Can Tab Social

As you may recall from previous posts Bernie and I collect aluminum can tabs to help a young fellow with Cystic Fibrosis.  He is the nephew of our good friends Denis and Therese LeBrun.  These tabs go to the Cystic Fibrosis Association who use the proceeds to help fund machines that help these young folks breathe, leading to a much more normal life.

Last year at this time we gave our collected tabs (just over 5 lbs) to them and promised to try and double that effort and get 10 pounds for this year.

So as some of you will know I started, at this time last year, harassing everyone I know to help me.  In this world there are people that like to help and some who don’t.  Bernie and I are blessed with a beautiful family and a great circle of terrific  friends who are willing to help.

So last night the 2012, 2013 effort came to a conclusion with a small get together at our place.  I called it the can tab social, where we had some fun and some food, to bring the collection all together.  We had to weigh it to see IF we had met our 10 pound goal.   I thought this would be a good place to post some pictures of our first “Can Tab Social.”

 Told you I could get a smile Gary

 

 Good friends, good food, and for our friends up North - 80 ABOVE ZERO

It's only fair, before discussing the end result that I recognize the efforts of those who helped us.  The 2012 collection all started when a neighbour friend, Kent B., brought us an ice cream pail half full last March and we were on our way.  It continued all summer, fall and winter, with help from all over the continent.

Each of our five children helped out and I want to thank them all right off the top.  Second, I really want to thank Grandsons Cole and Brendan for an extra special effort.

Friends Ken and Doreen B. collected a whole bunch from everyone they could find.

They had a bit (lot) of help as we all contribute to their collections during Happy Hour at their place all winter long.  Friends Ron and Karen A. brought us two huge bags which Karen collected by  (according to husband Ron) “dumpster diving.”  She actually worked hard, all summer long, collecting them at every tee at their golf course.  Not really dumpster diving but a ton of work.  Thank you Karen, we missed having you two here yesterday.

 

My sister Jan and her co-workers at First Calgary, in Calgary Alberta, helped us out a ton.  Jan sent us two packages, each weighing two or more pounds.  Thanks sis and please thank your co-workers for me.

 

Many, many, of our friends took the time and made an effort to collect and contribute tabs.  Some people had their own collection system going, some just kept a jar at their home.  Some got a few, some got a bunch, thank you all for doing what you could.  The amount each person collected is not the point of this.  This is to thank everyone for helping out and making life a little easier for those that have to deal with this nasty disease every day of their lives.

 

Remember this picture from last year?

 I introducted you to Raphael, the young fellow who is indirect beneficiary and the motivator for our efforts.

Now a year later.
 

 This is Raphael and his younger brother with last year’s collection effort.

 Meet Denis and Therese Lebrun our good friends and Raphael’s Uncle and Aunt who spearhead this whole effort.

So now finally, how many tabs did we collect this year? 

 This is the pile.

It takes about 1600 tabs to make a pound and this pile weighed in at 24.2 pounds.  About 2.5 times our goal and somewhere in the area of 38,500 tabs.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO ALL WHO HELPED OUT.

I don’t want to appear ungrateful but the effort continues and we must start now on next year’s collection.  The goal - we’re looking to collect a minimum of 15 ponds this year, somewhere in the area of 25,000 tabs.  We need all the help we can get.  PLEASE.

Ten tabs or ten thousand tabs we'd love to have you at next year's "Can Tab Social."

Neal and Bernie