Hi everyone! With university finally behind me I am focusing my efforts on paying down much of my student related accumulated debt. While I have no hopes of putting much of a dent in my student loans any time soon, credit card debt hangs over my head like anyone else! (thanks to two years of relying on it for living!)

This summer I'll be working full time with pre-schoolers and some children with special needs. I'll also be spending weekends and some weekdays working 1-3 mermaid gigs a day too. One of the major things I like to be able to do with Raina, if offer my services for free to deserving charities and non profits. Events include ones I have done in the past like World Ocean's Day, the annual MSVU Children's Carnival, and various public speaking events. I also like to be able to lower my rates for families from low SES backgrounds. In able to do all of these things I donate a lot of time (that could be spent obviously working) as well as money. I do it because I believe in it, and charity is a major core of who I want "Raina" to be.

Unfortunately, everything costs something! This fall I may be lucky enough to be chosen to do a special intern-ship which would see me working with students who desperately need my teaching abilities in a different country. I'd also be taking my tail to try and spread literacy awareness and motivation, as well as educate tourists on the local ecological issues. Because the internship wont pay very much, making sure my credit card is paid down is a MUST. I simply wont be able to afford monthly credit card payments and have to eliminate this as quickly as I can. Now, this is all simply as possibility. When I know if I get the placement, I'll be writing a series of blogs and shooting vlogs to keep you updated on my journey. I'll also be doing some fundraising to raise money to send children to school in that area. For now, this is all hypothetical "thing I hope to do". You can be sure you'll be notified the second I find out

For now, paying off my credit card debt will make it significantly easier for me to offer my services for free and discounted rates.

So how can you help? Well, I'm not asking you to throw money at me. But I have worked hard to update all my merchandise websites! I have three different websites that you can browse through for everything from prints, puzzles, tshirts, jewellery, and more! Lots of things I think will make perfect gifts for those people in your life that enjoy mermaids. I've tried hard to keep the prices minimal- but each website has a base cost. My earnings go from .50-5$ depending on the item.

It's only because of people sponsoring my efforts to purchase a high quality tail- that I was able to achieve this dream. I promised the people who previously sponsored me that I would keep to my principles of literacy, ecology, and the Three I's, give my old tail away to someone for free, and try to donate my time when I could. I've worked very hard to hold up that end up the bargain! Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful.

Currently I'm donating my time directing a musical at my local school, I'll be donating my time for many different events this summer, depending on the placement of a previous professor I'll be speaking about literacy 1-2 times at my former university, I'll continue trying to help newer mermaids gain their "footing" by participating in the community and answering questions, and I'll continue working on the community emag with my partner called "Tail Flip" something we both donate countless hours to.

So how can you help?

- Consider sponsoring Raina directly by making a small donation via Paypal! send to thefineartoffallingapart at hotmail dot com via paypal or click [link]

-Visit one of these websites to purchase official prints, tshirts, and merch!
[link](best for prints and puzzles)

[link](best for t's and jewellery)

[link](misc, will be updates soon)

No money? No worries! You can also help me out my sharing my FB especially if you're local (though you can still do it if you're not) sharing my page helps me raise funds because you're helping me book paying gigs! So even sharing can help, be sure to share my website www.rainamermaid.com and my FB [link]

If you've read this far, kudos to you. Thanks for being a part of my mermaid journey. Thanks for helping me achieve all that I do and all that I will!