Registration for BarCamp Diaspora is still free! If you're not sure what a BarCamp is, here's a definition to help you out:"A BarCamp is simply an ‘unconference’ - an ad-hoc gathering of people with the simple desire to share and learn in an open environment. Unlike a conference, at a barcamp everyone is both a speaker and a participant. The c […]
So my English Higher Level class is reading Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ and I’m having a blast! From hearing Prospero profess his undying love to Miranda for ‘preserving him’, to seeing Miranda go weak in the knees from inner-thigh tremors when she meets Ferdinand for the first time and ‘e’er sighs’ for him, ‘The Tempest’ is laden with sexual undertones in t […]
So many events lately! Here's another one you should check out. As a special treat for my readers, use the code FFOODIE for a $10 discount on the tickets. Finance Foodie's NY correspondent Anne "M" Raso will be at the event - so be sure to say hi if you see her!WHAT: Bottlenotes invites wine enthusiasts to explore the world through wine a […]
Loren Feldman, yes THAT guy who does videos with puppets and who is more likely to spew forth honest curse word filled content then most people on the Internet hosted the first ever Audience Conference in New York City this past week. You never heard of The Audience Conference? Are you wondering why it wasn’t trending [...]
Another wet spring is here, and along with it comes a flurry of events hosted by the non-profit world, to support (mostly) noble causes. This year I’m attending an event hosted by YAI’s Brighter Futures Soceity (of which I am a member).
Last year we had an amazing event themed Le Grande Spectacle. Below are some pictures from that fabulous night of schmoozing and boozing :
This year’s event is titled Royale. Don’t be fooled by it’s seemingly simple name. Royale promises to be one of the best, if not the best BFS event event to date. You can buy your tickets online at http://www.yai.org/bfs if you’re interested. I hope to see you there.
By all measure, this year’s Central Park Challenge was the biggest and the best in 23 years! There were more adults, more kids, more runners, more supporters and more refreshments! Choc full O’ Nuts, one of the refreshment sponsors for the day, brought a whole new feel to the park when it showed up in it’s “Coffee Bus”– a little reminiscent of the icecream man, but for adults (though the crazy parents these days will let their kids eat anything!).
As always, the Play area was alive with hundreds of energetic little people, draped in sometimes oversized orange shirts (this year, the Central Park Challenge stayed true to it’s brand colors– the park was alive with blue, yellow and orange). Face painting , sand art, the bouncing castle and the Jr. All American Races, all staples of the Central Park Challenge, were present again this year. One new addition to the show however was Audra Rox: from my vantage point, she sounded good, but I think she recieved mixed reviews overall. Whatever the case, the Play area was a success this year, and I hope the Central Park Challenge keeps it a success each year by reinventing it frequently.
The stage area this year was amazing! It had a huge yellow stage skirt with all the event sponsors listed in blue. On the stage itself, there was a HUGE-ONGOUS sign that read “A DAY OF HOPE” that acted as the back drop to all the perfomances. Close to the end of the event, as Dr. K’s Motown review brought the day to a close with “Ain’t no mountain high enough” (can you say authentic motown?!), I stood at the back of the crowd and marvelled at the number of people who had braved the warnings of a potential “severe thunderstom”, to be in Central Park, to celebrate this Day of Hope. As the last notes of the song were sang, the towering ”A DAY OF HOPE” sign on stage seemed to bolster the words of Dr. K’s music, and send a wave of excitement through the crowd which quickly rose, and then broke with loud cheers and applause…
…and then the rain finally came.
But by then most people had expended all the Hope they had been holding in for this wonderful event, for a year. And boy had they expended. Earlier in the day (7am-ish), most of these people that were now being ushered out of the park by the rain had run a 5k race, or walked and cheered a mile to show their support for people with disabilities, or both. The rain couldn’t have come at a more opportune time– people needed to be sent home to go recharge for next year’s Central Park Challenge. Will you be there?
I found some pictures of the day here for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy and leave a message.
The countdown is on! 11 days from now the Central Park Challenge will happen! Act NOW to make a difference in the life of a child, an adult or a senior citizen with developmental and learning disabilities!
Here is what you can do to help:
1. Click here and make a donation of whatever you can afford
2. Form a team online and raise funds, or
3. Spread the word (by sending the URL to friends and family, encouraging them to help out too)
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment, or signing up for email or RSS updates. You can also e-mail me at pbaffour.wordpress@gmail.com. Thank you.
The views expressed below are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views YAI/NIPD Network or any of it’s affiliates, or its Board of Directors or the people they represent.
The YAI/NIPD Network has been creating hope for people with disabilities for over 50 years. Most people who know about this organization usually know one thing: that it’s a “national leader in the provision of services, education and training in the field of developmental disabilities”. What people might not know is that the YAI/NIPD Network is a leader in the fight for human rights. You can read here about a recent gorundbreaking lawsuit won by the YAI/NIPD Network, that has major implications for the future of housing for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
Please help support YAI’s great work by clicking on the photo below and:
1. Making a donation of JUST $10 (or more if you can afford it)
2. Forming a team and raising funds, or
3. Spreading the word (by sending the URL to friends and family, encouraging them to help out too)
You can also view YAI/NIPD Network’s photostream on flickr here . You can also see YAI’s video’s here.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment, or signing up for email or RSS updates. You can also e-mail me at pbaffour.wordpress@gmail.com. Thank you.
YAI is an amazing organization that provides services to people with learning and developmental disabilities and their families. They have an amazing youtube channel where you can watch all their videos– You should absolutely check it out: Click here
The Central Park Challenge is essentially a family fun day– there is a 3K walk, a 5K run, and a children’s area for parents who need to have their kids work off some sugar induced energy. Oh, and there is a little mini race in the children’s are call the Junior All American races.
I’ll be there this year! I hope to see you there too! And if you’re touched by what this wonderful organization does, please give a donation on my pageORRegister for the event, and help spread the word! I promise, you’ll feel great for helping out. Ciao!
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