Lower Mainland TimeBank, B.C.

Revitalizing Community

What happens when times get tough, money is tight and jobs scarce? 

Should people sit at home and wait for the government to save them? 

Should people complain to the big corporations that terminated their jobs due to bad management or poor market conditions?

Sure some people will and others….well, they know that “if it’s to be, it’s up to me!” and they get going making things happen themselves. 

TimeBanking is one of the tools created for tough times but is a great idea any time. Birthed out of the poverty stricken centres of big city USA where people had plenty of time but no money….an ingenious way to discover and utilize, for everyone’s benefit, the vast talents and resources waiting to be given and received…via TimeBanking!

A TimeBank is a data bank resource of catalogued skills, talents and desires available for members to “browse” and use as they needed, when they need and exactly what they need!

When the jobs are gone the skills remain and everyone WANTS to work, be productive and contribute.

Living costs money, but it costs a lot less if most of what you need you can get from your local TimeBank members and all you give back is your time!

Check out TimeBanking as a way to revitalize, reconnect and really enjoy being a part of a friendly, caring neighbouthood, community or city.

The Lower Mainland TimeBank is committed to help set-up TimeBanks anywhere in Canada….check it out!

http://www.LMTimeBank.org

Positive, Positive, Positive

It’s true! Nothing but positive, positive, positive…. feedback.

People GET the idea of TimeBanking.

They GET the potential benefits.

They GET the possible positive impact to communities.

And they get it quick. Usually in under one minute you can share the idea and benefits of TimeBanking to new person, and they get it quick…. did I mention that?

Every time I talk about TimeBanking to someone new I wait for their reaction and I don’t have to wait long…. right away people say:

“What a GREAT idea!”

“Wow, that is really cool!”

“Wow, I’m very ingrigued by that.”

“That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I have always hated selling. Most of my businesses have involved me having to sell from time to time…. I prefer to teach and support. I’m a bit of a wuss, I don’t like to hear “NO” too often, or “What are you talking about” or “That’s a dumb idea”.

So here I am with a new project (making this TimeBank thing work) and every-time I talk to people it feels good. They smile, they nod, they agree and they want to hear more!

How cool is that? Everybody? Pretty darn close and the the worst reaction is they don’t want more info. Even a wuss like me can handle that!

So join me in  spreading the word, tell your friends, strangers, business owners. We have a chance here to revive, revitalize and build anew our local community with not only the heart (it’s always been there) but the process and minimal structure to encourage, allow and reward people for who they are and for being the best of who they are with members of their community.

So come on educate yourself, review our website, join, participate and spread the word. I can almost guarantee it will feel good!

Have an awesome week!

Fear of being harmed, fear of not enough money, fear of not being good enough, fear of being alone, fear of what others think…..do you have any of those fears? You’re not alone.

Fear is what we all face in various ways at various times. That’s OK. That’s normal. The real question is do you allow your fear to control you?

You can decide to evaluate your fear. Test it. Check it out. Decide if it’s real or just someone else’s fear that you picked up over time. Or even if it is a fear that is from your past experience ask yourself , “Do I want to carry this fear into all my experiences every day?” You can choose to challenge your fear and overcome it with new positive experiences.

TimeBanking is about getting to know your neighbours, building friendships, building trust and having a group of people you can count on when you need help and they know they can count on you when they need help. Community, connection and mutual support.

Most of society has become well trained to be afraid of strangers, new things and people different from us. Are those fears beneficial to building community or making friends? If we hold on to those kind of negative, fear based beliefs will we never get to know people, understand them and appreciate them for their gifts and talents.

The strength of a community, a city and a country is based on people knowing each other and being supportive of all people in their local neighbourhood.

Take a chance, if you have some fear (hesitation, doubt, concern) around getting closer to people in your community, and you will discover it was a very small risk with great rewards.

You will meet like minded, community oriented, friendly people (the type of person TimeBanking attracts). Your privacy is maintained on our internet website until you want to connect with another member, just like trading phone numbers with a new friend, when YOU want to.

Join us to help build a vibrant, fun community that will be richer, happier and better with your involvement, just as your life will be enriched by the people and experiences you will have with us, free of fear and full of friends.

Join us at our next free information meeting Monday, March. 1o     7pm - 8:15pm.

Woodcroft, 2012 Fullerton Ave.,  Pemberton Building, buzz 110 to enter   Pemberton Room, Level P1 next to laundry room 

Well, another Intro Meeting last night and it’s another success with 11 people in attendance. We had a few second timers from the first meeting who then became members that evening! Welcome.

Like anything new a little time to understand and trust an idea are to be expected. Building community is based on getting to know new people while coming to trust ideas and the people involved with them to be decent and caring.

It’s sad that we, as a society, have been so programmed by the media and government to live in fear of  strangers, criminals and now terrorists. Yes they all exist in our world, they always have and I maybe they always will.

But there seems to be a created, manufactured extreme fear that limits people from experiencing their lives free of fear of harm. 

I live free of that kind of fear because I don’t read the newspapers and watch the “news” that focuses on the worst “news” and the “horrors” of life, anywhere and everywhere in the world (places so far removed from my life that they only serve to promote fear).

I choose not to participate in consuming the fear, death and mayhem sold by the tv, magazines and newspapers. You can too. I know lots of people who have given up reading and watching the “worst” about the world.

We live in a world that has amazing people and horrible people, incredible wealth and devastating poverty, beautiful weather and tragic storms. When we only hear and read the worst we forget that the amazing people, incredible wealth and beautiful weather FAR outweigh, outnumber and exist daily all around us.

Healthy, vibrant community begins with recognizing what is right, best and possible right here in our neighbourhood, where we can make a difference and uplift a neighbour and make a new friend.

I hope that TimeBanking grows and creates a process, a vehicle for refocusing people on the good things in life and the gifts people have to give.

I believe life is meant to be fun and free of fear. I also believe we get out of life what we expect and believe. Do you really consciously choose your focus of what you expect or are you influenced by the fear sold by the “news” media or family and friends caught up in the latest tragedy? You do get to choose what you focus on, the best in life or the worst.

You can change yourself, you can influence others and  you can be a guiding light of possibility in your community. If enough communities rise up to the challenge of reciprocity, give and receive, pay it forward volunteering….hey we might even change the world…. 1 hour at a time, something each one of us can have a hand in!

Privacy and security are important issues in the operation  of the TimeBank. As in all things each person is responsible for being intelligent and caring in their interactions with TimeBank members. In my next Blog post I’ll address the issues of privacy and security in TimeBanking that have been raised in the two meetings to date. 

Enjoy and expect the best, yes it won’t always be so, but it will be MOST of the time, really!

Wow is all I can say! The first information meeting tonight was a success. I was wondering if I’d be talking to myself but NO…. about 14 people attended and I had a few who mentioned they couldn’t make it.

Very little promo done to date.  Spread the word!

The level of enthusiasm as people left was noticable. Lots of chatter and excitement and expressions of gratitude. Very cool.

People really get the concept of TimeBanking very quickly and see the possbilities too.  We’ll watch the memberships over the next few days and plan for booking another meeting in 2 weeks.

Watch the home page of the website for the next confirmed date at http://LMTimeBank.org . 

Thanks to all who came and asked all those great questions. Stay tuned! 

Join us at our next free information meeting Feb. 11, 2008 7pm - 8:15pm.

Woodcroft, 2012 Fullerton Ave., Pemberton Building, buzz 110 to enter   Pemberton Room, Level P1 next to laundry room

Well the Lower Mainland TimeBank website is done (more or less) and the word spreading begins, feel free to help out. An email to your contact list would be great (here’s a sample).

What is TimeBanking? Why would I want to know more about TimeBanking? and the popular… What’s in it for me?

 All great questions that deserve an answer. If you’re reading this I hope you have had a read through the website www.LMTimeBank.org to learn a bit. If not I encourage you to do so AND come on down to the live and in person informative introduction to TimeBanking…. Wed. January 30, 2008.  

The meeting is free and located at Woodcroft in North Vancouver. 2012 Fullerton Ave (just off Marine Dr. and Capilano Rd.). Time: 7 pm to 8:15pm Buzz 110 at the front door of the Pemberton Building.  

There will be a brief introduction of the ideas, principles and process of TimeBanking, followed by some discussion, Q & A and information on becoming a member. Change the world with one pay it forward volunteering effort at at time. Having fun, making friends.

People make the difference in life come enjoy like minded folks looking to connect and build a fun, helping community. If you want to meet people in your community, love to help others, want to build friendships with your neighbours then come on out and learn about TimeBanking as a great way to achieve all that and more.  See you there! 

TimeBanking Comes to the Lower Mainland

Exchanging Time and Talent With Your Community Members

New to the Lower Mainland is TimeBanking! A chance to exchange time and talent with your neighbours in your community.In TimeBanking members earn TimeCredits for helping each other - one hour of your time entitles you to one hour of another TimeBank member’s time. 

TimeBanks don’t use money: instead, they encourage people to make deposits and withdrawals of their time for helping each other. When your skills are called upon, you give your time by providing a service for another member of the TimeBank.

You receive TimeCredits which are deposited centrally in a TimeBank that you can withdraw, anytime you need help yourself, from any other TimeBank member.

Helping between members is offered, requested and exchanged through an easy-to-use internet website (or by phoning a coordinator) to link people up and keep a record of transactions through the local TimeBank website.

Unlike money, anyone and everyone can earn TimeCredits - no-one is excluded. Everybody - young or old - has something valuable to offer. What help would like to receive and what would you enjoy doing for others in your community?

Helping works better as a two way street, meeting neighbours, making friends and building a vibrant community! Everyone has something to offer of value and we all enjoy the opportunity to share our time and talents with others who value them.

Join up for free to share your time and talent and also receive time from other great people! Members earn TimeCredits for helping each other - one hour of your time entitles you to one hour of any other TimeBank member’s time. 

Your TimeCredits are deposited centrally in a internet based TimeBank that you can withdraw, anytime you need help yourself, from any other TimeBank member.

The more members there are the greater variety of exchanges of time and talent can take place!

 Visit our home website with all the info http://www.LMTimeBank.org