Anti-Trafficking Resources (including list of abolitionists on Twitter), Charisma Magazine, November 2009
Orange TV interview, October 2009 (link coming)
7 Ways to Change the World, by Troy Anderson, Ministry Today magazine, November/December 2009 (Born to Fly and yours truly are profiled in the cover story--link coming)
And here's some of the extensive coverage that Born to Fly received thanks to our 09-09-09 fundraiser to stop child trafficking. As a result of these stories, thousands of new people learned about child trafficking and how to stop it:
Prevention and awareness are huge parts of stopping the traffic, so I'm grateful to all these publications, blogs, and writers for featuring Born to Fly and our work.
It's been a great week for The Born2Fly Project! We completed 2 milestones on the road to publishing our picture book to help stop child trafficking.
Early in the week, artist Leah Wiedemer finished the last illustration for the book. You can read about that here and see some photos of the day.
On Wednesday, Leah and I worked with the great staff at Eurografix, who took digital images of the illustrations.
Here's photographer Marnie Burkett setting up for the photo shoot:
It took a while to photograph the first illustration, of course, as Marnie made sure the lighting and settings were right.
Once we were all happy with it, the 3 of us went into action. First, Leah handed Marnie an illustration...
which Marnie carefully tacked up on the wall. Leah used soft pastels, which are very fragile; we joked about dropping
one of the illustrations and watching all the chalk fall off.
Thankfully that didn't happen.
As soon as Marnie shot one illustration, she gingerly removed it from its perch on the wall, handed it to me to put back into the box, and took the next one from Leah's waiting hands. It took about 2 hours to shoot all 75 illustrations.
The next day, Marnie popped the memory card into her computer and color-corrected every illustration, making sure it was as close to the original as possible.
Late this afternoon I picked up a DVD with all the illustrations and gave it to graphic designer Cathleen Kwas, who'll now turn everything into a book.
I'll have more photos for you next week as we continue to document the process of producing this book that will keep many, many kids from being lured into child sex slavery.
Our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do, so we want to print truckloads of these books and the companion curriculum to teach kids about the lies that traffickers use. The more funds we have, the more books we can print.
You can donate by clicking the orange Chip-in button at the top right or here and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking. Thank you for partnering with us to make this happen.
* * *
Donations are still coming in from the 09-09-09 fundraiser for The Born2Fly Project--thanks, everyone! Here are the latest totals:
Total donors: 595
Donations via Chip-in: $12,396.46
Donations via check: 3,457.99
TOTAL: $15,854.45 (as of 10/3)
How to donate: Click the orange Chip-in button at the top right or hereand donate safely by credit card or PayPal. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.
Today was a big day for Born to Fly International. Artist Leah Wiedemer finished the final drawing for the wordless picture book that is the centerpiece of The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. Can you hear us celebrating?
Now, you may ask, "How in the world can a wordless book keep kids from getting trafficked?"
Good question.
Most kids are lured into sex slavery because they don’t know the deceptive tactics of traffickers. Wherever awareness training takes place, the rate of trafficking plummets. There’s just not enough, nor is it available in the languages of most at-risk kids.
The B2F Project is a strategic plan to educate kids, parents, and teachers about the dangers of child trafficking—with the ultimate goal of ending it. Our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do--and we'll do it with a wordless book.
Why wordless? So we don't have to translate it into a million languages.
Leah did a brilliant job of taking my storyline and retelling it completely in pictures--no words. All in all, she did 75 pages, each with 4, 5, or even 6 individual illustrations.
I have to tell you I had tears in my eyes as I looked at the last illustration. I've worked on this project for 4 long years, including 2 trips to Thailand to research it.
Tomorrow Leah and I have digital images taken of all 75 illustrations. Then the baton passes from Leah to designer Cathleen Kwas, who'll take all those images and turn them into a book. (OK, so we didn't have a baton, but we used one of Leah's paintbrushes.)
By November, we'll be ready to print. How many books will we print? Right now we have funds to print about 400. That's not nearly enough. We want to blanket the globe with these strategic books and the companion curriculum. Remember, our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do. That means printing a lot of books (at least 100,000).
If you'd like to partner with us to do that, just click the orange Chip-in button at the top right or here, and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. Born to Fly International is a 501c3 non-profit organization and your contribution is tax deductible.
Watch this space for more photos as The Born2Fly Project prepares to take flight.
It's been busy around here! Here's what has been happening since the 09-09-09 fundraiser to stop child trafficking:
1. You donated more than $15,600 for The Born2Fly Project! That's donations via Chip-in, PayPal, and check. Fantastic--thank you! Every penny goes to reaching kids before the traffickers do.
2. Any day now, I expect a call from artist Leah Wiedemer saying she's finished the last illustration for the wordless children's book that's the centerpiece of the B2F project. The book will be about 75 pages with more than 400 illustrations. (You'll love it!)
3. I'm almost finished writing the companion curriculum that will teach kids the important concepts in the book.
4. We're getting quotes from the printer on the final cost to print the books and curriculum.
Since we didn't reach our full financial goal of $81,000, we can't print nearly as many books as we want, but we'll print what we can.
Remember, our mission is to reach kids before the traffickers do.
Most kids get lured into trafficking because they don't know the ploys that traffickers use.
Wherever awareness training takes place, the rate of trafficking plummets. There's just not enough, nor is it in the languages of most at-risk kids.
That's the beauty of The B2F Project. Through a wordless book, we can educate kids and parents all over the world about the dangers of child sex trafficking -- no matter what their language or country, nor how remote their villages.
After working on this project for 4 long years, I'm thrilled we're almost ready to go to press and print these precious materials. I'm anxious to hear back from the printer telling us how many books we can print.
If you want to see that number go up, you can still donate via PayPal or credit card by clicking the orange Chip-in button at the upper-right or here.
On behalf of the many children we'll reach before the traffickers do, thank you.
Remember, most kids get lured into child sex slavery because they don't know the tactics traffickers use. The B2F Project is a strategic 4-stage plan to educate kids, parents, and teachers about the dangers of child trafficking—with the ultimate goal of ending it.
Thank you for helping us reach kids before the traffickers do.
Welcome to the 09-09-09 fundraiser to stop child trafficking. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project, which works to stop child trafficking through awareness and prevention. Learn more at www.born2fly.org.
HOW TO DONATE: Click the orange "Chip-in" button to the right and donate safely by credit card or PayPal.
UPDATE: Although September 9 has passed, we are still very grateful to receive donations to help meet our goal--thank you!
Total donors: 554
Donations via Chip-in: $12,095.46
Donations via check: 2,719.00
TOTAL: $14,814.46 (as of 9/12)
All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. That's our passion--and this is what we do:
Thank you for helping us reach children before traffickers do. The 09-09-09 fundraiser will help us print and distribute strategic awareness materials to kids all over the world. You are helping us do that--$9 at a time.
* * *
11:36 pm ET update: Thank you all for making 09-09-09 a big success. Thousands of people who didn't know about child trafficking now do. Thousands of others who knew about it and felt helpless now know what we can do to help stop it.
These are success stories--and you're part of them. Thank you for your love, prayers, donations, tweets, Facebook posts, blogs, emails, and words of encouragement. I couldn't do it without you!
10:26 pm update: And the winners of our final prizes are....
Tracey Solomon: 2 nights at any Aqua Resorts in Hawaii courtesy of AquaResorts.com (value $895)
Julie Dobson: Sterling silver and 14-karat gold-filled bracelet from MetaLace artist Kathryn Stanko (value $125)
Daniel and Shellie Hoffman: Pumpkin Patch original watercolor painting by artist Leah Wiedemer (value $350)
Congratulations to the winners and huge thanks to all the donors! I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes (or promotional certificate for the resort stay). You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
10:06 pm update: We're about to award the Hawaii resort stay...so if you're thinking of donating, this is the time!
9:09 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Donna Standridge: $25 gift certificate for PartyBeans.com
Carolyn Rowan: $25 gift certificate for PartyBeans.com
Emily Hill: $35 gift certificate for AnnouncementsGalore.com
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something nice.
9:05 pm update: It's almost 9:09 pm on 09-09-09. Time to award a few more prizes in honor of the moment...
7:40 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Melinda Howard (@MelArt): Custom Twitter background from TwitterWalls.com
Jon Swanson (@jnswanson): Custom Twitter background from TwitterWalls.com
FC Kibler (@Kibler): Premium membership to BreakPal.com
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something nice.
7:05 pm update: We have lots more great prizes to give away, so stay tuned.
6:19 pm update: Huge thanks to everyone who's donated so far! You are amazing. Our goal? To reach kids before the traffickers do. Your donation will help us print the B2F awareness materials and get them to at-risk kids and parents around the world. How great is that? You've just changed a life.
5:00 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Clifford Sumner: Purpose assessment with purpose coach Dr. John Stanko
Rockey Measom: $25 gift certificate for PartyBeans.com
Sue Henderson: Adventures With PawPaw children's book series, by yours truly
Erin McKennah (@McKennah): Sterling silver Twitter name necklace from Survival of the Hippest
Lisa Bergren: Slave Hunter, book by Aaron and Christine Buckley
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
4:45 pm update: Announcing 3 more prizes momentarily...Donate now by clicking the orange Chip-in button to the right.
4:27 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Alison Tishenko: DISC profiling with purpose coach Dr. John Stanko
Katrina Cole: $25 gift certificate for PartyBeans.com
Christine Moore: Trust Agents, book by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
4:14 pm update: Just ignore that Chip-in total! It hasn't updated on here for hours, but I can see the update on their site. Between Chip-in donations and checks, we're well into $12,000. Can we reach $13K by the bottom of the hour??
More prizes coming shortly. Tell 9 people.
3:47 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Julie Taylor Shematz (@JulietheArtist1): Custom Twitter background from TwitterWalls.com
Stacy Brice (@StacyBrice): Custom Twitter background from TwitterWalls.com
Stephanie Hamilton (@Nowhere2Hide): $25 gift certificate for PartyBeans.com
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
3:11 pm update: You pushed us over $12,000! Time for more prizes...
1:43 pm update: And the winners are:
Patricia Stallings: Original watercolor from artist Leah Wiedemer
Dirk Nebbeling: My Pittsburgh, book by Ed Folino
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of your prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
1:37 pm update: Ready to give away more prizes...
1:09 pm update: We passed $11,000! That's the Chip-in total + checks received. Keep it coming!
12:20 pm update: We have some just-for-Twitter prizes. If you're on Twitter and you've already donated, DM or tweet me to let me know so you'll be included in the drawing. (Plz RT)
12:09 pm update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Steve and Francine Heiks: Set of Karim Rashid-designed kitchen and office tools from slice
Diana Day: Custom-made sterling silver charm bracelet from The Charm Factory
Norm Anderson: Beyond Purpose, book by Dr. John Stanko
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of the prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
11:58 am update: Coming up on 9:09 am Pacific Time--so time to award more prizes. Watch this space...
11:16 am update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Bob Korzeniewski: MetaLace sterling silver circle earrings from artist Kathryn Stanko
Randy Arrowood: Julbo Kitty sunglasses from Traveling Mamas and Kara Williams
Sally Bard: Original charcoal portrait by artist Melinda Howard
Melissa Godshall: I Wrote This Book on Purpose, book by Dr. John Stanko
Margaret Buckley: The Quiet Place, music CD by Nancy Scimone
Janie Graziani: Long Time Coming, book by Ed Folino
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of
your prizes. You can see details of the prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes soon.
Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
11:09 am update: It's 9:09 am Mountain Time--and we're ready to award more prizes. Watch this space in a moment... BTW, the Chip-in widget is waaaay behind. We have 317 donors; I'll total the $$ and post it here.
9:27 am update: The total showing on the Chip-in widget is really behind. There are 283 Chip-in donors, and total should be around $7400. Plus $2200 from donations made by checks. We're nearing $10,000--can we do it by 10 am??
9:09 am update: Congratulations to these prize winners!
Nina Long: Plane Quiet Platinum Headset
Jim and Beth Herman: 2 small topiary plants from Shubert Nursery
Rebecca Anzelone: Essentials Skin Care Set from Saphoros
Charlene Elwood: The Power of Purpose book from Dr. John Stanko
Victor and Janice Danz: Adventures With PawPaw children's book series, from Diana Scimone
I'll email winners and prize donors so you can arrange for delivery of your prizes. Congrats! You can see details of the prize by scrolling below.
We'll award more prizes later this morn. Everyone who donates is eligible, and all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. So chip-in $9 and you might win something!
8:30 am update: Here are the prizes we'll award at 9:09 am:
Plane Quiet Platinum Headset, from Shannon Hurst Lane
2 small topiary plants, from Shubert Nursery
Essentials Skin Care Set, from Saphoros
The Power of Purpose (book), by Dr. John Stanko
Adventures With PawPaw (children's books), by yours truly Diana Scimone
Scroll down for complete descriptions. Everyone who donates is eligible to win!
8:03 am update: We'll award prizes starting at 9:09 am. Watch this space... (Scroll down to see all the prizes.)
7:46 am update: I slept, you donated! The total is now $9,428.49 (Chip-in total + checks). Donor Andrew N. says, "Raise the bar to 90k if you hit the 9k before you even launch. :-)" Let's do it!
1:36 am update: You donated $8,832.49 in advance donations (Chip-in total + checks) even before the fundraiser officially started! (You are awesome!)
1:20 am update: All prizes are listed here. Everyone who donates is eligible to win. 1:08 am update: Just posted a late-breaking prize to give away later today--a customized sterling silver Twitter name necklace.
12:01 am update: The 09-09-09 fundraiser to stop child trafficking is officially underway!
We've got one more super prize to announce: A sterling silver customized necklace with your very own Twitter name!
It's from SurvivaloftheHippest.com. Twitter ID necklaces are a cool twist to the nameplate trend for social media aficionados. Why leave your Twitter name stuck on the screen when you can wear it proudly in sterling silver?
The necklace you could win is part of the "Social St@tus Collection" from Survival of the Hippest. Survival prez Phoebe Jonas says this collection has rescued legions of Tweeters from Twittername obscurity and helped them increase their social net worth.
All necklaces are custom made from .925 sterling silver. Phoebe suggests a chain length of 14" long (to bring the total length of the necklace to 16").
Follow Phoebe on Twitter @thehippest. (She's the one with the cool necklace.)
We'll give away this prize on 09-09-09. All funds raised go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.
How to donate: Click the orange "Chip-in" button at the top right and donate safely by credit card or PayPal.
It's the day before 09-09-09 when we'll do something never done before: raise $81,000 in a single day to stop child trafficking.
It may seem odd at this moment to be thinking about my high school biology teacher.
Mr. Bateson spent a lot less time teaching us about frog innards than he did teaching us life lessons. At the time, his monologues about life used to annoy me because I knew tests were coming and I wouldn’t know the difference between a lung and a liver.
Flash forward a number of decades. I can’t remember a thing about frogs—but I still remember one of Mr. Bateson’s favorite lines: “It’s better to aim for the moon and miss than to aim for the gutter and make it.”
Today, 24 hours before trying something that seems like aiming for the moon, I’m remembering his words. And the words of someone else who told us just to step out on the water and trust Him.
It’s absolutely crazy to think we can raise $81,000 in one day. It’s totally foolish to think we can someday see the end of child trafficking. It’s ridiculous to hope I’ll be out of a job someday.
Sometimes the things that are foolish in the eyes of the world are pretty sane and normal and business-as-usual in the eyes of God.
So, thank you for being part of such a crazy, foolish, ridiculous thing.
Thank you to everyone who has already donated $9 or is ready to donate...posted something on their blog about 09-09-09...tweeted about it...Facebooked about it...emailed 9 friends about it...prayed for me...prayed for the kids we’re trying to keep from being trafficked...and more.
Thank you for joining me as together we aim for the moon.
Reminder: All day on 09-09-09, I'll post updates here, including prize give-aways.
If you subscribe to this blog by email, remember you normally receive it the day after I've posted. So you don't miss anything, please visit www.dianascimone.com throughout the day on 09-09-09 and keep refreshing the page to read the latest.
I want to tell you about an email I received from someone last week.
She gave me permission to share it with you--to show the critical need for the Born2Fly awareness materials.
I have only ever told one other person about the following experience when growing up in California. I was approximately 10 or 11 years old and had entirely too much freedom.
I was taking a short cut through an apartment complex and going home. There was a limousine in the parking lot but not in a parking spot. As I walked by, the back door opened to the guest in the back. It was a woman, well dressed and attractive.
First she invited me to sit next to her, and being as I was to sit on the outside of the seat I did so but left one leg outside the limo. Also, the door was left open.
She asked me if I wanted a job. I was curious and said, "Yes." She told me I would have to go home and pack up my things. She also mentioned that "they" could get my teeth fixed. I had an eyetooth that protruded slightly.
I told her "okay" and she said to meet her back there (in the parking lot) in an hour. I then left but had no intention of going with her.
Instead I left for awhile then came back and hid in the bushes watching the limo. It waited for me but not for long. It left without me and to be honest I had no idea what I had so narrowly avoided.
It took a long time, years actually, before I figured out what that was all about. Honestly, it really freaks me out now! I wonder if some other child had left with her and wish I would have been more attuned to what was going on. Maybe I could have helped catch her.
I was unaware of the situation I was in when it was occurring and it gives me shivers to think about now.
Thank you for all you are doing. I had not thought about that incident in years and because of your diligence in trying to make people aware of this problem it helped me to share my experience with my children. They are now aware of this evil and better prepared to acknowledge a dangerous situation if it occurs.
I've received other letters like this, which you can read here and here. All three of these incidents occurred in the US.
These children escaped from adults who were trying to traffic them. How many did not?
Can you see why I'm so passionate about getting the B2F materials into the hands of at-risk kids and parents all over the world?
Traffickers think children are commodities. Will you partner with us to tell kids they're priceless? $9 is a great way to start.
Blogger Doug Picirillo is much better at math than I am.
Doug came up with a creative way to show the power behind Wednesday's 1-day fundraiser to stop child trafficking. Here's how it goes:
The goal is to raise $81,000 by asking 9,000 to chip in $9 by 9-9-9.
How do we find 9,000 people?
I tell 9 people. We are 10. Those 9 each tell 9 more. 81 new people. We are 91. The next 81 each tell 9 more. 729 new people. We are 820. The next 729 each tell 9 more. 6,561 new people. We are 7,381. The next 6,561 each tell 9 more. 59,049 new people. We are 66,430.
It might not go exactly like that, but it could. The numbers are simple.
Your $9 contribution is hugely important. But please, tell a friend or two or three or nine and ask them to pass it on!
Just in time for autumn, here's our latest prize to be given away on 09-09-09 during our fundraiser for The Born2Fly Project: a luscious original watercolor called Pumpkin Patch.
1. She's the fantastic artist who's illustrating the Born to Fly wordless book that we'll distribute to at-risk kids and their parents around the world.
2. She's already donated another painting as a prize for the fundraiser. (You can see them here.)
3. And today is her birthday. (If you're on Twitter, you can send her a birthday tweet @RoamingArtist.)
So you might say it's Leah's birthday--and she's giving you a present.
Pumpkin Patch is an original watercolor, 22 x 30" (unframed). It sells for $350--and you could win it on 09-09-09. Everyone who donates just $9 is entered in the prize drawing.
Our goal is 9,000 people giving $9 each on 09-09-09. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking, and will help us print and distribute strategic awareness materials to at-risk kids and their parents all over the world.
* * *
Here's the answer to yesterday's question:
Q: When it's peak citrus season in Florida, it can also be peak season for human trafficking. What happened last February to turn that grim fact around?
A: Florida has a huge number of immigrants who look for work in the agriculture industry. Many are illiterate, unskilled, and desperate for work--and prime targets for traffickers.
Last winter the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking sponsored a workshop for farmers, growers, and local law enforcement on how to watch for and prevent trafficking. More than 350 people attended. You can read more here.
We're almost there!
On Monday I'll post some final info about Wednesday's 1-day 09-09-09 fundraiser. Remember, you don't have to wait until then to make your donation. Just click the orange Chip-in button at the top right (or here).
We're in the final stretch of our 31-day countdown to the 09-09-09 1-day fundraiser for The Born2Fly Project. Our goal is 9,000 people giving $9 each to stop child trafficking.
We've already received $4,400 in donations! Thank you to everyone who's donated (and who plans to on 09-09-09).
You'll all be entered into a drawing on September 9 to win prizes like this one: a complete DISC Profile, donated by PurposeQuest coach Dr. John Stanko.
John is my own personal purpose coach, and a board member of Born2Fly. Here's what he says:
Have you ever tried to be who you are not? Have others expected things of you that you just can't produce?
If so, perhaps it's time to step back and take a good look at who you really are and how you can be more effective in your work and relationships.
I took the DISC profile years ago (I'm an I/S) and I can't even count the number of ways it's helped me understand myself and others--and be more effective at what I do.
I've been in coaching sessions when John has profiled and then counseled people, and they're literally in tears when they understand who they are (and who they are not).
If you win this great prize, you'll take the DISC profiles online, and then receive follow-up reports from John via email.
It's a $100 prize that could change your life--and you could win it with a contribution of just $9 to the 09-09-09 fundraiser.
Just click the orange Chip-in button at the upper right (or here), and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. Remember, all funds go to The Born2Fly Project, which will help us print and distribute the strategic B2F awareness materials to at-risk kids and their parents around the world.
Oh, what's the best way to stop child trafficking? Make sure it never happens in the first place.
* * *
Here's the answer to yesterday's question:
Q: Let's say you need a gift and you want to help stop human trafficking. Where could you shop?
A: You need some traffic-stopping shopping--beautiful items made by women and girls (and men) rescued from human trafficking. There are lots of online stores featuring these products and you can find a list here.
Today's question:
Q: When it's peak citrus season in Florida, it can also be peak season for human slavery. What happened last February that helped turn that grim fact around?
Stay tuned for the answer tomorrow--along with the final prize we'll give away on 09-09-09.
It's a $555 value. Whoops, update! Make that an $895 value!
You'll choose from 13 Aqua hotels in Honolulu and 2 Aqua resorts on Maui and Molokai. This, for example, is Aqua's Hotel Wailea on Maui:
It's perched above the inspiring Wailea coastline. The all-suites resort has spacious accommodations, each with a private lanai. There's world-class golf, top-tier tennis, first-rate restaurants, and unparalleled shopping within close proximity of this inviting, secluded resort.
There are lots of other Aqua hotels and resorts to choose from, too. Visit the website and take a mini tropical vacation while you check them out.
This is such a fabulous prize that we could have held a silent online auction for it, but I wanted to throw it into the mix and give everyone who donates an equal opportunity to win it.
How fun would that be to say you donated just $9 and won 2 nights at a resort in Hawaii?
Remember, our goal is 9,000 people each giving $9 on (or before) 09-09-09. Everyone who donates will be entered into a drawing to win prizes. You can donate safely via PayPal or credit card by clicking the orange Chip-in button on the upper right (or here).
All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking, and will help us print and distribute these strategic materials to at-risk kids and their parents all over the world.
Our thanks to Aqua Hotels and Resorts for donating this super prize (and to @Neenz for making the introduction). Follow Aqua on Twitter: @AquaHotels.
* * *
Here's the answer to yesterday's question (and remember, I promised good news):
A: The rate of cross-border child trafficking dropped. Why? Because of better collaboration among local residents, civil society groups, village chiefs, and government.
It proves it does not take a huge infrastructure to make a difference in the rate of child trafficking; it simply takes collaboration and communication. You can read more here.
Today's question:
Q: Let's say you need a gift and you want to help stop human trafficking at the same time. Where could you shop?
Watch this space for the answer tomorrow, along with another prize we'll award on 09-09-09. Remember, make your donation on or before 09-09-09. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.
It's Day 8 in the countdown to the 09-09-09 1-day fundraiser. Our goal is 9,000 people giving $9 each on 09-09-09 for The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.
I have some really great prizes to announce this final week. Everyone who donates on or before 09-09-09 is eligible to win them.
If you're keeping track, you know that MetaLace jewelry artist Kathryn Stanko already donated a beautiful hand-crafted MetaLace sterling silver and 14-karat gold-filled bangle bracelet (retail $125+). (The one pictured to the right is gold-filled, but the winning bracelet will be both 14-karat gold-filled and sterling silver.)
Now she's sweetened the pot by adding another gorgeous piece from her fall collection: these round MetaLace earrings made from Argentium sterling silver. They're about 1-1/4 inches in diameter with French wires--very light, elegant, and trendy.
Kathryn's work sells primarily in art galleries around the country. These beautiful earrings are valued at $65--thank you, Kathryn!
We'll award the earrings and the bracelet as 2 separate prizes. They could be yours on 09-09-09. Everyone who donates to the fundraiser will be entered into a drawing to win all the prizes. You can donate safely via PayPal or credit card by clicking the orange Chip-in button on the upper right (or here).
Remember, all funds go to The Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking, and will help us print and distribute these strategic materials to at-risk kids and their parents all over the world.
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Here's the answer to yesterday's question:
Q: What does the travel industry have to do with child sex slavery?
A: Sadly, a lot. Child sex tourism is big business in many countries. Charter flights arrive packed with customers willing to pay to rape children.
A few hours after I posted yesterday's question, 3 American "tourists" were arrested in Cambodia in an ongoing federal sex tourism investigation--part of an effort by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to identify and prosecute American sex tourists in Cambodia. You can read about it here. And here is something the travel industry is doing to stop this kind of tourism.
Today's question:
Q: I think it's time for a good-news question. What happened last year on the border between Guinea-Bisseau and Senegal, and what did it prove?
Watch this space for the answer tomorrow--along with a really big prize that you won't want to miss. (I hope you win it.)
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