November 2011 Update

It’s been WAY TOO LONG since the last update, however while enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday I thought about of all the reasons to be thankful our health, safety, family and friends. Life tends to gets in the way if you let it, but many people in our friends network continue to pursue their passions. It is important to celebrate their achievements.

In this post, you’ll find a wide range of opportunities to support. Take a little time to review the items below and please, continue to do good things and help each other prosper. All the best.


1. BRANDON BROWN – PEACE CORPS IN SIERRA LEONE, WEST AFRICA – (http://love-peace-empowerment.blogspot.com/) – Brandon was highlighted in the last update too because he’s truly doing “great things”. He and his team in Sierra Leone are holding a fundraiser to help the wonderful people in his community. With the generous contributions received so far, they have paid all five of their unpaid teachers through the next two years, amassed an army of tools they will use to work in their school farm and we are now in the planning stages of erecting a structure to start a school library. A contribution of $100 pays a teacher for 3 months, and $420 pays a teacher for an entire year. $1,700 pays for the first school farm which will improve community farming techniques as well as raise money for the school. They are already putting donor's money to good use bypaying for the salary of Zainab Kongoteh, the lone female teacher at St. Peter's this year! Please consider a donation of any size!!!!
https://www.wepay.com/donate/15581
http://www.stpetersbauya.org/


2. APRIL WRIGHT – GOING ATTRACTIONS; A DOCUMENTARY ON AMERICAN DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATRES – (http://www.goingattractions.com/) – April continues to pursue her dreams in filmmaking. She has a wonderful documentary based on the culture and recent resurgence of drive in threatres. She’s looking to raise finishing funds for the film if you or others you know might be interested in supporting her.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1752495099/be-a-part-of-going-attractions-drive-in-documentar?ref=live


3. WUNDABAR PILATES – (http://www.wundabar.com/) – A good friend from grad-school, Amy Sowers Jordan, opened her first Pilates studio in Montrose, CA in 2008. She has gone on to open additional studios and now WundaBar Pilates. This is Pilates reinvented, with a revolutionary piece of equipment called the WundaFormer. For an amazing workout or to inquire about franchises, check out her website for more information.


4. FUNDERTAINMENT – (http://www.fundertainment.com/) – A good friend, Jeff Paradowski, is connected with Fundertainment to help with school fundraising efforts. For those who are actively involved in your schools, please take a few minutes to consider Fundertainment. They have created a partnership with major Hollywood studios to offer high quality DVD and Blu-Ray movies for purchase with up to 50% of the proceeds going to the schools. There are no upfront costs, however there is lots of potential!


5. OCULU.COM – (http://www.oculu.com/) – John Cecil is a great guy and his video production company, Innovate Media Group (http://www.innovatemedia.com/) has officially launched their new online video platform. It’s been six years in the making and could not happen at a better time. If you are looking to put video on your website, you need to talk with John about all the possibilities.


6. COMMON LAW TV SERIES – (http://www.usanetwork.com/series/commonlaw/) – Great friends, Karim Zreik, Dan Schotz and Job Turteltaub are currently filming a new TV series set to premiere on USA in early 2012. The show follows former petty criminal and ladies man Travis Marks (Michael Ealy) and methodical ex-lawyer Wes Mitchell (Warren Kole), two acclaimed LAPD homicide detectives whose longtime partnership, like a bad marriage, is on the rocks. So their captain (Jack McGee) sends them to couples therapist Dr. Ryan (Sonya Walger) to help them work out their issues. Here’s a link to the trailer (http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/11/01/common-law-trailer/).


7. LUCKY DOG FLIGHTS – (http://http://www.luckydogrescueflights.org/) – Tracey Coldewey, a good friend from Chicago, knows the folks at Lucky Dog Flights. They are dedicated to providing charitable flights to those in need at no cost, with an emphasis on animal rescue flights. Their services are available to financially distressed individuals and families that are in a time-sensitive, but non-emergency situation due to a medical condition. They transport people for medical treatments that are not available in their area. Sometimes they transport people to hospice care and they provide compassion flights as well, so that family members can visit those who are critically ill. Lucky Dog Rescue Flights has rescued over 300 dogs that would otherwise have been killed. For more information, please check out their website!


8. BOOK: VIRTUALLY VERTICAL: PRAGMATIC GUIDE TO STREAMLINING THE CORPORATION – (http://www.amazon.com/Virtually-Vertical-Pragmatic-Streamlining-Corporation/dp/1453781048/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322328818&sr=1-1-fkmr1) – Sumantra Sengputa has been a good friend for many years, starting back when he worked with Hitachi Consulting. He has decades of incredible operational experience and has been published many times over his career. Additionally, he recently founded EVM Partners (http://www.evmpartners.com/) which provides top-notch strategic, operational, financial and technical management consulting.