First Public Meeting to an Organization... and update on the vision.

Hey everyone.... I hope you are making the most of your summer, or whatever season it is where you are in the world.

We are having an open Stitch Uganda meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, 7pm at Happinez wine bar, 42 Princess Street in Saint John, New Brunswick. Anyone interested in taking part in the project is welcome.

Thus far, it has been a pet project I've personally directed. Now it's time to put our skills together to create a global movement... with a board of trustees-- The Circle of Trust. We've had amazing support thus far from Sterling Rope Company who donated webbing for hammocks, and Danny Kean who donated a truck load of vintage clothes(most of which still need to be reworked and sold), and many others who have taken part.

Everyone wants to help those less fortunate, but many don't trust that donations will go to the people they are supposed to serve, and often they are right. Money gets eaten in administration and corruption.

The Circle of Trust will record, bank and grant all funds coming into Stitch Uganda Together. I'll give %10 of hammock sales to the Circle to bank, and when we need funds for projects while in Uganda, I'll ask the Circle to issue funds. I'll recorded everything we do on video posted to Youtube, so donors can see how funds were spent. With collective effort and transparency, we will earn public trust and amazing things will happen.

The plan is to sell hammocks made in Uganda, which in turn gives Ugandans employment, plus free hammocks to the homeless and to create awareness and funds toward developing an Endless Summer Camp in Bunabumali. We can't call this a non-profit. Everyone will benefit-- from the people who sew hammocks to the people who sell them at festivals and in stores. This is a social profit organization.

The vision is to build an egalitarian network of individuals who are working together around the globe, that will all eventually get to spend time in Bunabumali-- in the garden of Eden we will create. Money is not the answer-- it is just one means to get there. The lessons we will learn through this experience are about the power of community and creativity. I don't want to control this organization. It will be a lot bigger and have a greater impact if I don't. I don't want to be that busy. I enjoy my freedom too much. That's why I'm inviting you now, so I can eventually chill out and enjoy a few of the hammocks we'll create on a mountain top above the village. I know just the spot. It has a view of a beautiful rock pillar I can't wait to climb.

I see humanitarian work as an adventure that is rewarding for all involved. I enjoyed all the people I had the pleasure to meet in Bunabumali, and I'm excited to bring others there to feel their warm energy and experience the beauty of the mountains. It is a safe place to create a community of travelers-- artists, builders and gardeners, all working and playing for the love of it, with local people-- everyone learning from each other.

We'll raise kids that know how to live from the earth, and will have opportunities like we do to travel. It will be like a Camp Rotary in Bunabumali where orphans from all over Uganda will go to be blissed-out learning all sorts of arts and having adventures on mountain bikes, kayaking and rock climbing. Uganda is a playground, and it does get some tourism, but not like it deserves. If you can see yourself there, you can be, because that's the way life works.

I spend beautiful days like today inside sewing at home, so I can afford to go back to Uganda in the fall. Even if you can't go to Uganda with us this November, maybe there is some other way you can send your love to the kids? You can contact companies to donate medicine, food supplements and seeds to grow food. I have in the past, and businesses were happy to give. You can learn how to sew hammocks yourself, which could be sold to buy fabric for making hammocks in Uganda. One of the main problems is shipping things over there, but whatever you want to do... let's figure it out and do it. I only have time to do so much. I have set the ground work, so use my photos and video, and make this project your own.

Emmanuel Norman Nakhokho in Uganda as a friend... he is the one who invited me to Bunabumali and is always seeking support for the orphanage his family runs that serves over a hundred children:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=818523624&ref=ts

If you have not seen the videos I shot in Uganda, you can here:

http://www.actionheronetwork.net/uganda.html

Currently, I'm sitting at the sewing machine getting ready for an opportunity to sell hammocks at a performance of High School Musical tonight presented by KV Players and the Saint John Theatre Company. The show starts at 7pm, and runs all week at KV High school.

http://www.kvplayers.com/upcoming.html

Casey Yerxa, creator of Kidsing, set up this opportunity at KV. She is planning to go to Uganda with me in November to play with the kids in Bunabumali and share the arts education that she is all about.

http://www.kidsing.ca

Mike Humble, just sent an invitation to create a Relaxation Station with hammocks and hoops at Crabbe Mountain Aug 29th and 30th for FeelsGood Folly Fest. Lots of bands... certainly worth making the trip!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101058467614&ref=ts

Thanks for your interest. It is only going to get more interesting as we get more organized!

Have fun!

-Cor ♥

Lots to report... so little time!

Joseph donated two sewing machines.





Jayne Lomax(left) donated $200 toward buying fabric for making hammocks in Uganda which will be given to orphans. Instead of giving gifts this Christmas, Jayne gave cards with photos and information about Stitch Uganda, stating that she was giving hammocks to homeless children on their behave. When we make the hammocks and give them to the kids in the spring, I'll send photos back to Jayne, who will forward them to her friends and realitives.

Patricia Aubin bought a silk blouse from the collection Danny the Traveling Piano Man donated, which I shipped off to her in BC to give as a Christmas gift.

Steve at Cyber Solutions recovered all the information off my computer, including my photos from Uganda, which could have been lost when I put my laptop on a large speaker at the Evolve music festival, which ruined the hardrive.

The Scope, a weekly newspaper in St. John's, Nfld, is featuring Action Hero Hammocks in "Store Front" section this week. Hammocks are being sold at Hempware and Living Planet in St.John's.

CBC raido Saint John will talk to me live this Thursday morning about the sewing workshop at Forest Hills School Thursday night 5-9pm and the Vaudeville fashion show December 27th at Akhord, 9pm-2am.

New web page for Stitch Uganda on the Action Hero Network site: http://www.actionheronetwork.net/uganda.html

Last night, I posted photos of the hoodies I'm selling and asking people to give me ideas to create one-of-a-kind custom designs: http://www.actionheronetwork.net/clothing.html

New hammocks for sale: http://www.actionheronetwork.net/hammocks.html

For the Love of Learning

Yesterday we had a major development with Stitch Uganda Together. Ray Hunt, who was at the Sanctuary gathering this summer, contacted me with a proposal to set up fair trade booths at a dozen farmers markets in BC, where crafts from Uganda could be sold, starting with our hammocks. This is just an idea at this point, with no promises, but he put me in touch with a lady named Laurel, who runs ten very successful markets, so we'll see where that goes.

I also emailed Joe DeMino who stopped to talk with me last month as I was selling hammocks on the boardwalk. He was visiting Saint John on a cruise ship from the US. He is in management at CVS Pharmacy, and they give large amounts of free medicine to third world countries. He was keen to send pharmaceuticals to Uganda, so that's a good contact. I don't know what drugs are needed-- maybe you have some suggestions, or know of other places where drugs are needed currently. I'll wait to hear back from him, and then can give out his contact info if that is what he wants.

I'm wearing an Action Hero hoodie at the moment, which is super warm and cozy. I printed off as many as I could while at LivingPlanet.ca in St.John's, Newfoundland. I couldn't carry more than a large laundry bag of t-shirts and hoodies home with me on the plane, so I left a box full with Charlotte and asked her to mail out the promo orders. I screen printed from mid-night to 4am, then rushed to catch my 5:30am flight. The t-shirts are now for sale... $20... and hoodies are $50... plus shipping. We can have Living Planet make more when we run out. They are also going to be sold in the new Living Planet store in St. John's.

ActionHeroNetwork.net is still down... but the problem with the nameserve may have been fixed, and it just takes time to be redirected. I'm excited to get to work on making the site something completely different-- simple, yet creative, that will keep people checking in. It is also important that the site be a hub directing people to the groups on tribe.net and facebook.com, and this google group, so everyone has the opportunity to post and connect.

My last day in St.John's was spent facilitating a circle and teaching a hammock sewing workshop at For the Love of Learning-- a non-profit, arts-based, education and entrepreneurship program for resilient youth. They never had a circle there before, where the talking stick is passed. I explained the ground rules-- only the person with the stick can speak, respect everyone's time by not speaking more than a few minutes, you have the right to pass, and when the stick is passed twice around the circle without anyone speaking the circle is finished.

As circle facilitator, I posed a questions to generate meaningful insights. "Who has inspired you and why?" "What skills do you have and what is your gift to the world?" "What is beyond your understanding, what do you want to know, or what is stopping you from getting what you want?" The responses from youth and staff were very touching and I even got a watery eyes a couple times.

Circles are very powerful because they give everyone the opportunity to be heard. Everyone has stories to tell, but not everyone feels empowered to share unless they feel safe and think people really want to listen. Listening is a gift. A teacher can't be a teacher without a student. By listening, we help the teacher fulfil their purpose, which is a good feeling felt by the teacher. When people listen to my long stories, I always thank them for listening. It was a gift, a sign of respect to me for them to be listening.

I'm sure there are many people who don't feel heard. Often people who are family and friends don't really listen to us. We get cut off, shot down, or told that our dreams are not realistic. That's why community circles are powerful. They give everyone a space to share meaningful information, which might never be shared otherwise. A lot of conversation is just light banter. In circle, we share innermost thoughts, feelings and dreams with strangers, and it feels safe, because everyone is listening. Everyone was given a pen and paper to write down thoughts during circle, when it was not their turn to speak, so they wouldn't forget their reflections on ours thoughts or could be prepared with something to say when it came their turn.

I'll attach photos showing the hammock making workshop. I left them with enough fabric to sew two more hammocks, and a couple of the youth participating in the Katimavik program planned to teach the workshop at their team's house. Robin Grant, founder and director, wants the youth to be involved in Stitch Uganda Together through making and selling hammocks, or any other way. I'd like to take a couple youth to Uganda in April. The youth put Action Hero tree logos on their clothes, and that is the way it spreads organic. There is no stopping it now.

I just walked into the kitchen and found Jayne wearing the Action Hero t-shirt and Life in Africa beads she bought yesterday. Jayne is looking after my mother's Shaklee food supplement business while my folks are in the Mediterranean cruisin'. Jayne doesn't want to give her family more stuff they don't need for Christmas, so she is planning to donate the funds to buy a couple rolls of fabric to make hammocks for orphans in Bunabumali. Each roll of fabric is $90, which makes about 20 kid-size hammocks. I'll give Jayne photos of kids in Bunabumali and info to put in a card, and send Norman a digital camera to show us that the fabric actually became hammocks that were giving to kids.

The original goal of Stitch Uganda Together was to put homeless kids in hammock. Simple. That's it. If that's all we do, that's awesome. It will give them a lot of comfort-- dry off the ground and safer from bugs. If any of you want to buy a roll of fabric to give as a Christmas gift, or help promote and facilitate the project... please. In the USA, we can give tax receipts through the International Humanities Center for donations of $50 or more, and the donation can me made easily online. If you want to take on that project, I'll give you the keys.

I've spent the past two days since arriving home completely online writing email for Stitch Uganda, and have not made any hammocks, so I need to do that today. Our Stitch SJ Fashion Collective circle at Akhord last night resulted in a date for the fashion show... December 27th at Akhord. It is a good time since a lot of people will be home during the Christmas break, and less stressed after the Christmas crazy, looking to party and maybe pick up fun threads for the new years scene. The crew came back to my house to look at the clothes Danny Kean the Piano Man donated for the fashion show, so they are stoked.

That's enough for now. We'd love to hear more about what ya'll are working on, so feel free to post to the Action Hero group: http://groups.google.com/group/Action-Hero-Network

-Cor(azon) <3

The mission for November

I'm still in St. John's, Newfoundland sewing hammocks in Charlotte's studio, which has been very productive. I'm about to silk screen a bunch of t-shirts and hoodies sporting the Action Hero logo. If you'd like one or a few, let me know asap, and your size. I'll send them out at cost. I fly home to Saint John, New Brunswick next Tuesday, so I need to know by Sunday. Patches are already, which I can also send.

The action hero logo is the portal to the website, which will be the hub to promote all our projects. I am working on updating the site now, and seek others with more time and skills.

The mission for November:

Stitch SJ Fashion Collective is an art collective forming in Saint John which will host a fashion show using the clothes Danny the Traveling Piano Man donated to Stitch Uganda Together. The fashion show will raise awareness and funds for the project-- which is to give hammocks to orphans and bring artist/builder/green thumb volunteers Uganda for the months of April and May.
http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=906200533&gv=12#/group.php?gid=30460387220

On mt. Elgon, above the village of Bunabumali, we'll build the Temple of Lost and Found-- a bamboo fortress playground. I see it there in the clouds... like Shangri-La, like Shambhala... the Garden of Eden with killer mt.bike paths and backdrop of huge cliffs that will be amazing to climb. I was scoping it all out last visit, but didn't have time to do any vertical ascents. I saw a crazy lookin' pillar, and I'm sure all of it is untouched. We'll do a lot of good work and have lots of fun.

We'll also visit Rakai District, in Western Uganda. Today, I had a long chat with Tugume Gerald, who runs an orphanage there in the town of Kasensero ( http://www.aegis.com/news/nv/2007/NV071217.html ). In a place where the population consists of 400,000 people, the AIDS pandemic has left 45,000 orphaned. In Rakai, there are 975 families that are headed by children. We'll hook 'em up with some hammocks.

Action Hero hammocks are now being made by Life in Africa in Uganda. I saw photos of the ladies sewing in Kampala today for the first time, which is very exciting! For every hammock sold we'll give a hammock to an orphan. We'll likely be able to do better than that, but that's what I can promise at this time. The ladies sewing the hammocks will also be paid fair wages.

Read Grace Ayaa's post below about the hammocks making project she is managing in Uganda:

The Kireka Community
http://ayaaswwworld.blogspot.com/2008/11/kireka-community.html

Grace Ayaa is featured in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXk4GUGXNTQ

Other web links.... ActionHeroNetwork.net is being renewed & can't be viewed currently

Stitch Uganda Together on facebook

Action Hero Network on facebook

Action Hero Network on Tribe.net

Action Hero Google group

Feel free to add me as a friend on facebook

cor.contact@gmail.com

506-654-3073

Update from Grace at Life in Africa

Cor here... in St. John's, Newfoundland, visiting friends Charlotte Reid, Carolyn Staple, and Ryan Davis. Charlotte has a clothing design studio ( ) at the back of Living Planet ( ) silk screen print shop. I've spent most of the past week in the studio making luxury hammocks on her industrial sewing machine and printing Action Hero Network labels for hammocks. The logo I created is pictured above. I silk screened the labels myself, which is something I've been wanting to learn a long time. Dave, who owns Living Planet, traded the labels for a hammock. He said, "I love trades!" ...works for me.

Last Saturday, I sold hammocks at the farmer's market, and will be there again this week. Friday at noon I'll be interviewed on CBC radio to talk about the project and direct people to the farmers market. NTV, Newfoundland Television, will meet me at the market for an on-camera interview.

Today, I meet with Nicky and Stephan at Hempware to settle a deal to retail hammocks in their store.

Below is an email I received this morning from Grace at Life in Africa in Kampala, Uganda, the artist collective we are supporting that will soon be making hammocks to sell and give to orphans.

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I am so sorry that i could not get back to you immediately. It's so hard to deal with somethings, because I have just received money for the same this week from Evvy and yesterday we bought the materials, and the total amount was $ 352, which I think is meant for the hammocks and the boy's fees. she also forwarded a bank charge which totaled $148 and am sure that's why the amount is less. I have also confirmed where the boy studies from. He is at Grace primary school in Gulu . I have some person whom I still trust there and will be able to work with. So am intending to send the money for fees for him. I think we shall make less hammocks now that the money has gone down. I am really so sorry that things have been very slow on our side but hope to make up for that. I am going to try and contact a lady who has come from Canada and is here if she will be able to bring back the hammocks. We shall try and make at least 15 of them.

I also received $1000 from Evvy for the beads and we were waiting from you to know if the money was for the beads that you took from the gallery or the ones sent directly by Norman which directly belongs to the ladies, I still have this money with me and will need a confirmation from you before i take any steps. So please let me know.

Corry am so excited that at long last work will begin. I shall get the pictures up immediately we begin the sewing.

Thanks and lots of love from,

Grace

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Grace.... that's great to hear that you are ready. When I was in Kampala, I purchaced a roll of fabric for $90, which made 20 hammocks. These were child-size hammocks, but you should be able to make 15 hammocks per roll of fabric. $350 could make 45 hammocks, which includes thread and needles. I'll add the ropes here.

As for the bead money, I don't have anything to do with the beads Norman took. The $1000 is for the beads I took, and I'll send more when I sell the rest. Contact Norman and ask him about what he owes.

I'll email Ben Koot and work on shipping the hammocks here.

I just printed a bunch of labels for the hammocks, with the action hero network logo. I'm also setting up stores here to sell them.

Perfect... keep me posted!

Great work.

-Cor