EXPERIENCES
"Life's about experiences. If you're not having any, you're really not living." -James Hayward Arnal
Do you have a dream? A passion? Feel aspired to be a part of something greater than yourself? Do you want to share your skills, interests, and talents to benefit someone else less fortunate? All the while providing yourself personal growth through an experience? That's what this foundation is all about. This foundation is not about being the smartest person in your class or the best athlete on the field ... it's about HEART! We are here to encourage and support you in your quest to balance your life and career with a humanitarian experience! We encourage you to complete our application in detail and submit it for consideration today! Share your heart with the world! It will change and fullfill your life in ways you could never imagine!
James inspired many people and one of them was his mother Wendy. Below is a short caption of her "tour of duty" where she travelled to Afghanistan to "serve those that serve", our troops.
"INCREDIBLE & UNFORGETTABLE"
By Wendy Hayward
I recently had the opportunity to serve my country , inspired by James. I served a six month tour in Kandahar working for the military at the Tim Hortons on base. I did it because I knew how much James' buddies meant to him and I also knew that he would be very happy to know that I continue to support our troops. My tour of duty was a gift I could give to James without him having to physically receive it.
KAF is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things and I got back more than what I felt I gave. I was a little apprehensive to do it because I wasn't sure how they would feel about a mother being there. I thought I might just remind them of the worst that could happen but I can now say that I have never felt more appreciated, welcomed, and respected than I did from our troops while serving.
I'm not sure I would ever work at Tim Hortons here at home, the work is not easy and we didn't stop pouring once we opened the doors each day. The people I worked with and for made every day an adventure for me. I worked seven days a week, endured sixty degrees celcuis weather, ate cafeteria food with plastic utensils, dressed in beige, shared two showers with twenty other women, lived in a ten by sixteen cubical, experienced over fifty rocket attacks and one ground attack in six months. I was a prisoner to where we were and lived under military law, and I would do it all over again just for our troops! I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, just for them.
I will never forget being a part of something greater than myself. The night before I left I ran into a young soldier I had been serving for six months. I congratulated him on his successful tour as he was going home that night. As we parted he turned and smiled at me. He then said something that told me, I too had accomplished what I had set out to do.
He said, "I will never forget you.". For a split second I thought I saw James in the face of this incredible young man.
Pictures from my tour will be posted here on this page soon!