Tomorrow the CrossFit community is doing a workout dedicated the men and women wounded in the shootings at Fort Hood. Four members of the Lumberjack CrossFit affiliate were killed in the tragedy.  We will be doing this work out on Thursday next week. I don’t normally tell you what and when you are going to be doing a workout. But I think this one is special. I want everyone to find a way to make it to the gym on thursday to do this workout if at all possible. And if you’re so inclined to help the cause, please register and make a donation (www.cflumberjack.org).

This is a very big workout! And it will be hard, we will scale it to your ability. Please come and help show support even if it’s just simply doing the workout because you can.

The workout is as follows:

tomorrow (saturday, december 5th) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. SMYRC folks will be at 635 NWA 23rd wrapping presents as a fundraiser at the Nob Hill Business Association’s Holiday Village.

you can bring any gift you want wrapped and we’ll see what we can do!

Monrovia Adult School’s Parent Education Center is holding a Holiday Sale Fundraiser Friday, 3 – 7 pm and Saturday, 9 am – 4 pm at 1000 S. Canyon Blvd. (just north of Huntington). They’re selling women’s and girls’ clothing, belts and purses by Gado Gado, fine jewelry creations by Terri Gallupi and ceramic and sculpture from Monrovia High School students of Sal Perez. For more information on parent education, please see the Adult School’s website at: http://www.mcasweb.com/.

America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are developing 34 medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect American women. The new report, Medicines in Development for Women, is presented by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in cooperation with Prevent Blindness America and other national health organizations.

In addition to glaucoma and dry eye medicines in development, the report lists 155 medicines in development for diabetes, also a major cause of vision loss for women.

Treatment of age-related eye diseases, including glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, costs $51.4 billion annually.

For the full report, please visit www.phrma.org.

For more information on Prevent Blindness, please visit www.pbga.org.

the idea of watching this couple bump uglies makes my stomach turn. However, the porn collection of British couple Lisa Brand and Tommy Barnes is one of those things that totally grosses you out, but you end up watching anyway out of curiosity, like 2Girls1Cup.

see, lisa and tommy want a beautiful, idealistic wedding ceremony on a beach in Cancun, but they’re broke. So the couple and parents of four decided that making and starring in their own collection of porns would be a quick way to get some cash.

as if making said videos wasn’t enough to fuck their kids’ heads up for life, they told The Sun all about how their first three tapes involved threesomes, role playing, and lite bdsm, only garnered about £1,300, and are just the start to their series, which will include four more pieces of cinematic vomitry.

they’re really hyped up about it. Like, so hyped they told their parents and stuff. No word on whether or not the kids know, but they’re probably getting made fun of by their friends as i type this.

the most fucked up thing of all? if someone sent me a link to it, i’d watch it. So twisted, the way unconventional porn and general human curiosity go hand in hand.

Here are regular, weekly local events and activities throughout Nosara all this month:

• Mondays:  Trivia Night (on the Wii) at El Fenix (part of Refugio del Sol, across from Pancho’s in Playa Pelada )—winning team gets a prize; starts at 8 pm, for more info call: 2686 0287

• Tuesdays: live music at the Gilded Iguana, local bar and restaurant www.thegildediguana.com/ (Playa Guiones)
• Free Bible Study in English, with Pura Vida Ministries, at Villas Las Tecas,  first lesson: “Bad Girls of the Bible”; for more information call Teresita at  2682-0240 (Bibles provided.)
• Texas Hold’em Poker at El Fenix (part of Refugio del Sol, across from Pancho’s in Playa Pelada ); early bird set starts at 7 pm/later set at 9 pm.  Drink specials, for more info: 2686 0287

• Wednesdays: Free community yoga classes from 4-5 pm @ the Healing Center, Harmony Hotel for more info: 2682 4114  (Playa Guiones)

• Wii Wednesday’s at at El Fenix (part of Refugio del Sol, across from Pancho’s in Playa Pelada ); Play Nintendo Wii games from bowling, golf, boxing, and tennis on a large projector screen—try out the brand new DJ Hero (where you get to be the DJ); for more info: 2686 0287

• Thursdays: Salsa lessons, by donation, 6:30 to 7:30 pm @ the Healing Center, Harmony Hotel for more info: 2682 4114 (Playa Guiones)

• Pre-Banana Sunset Party: grab some drink specials with tapas/bocas, and watch the sunset on Playa Pelada before heading over to La Banana at El Fenix (part of Refugio del Sol, across from Pancho’s); for more info: 2686 0287

Bring meaning into the holiday season—get the whole family involved in local community projects

Whether you are just visiting on vacation, or live here, there are several opportunities this month to get involved with community projects throughout Nosara.  From beach clean-ups to local school drives, this is a meaningful way to start off the holiday season, with your whole family: meet locals; make new friends; contribute to the local community and environment; and have fun!

DEC 1-5: Pura Vida Ministries and volunteers from East Coast Christian Center, in Merritt Island, Florida, will be installing a bathroom for people with disabilities, behind the Iglesia De Dios Completo, in Nosara.  Volunteers are needed to help with cement mixing and digging—all ages welcome!  To volunteer, either show up at the church at 10 AM, DEC 1-5, or phone Teresita, of Villas Las Tecas, at 2682-0240

DEC 5: Del Mar Academy Becas Committee is hosting a Cachibachis, or Second-Hand Yard Sale, at La Casona:  Saturday, 9AM to 12 PM. Benefits go to the DMA Becas/Scholarship Committee.  Call 2682-1210 (ask for Scott) if you have second-hand items to donate, or just drop them off at Del Mar Academy, by noon on Dec. 4^th.

DEC 6: Beach Clean-Up Day:  Bags will be available at each entrance to Playa Guiones.  Clean-up starts at 7 AM.

Community Events in December:

Every Saturday: Organic Market at Giardino Tropicale, from 8 am to 1 pm–from organic meats and veggies to beauty supplies and local crafts.

DEC: Nosara Retreat Center, aka, “Nosara Bed and Breakfast”, will begin daily yoga classes, Qi-Gong classes, empowerment breath-work, and host several workshops throughout December and January.  For details, please visit: http://www.nosararetreat.com/, or contact Debbie at info@NosaraRetreat.com

DEC 1: El Fenix, part of Refugio del Sol (right across from Pancho’s in Playa Pelada) opens for full breakfast and lunch; for more info: 2686 0287

DEC 7: Local lawyer, Andres Gonzalez, and his partner, Sergio Mena, will be holding an informational community meeting to introduce and explain the new Costa Rican Immigration Laws, as well as the new laws on luxury homes, to all interested.  The meeting will be held in the home of Andres Gonzalez, located in Nosara, lot k74; 200 meters south of Harbor Reef (the corner house.)  This meeting is free.  Please RSVP to Andres Gonzalez at agonzalez@iblconsultores.com

DEC 9: Grand Opening of El Fenix, part of Refugio del Sol (right across from Pancho’s in Playa Pelada); starts at sunset—tapas/bocas, drink specials, and surprise entertainment; for more info: 2686 0287  My fave reggae band, the Kingo Lovers will be playing!

DEC 15 – 18: Juice and raw food course and cleanse at Hacienda Del Sol; plus a 1.5 hr rebalancing bodywork deep tissue session.  $325.00; for more information: www.haciendadelsolcr.com, or 8828 4080

DEC 17-20: Fiestas at Esperanza–includes rodeo, gran bailar, fair/carnivale, crafts, and comida y bebidas–can not miss this week-end long party…just between Garza and Playa Guiones…look for the people!

DEC 27: Nosara 5^th Grade Graduation Dance in Santa Teresa’s Salon Comunal, starts at 8 pm.  For more information call 2682 0647

DEC 31:  L’Aqua Viva

Buffet, wine, live music, midnight carnival with comparsa  $99 p/person,
only with reservations 2682 1087
Limited admission

//

We’re very happy to be taking part in Passports With Purpose, the online fundraising initiative that is raising money for American Assistance for Cambodia. If PWP raises its goal of $13,000, a school will be built in Cambodia. We think that’s a pretty great holiday campaign!

How to take part:
For each $10 donation that you make to AAfC, you will will be entered in the giveaway(s) of your choice. The fundraiser closes on December 21 and all proceeds go directly to AAfC. Check out all of the prizes up for grabs here.

What you can win:

There are lots of raffle prizes available, and we’re happy to host some sweet gear from Horny Toad. What better holiday gift than a women’s Edie jacket and a men’s Winslow jacket? A lightweight, insulated, jacket with a water repellent shell. It’s even got a recycled polyester lining! And you score two — which means you get one for yourself and one to give away!

Now hop on over to the Passports With Purpose site and get to donating!

This yard sale is actually a fundraiser to raise funds for scholarships for local ninos….you can contribute by donating goods to sell, or buying stuff at the cachibache!

!Del Mar Academy’s

First Annual Yard Sale!

Primer Cachibaches Anual!

Saturday/Sabado, December 5th, 2009

9:00am – 12:00pm

At La Casona, Nosara

***Drinks & Food will be For Sale ***

***Bebidas, Soda y Pizza se venden***

(regular menu also available)

(el menú regular disponible también)

****************************************************************************

Drop-off clean, used items on December 5^th

(at La Casona) between 7-9 AM

All proceeds benefit

Del Mar Academy Scholarship Fund

Help local children attend the bilingual school!

Call Scott: 2682-1210 for to volunteer/donate items

Podemos recibir cosas para vender (donaciones) en

el 5 de Diciembre (en La Casona) entre 7-9 AM

Todos de los ingresos van a Las

Becas de Del Mar Academy!

Llamenos a 2682-1210 para preguntas

************************

BANDERA AZUL ECOLOGICA

BEACH CLEAN UP OF PLAYA GUIONES

LIMPIEZA DE PLAYA GUIONES

SUNDAY/DOMINGO 6 DECEMBER/DICEIMBRE

BAGS WILL BE AT EACH ENTRANCE TO THE BEACH AT 7:00 AM

PUEDE ENCONTRAR LAS BOLSAS A CADA ENTRADA DE LA PLAYA

A LAS 7:00 AM

I have had 6/12 of my taxol treatments.. The day after Thanksgiving would have been #7 but Docs office closed and Doc said the 1 week break in the middle wouldnt be a bad thing. I am showing great improvement so if we are going to have a break having it right in the middle is good.
It doesnt even seem like its been 2 monthes since I got that call. It doesnt seem like 7 weeks have passed since I started treatment. BUT it has… I so thank God for keeping me through this time. I honestly dont know how are what I am doing half the time because I am so busy living! Still working a FT schedule, doing treatment & still doing all the things I did before I found out I was sick almost keeps me from sitting down long enough to think about being sick.
Its been a month since the whole bald thing and I think I have adjusted nicely. I dont wear a wig or scarf or anything unless ofcourse my head is cold which does happen alot. I am comfortable with how I look BUT it is hard for me to figure out how to explain my situation to the little kids in my life.
I went to a girlfriends house earlier in the week who has 3 little ones whom I usually play with alot and am very active with but on this visit (my 1st since I got the news) I couldnt and I kept my hat on the whole time I was there. Her five year old son must have sensed something because he kept asking me to take of my hat n let him see my hair. I didnt tho because I have no clue how to explain what is going on with me to a small child. I dont want to scare them or anything so I have been avoiding it.
I have been experiencing an increase in my state of emotion. I am happy but willing to cry at any time. Not because I am sad, just super sensitive right now. I dont know what that is all about but Im glad I atleast do recognize it which makes it much easier to keep myself in check.
I will be in chemo #7 tommorrow and this week and next i will be networking and promoting the Fundraiser Event my church is having for me.
I hope alot of ppl come.. Im looking forward to seeing many I havent seen in years and probably crying alot

Just as predicted two weeks ago, I have a whole handful of new obsessions. This is not to say that my previous obsessions from 11/18/09 are no more, it just means these new obsessions are currently in the lead. I still cannot get enough of Gossip Girl (The Thanksgiving episode this week was amazing!) and Ben Folds, but I’ve discovered some new things I’m just as obsessed over.

MY CURRENT OBSESSIONS:

1. FFFFound!

Binky’s Alternate Reality introduced me to this site and it’s been one of my tabs ever since (right between WordPress and Yahoo! Mail). Over the past few weeks I’ve browsed over 1,200 pages of images and saved hundreds into files to use later. This site is amazing, but I’m disappointed that you have to be invited to have a chance to get an account. It’s probably best I don’t have one because FFFFound! already uses up hours of precious time each day.

2. Fleece Tie Blankets

I’ve always wanted to make one of these blankets, but never seemed to get around to it. To my surprise and great pleasure, at my swim team banquet this last Tuesday all the seniors were given one! I’ve had mine draped over my shoulders ever since. Mine’s a ’70’s peace theme with a deep purple back and my name and graduation year embroidered in one of the corners. It’s amazingly warm. If you don’t have one, make one, or find someone who can because you really need one. 

3. The Blind Side

I saw this movie with my mom over Thanksgiving break and I’m in love with it. I laughed, cried, and did this odd laugh/cry at times. The movie was wonderfully made and the whole story behind it is amazing. I’m contemplating seeing it again.

4. Eyelash Curlers

I’ve fallen victim to the idea that eyelash curlers are actually torture devices since I was a little girl walking around with ridiculous eyeshadow on, but I’m happy to say I’ve finally seen the error of my ignorant ways. I’ve  started to use an eyelash curler more regularly, and now I’m addicted to using one. It really does make quite a noticeable difference.

5. Alex Day

I found Alex Day’s YouTube Channel through a post on a friend’s Facebook wall (gotta love technology right?) and became immediately addicted. Alex Day is hilarious. I especially love the videos of him reading Twilight. He participated in this really amazing fundraiser for charity (watch this video to learn all about it). He’s really quite brilliant if you have a spare moment to watch yet another YouTube video.

So those are my current obsessions for the time being. Leave a comment telling me about some of your current obsessions. I’d love to find out something new to obsess over : )

Soup, bread, cookies — anyone would agree the three are all good comfort food. On Wednesday, December 2^nd the boys’ school brought the three of these together for the 6^th annual Soup’s On! Luncheon. For the cost of $9 per adult or $6 per student, each diner was able to choose a handcrafted pottery piece and was treated to a delicious lunch. The menu consisted of a choice of three different kinds of soup – turkey noodle, corn chowder or vegetable barley. The price of the lunch also included homemade cornbread and biscuits; coffee, tea, milk or cider and a variety of cookies and fresh fruit for dessert. My oldest sons’ Modern Meals class gave up their study hall on Wednesday morning and transformed the school’s Family and Consumer Science classroom into a restaurant for the day, complete with fully set tables adorned with tablecloths and holiday themed centerpieces. Each table also had two plates heaped high with various homemade biscuits, cornbread and butter to accompany the soups.  Students, all adorned in aprons, acted as the wait-staff. These students attentively waited on tables, refilling bowls and cups, making sure that no diner left the event hungry. Plates of homemade cookies were circulated to each table at the end of the diner’s meal, featuring student-made sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and my personal favorite, pumpkin cookies.

The event is an interdisciplinary annual event at the school involving students in Art and Pottery classes, Family and Consumer Science classes and Honor Society students, along with their faculty coordinators, all combining their efforts to put together a great fundraiser. The proceeds of the soup luncheon go to the National Honor Society for its food basket program.

The purpose of the food baskets is to provide families with food for the week in order to free-up the money that would otherwise be needed for a week’s food so that the family can spend it on other things such as gifts to make their holiday a little brighter. Last year, the program provided baskets to over 100 families and just as many baskets are anticipated this year. The recipients are either school families, district families or families outside of the area with some type of connection to the school. The “baskets” as they are called are actually four or five boxes crammed full of perishable and non-perishable goods including dozens of homemade cookies that students bake throughout the month of December. The baskets also include turkey, eggs, milk, butter, cheese, apples, oranges, potatoes, carrots and bread. The whole school is involved in the creation of the baskets with each homeroom or TA as it is called, sponsoring a family. The TA chooses the size of the family it wants to adopt and then brings in the non-perishable items necessary for that basket. The perishable items are then purchased immediately prior to delivery with the fundraising monies collected by honor society students in order to complete the family’s basket. The fundraising monies are also used to purchase the non-perishable items for baskets needed over and above those sponsored by homerooms at the school.  Of course, a tasty package of student-made cookies will accompany each basket delivered because, after all, everyone needs dessert.

By Andrea McCallum

A KIRKCALDY businessman has forked out more than £1,000 to have his restaurant used in the latest novel by one of Scotland’s best crime writers.

Dennis Alexander bid for the prize to have his eatery The Pancake Place feature in Iain Rankin’s next thrilling book.

The restaurateur footed a £1,500 bill at an event held at Adam Smith College in aid of Raith Rovers Football Club last week.

He said: “This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I hope we are right in the middle of the plot.

“It will be great to have our name in such a prestigious book.

“A lot of the fans visit the places in the books, but I wasn’t thinking about making money. I was just thinking about my ego.”

Crime writing-heavyweights Iain Rankin and Val McDermid attended the bash and were quizzed in front of a 180-strong audience of fans, football supporters and local residents.

The auction raised an additional £2,400 after two guests paid to have their names used for characters in Rankin and McDermid’s next books.

Dave Somerville, Raith Rovers FC chairman, said: “The evening was a great success and all the feedback is that everybody had a thoroughly good time.

“We are still totting up the amount raised but it looks like we have exceeded our expectations.

“It was a success financially but more importantly the club was pleased to be a part of bringing an event like this to Kirkcaldy – it’s not the sort of thing that happens every day. It was pretty unique.

“People think football clubs are all about money, but we also take our role in the community seriously.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

  There are so many wonderful things to do in our local communities, especially with kids, but none bring me more joy than all the different Holiday events happening around our towns this time of year. One of the best, in my opinion, is Manasquan’s annual tree lighting ceremony and candy cane hunt. The Manasquan Chamber of Commerce will kick off this wonderful event tomorrow, Friday, December 4^th beginning at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will take place in Squan Plaza, on Abe Voorhees Drive. The tree will be set up near the World War II monument, and Santa Claus will definitely attend the event – plus hot chocolate will be served on Main Street as well to help keep little hands warm. The winner of an essay contest, sponsored by the chamber and The Coast Star, will be made the Manasquan Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for the night, and will throw the switch to light the Christmas tree.

  Following the tree lighting, the 19th annual candy cane hunt for children ages 10 and younger will get under way. Last year, more than 1,500 children participated in the free event. Children are asked to line up after the tree ceremony, and will receive a candy cane from a chamber volunteer. Each candy cane is numbered, and the children must search the Main Street business district to find the store that has a matching candy cane number displayed in its window. Once they have found their matching stores, children may visit the stores, where they will receive a wrapped prize, provided by local merchants. Doesn’t that sound like a great way to spend a Friday evening? Also, there will be caroling and live music throughout the evening, which really makes it feel like the Holidays – strolling through town, watching your children enjoy seeing all the decorations, listening to the music as it fills the streets…. It’s magical!  Children are asked to bring a non-perishable canned food item to the candy cane hunt, for donation to the Manasquan Food Pantry.

  Santa will also have visiting hours on Sunday, Dec. 5, 12 and 19, from noon to 4 p.m. There will be a ceremonial brass quartet strolling Main Street on those Saturdays.

Main Street Christmas

 For more information about any of the events, you can call the Chamber at 732-223-8303 or visit www.manasquanchamber..org

Contributing Author

Stephanie Frith

*Courtesy of OSU Communications* 

Eat at Rivals Sports Bar and Grill, on the corner of 7th and Husband, in Stillwater on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 4 – 11 p.m. and six percent of the food proceeds will be donated to the United Way. A group of OSU students in the Imagination in Entrepreneurship class, worked out the deal. Questions? Contact cody.mccoy@okstate.edu or phone (918) 902-8002.

I just signed up to be part of the penny experiment (www.pennyexperiment.com) Jeffrey Strain is attempting to turn a penny that he found on the ground into 1 million meals for food banks. Go to the web site and you can find out all the details. You can also email Jeffrey at savingadvice@gmail.com.
Just a few details, Jeffrey gives you a number ( I picked mine and its 14) and you create a piece of art about 3×5 using your number and a penny. There will be 100 pieces of art which he will catalog and sell. But I suggest that you go to the site and read it for yourself.

The zen of making pie crust.

Your money will be put to good use! DCY has more good things up their sleeves… Make sure you read the post about our Kid’s Yoga class.

How fitting it is with our goals when  Passports with Purpose shared their plans of raising $13,000 to help build a school in Cambodia.

Just yesterday, The Oprah Show hosted the Authors of Half the Sky (www.halftheskymovement.org), Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, who discussed ending modern day slavery of young girls in Cambodia. Read a personal account of participation in the program by the New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof  and other efforts in Cambodia here.

During our 2009 Summer Sabbatical, we visited Cambodia for the very fist time.   In Siem Reap, we came upon many school aged boys and girls selling arts and crafts, approaching all tourists trying to make a few bucks.  This very determined 10 year old girl, in the picture immediately below this paragraph, followed us around  barefooted for over 30 minutes.  She helped us find the easiest way down from the top of the temple on very steep steps.  Like an acrobat she managed her little body up and down the temple steps never too far of a distance  from us.  Finally, she was very excited when we bought 3 bracelets from her.   Her efforts paid off.

10 year old girl selling bracelets- 3 for $1.00

Our Cambodian Bracelets

Sleeping Cambodian Girl

Emma: "No, Thank You!"

Children trying to sell Sodas

We also visited the Cambodian Landmines Museum and Relief Center.   The center had its own orphanage taking care of 70 children.    Visiting this museum and meeting the children everywhere made us wondered.  We wondered about the lives of these children we met:  Do they have a roof over their head, are they fed, do they have books to read? do they go to school?

Though we wished we could have donated more to the Landmines Museum to support the orphanage, frankly, we didn’t have enough dollars to make a major contribution the way we would have liked  (by then, we still had another month left in Thailand).

So here we are! Serendipity?      We like to think so!

We are a proud Silver Sponsor and we invite YOU to join us.

Please don’t forget to tell a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, a teacher or if you have kids, see if you can work with their school and other parents to do a group sponsor.  You can help in sooo many ways.

Click here to Donate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Who is Passports with Purpose?

PwP was founded by four successful women travelbloggers Debbie Dubrow of DeliciousBaby, Pam Mandel of Nerd’s Eye View, Michelle Duffy of WanderMom and Beth Whitman of Wanderlust and Lipstick.  Together with their leadership, they were able to raise $7000 last year.

YES, You Too Can Help Build A School

This year, the Passports with Purpose fundraising effort is supporting American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC) an independent, nonprofit 501 c 3 organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the youth and rural poor in Cambodia.  Founded in 1993 by American journalist Bernie Krisher, AAfC operates interlinked programs across Cambodia in the areas of education, health, rural development, and technology.  By raising $13,000 we can build a school in rural Cambodia!

Map of Schools built in Cambodia by AAfC.

How It Works

Travelbloggers everywhere are hosting giveaways in support of this fundraising effort. See the full list of prizes and get more details directly from the participating bloggers.

For each $10 donation, yes only TEN Dollars, you make to AAfC, you will be entered in the giveaway(s) of your choice.   The fundraiser closes on December 21 and all proceeds go directly to AAfC.     

Key Dates

• PwP drawing begins: Nov 30
• PwP closes: Dec 21
• Prize winners announced: Jan 5

Sponsors

We have support from a number of sponsors who helped kick off this year’s efforts. Please see who’s involved!

Join us!

Click here to Donate

Eve’s Dance Party offered two for the price of one. Attendees were able to support two worthy causes in one event at East End.

Proceeds from the three drink specials and $3 cover charge went to support the UNC Dance Marathon’s efforts at N.C. Children’s Hospital, as well as the Eve Marie Carson Scholarship.

The dance party honored Carson on November 19, which would have been her 24^nd birthday. Carson was a dancer in the marathon and served as a judge for the athletic lip sync competition when she was UNC’s student body president.

“The mission of the Eve Carson Scholarship is for students to celebrate students,” said Ellen Regan, publicity chair for the Eve Marie Carson Scholarship.

And celebrate they did. An estimated 300 people attended the event and showed their support in this first-ever collaborative effort between the marathon and the scholarship. The high turnout came as a pleasant surprise to those involved.

“I was really shocked, especially since we didn’t do anything other than the normal publicity,” said Nicki Drawbridge, alumni relations chair for the UNC Dance Marathon and outreach chair for the Carson Scholarship committee.

The event’s simplicity and unprecedented success proved Eve’s Dance Party to be an ideal collaborative fundraiser for both groups.

“Hopefully we’ll continue to do more joint events,” Drawbridge said, adding that the UNC Dance Marathon’s history of fundraising made it a strong partner for the young scholarship fund.

UNC Dance Marathon’s Campus Fundraising Chair Sarah Beth Wilkison, too, expressed her hopes for the joint-event to continue in future years.

“I would definitely consider this event a success!” she said. “A ton of people were there to dance in honor of Eve and For the Kids, which was exactly the point of the event!”

Becca Brenner

All in all I was happy with the way the fundraiser turned out. I made enough to get a much-needed hard drive for the project and a chunk of cash to give to my animator(Pizza Dog).  There are a few things that I would do differently for future fundraisers. I guess the most important thing that I need to keep in mind is to invite people who actually have money to donate.  There were way too many people who wanted to come in and not pay.  We had some amazing things for sale in the silent auction but not enough action with the bids even though we started really low on the prices.  I think I would like it to be less like a house party next time and do something a little more upscale so that older folks could have come and felt comfortable.  I went to a fundraiser for a film this summer and it was in a house but the key thing that they did was insist that men wore ties and suits and the ladies formal evening wear.  I don’t know if this would work with the Sharkula vibe…hmmm I would like to see homeboy in a suit though.

MEET BABY SOMA*

​

Soma is four months old. Her family is among the poorest in Iraq. Their home consists of two rooms with no kitchen, not even a sink. They live in a town called Kalar, which is about 3 hours south east of Suly. But that isn’t the worst of it: she has Ebstein disease – a heart defect that has caused thousands of children in Iraq to die and more than 3,000 waiting for surgery. If Soma doesn’t receive surgery in January, she will become inoperable and may not live to the age of one or two. Her parents and her older sister’s greatest hope is to see Soma’s heart healed. This is where we get to help. Right now Soma’s family is having difficulty raising funds for her heart surgery. So, we want to partner with her family and PLC so that Soma may receive this critical, potential life-saving surgery. This is where we have the opportunity to touch lives for the sake of the gospel in Iraq.

As a College Ministry, we’re hoping to raise the $7,000 that it will cost to give Soma this much needed heart surgery.

7 ways YOU CAN help Soma

1. give :: each week, we will take up money and all of it will go directly to Soma.
2. pray :: ask the Father to provide for Soma.
3. join a small group :: each group will be collecting as a group to give & to spread the word to friends about Soma.
4. donate :: you can give in honor of a friend or family member as a gift for Soma.
5. go to preemptivelove.org :: for more info about what they do.
6. visit n. iraq :: see Soma and many others during the summer.
7. Christmas at the Criners :: during the annual Christmas party, we will be collecting funds for Soma.

Send all checks here:

First Woodway

101 Ritchie Rd.

Waco, TX 76712

Make checks out to “First Woodway College Missions” and in the memo line put “Soma”