Make a Difference in America's Future: Be Aware

Hey everybody!

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is a cause that is close to my heart. I want to share with you my experience with our countries’ abused children. My own parents were foster parents, thus making me a foster sister, to many abused children over a fifteen year period.  For most of those years, our foster home specialized in extreme cases of physical and sexual abuse toddler and infants under the age of four-years-old. These children did not know the first thing about being loved. It was my privilege to be a small part of introducing love and kindness into their broken young lives.

I know that none of us like to think about innocent children of any age being mentally, sexually, or physically abused. Yet we must face the facts in we are to change them. The reality is that there are children abused. Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. More than four children die every day as a result of child abuse. This is why community supported organizations like the Power House for Kids, located in Stephens county Georgia, are so important to our big cities and small towns. 

The Power House for Kids was established in 2002 as a Child Advocacy Center serving kids in Habersham, Rabun and Stephens Counties (Georgia) who are alleged victims of abuse. Power House for Kids offers a child-friendly environment for a child and non-offending caregiver to tell his/her story of abuse and/or neglect to trained professionals and to receive the services necessary to reduce trauma to the child. Powerhouse for Kids is a child advocate throughout any legal proceedings.

“Child abuse does not go away, but 90 percent of child abuse is preventable.” –Karen Adams

I am really excited to announce that Purple Butterfly Pages IS A SPONSOR IN THE 3rd Annual Power House for Kids 1K/5K/10K happening May 10, 2014!! Representing my company, I will be running in the 5k!!! I have been trying to get in running shape. Haha! For motivation, I use the memories of all those innocent battered children that came through our door. I am REALLY looking forward to this event supporting the fight AGAINST child abuse. 

Pictured above: Me, Caitlin, on the left and to my right is Nadine Scott, Forensic Interviewer at Power House for Kids

Pictured above: the front of the Historic Stephens County Courthouse. There are 264 pinwheels; each representing a case of child abuse in 2013 which occurred in Stephens, Habersham and Rabun Counties (Georgia). 

I believe it is our responsibility as neighbors/citizens/human beings to report any suspected child abuse. To learn the signs of child abuse, please visit the www.childwelfare.gov and be an educated child advocate. If you would like to join me in the fight against child abuse, please learn more on how you can help in your own community! 

Know the signs. 

Prevent child abuse. 

Make a difference in America’s future!

Caitlin Ayers, publisher

Purple Butterfly Publications

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

The Importance of My Chamber of Commerce

Hey everybody!

Purple Butterfly Pages reached an exciting milestone this week!

Back in 2010 at the beginning of my college journey, I was given an assignment by my small business class instructor to list and explain different ways to network from the view point of a business owner. This assignment was particularly inspiring to me as I had just begun my own small business! I began my list with a goal to join the local Chamber of Commerce. I detailed that as a grass-root sole proprietor business, I was not in a position to join the Chamber at the time. 

Becoming a member of one’s local Chamber of Commerce would provide any business with networking opportunities, offer support and resources for the business, and provide a network of support from other local business owners. Becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce was especially important to me, even as an individual member prior to joining as a business owner. 

My connection to my local Chamber of Commerce began in 2007 when I had just turned sixteen-years-old. I was an intern at the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce while my uncle, being a British antique store owner in the historic downtown area, was a member. After my internship of almost one year, I finished high school with plans to attend college. I always knew I would go to college, but had not yet quite figured out my major. As I thought more and more about a major, I remembered the work and all the experiences that I had been exposed to at the Chamber of Commerce and knew that I wanted to pursue a degree in business. I signed up for classes majoring in Applied Business Technology. I went to work with my studies and a few months later an opportunity came before me. I took the risk and started my own business. 

Throughout my college experience, I held a student membership with the Chamber of Commerce. I did this to stay informed about and involved with my community and its businesses. After graduating college, with business growth at the forefront of my business plan, I knew I had to be more involved in my community and know the local business owners on a more professional level. This would also introduce my own business-that has now expanded- to my community on an entirely different level. 

So, on March 13, 2014, I joined the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce as a business owner!! 

Another goal on my list checked off!

Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President, Wendi Bailey (whom I have known since I was a teen), shared my excitement as I met with her and completed the paperwork. The tradition at the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce is to ding a silver bell every time a new member joins the Chamber. It was a very exciting and proud moment when that bell rang for me as my business, Purple Butterfly Pages, joined my local Chamber of Commerce!

I am thankful to Chamber President, Wendi Bailey (pictured here on the right) and Executive Assistant, Vicky King (not pictured) for the knowledge they have shared with me over the years. I feel blessed to know these two professional women!

Be involved.

You never know where it may lead!

Believe! 

Caitlin Ayers 

Owner, Purple Butterfly Pages

What's Stopping You???

Hey!

Hope the week is going well for you so far. 
While washing dishes this morning after a yum breakfast of pancakes and turkey bacon, riskiness came to mind. Yes, very odd thought for washing dishes. Probably thought about it because I was risking getting the electric outlet wet when washing the electric griddle. ANYWAYS, it got me to thinking the risks I have taken in life and the ones I have NOT taken...but I think you should focus more on what you have done and not what you should have done. Learn and move on!

“Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is.” - Will Rogers

Growing up I was not much of a risk taker at all (I left that up to other siblings), but when I turned eighteen something clicked. I realized the teen years were not going to last forever and the risk taking needed to be stepped up! I started college with no idea, what I'd be doing when it was over. The next year, a few days after my nineteenth birthday and a few months after I had started college, the idea of Purple Butterfly Pages was alive. 

THE BIGGEST RISK I HAVE EVER TAKEN. 
I faced fears of inexperience, rejection, and failure. BUT I worked hard anyway making phone calls, meeting new people,  doing what I knew I could do and stretching myself to do what I knew I couldn't do.  It is very true, the saying, "No risk, no reward"! I have grown and continue to grow so much as a person, mentally and spiritually, learning so much from being the owner of Purple Butterfly Pages!
I encourage you to take a risk today. You NEVER know what you are capable of, so find out!

"Do not be too timid and squeamish. ... All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

What's stopping you?

Caitlin :)