somehow, I hoped my Re-Tweet would get to someone who was maybe downtown…and had a few minutes to run an errand on their lunch hour.

But as I continued to work, it kept gnawing at me.

There’s something about expecting and waiting for other people to do something I clearly feel is important…that’s wrong. My internal dialogue was being a pest! While I was trying to work, while I have limited resources for helping others at the moment and my over-scheduled schedule has me not wanting to cut into any of my busyness with something else added to the to-do list…my head was screaming “for goodness sake it’s a few cans of coffee…get off your arse…take a break from your work and make a quick drive downtown!” Seriously…how difficult can this be?

And then it hit me!

This year, I was chosen once again to be part of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission’s #BigDayDowntown. An event where thirty bloggers are given $150 to spend in any way they choose in the downtown area. I’ve happily done this challenge many times…I’ve eaten in some wonderful places, shared drinks with friends and purchased a few wonderful treats for myself that I wouldn’t have otherwise bought. As a blogger…these are some of the perks. Sometimes I get paid to write. Other times I’m invited to media events. Often I write about a company completely on my own as I totally believe in supporting Local businesses. But, it’s fair to say, while I work hard for what I do…sometimes, blogging has it’s privileges.

I’d been trying to think of something a little different to do with my #BigDayDowntown funds this year. As per our instructions, I’d reached out to my readers based on this year’s theme of “People’s Choice”…and while I received a few ideas for what I should do on my adventure downtown…it seems pole dancing was at the top of the list!

Good heavens people!! What’s so entertaining about watching me pole dance but for the laugh-ability factor over the awkwardness of my non-dancing body!

The tweet from Hope Cottage came at the right time.

However, since I was doing this promotion for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, and Hope Cottage isn’t in their district…I had to get smart!

I tweeted a simple request. Asking for a sale on coffee from a downtown coffee shop…so I could spend my $150 and try to make it stretch a little further.

In no time, my Twitter feed was filled with lovely comments, favourites and Re-Tweets as people helped spread the word. My day of working was quickly replaced with answering several messages and joining in discussions about who has great coffee…who could help…and so on.

I watched it all unfold and just sat back…hoping someone would strike a deal.

Then this…

We had a deal!!!

On Friday, I popped into Uncommon Grounds and purchased 300 dollars worth of coffee for one hundred and fifty bucks! Then, with a heart that was overflowing with pride for our amazing city and the people who call it home…I delivered the package to Hope Cottage…”a charitable organization whose mission is to provide meals to those who cannot afford to obtain these meals themselves.”

Thanks to EVERYONE who shared, favourited, Re-Tweeted, talked about, tagged people and discussed how I was going to stretch my #BigDayDowntown money into something just a little bit bigger. A HUGE thanks to the coffee shops outside of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission who contacted me and helped spread the word…and an EVEN BIGGER thanks to Uncommon Grounds for coming in with the first deal…and an awesome one at that!

But mostly…thank you to Hope Cottage, for feeding people in need…from all over the Downtown Halifax area and beyond…for over forty years!

I truly had a BIG DAY DOWNTOWN and was simply overwhelmed with how many people helped to make it a wonderful day. And…as an added bonus…it’s keeping me off that pole!!