IE151 Lorie Norton’s: Epic Charity Drive Odyssey Across Australia: 26,000km of Philanthropy, Adventure & Impact (through the 'Double-Decker' Twice As Nice Cafe & Gallery)

In this week’s episode, Amrit is very happy to interview Lawrence Norton who is sitting in a classroom of an aboriginal community way up in The Kimberleys, plateau region of northern Western Australia. 

Lorie is Amrit’s lifelong warm hearted friend, and is the founder at Twice as Nice Gallery Cafe, a business selling coffee to raise funds for the Eli’s Gift Foundation. This foundation aims to alleviate the financial burden on families with sick children.

Amrit and Lorie dive deep into Lorie’s most fulfilling and adventurous 17.000 km journey across Australia in selfless service to others. All the way from Melbourne to Sydney, up to Cairns, down and right across the middle of the country, coming back through Perth and all the way up to The Kimberleys at 45kms/h in Corazón, his 1949 Leyland Sydney double decker bus!

They talk about how and why Lorie started his business, what was his life like five years ago, why he chose Eli’s Gift for charity and the most amazing stories and people he came across on his way.

While working as a linesman, Lorie decided he wanted to focus on just one thing, one thing from the heart, and so he did. He refurbished a bus and set off on a journey for a charity cause.

It took him 18 months of hard work to get the bus ready and bright, and a lot of courage to leave a 9 to 5 job, sell all his possessions and all alone set off on a long trip. 

All he took were his musical instruments, spirituality, a couple of Twice as Nice shirts, and a skill which he discovered on the way, which was painting with coffee and selling the art to sustain the bus with food and fuel. 

As from painting with waste coffee and with a 14 year project experience, Lorie thought it would be appropriate to branch out into the world of coffee table books. Today he has his own book, “Clare and the Koa Tree”, a book written in a beautiful town called Clare in the South of Australia and developed as a story book for his two loving nieces Ella and Edi. Check it out: https://inspiredevolution.com/recommends/clare-and-the-koa-tree/

Through Lorie’s experience you will learn all what it takes to be successful by focussing and committing yourself to just one thing, how to get out of a comfort zone and push all boundaries, and how to be resilient no matter what happens along your way.

And last but not least, you will learn how to set yourself up for service!

“The more I give, the more I receive”

If you would like to help Lorie fuel his journey, please do it here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mhxnwc-twice-as-nice

If you would like to make a difference and lessen the financial burdens experienced by families with children that are ill, please donate here: https://www.elisgift.org.au/#donate 

Thanks in advance for your support!

About Lawrence Norton

Lawrence discovered the 1949 Leyland Sydney bus when he was working as a linesman 12 years ago, and in a drop moment, he knew he was going to use it for a charity drive.

Now Lorie operates his own business, the Twice as Nice Gallery Cafe, out of the double decker bus which he has owned for a number of years and has spent eighteen years working on; painting, restoring plumbing and installing appropriate furniture and equipment. 

This bus with a tremendous vibe is called Corazón, and the only possessions Lorie has taken with him are his harmonic and handpan. 

Lorie overtone sings while he drives Corazón all around Australia at 45 km/h, stopping at various caravan parks and other pit stops serving coffee for 5$ to residents so he can raise funds for The Eli's Gift Foundation, a foundation that raises money for families of seriously-ill children. 

Lawrence raises money simply by serving coffee, selling art (including his own unique coffee art) out of his bus and has a number of companies providing sponsorship to help him on his journey. 

He received help from a friend to kick-start his business of coffee. She taught him one on one how to be a barista and encouraged him to complete a barista course.  

Ever since, Lorie has been on the road in service to others, and is ready for his next project.

Tune In: 

Welcome Lawrence Norton to the Inspired Evolution!: (00:00:00)

Where did Twice as Nice Gallery Café start?: (00:03:17)

What happens if you have ten projects going on, and you dedicate only a 10% to each one of them? All ten of them will be incomplete. 

“I got rid of nine projects and put all my focus into just one”

Starting a project: (00:08:14)

The project was to leave on a charity drive selling coffee around Australia. But how would he keep on rolling? Not only a fuel and money donation box was needed, but selling paintings painted with coffee

“The more I give, the more I receive”

Picking Eli’s Gift as a charity: (00:17:46)

Through a friend, Lorie discovered who Eli was and what Eli’s Gift foundation was all about, becoming the one and only purpose of Twice as Nice Gallery Cafe

“My dedication was always to support families with sick children”

Key highlights of Lorie’s trip: (00:36:16)

Somebody on Lorie’s journey said: “If you want to do this again, I will give you another bus” There is a thought put out to the universe that soon there will be another Twice as Nice Gallery Cafe and community space. Dive in and see what is the plan!

“Everything is created twice in the world, first in thought, second in action”

Lessons bringing back home when no longer on the road: (00:42:42)

Cave into the journey and discover the importance of commitment.

“Put 100% in on whatever I am working on at that time”

Taking a UFO on the journey: (00:47:06)

Many things can help in meditation. Music is one of them. Lorie enjoys the harmonic, handpan and overtone singing. What about you?

Lorie five years ago: (00:52:07)

From a 9 to 5 job to pushing boundaries and following a dream. 

“Growth in discomfort is a massive thing”

Mentioned resources:

• Eli’s Gift: https://www.elisgift.org.au/ 

Connect with Lawrence Norton:

• Website: https://twiceasnice.com.au/ 
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Twiceasnicegallerycafe/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twiceasnicegallerycafe/?hl=en 
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-norton-norton-2243ab51/ 

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