Thank you!

Final numbers are in and the deadline has passed. The results... $11,013.49 raised! We did some good work together. Thank you to everyone who participated, gave, supported, cheered, sneered, doubted and lent a hand. Every part of this past year was worth it for this.

"Skating away on the thin ice of a new day"

In the wee hours

Tomorrow I will wake for the final event for this Seva challenge. Tonight is the last long haul of ironing, printing and planning. I am almost done and ready to rest. To rise and shine and greet those who join me. May you be well and may we gather tomorrow for the greater good, us included.

a few brought a lot

Last night's Change for Change was a success in my book. The crowd was small, very small. There were many faces I did not see that I had expected - that's just the thing with expectations though.

Those that did attend really brought it. They showed up with buckets, tubs, jars, and large bags. And they stayed and smiled and drank and laughed. All the while the talented and charming Clint - aka Eli Charleston - played his rag timey tunes which filled the air with sweet sounds and mixed with the holiday decorations.

All in all 9 full coffee cans are ready to be deposited, with a few more trickling in. The cans are heavy - weighed down by the generosity within them and the months of gathering and giving.

Thank you to everyone who came out in the freezing night air. Thank you to Clint for playing for Change. Thank you to Suba and the ladies of MQ for hosting the event and thank you to my co-workers there that shared their time and space to lend a helping hand.

So while the turnout disappointed me, that feeling quickly dissipated once I realized that the people who were there were so full of love that it filled the room as if there were hundreds and that is more than enough.

So I might have to make a few trips to get all this change counted... I'll keep you posted on the final amount.

Namaste friends.

Here we go...

Change for Change is tonight from 5:00 - 7:00 at Suba at 272 North Street, in Harrisburg.

My second wave of excitement / nerves kicked in about a half hour ago... the first wave kicked in when I saw the article in the Patriot this morning. Mostly I am excited to see what happens, who turns up and what the outcome is.

Eli Charleston will be playing live for the entire time!! Fun times no matter the outcome.

Hope to see you there!!

Check out the article in today's Patriot News!!

A big thank you to writer Lara Brenckle and to photographer Christine Baker. Please take a moment and check out the article in today's paper - click here to read.


** Photograph by Christine Baker, The Patriot-News

Photog in the house

In the week before an event I am usually to be found in my basement madly printing away until the wee hours of the morning. And often guests, helpers and visitors pop over to lend a hand or to say hello. Last night my visitor was a photographer from the Patriot News. I was nervous before their arrival and then relieved - it really was an enjoyable experience, I forgot about the camera and the photographer, Christine, was as cool as could be.

Midas touch

Change for Change - December 10th

A little while back I mentioned a little fundraising idea called Change for Change... and I asked you to start saving some change or to set a can out at your place of business or home. The idea being that we will see how much what is spare to us can do for others when it is combined.

It is almost time to see what happens...

On December 10th, from 5:00 - 7:00pm at Suba Tapas Bar, I am holding the Change for Change benefit. The idea is pretty simple - stop by, donate your change and together we will see what happens next.

Bring your change in a baggie, a dish, a pocket, a jug, a bucket, or a handful... and toss it in one of the collection cans. While you are there stay for some drinks and tapas. Your beautiful bartenders that evening have graciously decided to donate their tips from 5:00 - 7:00 to the cause! So come on out... a little spare change can go a long way.

Change for Change - Thursday December 10th. Happy hour never looked so good.

Yoga for Uganda

The ever talented Megan Caruso (artist, designer and maker of things) has once again come up with yet another beautiful poster and a lovely apparel design for the final Yogini for Uganda event... I am continually stunned by her talent and so very grateful to her great contribution to help out with the fundraising effort. For those of you visiting this blog for the first time Megan is the clever designer behind my logo, printed materials and images for the tees...

I spy with my little eye...

Great success last night. With gratitude and respect, thank you to all the fantastic musicians and to everyone who came out and made the night what it was. Good times indeed with a great group of people. Together we raised $1,055! .

* Photograph by Jeff Lynch

Uganda Rocks, Part Deuce... TONIGHT

Take a nap and then get on your dancing shoes... be a part of a night of live, local music for the greater good.

Spy Club, Second Street, 9:00 pm until the wee hours...

$10 at the door

Build a school, sustainable farm, and birthing center for Ugandan communities in great need.

The Sentinel Online : A E : Arts : Area bands rock for Ugandan charities

The Sentinel Online : A E : Arts : Area bands rock for Ugandan charities

Thanks to Lisa Clarke - area entertainment writer, and to Jeff Lynch who sparked her interest... Uganda Rocks and Yogini for Uganda has a write in The Sentinel.

Gratitude

I bow to you all in gratitude and acknowledge your very important roll in the world... thank you endlessly.

Hero on Bridge Street etc etc

Last night I printed my logo on all the shirts for Uganda Rocks Part Deuce... and this afternoon I turned them over to Josh at Axis Custom Apparel to print the poster image on the front. This is the first item that I will not have a chance to actually print the entire shirt, a process that is important to me - and while that disappoints me I could think of no one that I would rather have getting the job done.

Thank you Josh and the rest of the crew at Axis... your kindness and radness it is fully appreciated.

Spontaneous advocate

Last night I had a spontaneous fundraiser.

Our story begins with my usual weekend gig as a bartender... I had four people come in. They sat themselves down directly in front of one of my Change for Change cans and a few postcards for Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce... they asked about it, I told about it. And what happened next was a flurry and a mad fundraising delight. One of the women in the group starts going from person to person, table to table explaining to people what I was doing. She is out there on the floor of the restaurant striking deals, asking donations, and buying drinks for patrons if they donated $10, $20, $1, .$25... around and around the bar she went. It was fabulous.

The band played, people carried on, drinks and tapas were consumed. An hour passed and the foursome got up to leave and this is what the previously 25% filled can looked like. She raised over $100.

Thanks spontaneous fundraising friend.

Either you're a part of the problem or a part of the solution...

A comment was left on the Facebook event wall for Uganda Rocks Part Deuce that had me so worked up that my hands were shaking and my palms were sweating... I 'm aware that people have differing views, and I realize that some people hold to the opinion that a better use for money raised could be found in our own country, towns and communities but this comment was well...wow! It had been a long while since I encountered such bigotry, hostility and hatred.

Without naming a name (although this "fella" sure wasn't shy about sharing his opinion openly) or quoting him correctly by inserting the proper amount of f-bombs ... his sentiment summed up was that raising money for Uganda (or anyone outside the US) is a scam and he felt and actually wrote that the "people, (he did not use the word people but rather a word that starts with n) in Uganda should die of thirst".

Why the hate? I am curious what this person's contribution to life is? I almost commented back, I almost emailed him but rather I deleted the comment and moved on.

But I will say this - part of the money raised does stay in the USA, it goes to support yoga programs for urban at-risk youth. This guy probably doesn't like urban youth either. And I strongly believe that we, I, you , me, can benefit from helping others within or outside of our own borders. And if you want to help your own town, community, neighborhood or country - then do it. Raise the money, create the projects... walk the walk. Peace.

How many hands does it take to make a chicken shirt?

I ran into a bit of a dilemma yesterday... and I am pretty sure my head was about to split right open. I needed to solve a problem. I needed to solve it fast.

How did I solve it - I went to the Deuce Gibb Salon. A hair cut at a time like this you might be saying? No... initially this visit was just to deliver some posters and postcards to Deuce who's band is playing in Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce (hence the Deuce part of the event name)... and to talk over some last minute details regarding the show but what I got out of the visit was a breath of fresh air and a big sigh of relief and many a helping hand.

If you have never been to Deuce's salon I highly recommend it. Not only do they deliver excellent services but the staff there are as cool as cucumbers, oh so nice and it is a welcoming, comfortable, cool place to hang.

So.... yesterday I was having a screen burning issue - our local art supply store is leaving us and everything is 50% off and while that is fantastic for those of you who want to stock up on supplies it was not so good for me yesterday when I needed something and the screen printing aisle was completely cleaned out of all items. No supplies, no screen. No screen, no cool new concert tee. Sadness settled in and disappointment that I should have planned ahead in some unforeseen way... but I don't really have time for "should of" and "could of" I needed a real solution - the shirts are on the way, and the benefit show is around the corner.

The solution - Axis Custom Apparel ... they checked out my issue and solved the problem. When another problem came up, he solved that one too. The owner even took the time to show me the shop, the awesome equipment and process. This is the place to go to get your custom apparel done. I love my basement workshop but these guys have the set up and the owner is cool and kind enough to take time out of his incredibly busy schedule to help me out.

Thank you Josh at Axis - and Deuce for sending me down there. Sometimes you cannot do everything yourself, actually very rarely, and when you can't and you have reached the end of your abilities - open you mouth, ask for help... you'll be surprised where it comes up. It also shows once again that New Cumberland is a very cool place to be.

Are you ready to Rock?

Friday November 27th (the eve after Thanksgiving) is Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce @ Spy Club ( which is inside the Dragon Fly on Second Street)

Your ticket price of $10 will help to build an eco-birthing center for mothers with HIV/AIDS in Uganda, a seven room primary school with attached sustainable farm, and will help to leave a living legacy for a community pf people in great need.

Mechanical Minds goes on first starting the night with a blend of hip hop, spoken word and jazz instrumentation, Blue Elephant is up next bringing us the blues... and after that the Martini Bros rock like rock n' roll should be done and the ever excellent Suburban Transit closes out the evening with their stellar funky style.

Friday November 27th 9:00 pm... $10... a small way to give thanks by giving.

Hope to see you all there.