The ONE Campaign at the Austin AIDS Walk

[Jamila]

Hi EveryONE,

I knew that this would be a busy month in Texas for ONE with Vertigo whizzing through our state this month!

This coming Sunday, 16 October 2005, the ONE Campaign of Texas will be present and ACTIVE at the Austin AIDS Walk from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. and y'all are encouraged and invited to come out and join us in showing your support for ONE and the struggle to end extreme poverty.

Here is the info which has appeared on the ONE site about the Austin AIDS Walk:

Austin, TX – October 16, 12pm-4pm – AIDS Walk Austin – Intersection of 11th Street and Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701 – Come out to this huge and very important Austin event to show support and solidarity with those affected by AIDS near and far. The ONE Campaign will have a table for collecting signatures, sharing resources, and volunteers being ONE with all who are there.


http://www.one.org/Regions.aspx?Section=4



Last year I staffed the ONE booth with two university student volunteers. This year, we should have a much bigger group as we have recently formed an AustinONE yahoogroup and have many more interested people to help that day.

But I still want to encourage everyone here who can come and join us that day to feel free to do so. You'll get the chance to meet our regional co-ordinator for Texas (Seth) and talk with him if you'd like.

We all know how much U2 encourages us to find POSITIVE ways to express our concern for those in our world who are less fortunate than we are. Showing up this Sunday and supporting ONE at the Austin AIDS Walk is an excellent way to put this idea into practice.

Thanks for listening. And hope to see as many of you as possible this Sunday.

Take good care of yourselves. Blessings not just for those who kneel.

ONE, debbie


Check out this website for more info on the Austin AIDS Walk:

http://www.aidswalkaustin.org/site/TR?fr_id=1030&pg=entry

 

[Carek1230]

This is really an EXCELLENT idea! Good luck with it!

 

[Jamila]

thanks for your support, Carek1230.

It 's not just enough to wear white bands and cheer Bono on at concerts - those actions don't save people's lives.

Becoming actively involved in the movement to end extreme poverty is what will make the positive difference in the world's poorest people's lives.

This is just ONE small step forward - but it is a step forward.

 

[Carek1230]

Awareness is one step in the right direction. Not all people can do the same things to help. Some are more active than others or active in different ways. Some prefer donating money to various causes. But action is absolutely the right and only way to really make a difference. Awareness=Action=Making a Difference. One Step Closer.......and one step at a time is what it takes.

 

[Jamila]

Thanks, Carek1230, I'm glad that you appreciate all the personal effort that I put into my volunteering for ONE in Texas.

Bono personally thanked me this past May for all that I do and he did it again this past Tues. night at MSG!


Check this out:


'For any of you that are fed up with me going on and on about this stuff,' explains Bono, getting into his stride on Africa and global poverty. 'Its going to get worse. By the next election we’ll have 5 million signed up. We won't be going around with a paper cup anymore. We’ll have your voice and we’ll use it.
'In the 60’s there was the civil rights movement and in the 70’s anti-apartheid. This is our struggle: equality at a global level. There will be a vaccine for AIDS. And one day it will look ridiculous - this waste of human life.'

As a glorious version of One comes to a climax, slipping into Ol' Man River, the southern states that have suffered from Katrina are remembered. 'It's in the worst of time we see the best of America and


I’m proud to say that the volunteers from the ONE campaign have been in Texas and Louisiana and Missisippi. This is a great country, because it’s a great idea. You gotta hold on to that idea!'


(and we all know who is the longest ONE volunteer in Texas - smile)


PLEASE follow Bono's advice and join the ONE Campaign of Texas this Sunday at the Austin AIDS Walk.


THANK YOU BONO!


Always ONE, debbie

 

[Carek1230]

^That is absolutely beautiful. What an awesome job you are doing to receive the recognition PERSONALLY from the man himself. It's that kind of deep heartfelt appreciation that keeps people like yourself offering themselves to support causes that need the help. I give to the African Well Fund every year and this year the $100 check I donated at the pre Vertigo Eve bash hosted by ATU2.com was recognized by a special letter I received in the mail which I treasure. I don't expect anything in return for my contributions, fund raising, campaigning for the causes I support, but it is certainly a special gift to be recognized. I support the Lance Armstrong Foundation (proudly wear my yellow LAF and my white One campaign wristbands!) One Campaign, AWF, and currently I am becoming involved in a southern California group called Devotion Campaign. The website is currently down (www.Devotioncampaign.org), but the campaign holds local coffeeshop talks on AIDS & poverty awareness, speaking to schools, colleges and we are in the planning stages of organizing some public gatherings next year. We also support a family friend of mine who has been in Africa for several years (Peace Corps) who together with 2 associates are travelling remote areas of Africa speaking to villages about AIDS. Check out the website to follow Sean, Tuuli and Nate's journey http://overland.naomba.com/index.html (I have also attempted to bring some recognition of their journey to One, Data, Bill & Melinda Gates' organization and others but I haven't been too successful. Sean's stories, blog, photos have brought the plight home to me and hit closer to my heart knowing someone personally who has been in Africa for several years now working and giving himself to making a difference to bring change toward ending poverty. Sean dug wells, taught villages how to plant and harvest crops to feed themselves, helped build structures and in his travels has met beautiful people and experienced things we only imagine or see in movies. His work moves me. My family has contributed to Sean's endeavor to keep the journey going.)

If I were in Texas I would be there helping with the AIDS walk. Best of luck to you and I hope it is very successful. Let me know how it goes. I think our lives are really enriched by sharing our love of the music and musicians who introduced these troubled world causes to us and encouraged us to join them in making a difference. I hope to keep in touch. Keep up the good work!

Peace,
Karen

 

[Jamila]

Karen, your post is completely heartfelt and I thank you for it.

It is very important to find ways in our personal lives to give back to the world and to jeep humble in our attitude while doing so.

It seems that you are developing a very good worldview and willingness to do whatever you can to help others.

I encourage you to continue on this journey - it will bring you inner rewards beyond belief.

Thanks for your very kind words - I was very pleased to learn that Bono mentioned us the other night, especially since he and his cohorts know how long and how hard I have personally worked as a volunteer to bring ONE to Texas.

I gave me a lot of hope.

I'll let y'all know how things turn out tomorrow.

THANK YOU BONO.

 

[Jamila]

I need to proofread my posts -

I meant to say "to be humble in our attitude while doing so".

We're all human.

 

[Carek1230]

It's ok Deb, we know what you mean. And thank you for your kind words! I love Karma!

 

[BorderGirl]

Thanks for listening. And hope to see as many of you as possible this Sunday.
[/B]

Hey townie!
I can come volunteer for One on Sunday---am available from 1-3, if needed!

 

[Jamila]

Please show up, BorderGirl at the AIDS Walk anytime - we'd be glad to have you with us.

And then you can meet others who are in our local group for ONE.

The people of Africa need as many of us as possible to do whatever we can to help them.

Good to see some positive response.

IN THE NAME OF LOVE....

 

[BorderGirl]

I did show up! and what a gorgeous day it was!
I had the pleasure of meeting you- Debbie, and also Seth, the Regional Coordinator + several other volunteers.
I must say that your invitation did cause me to actually show up. That, and also the ONE Campaign pamphlets that I picked up leaving Mass the evening before.
I brought my son; cause as moms, we hope to lead our children by example!
There are many reasons that ONE attracts people/volunteers!
We should certainly celebrate every ONE of the stories that lead us to this same path.
I commend the old and the new volunteers for the giving of their time and talent as they make a joyful noise for the ONE Campaign in Texas.
It was lovely to meet you all.

 

[Carek1230]

Does anyone have pictures from the event? I'd love to see them as would others I'd imagine.

 

[Jamila]

Carek1230, pm me and I can tell you how to view pics from the AIDS Walk.

There was about a dozen ONE volunteers that showed up and in three hours we gathered over 300 signatures for ONE!

It was very cool and we are about to plan further ONE activities in our area.

Bono's pride in us was not unfounded.

 

[Carek1230]

Carek1230, pm me and I can tell you how to view pics from the AIDS Walk.

There was about a dozen ONE volunteers that showed up and in three hours we gathered over 300 signatures for ONE!

It was very cool and we are about to plan further ONE activities in our area.

Bono's pride in us was not unfounded.

You've got mail

 

[Jamila]

Just sent you a reply, my friend.

 

[hotpepper]

Hey Debbie - Just finished reading this thread. I've been a little out of touch Good job on giving ONE a presence at the AIDS Walk there. We had ONE teams for AIDS Walk SF in July and then also recently in San Jose.

 

[Jamila]

thanks hotpepper for your show of support for our effort here in Austin.

ONE in Austin is growing and starting to catch fire in Texas and I'll be here as will others to encourage this process.

With the Dallas AIDS Walk on 1 October and the Austin AIDS Walk, ONE had an EXCELLENT presence in Texas this month.

Now we're gearing up for World AIDS Day (1 December).