LMTimebank.org - Vancouver, B.C. Canada » Our Local TB News

Member Website Changes + Edgar Cahn

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:34:53 +0000

NOTICE: The TimeBank exchange website has been moved to an entire new platform. Old links do not work and all OFFERS and REQUESTS were retired. Login and repost your offers and requests. LOGIN : http://lowermainland.timebanks.org/

Edgar Cahn has an impact and apparently so does the CBC, a number of new eNewsletter subscribers and new members to the LMTB… BOOM all at once. Cool.

The immediate response really shows the high level of, not just interest, but readiness for people to be a part of something good, something that focuses on the value of people. I think there is a hunger to get back to REAL people and real connections, TimeBanking helps to create the opportunities for connection and gifting and receiving that feeds our souls.

With all the doom and gloom in the news, it all comes down to how we treat each other, day to day, moment to moment, TimeBanking is a vehicle to remind us of what really matters and gives us a way to achieve it.

Receiving and Giving are BOTH honourable, everyday events that can happen more and more and more.

What have you received today that you are grateful for?
What have you given today the made someone smile and filled your heart?

Giving allows you to receive in your heart and receiving allows others to give so they can receive in their heart too.

Give the gift of receiving and lift others up. Give the gift of giving and honor others.

Peace.

The Lower Mainland TimeBank Team

http://LMTimeBank.org

P.S. The TimeBank members site has been moved to an entire new platform. Old links do not work and all OFFERS and REQUESTS were retired. Login and repost your offers and requests. LOGIN : http://lowermainland.timebanks.org/

Endings and Beginnings

admin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:20:12 +0000

It’s the last day of 2010. Tomorrow is a new day and a new year. It is that time when we reflect on the past and plan for the future. I’m doing the same for the Lower Mainland TimeBank.

Changes are afoot. There are HUGE changes in the economies of the US and Canada that have occurred and there appears to be more on the way.

TimeBanks USA, the founding TimeBank system which we are affiliated with has, had a funding crisis this past year but it looks like they should meet their monetary goals. Money is needed to keep any organization working and TimeBanking is no different. There are always hard costs to absorb. The question is how money efficient can an organization be and still provide the service?

Speaking of service, the TImeBanking software we now use is in the process of being replaced with a new version. Sometime in 2011 the new software will show up online. The functions will largely be the same but it will look a little different.

Speaking of looking a little different, there will be some changes with the Lower Mainland TimeBank. It was started a couple of years ago and has yet to hit its stride with member participation to make it as vibrant and viable as it can be. We need local meeting locations and a few active members to step forward and help take charge of filling the roles needed for any TimeBank to operate and grow.

Read on and if that’s you send me an email: michael (AT) LMTimeBank.org

TimeBanking has been covered a number of times on the news this year. It seems that poor economies and less money force people to reach out and connect more with their local community. Let’s not wait to HAVE to do this. Let’s build a community before economic tragedy strikes. It’s far less stressful, safer and makes the transition painless. Here’s another story from PBS on TimeBanks:

If you’re a member of any TimeBank remember that the basis of TimeBanking is volunteer your time to help others. If the TimeBank is to exist at all it requires help first, so it can be there for members.

So call or email your TimeBank coordinator and offer to help make the your local TimeBank work even better. If you say “I can do XXXXX and XXXXX to help the TimeBank” that’s even better than “what can I do?”.

TimeBanks need you to:

- help in order to stay operating and

- provide your “OFFERS” and “REQUESTS” and

- check online for other members “OFFERS” and “REQUESTS” on a regular basis.

TimeBanking is about staying connected, staying involved, giving and receiving….oh yes and having some fun along the way.

TimeBanks need:

- physical meeting rooms for intro sessions, member training sessions, potlucks, community social gatherings,

- phone service

- computer access

- volunteers to handle new applications, training and members support

- event organizers

- community builders

and more.

If you can help in any way, do so. It makes a big difference when we help each other make the whole work even better.

All the best to you and yours for the new year 2011. May all our individual “connections” this year make each of our lives better and our communities safer, stronger, more vibrant and more independent.

Worldwide Interest Higher Still

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:33:13 +0000

In April 2009 I posted an update on the worldwide popularity of the Lower Mainland TimeBank on the internet. People from around the world visit our site to learn more about TimeBanking (very cool). And we have many links I’m sure they go and visit, to learn even more.

The number of visitors to our website has exploded from almost 2,000 in March 2009 unique visitors to 9,000 unique visitors in the month of May 2010! Very cool.

Here’s a look at all the countries that visit our site:

Our website visitors...It's a small world these days

Get Involved and Help Grow the TimeBank

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:26:21 +0000

I was attracted to the TimeBank idea:

as a way to get to know my neighbours,
feel connected in my community and make a positive difference,
have people in my life I could count on to ask for a helping hand
share my time and talents with people genuinely wanting my help.

TimeBanking is not designed to replace currency or bartering exchanges but to enhance the connection, understanding and appreciation for people in your community and all the ways we can help each other. Get to know your neighbours and help each other out. It begins by helping the TimeBank grow…

TimeBanking was started in order to revitalize small urban communites. TimeBanking in a large urban area used to be difficult. With the web based software it is far easier, but it still requires people stepping up and volunteering to help grow their local neighbourhood TimeBank group.

One of the goals of the Lower Mainland TimeBank is to empower any neighbourhood and small community to have their “local community connection” hosted on a central TimeBank serving a larger geographic area (the exchange website allows communities to identify themselves and their local members).

The benefit with the internet hosted TimeBank is that you can access and connect with all local communites via a single, common, exchange website instead of having multiple TimeBanks in neighbouring communities which would require joining multiple TimeBanks to access other areas.

Come join us, not just as a member, but as a builder of the TimeBank in your area. The structure is here for anyone to use and benefit from. It does rely on individuals stepping forward and running with the TimeBank idea in their own neighborhood to really see it work.

Contact me to discuss what you can do to make TimeBanking a vibrant, community building tool for everyone’s benefit in your community.

Michael
Lower Mainland TimeBank, Founder/Director

Free TimeBank Info Meetings… On the Way

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:42:51 +0000

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…. check our home page for dates, times and locations.

The meetings are free to attend usual time is: 7 pm to 8:15 pm and also on the weekends.

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.

Help change your 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!

Rebuilding & Revitalizing That Community Feeling

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:43:48 +0000

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 a great tool for good times and a life saver in tough times, it is a great idea any time.

Birthed out of the unfulfilled needs in big city USA where people had plenty of time but no money, TimeBanking is an ingenious way to discover and utilize, for everyone’s benefit, the vast personal gifts, talents, time and resources waiting to be given and wanting to be received from individual to individual…via TimeBanking!

A TimeBank is a web based data bank resource of catalogued skills, talents and desires available for members to “browse” and ask to receive as they are needed, what they need and exactly when they need it! Members “advertise” what they want to give to others in time and talent.

A TimeBank is also data bank resource of what help people need. Any member can post what they need or want to receive. Members “advertise” what they want to receive from others in time and talent.

Match a need with a talent or available time and you have TimeBanking. No money, just people helping people with exactly what they need.

The software keeps track of the time you give to others and you can use your time credits to receive from other members whatever it is you want to receive that they are offering to give.

Be a giver and a receiver of time and time talent. Meet and share with your community members the gifts of time and talent we ALL are capable of giving.

When the jobs are gone the skills remain and everyone WANTS to work, be productive and contribute. Everyone has needs and everyone loves to give.

TimeBanking creates an opportunity for the needs and the wants to be met and fulfilled.

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, your way to any member that requests what you are willing to offer!

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 also committed to help set-up TimeBanks anywhere in Canada….check it out!

http://www.LMTimeBank.org

TimeBanking Worldwide Interest

admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:33:07 +0000

In case you didn’t know TimeBanking is a topic of interest around the world.

Here’s the stats for countries viewing this one little TimeBank website…over 2,000 hits per month in March 2009!

Traffic to the Lower Mainland TimeBank website March 2009

WHAT? Yep and from countries far and wide. here’s the list of countries checking out TimeBanking via www.LMTimeBank.org

Countries Viewing LMTimeBank.org March”09

TimeBanking Begins in The Lower Mainland, B.C.

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:46:53 +0000

TimeBanking Comes to the Lower Mainland

Exchanging Time and Talent With Your Community Members in the Greater Vancouver area.

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.

TimeBanking is about building communities of trust and friendship

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