Calgary Twestival: Global Twitter-Based Charity Event
The first global Twestival on February 12th 2009, involved events in 202 cities, including Calgary, and raised over $250,000 for charity: water. Twestival is back. This time with a local twist. Events continue to be volunteer-run, charity fundraising events for people who know each other through the micro-blogging service twitter.com. But each city voted, via twitter, for their charity of choice and chose a date between September 10 and 13.
The Calgary event will take place on 12 September at The Auburn Saloon raising funds for Calgary-based Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids who have provided 540,600 lunches for Calgary’s school kids – and counting. Their motto: Healthy Kids. Healthy Minds.
Saturday September 12
The Auburn Saloon
163-115 9 Avenue SE,
doors open at 6:00 pm
further info at http://calgary.twestival.com/
tickets are 2 for $20. ’til September 10 at midnight, $30. each at the door
6:30 – 7:30 pm free Twitter workshop, presented by social media consultant Roger Kondrat
7:30 pm DJ Melissa Kuchner starts. Join Calgary’s Twitterati for drinks and conversation. Silent auction will feature lunch bags filled with donations from local businesses. (even if you can’t make it, please donate a bag of goodies for the auction).
The first 24 hour “‘tweet-up’ with a social conscience” inspired thousands and raised $250,000 for clean water charity, charity: water, and this next event Twestival Local, looks to be even bigger. Twestival Local again gives every city in the world the chance to hold their own Twestival, but this time they can run their events anytime between the 10-13th September 2009, and chose their own local charity. Twitter users in Calgary chose Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids. Since the first Twestival this past February, twitter use has grown hugely and Calgary has pulled ahead of Edmonton in pure numbers of tweeters. See MasterMaq’s stats at http://blog.mastermaq.ca/2009/08/24/state-of-the-calgary-twittersphere-july-2009
Calgary Twestival organiser Roger Kondrat said “We are so excited about Calgary’s Twestival and raising funds for Brown Bagging it for Calgary’s Kids. We are hoping to see lots of Calgary Twitter users coming along to have an amazing time with us and generate lots of cash and awareness! Especially since Twestival was started by former Calgarian Amanda Rose who I met in London, UK a few years ago.” Join our Facebook group, follow us on Twitter @yycfestivals, and come out on September 12.
ABOUT TWESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL
Global partners across all countries for Twestival are Amiando, Citrix Online, Blurb and Causecast. For the for the full and changing list of cities, or to get involved yourself, go to www.twestival.com.
ABOUT BROWN BAGGING FOR CALGARY’S KIDS
Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) was established as a lunch program in 1990. Lunches were provided to homeless children and youth in Calgary who did not have access to food and were disinclined to visit centres that focused on adult homelessness.
In 2002 Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids became a registered charity. In 2005, following findings released by the Feeding Calgary’s Children Initiative – that almost 30,000 children and youth in Calgary go hungry while in school – the mandate changed to include all children and youth, whether on the streets or in school. BB4CK also began working on the second part of our mission: To act as a catalyst in the development of community based solutions to break down barriers caused by malnutrition. BB4CK began to seek capacity within communities and supported the creation of community programs. These programs are in churches, schools and homes and engage local volunteers to make lunches and take them to schools within their own community.
By the end of the 2008/2009 school year BB4CK was providing lunches to over 70 schools and supported 5 partner agencies. BB4CK was also the catalyst for 12 additional community based lunch programs.
Research undeniably supports a link between nutrition and healthy growth and development in children and youth. Children who eat regular, healthy meals do better in school, are sick less often and form healthier relationships with their peers. At Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, we want to provide youth not just with a meal, but also with essential nutrients to allow them to learn and be active. In doing so, we help to eliminate hunger in Calgary’s schools and provide a chance for at-risk youth to successfully complete their education. Healthy Kids. Healthy Minds.
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