Archive for the ‘Philanthropy’ Category
Guest Blogger Jess Cramp’s Photo Journal: Part 3
Our guest blogger Jess Cramp finishes off her photo journal with her adventures in Palmerston.
” I was lucky enough to spend the entire month of April on a remote outer atoll called Palmerston, studying sea turtles. We spent every afternoon snorkeling the lagoon looking for turtles (and sharks!).”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
“We brought everything we could possibly need….except women that could cook! Haha. This is Matua, teaching Kelly and I how to make proper coconut bread.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
“Wondering what “turtle research” looks like? Find the egg chamber, dig until your fingernails bleed and count the number of egg shells. Every once in a while- you find a baby turtle, and that’s worth every scratch.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
” While I love research and policy work, I revel in the time with kids. Sometimes, your attention makes the difference.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
“Part of living so remotely, is total self-reliance and of course, team work. We spent the day replacing thatch at the school.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
“While on Palmerston, my friend Tina and I ran a shark survey alongside the team’s turtle research. This baby grey reef shark is paying me a visit. They aren’t the killing machines that Jaws portrayed. I promise.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Green
” It’s business time! What I love about my job is the ability to transform fears through open discussion and fact sharing. This is Mayor Bob Marsters of Palmerston writing a letter to the Prime Minister, in support of shark protection. If I had my way, the entire campaign would be run by locals.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Tina Weier
Thanks for reading! Here’s a sunset to keep you dreaming. What’s life without adventure?
With love and sunshine,
Jess
Learn more about Jess through her Matador Ambassador profile
Check out more of Jess’s experiences on Destination Global Good
Guest Blogger Jess Cramp’s Photo Journal: Part 2
Guest Blogger Jess Cramp shares more of her adventures in the Cook Islands and her volunteer work throughout the world through her photo journal.
“Last year, I was part of the 5 Gyres crew, which sailed from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to Tahiti, trawling for trash and taking water samples every 50nm. We’re already well aware of our impacts onshore…”
PHOTO CREDIT: Kitt Doucette
“We were aboard Sea Dragon for 3 incredible weeks, reveling at the many faces of the open ocean.”
” This is a nurdle. These petroleum-based pellets are used to manufacture plastics. We found this nurdle on Henderson Atoll. It is uninhabited, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, but still a victim of the industrialized World.”
“Next stop: Cook Islands. Almost a year ago, I committed to volunteering in marine conservation for PICI…and I don’t regret it. Lucky for me, looking for hawksbill sea turtles, like this little guy, is part of my job!”
PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Lyon
“But life in paradise isn’t always sunny skies! With an important meeting on the horizon and nothing but a scooter, what’s a girl to do?”
“One of my very favorite things about my new “career” is getting into local communities. Here are some local Cook Islands kids showing me their shark fins in support of our shark sanctuary efforts.”
“Surfing in the Cooks is not for the faint of heart. Here’s me, wondering if I made the right choice in paddling out.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Justin Bastien: www.justinbastien.com
With love and sunshine,
Jess
Learn more about Jess through her Matador Ambassador profile
Check out more of Jess’s experiences on Destination Global Good
Guest Blogger Jess Cramp’s Photo Journal: Part 1
Our Guest Blogger, Jess Cramp, shares with us some of her most incredible experiences, bits of wisdom, and beautiful photography in this photo journal.
“I’ve wanted to fly for as long as I can remember. So when I decided to take the leap and follow my dreams, this was first on the list!”
“First stop: Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. I volunteered in a field hospital as a pharmacist and learned fairly quickly that I was not tough enough for disaster relief. Haiti was heartbreaking and humbling.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Cody Doucette
“I remember being completely amazed at the smiley, relaxed faces on many of the kids, even with a panorama of unsightly tragedies.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Cody Doucette
“Next stop: Panama. I spent about six months volunteering in Bocas del Toro, Panama-mostly in water quality and marine science education. But my real passion was found in trying to help the local indigenous tribe, the Ngobe-Bugle, to start a sea turtle monitoring program.”
“Bocas is a Caribbean jewel with gorgeous beaches and amazing waves, but there’s so much litter along the roads, in the drains and along the back beach that it hurts my soul.”
“I felt so lucky to be a part of the Water for People team in Santa Cruz del Quiche, Guatemala. They work with communities on clean water, hygiene and sanitation. And my favorite part is that they stick around to ensure the systems work.”
“Hand-washing can save lives in developing countries. These little ones are on the right track thanks to W4P’s commitment. Kid sized washing stations at a cistern full of water!”
“Guatemala. Imagine someone coming to your home unannounced and asking when and how often you wash your hands? When you travel, spend time with locals. Drink the water they offer, even if it has six teaspoons of sugar in it. Sit in their home. Listen. You will have no choice but to adapt your views of the world.”
With love and sunshine,
Jess
Learn more about Jess through her Matador Ambassador profile
Check out more of Jess’s experiences on Destination Global Good
TONIGHT! Baby come back home…
Dear dear friend of Element, photographer and artist Amber B Dianda created one of her incredible stop motion videos for the song “Baby Come Back Home,” by Japanther!
The inspiration behind the song and animation was done in homage to Beau Velasco, a very special, compassionate, full of love and creative man, as well as beloved friend to Amber and Japanther. Beau struggled with anxiety and depression, and three years ago, sadly, lost that fight. In honor of him, several of the over 2000 stop motion frames Amber B created for the music video will be sold to benefit a depression and anxiety charity.
If you live in the Los Angeles area, TONIGHT (April 25th) the “Come Back Home” music video will launch with Japantherat The Smell!
Regardless of whether or not you can make it tonight, you can still support the cause by purchasing the frames HERE!!
See the full video HERE
Read more about the event HERE
Kyleigh…
A friend of the Element Eden family, we always look forward to our next encounter with Kyleigh, eager of the topics that will arise and the beautiful inspiration that will come of our time with her.
Lovely photos shot by Craig Arend… check out the entire series HERE
Find out more on Kyleigh Kuhn’s story and non-profit at Twenty Four Suns
Let the new years resolutions begin!
I don’t think I have ever been more stoked to welcome in the new years! It may or may not have something to do with coming up with a better new years resolution than the ones I have had in the past…like to shut the garage door every day, or put the milk back in the fridge… I have realized that those are ridiculously impossible resolutions to keep and I have landed on one that I KNOW can happen.
Here at the Paint Box Cafe we were able to reach our goal this Christmas of raising enough money to build a well in another country. Not only do we get to have the honor of being able to provide water for people in need but we actually get the privilege to build it. We were stoked to say the least. I couldn’t believe it was that easy. After being involved with this Christmas tradition after so many years I couldn’t believe that I had not thought of the idea earlier to continue giving to Living Water International year round! The season of giving should be every season! not just around Christmas.
After lots of brainstorming and I am excited to announce my new years resolution… Don’t worry, I am not asking you to help me to remember to close the garage door… BUT, I will need your help, pretty please! For the year 2012, it is my goal to raise enough money to build a well in another country; a goal I am dubbing “In Living Waters”. A portion of proceeds from the sale of my art will go towards the rebuilding of a water source in a third world country and therefore the gift of new life! Here are some of the first pieces created with this goal in mind!
Stay tuned to find out more on what’s to come and how you too can give!
We love boobies…
Breast cancer awareness has increased beautifully in recent years, and behind it all one of our favorite organizations, the Keep A Breast Foundation. Keep A Breast does an amazing job of educating young people through art exhibits, events and programs… most particularly in action sports! Their insanely amazing tag line can be found on wrists across the world, with boobies loved by the masses!
By utilizing the strength of art in communicating difficult feelings and thoughts on health, Shaney and co-founder Mona used their expertise in fashion design, photography and event planning to come up with the idea of using the female form to spread knowledge about breast cancer. They launched a series of art shows to exhibit one-of-a-kind plaster forms of the female torso, each individually customized by artists, then sold to raise funds for breast cancer programs across the globe!
It was an honor to personally meet Shaney and hear the story in her own words while she created a cast of my chest, amongst other creative and inspiring women at the Create and Cultivate event with (No Subject) LA.
Keep doing what you do ladies and know that it’s changing the world!
Big thanks to (NO SUBJECT) LA for bring us together!
DIY do gooders… Round one!
In response to the Advent Conspiracy here in the good ol Lake of the Ozarks, we took action by hosting a DIY craft night here at the Paint Box Cafe. We wanted to provide an opportunity for friends and family to gather together, create not only fun crafts together but memories as well. we offered 6 DIY crafts and all of them only cost 1 to 6 dollars each! We were hoping that by providing this night that people would make their gifts this year, rather than spending money and then donate the money to help someone in need. Despite some hot glue burns and needle pokes the night was a huge success! Thanks to one my favorite crafty ladies Janet Baker, she has provided some easy DIY crafts that you too can share with your friends and family.
Bleached scarf
supplies:
clorox bleach pens
long strips of fabric of your choice
beads are also fun to put on the ends if you choose to do tassels
1. Take your fabric of your choice and cut it into the size and shape of your desired scarf, we found that pieces of cotton were easy to work with.
2. Take your bleach pen and doodle your little heart out on your fabric.
3. rinse in the sink after the bleach has dried and let air dry
4. now is the time to add some little embellishments if desired. I slit the ends of mine a few inches up, tied knots and added some wooden beads I had left over from an old necklace.
This scarf is such a great gift! It’s fun to make and so cheap and who doesn’t enjoy a stylish scarf!
Just another reason to give back!
Love For Japan
How amazing is this calendar by Ask Alice Stationery, proceeds from the sales of the calendar goes to Japan’s Red Cross to help those trying to rebuild their lives after the devastating March earthquake. 12 awesome artists have donated artwork to make this happen, as well as a generous donation of paper and printing services by K.W. Doggett and Bambra Press.
Buy it here and spread the love.
Artwork credits - Cover by – Sass Cocker of Ask Alice.
Check out more calendar images and lots of beautiful paper things on my favorite blog - Upon a Fold.