Day 43 - 2012

Junior League does amazing things in the community.  This year we helped out a young lady who was coming out of the foster care system.  At 18 they are kicked out with no guidance, no help.  Most of us depend on our parents for assistance well into our adulthood. These kids do not have that chance.  They were dealt a different hand.   We were able to help this young lady furnish her first apartment, the way she dreamed it to be.  The reaction on her face says it all. Way to go JLJ -- AWESOME job on the first Whale of a Makeover. Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible! 

Check out the coverage it got on News4Jax: http://www.news4jax.com/news/Woman-calls-home-makeover-a-blessing/-/475880/8808394/-/xxsfk8z/-/index.html

And Action News Jax: http://www.actionnewsjax.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=3289631&navCatId=20896



I love being apart of such a great organization!  Yay for giving back to the community in which I live.  I wish more people who give back, if they did the world would be a better place. 

As a side note:

A friend of mine has put together or had a hand in a lot of the below and wanted to keep you in the loop.  

The biggest project  he has coming up is something called No Meat March (NMM).  It's a month-long pledge to give up eating meat.  His healing center, Ananda Kula, is a sponsor along with The Girls Gone Green, an amazing group of women who support a vegan lifestyle.  They created Northeast Florida's Veg Fest that happens in the fall. Essentially, NMM is a community-focused challenge.  We send daily emails educating people on recipes and on the effects of a more plant-based diet on the planet.  We will hold cooking classes, concerts, films, speakers, dinners, trips, and other social events.  Think about clicking the link on the site and pledging to go meat-free for the month (even if you're already veg!).   I know it's a big deal for some people, and, if you're not interested, I hope you'll at least go look at the site and just familiarize yourself with what we're working on:www.nomeatmarch.com

Another project is with my 501(c)3, PB&J (Party, Benefit, & Jam).  We are doing our next fundraiser on March 31st.  It's a pop-up party.  They are  looking to get table captains for a potluck dinner they are hosting to raise money for a community gardens project for Riverside Avondale Preservation and Sustainable Springfield (Google those two organizations if you're not aware.  They do incredible community work).  The idea is that each table captain would be responsible for getting 3-5 friends together and bringing a table, some chairs, some food, and meet at a secret location that will only be divulged an hour before the party.  Everyone wears white (Black if people completely refuse).  I thought it would be fun to invite you to be a part of this.  If you're interested in captaining a table, let me know.

Also, PB&J is taking over Pecha Kucha  starting in January.  It's a presentation format.  Presenters get 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide.  Presenters can speak about whatever they choose.  This is a great vehicle to talk about anything you'd like to present.  Check it out.  It's a lot of fun.  I'd love to invite you to be there.  It'll be on March 20th at Intuition Brewery in Riverside.

Ananda Kula, our healing center, hosts vegetarian potlucks every month.  They're family-friendly events that bring the community for food and live concerts.  We are creating the anti-smoky bar music scene.  Normally, we host the best local artists in town. This month, we're hosting our first national act, Caroline Pond.  She's a fiddle and ukulele player from North Carolina, rolling into town for this show at the studio.  It's free to come in.  We accept donations for the band.  That's happening on the evening of February 25th.

The same day  Ananda Kula is  hosting a beginning herbs workshop to learn how to heal with plants. 

And they are also in the process of accepting recipes for an Ananda Kula cookbook they would  like to publish.  If you have any recipes you'd like to donate, please bring them with you to the studio.  

And the last thing I want to plug has nothing to do with me.  A friend of mine just opened Sun-Ray Cinemas in 5 Points (Riverside).  He's created an unbelievable movie-going experience (Remember those?).  There's an incredible mural to meet you at the door, food, amazing beers, and some great old-school video games.  They just moved back to town to open their dream movie theater.  They're pouring so much love into it, and this community needs it to survive.  Bring your partner on a date and show off how cultural and 'in-the-know' you are.  Sun-Ray Cinema

I know I hit you with a lot, but it's all good things for the community.  Feel free to spread the positivity!!!!

Thanks for letting me share

If you want more info please contact me or my friend

"Keith Marks" keithmarks@gmail.com