Sharing a ritual to help comfort women living in crisis
My mother, Del is 80 years young and Olay Moisturising Cream, or Oil of Ulan as it was known before 1999, has always been part of her skin care. Its fragrance is distinctive and for me, Olay and its scent is synonymous with Mum.
During traumatic times in my life when I lived far from family I would buy Olay, wipe my tears with a washer soaked in cool water and then massage the cream into my face, neck and arms, deeply inhaling the fragrance, willing the ritual of self care to regulate my emotions and to give me the courage to do the next right thing. It worked every time, and so I will gift this cream with my story in an anonymous note to a woman living in crisis through the Share the Dignity ‘It’s In The Bag’ campaign.
It is my hope that she will also come to know the comfort that can be found in the fragrance and feel of Olay. Her Olay story will differ from mine, but I hope it will come to be a beautiful memory of kindness..
My bag is ready for delivery to a donations bin at Bunnings Taree or Bunnings Forster between November 15 and December 1. Armed with the Share the Dignity list, in recent weeks I have shopped for the Bag Essentials and took inspiration from the Optional Luxury Items list.
Whilst ‘It’s In The Bag’ is a national annual campaign, it is important to note that bag donations delivered to Bunnings Taree and Bunnings Forster will be given to women in the Manning and Great Lakes region. Local women helping local women - that’s important and it’s necessary.
I have created and donated a bag annually since 2018 and honestly, some years I’ve left the task of shopping for the products until the last minute; this year I chose to be more organised so that I could shop for half-price product specials. One year I forgot to drop the bag at Bunnings during the donation period but ensured the bag got to a woman in need by delivering it to a Taree-based organisation. This year I know my donation will be gifted on time as I am now a Share the Dignity volunteer - a Shero - and am part of a very small team of women who will collect and process all bag donations delivered to Bunnings Taree and Bunnings Forster.
Photo | Share the Dignity
“Local women helping local women - that’s important and it’s necessary”
Share the Dignity does not require that the bag be new, and this year for the first time I have chosen to put my items in a lightly used Mimco bag. It asks that donated pre-loved bags be clean and in excellent condition - after all, it will be gifted to a vulnerable woman in crisis.
I do hope you will join me in supporting this campaign and know that the local Sheros will celebrate your anonymous generosity and kindness!
Love, pray and do.
If you love the Share the Dignity initiative but simply don’t have the time to shop for the bag contents before December 1, I invite you to sponsor a bag through the Share the Dignity website, with an Essentials Bag priced at $49, Ultimate Bag $99, and the Mum and Bub Bag $199.
