2010 Charities

In 2010, I'm planning on supporting two great charities: Kiva and Wine to Water. I chose these two charities for a couple of reasons:

1. They make great presents: Kiva's gift certificates and Wine to Water wine.
2. They help two cause passions of mine: Microfinance and clean water.
3. They are legit: Backed by the Skoll Foundation and CNN.
4. They have an educational value to them: Getting younger generations involved in microfinance and clean water issues.
5. They believe in social media: Kiva's Blog, Wine to Water's Facebook and Twitter.

Now you know why I love them, but let me tell you a little bit about each of them, so you can love them too!

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Imagine creating an online stock portfolio, but instead of investing in large multinational corporations your investing in people. You can check out entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose who you want invest in. Your investing in human being, who is striving towards economic independence and thus improving the lives of not only themselves, but their family and community. With a 98% return on loans, you can reinvest that money into another individual within 6-12 months.

Wine to Water is focused on providing clean water to needy people around the world. Over 1 billion people in the world today lack access to adequate water and sanitation. The first miracle Jesus performed was turning water into wine. Being Christ-like, Wine to Water prays that those who have plenty of water can help provide someone who is less fortunate with the gift of clean water. This can be done by buying Wine to Water wine or hosting a Wine to Water fundraiser.

Who are you supporting in 2010?

Where I'm At

I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions, but I am one for constant improvement. I've broken my goals down into three categories: mind (career development), body (physically and the fun stuff of life), and soul. Here they are, call them what you'd like.

Mind:

1. Improve my "professionalism," my dress, organizational skills, and manner.
2. Improve my writing skills. I'm going to practice this by blogging more here.
3. Start thinking about grad schools. Take a couple courses here and there and find out what I like (and how I'm going to pay for it.)
4. Grow my "freelance business" / non-profit idea more. Don't know about this? Ask me about it sometime.
5. Invest in something, a house, a car, the stock market, etc.

Body:

1. Work out consistently.
2. Go camping more or do more weekend get-a-ways.
3. Actually sign up for roller derby.
4. Start brewing my own beer.
5. Eat healthier and locally, build my chicken coop and learn what foods are grown in the Pacific Northwest and in what season.

Soul:

1. Pray more (with authority).
2. Build more community in my middle school small group. Hang out with them outside of Wednesday nights.
3. Work on forgiving those who've hurt me. Not because they need it, but because I need it.
4. Have a better attitude towards things I don't agree with 100% (be humble basically).
5. Invite more friends to church and develop my spiritual gift more (and don't let it freak me out so much...)

Better late than never. What are you doing to improve your life in 2010?

Why I Love Good Customer Service and Beer

As many of you know.  I'm kind of a brewery fanatic.  I tend to choose where I'm going to eat based on new breweries I've never been too.  We live in the micro brewery capital of the world.  Who can blame me?  I also have a pretty "epic" logo pint glass collection from my travels.  And this Thanksgiving weekend was no except.  My dad was visiting from China (I have him to thank for getting me into breweries) and Kirk was playing basketball in Washington.

So for lunch we stopped at Fish Brewing Co. in Olympia, WA.  They are an organic brewery (which is awesome in it's own right).  And was pretty bummed when I found out they are out of logo pint glasses...Fast forward to dinner, we decided to check out the Green Dragon, who Dad had heard about from some friend in China and I had heard about through Twitter.  And guess what?  They were also out of pint glasses!  I was so bummed and told our waiter about what had happened at Fish Brewing.  She disappeared and came back with a Fish Brewing pint glass for me!  Turns out they sell Fish Beer there and had some promo pint glasses.  She seriously made my day!

When was your last great experience with customer service?  Or tell me about another great brewery.

This Holiday Season, Give Gifts that Give TWICE!

As many of you know I've been doing freelance work for an awesome company call CafeGive for the past couple of months. A lot of you have been asking about it. What I'm doing, what CafeGive does, how you can get involved. So with the holidays just around the corner I thought I would pass on the love by sending you all:

Your Personal Invitation to Shop for a Cause:

In July 2009, a brand new business launched, and I have been a part of the creation process. Please spend some time on our site, www.cafegive.com, where your purchases will benefit one of the causes you choose. Help us build some momentum for this new way to shop — where causes benefit and you can support change in the world! I am so excited to share it with you.

Lots of online stores—find gifts, cards and more!
• We’ve added lots of stores and made it really easy to shop while you earn for a cause.
• Over 150 great stores to choose from...we have it all, no need to go to the mall. Choose a cause you want to support!
• You’ll find local and national causes—benefitting children, animals, or the environment. Now that I’ve told you, pass it on!
• Visit www.cafegive.com and see how easy it is to select a cause, shop, and create a widget to encourage others to shop.

East Coast Day #2

As mentioned before I stayed up a little too late (like 2AM, which honestly is like 11PM my time, which is pretty good for me), working on my Bible Study, The Search for Significance, and my book club book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  But in hopes of conquering jet lag, I set my alarm for 8:30AM, on a SATURDAY, which is really 5:30AM for me.

I managed to get up and survive quiet happily on coffee all day.  Can I tell you how awesome my day has been?  Grammie and I started our day checking out the Brewster Women's Library, where she volunteers.  We used to check out books and movies there.  I must have rented The Last Unicorn there over a hundred times when I was little.  Then we headed to Paine's Creek, home of Kate's Ice Cream, which has real bubble gum in their bubble gum ice cream.  And where I fell on the rock jetty and got my ankle crushed between two big rocks, when I was like 6.  Followed by the Thrift Shop Grammie also volunteers out that is supported by her church.  We then went to practice using an ATM machine, something that is still new to Grammie, followed by a grocery store run.

While Grammie took her afternoon nap, I took a walk up to the Brewster store, a penny candy store (now a dime candy store), I went to EVERYDAY while on the Cape.  Then walked back on the beach.  Even though it was misting out, it still was fun.  When I got back, we looked through my parents wedding album, which was fun, my mom looks freaking amazing and my dad has a classic 80's mustache...  We also looked through my baby album, which is is amusing because I'm 2 weeks older than my cousin Paul and the only way you can tell who is who is because I'm like twice the size of him.  Seriously, I was one fat baby.  Everyone used to call me "no-neck" apparently.

Did you have a funny baby name?

Almost Didn't Make It

...but I'm now in Massachusetts!  Cape Cod to be exact.

Yesterday I realized United booked the wrong dates for my trip.  Can we say freak out?  Luckily things got taken care of (or are still in the processes of being handled but I'm here so I'm not worrying).  Anyways, I stayed up most of last night.  Flew through Denver, arrived in Boston, took the bus to Cape Cod.  Had my cousin John and his wife Katie pick me up from the bus station.  It was so great seeing them, I hadn't seen them since May 2008 when I graduated from Bentley.  And headed to my grandmother's "Grammie"'s house.  It was so great seeing her as well!

There is just something about being "home" that makes everything feel so good.  So what am I doing here tonight?  The same thing I did while at college, come down for a weekend, spend the first night working on homework.  Although tonight it was "real" work.  Can't believe the last time I was here I was a college student and now I'm a graduate!

What was your worse airplane experience?

East Coast Tour 10/16-10/25

I'm heading to the East Coast on 10/16 for the first time since graduation! I am beyond excited. I get to mix: work + family + college friends = nine days of craziness. People keep saying "oh your taking a vacation!" To be honest, it doesn't feel like it will be one. Here is my schedule:

Arrive Friday Night: Take bus to Cape Cod for the weekend. Visit with Grandmother, Aunt, Uncle, Cousins.
Sunday: Take bus to CT. Visit other Grandparents, more Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. Plus an old college friend.
Wednesday: Head back to Boston. Sleep over with college friends.
Thursday: Watch my boss do presentation at MIT, sit in on a class, have lunch, maybe take a tour and get something from the gift shop?
Friday: Alumni Weekend at Bentley + dinner and a play with another set of Aunt and Uncle and Cousins.
Saturday: Bentley round 2 with friends.
Sunday: Fly home.

Monday: Back to work.

Which is honestly a crazy busy week:

• Bible Study
• Book Club
• Roller Derby Bootcamp
• Halloween Inspired Wildfire
• Two Willamette Events
• Halloween
• CafeGive proposal
  

Good thing I strive under pressure!

When is your next "vacation?"

10/4/09 2.0

• Jon and I caught four mice in my garage this weekend. More like Jon caught them. And after every one I prayed, "Dear Jesus, I'm sorry. Amen." I tend to be an overly passionate person when it comes to mercy killings. I was the kid who would try to save the slugs after the neighborhood boys pour salt on them. Or when our neighbors had mice in their rice bin I wanted Mom to save the mice babies from the snakes in the backyard. Or when Dad ran over a rabit when we were driving to Utah and called out "Thumper" I cried for about an hour.
  

Floating Thoughts 10/4/09

• I'm going to Boston in two weeks - still haven't bought my tickets. I should be doing that instead of writing this blog post. Excited to see friends and family. Going to see my boss teach at MIT, going to Bentley's Alumni Weekend and visit Cape Cod and CT. All in a week!
• Tomorrow is my two week post-op. appointment for having my toenail permanently removed. It's healing nicely, still kinda looks like there is a nail there, but I know that its just a scab (which kinda looks like my original toenail and thus why I had this surgery). Can't wait to see what it looks like healed.
• Had such a good weekend hanging out with Jon. It's so good to have old friends!
• I'm officially joining the Rose City Rollers and doing roller derby. Month long boot camp starts November 1st.
• Excited for my Bible Study to start up and the fact that we picked a book.
• Working on my Thriller dance for Wildfire. Shall be interesting.

What have you been up too?

Antarctica Update - TWO MORE WEEKS!

Here is an email I received today from Quark!  Just wanted to ask everyone to keep voting for me!  And help me spread the word by telling YOUR friends, family and co-workers about it.  Right now I have 112 votes!  Would love to see a couple more hundred (or thousand) votes in the next two weeks!

Check out my blog and to vote here:  http://www.blogyourwaytoantarctica.com/blogs/view/604

Thanks again!

Love,

Jenna

Who will become the Official Quark Blogger?   Dear Jenna, After over 600 blog entries and 46,000 votes cast, the competition to become theOfficial Quark Blogger enters its final two weeks. For competitors, the next two weeks are vital, as there is still time to overtake the leaders or consolidate a lead. Keep spreading the word! You have until September 30, 2009. Or…competitors may ask their supporters to vote for another competitor, if they feel they no longer have a chance to become the Official Quark Blogger. We make this suggestion, because last week, a generous competitor asked to transfer his 500 votes to another contender. He will inform his voters through a notice on his blog entry. The rules of the competition do not allow us to change a vote. Only the voter can. So for all you voters, it’s time to decide if the blogger you chose is the best candidate for the job. You can change your vote at any time before September 30, 2009.   Please note that voters are under no obligation to change their vote! Thank you to everyone for participating, and for making Blog Your Way to Antarctica a runaway success. Sincerely, Quark Expeditions

Personal Letter Asking For Help

Here is the letter I sent out to my personal contact list!

Dear Family, Friends, and Those I've Met Along the Way,

I'm writing to you because I need your help!  I just entered www.blogyourwaytoantarctica.com in hopes of getting a free trip there!  As many of you know one of my life goals is to go to every continent.  This trip I would be able to cross two of those off my list.  Also, my boss got to go there earlier this year and while I love her dearly.  I don't think she should get all the fun!

So, I need your help.  First of all go to: http://www.blogyourwaytoantarctica.com/blogs/view/604 and vote for me.  If you have more than one email address, use them all!

Second, tell people about it.  Forward this email, tell your friends and family, random people you are connected too.  Let's see how big of a tribe we can make!  Blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc!  If you need help or additional information just let me know I'd be happy to help in any way shape or form.

Thank you so much!  I really appreciate it and if I win - I definitely owe you all something!  Postcards, photos, penguins, shout outs.  You name it!

GO BIG OR GO HOME!

Jenna Forstrom

Want to help me spread the news?  Let me know how I can help you help me get to Antarctica!

The Natural Step Wants Me To Go To Antarctica!!

Here is a letter The Natural Step USA will be sending out!!

Hi Guys,

 

I would REALLY like to see my friend Jenna Forstrom earn her way onto an educational expedition to Antarctica this coming February but she needs your help (5 minutes, no money!) to get there. In order to address the ever increasing issues related to climate change, we look to Antarctica for information and answers. Jenna is a driven, intelligent, young sustainability professional who, full of energy and ambition, will truly make the most of this opportunity to educate and inform others about her experience there.  

 

Please take a few quick minutes to 'vote' for Jenna online :  Send Jenna to Antarctica!

 

Really want to help Jenna? Tweet the link above, add it to your facebook page, and finally pass this on to people who send you forwards and are often in your inbox. Give them the opportunity to make especially good use of their online time!

 

Holly

Did you vote for me?

Go Big Or Go Home!

So I just entered to win a chance to go blog my way to Antarctica and would love your vote. Below is my official entry. Let me know what you think and please click here to vote for me!

Go Big Or Go Home!

My family has a saying: Go Big Or Go Home! Which is fine for them; they’re all tall. I, on the other hand, can sleep crossed legged in coach with my head on my dinner tray like a school girl at her desk (and I’m still mistaken for a 12 year old). I also have the unnatural ability of making single-serving friends while traveling. Since I was born on the east coast, raised on the west coast, and went to college back in Boston, both these skills have served me well. I have a fearless vulnerability. My life is an open book. This honesty can break down defensive barriers and allow others to comfortably share with me.

Being 5’2’’ in a family of giants, has other advantages. I developed quite a talent for getting attention. How else is a girl to get noticed if her “little” brother towers 16 inches above her? Yes, same biological parents – go figure.

I have an insatiable curiosity, asking both profound and completely random questions. “How does carbon dating work in ice?” and “What has been the most interesting rescue mission you’ve ever participated in?” to “Why does penguin poop smell so rancid?” and “Do you guys ever meet the people from Whale Wars out here?”

If I’m lucky enough to be your blogging connection to the Antarctic, I’ll GO BIG. I’ll take full advantage of every opportunity presented and create a few of my own. Let’s be honest, if I don’t, I might as well just stay home. I’ll share details overlooked by others and keep you updated with photos and videos on the blog and Twitter. And I’ll make sure to respond to your questions of me. Vote for me as the Antarctica stowaway blogger. After all, I’d fit in a duffle.

Friday Backpack Project

My mom's friend, a nurse at Harrison Park School just started this awesome program and is currently looking for funding both cash and food supplies.  Here is an email explaining the Friday Backpack Project.

We started this project as a trial to see if there would even be any interest. We knew there was a need but we weren’t sure about the interest.  This particular school, Clark at Binnsmead (which since July of 2009 has had it’s name changed to Harrison Park School) has 720 students, 84% of which are at or below poverty level. This school is located at 2225 S.E. 87^th Avenue off Division Street.  At Clark every student receives free breakfast.

The mission of our project is to “nourish the body that nourishes the mind”.  The Backpack project would discreetly provide children with food to take home over the weekend.  Backpacks are packed with nutritious, child friendly, easy to prepare foods.

We started off by sending information regarding the project in the school parent newsletter, with a tear off portion to be completed by the parent requesting participation in the program.  The response was phenomenal!

We had already secured the backpacks (courtesy of Columbia Sportswear) so the next step was to figure out how we could collect all the food items.  Basically the cost to fill a backpack is $12.00 (examples of items include: peanut butter, jelly, pasta and pasta sauce, fruit, juice, granola bars, and bread).  To do this we enlisted the help of staff, friends, a neighborhood church, family and families of staff.

In planning this trial we chose to just do it the last 11 weeks of the school year because once we started the project we wanted to make sure we could sustain the project.  Over these 11 Fridays we filled over 215 backpacks.  This truly was a community project because while we did receive $700 in cash donations we needed over $2,000 in food which we were fortunate enough to obtain from the community mentioned above. 

Our goal for the 2009/2010 school year is to offer backpacks during the entire year.  $384 pays for a backpack for a child for every Friday of the school year.  We hope to pack at least 20 backpacks per Friday which adds up to about $960 per month.  We know this is a huge project to tackle, but it is so great for a child/our student to take home a backpack filled with healthy food for the weekend – a great boost for their self esteem as well as having healthy benefits!

Interested in getting involved?  Leave me a note and let me know and I'll contact you.

DSWCollective.com is LIVE

Words can not express how excited I am to announce that DSWCollective.com is now live!!  I would love for you all to check it out and leave some love on our blog.  Thank you so much!

You can also tell me here what you think of the website too!

CafeGive Blog Post

Check out this super sweet blog post I just wrote for CafeGive:

http://cafegivetm.blogspot.com/2009/08/friends-of-children-now-earning-on.html

Check out the blog - comment away (both here and there)!  Hoping to drive more traffic and would love your support!

Thanks!

My "Other" Other Job

Most of you know me.  I'm the textbook example of a type "A" person.  If I don't have something to do I'm bored, breaking something, or creating something.  Lucky for me, I've graduated and people are finding out about what social media can do for their business.  It also helps that Darcy Winslow is my biggest cheerleader in pushing my passions.  And because of this I'm happy to announce that I'm the new Social Media Assistant at Willamette University's Executive Development Center in Portland, Oregon.  While Willamette University?  Funny story...Darcy is also working there as the Program Manager of the Sustainability Enterprise Certificate Program (SEC).  Just wanted to share the good news.

And our first event is Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR), October 8-10, 2009.  For more information on this event as well as general questions about my new job feel free to leave me a comment!

Are you the Ultimate Athlete?

My boss, Darcy Winslow has been working with a team to create an event call The Search for the Ultimate Athlete (SFUA) and their website finally went live!  Check them out here!

SFUA features 24 of the best all-around athletes competing in 20 sports/disciples.  No age category, no division, no invitation.  Lucky for us, it's taking place here in Portland, Oregon.  The only place in the world where you can bike, golf, swim, play some bball, skate, ski, windsurf, white-water kayak, climb, snowboard, surf, MTB freeride.  (Falling more in love with my state as I write this).  

Launching June 2010, SFUA will feature a one-week event including 6 days of competitions, a grand finale in PDX and a benefit concert and on-site festival.

Mainstream sports + Emerging Sports + Action Sports + Olympic Sports = SFUA Competition and THE ANSWER

Interested in getting involved as an athlete or volunteer - let me know!

Floating Thoughts 8/1/09

It's been awhile (story of my life). I'm blaming it on the heat wave that has hit Portland. I can hardly focus at work so to write blog posts seems a bit of a stretch. But it is starting to cool off so I think I can manage a couple of floating thoughts.

• I'm super excited my best friend, Beckie is visiting for the next two weeks. She makes my heart happy.
• Went to WakeJam yesterday - I think they need some help with their marketing / execution for future events. But I definitely need to get back on the water soon.
• It's August 1st - which means 26 days to my 23rd birthday. Crazy - that feels super old and yet super young to me.
• I had a photoshoot with Sara Gray this week and can't wait to see how the pictures came out.
• I'm attending my first black tie event for work this month. My boss is speaking at the event. Check it out here!
• My dad is coming to visit for a couple of weeks at the end of the month. Bummed I didn't make it to China this summer but excited to see him.
• Bummed that my Bible Study and middle school programming is done for the summer. Not sure what I'm going to do with my Monday/Wednesday nights now. I'm sure I'll come up with something...
• Excited to be joining a book club starting in September - reading Trouble by Kate Christiansen. Has anyone read it?
  

My "Other" Job

A couple of weeks ago, my boss Darcy Winslow, told me about her friend, Sandra Morris, who was launching a new company called CafeGive, and was looking for someone who could help with the social media aspect of the company brand.  Darcy thought I would be great for the job.  Before I knew what was happening, I became the Social Media Director at CafeGive!  I love doing what I'm doing and feeling like I'm making a difference.

CafeGive helps non-profits gain more support via fundraising by allowing advocates to create widgets and posting them on their blog or Facebook.  Cool huh?  So please check them out.  Tell me what you think.  And if you have any suggestions (both for the website or for non-profits we should reach out too) please let me know.