Kilimanjaro Quest Becomes Heifer Fundraiser

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Kelly MacNeil

Of all the goals I had on my bucket list, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro was at the very top.

Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa

How could I have dreamed I’d get the chance to make the climb as part of the job I love?

Next week, I’ll travel to Tanzania and begin scaling the 19,000-foot peak, documenting the fundraising journey of several special Heifer supporters. I’ll be doing my best to keep up with them, and you can keep up with me via Twitter and Facebook.

: Kilimanjaro climbers Brendan and Randy Bagg

The climbers are employees of Elanco Animal Health, one of Heifer’s most loyal corporate backers. Heifer gets strong support from Elanco (funding projects that help thousands of families globally) as well as from its big-hearted individual employees. They must be dedicated, if they’re climbing the tallest peak on the African continent.

Mt. Kilimanjaro was on Randy Bagg’s bucket list, too. He’s a veterinarian and regulatory manager with Elanco in Canada, and seems thrilled to be climbing with his son, Brendan. I’ll tell you more about my fellow climbers in updates from Tanzania.

I fully expect the climb to be extremely difficult. It’s not so much the physical exertion as the altitude: it can turn an extremely fit person into a nauseated, hyperventilating mess, even at rest. Harrowing accounts of other people’s climbs aren’t helping me psychologically.

My ever-growing pile of supplies for Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is a grand and gorgeous mountain. The first documented summit occurred in 1889. Its highest peak, dubbed “Kaiser Wilhelm Peak” by Westerners, was re-named “Uhuru Peak” after the Swahili word for freedom in 1961 when Tanzania gained independence. The top of the mountain features a broad caldera, which was once covered by ice. But in the last 100 years, 80 percent of the ice cover has disappeared from Kilimanjaro.

My packing is underway, and fundraising for Heifer is progressing, too. If all goes well, we’ll be standing at the top of a continent on October 1^st.

Help Megan Help Haiti

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Donna Stokes

In a recent blog post, Megan Bean, age 11, of the Big Moo Canoe fundraising family, shared with us her plans for climbing 14,000-footers Mount Grays and Mount Torreys in Colorado this year to raise money for Heifer’s Haiti REACH program.

“I had heard a lot about Haiti’s disaster, and I hope my project will help small towns there where aid is less often sent get back to maybe a little better than normal,” she said. ”I’ve wanted to do a 14-er for awhile. I really love camping and hiking, and I had heard lots of stories from my parents climbing mountains and wanted to make my own project.”

She just announced on her Big Moo Canoe Facebook page that she will be making the trek this weekend, on Saturday, Sept. 15! So please join us in wishing her well and propelling her up those mountains with lots of donations for those in need in Haiti. Please go to her home page today to donate.

Beyond Hunger – A Special Evening With Heifer

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Kelly MacNeil

As poverty and hunger continue to affect more people around the world, Heifer International keeps working to engage new audiences and thank those who have supported our mission to end hunger and poverty and protect the Earth.

Heifer’s first major ticketed fundraiser, called “Beyond Hunger: A Place at the Table,” is planned for Sept. 21, 2012, in Los Angeles. The night, hosted by Diane Lane as well as Nina Jacobson, Jane Fonda, Sheryl Crow and Tracey Ullman, is a chance to bring participants closer to our work and to thank special guests Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson for their longtime support.

We are lucky to have many celebrity endorsers who lend their voices to our efforts to raise funds to end hunger and poverty. Other stars that have agreed to serve on the dinner committee include Ed Asner, Ashley Judd, Kirsten Dunst, Mia Farrow, Adrian Grenier, Patricia Heaton, Susan Sarandon and David Hunt, as well as Allison Janney, Anna Lappe, Amy Madigan and Ed Harris, and Keisha and Forest Whitaker.

Beyond Hunger is more than a star-studded event, though. It’s also Heifer International’s pledge to the future, to help celebrate women—all women who aspire to fulfill their dreams of happiness, opportunity and prosperity. As the theme of the evening suggests, it begins with food security, income and assets—a place at the table—but the destination is equality, access and, most of all, full participation.

The success of this evening will allow Heifer to help even more families faster. So if you’re interested in participating in this elegant event, reserve your place at the Beyond Hunger table and purchase tickets at www.heifer.org/beyondhunger.

An Adventure to Mongolia for Heifer

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Kelly MacNeil

The Arkansas Chuggabugs have reached Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

This typically would be enough of an accomplishment for anyone — Mongolia not really being on the way to anywhere.

But it’s especially amazing because the Chuggabugs, a group of crazy young Arkansans, traveled from London to central Mongolia in a tiny secondhand car dubbed “The Wiz,” camping outside most nights and using only paper maps rather than GPS.

AND they raised a bunch of money for Heifer.

The Arkansas Chuggabugs Mongol Rally team

The team was participating in the Mongol Rally. The distance they traveled is roughly a third of the way across the globe, and the crew did it in less than six weeks.

The Chuggabugs dealt with rainy campsites, worn brakes, corrupt Romanian policemen, tardy ferries, and a broken clutch. And they made it look like a lot of fun!

Infrastructure is a little different in Mongolia

“I went in expecting an adventure and came out more than fulfilled,” team member Mike Buckner said. “I got adventure and got to sightsee while at the same time meeting some of the most fascinating people, both as part of the Mongol Rally and outside of it.”

Sometimes, when you really need a tow in rural Kazakhstan, a guy named Yura helps out.

We’ve seen people do all kinds of things to raise money for Heifer International, but this is definitely one of the most extreme. Cheers to the Chuggabugs for seeking out such amazing places and experiences!

Help Megan Move Mountains in Haiti with Colorado Climb

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Donna Stokes

Megan Bean is an 11-year-old fundraising dynamo. Her father is Rob Bean, head honcho for The Big Moo Canoe for Heifer International. He just organized and led a marathon canoe trip in May to raise money for Heifer Haiti’s REACH program. Stay tuned for more about the Bean family in an upcoming issue of Heifer’s World Ark magazine.

Together they’ve raised more than $25,000 in donations. Dad describes Megan as a “fireball of energy and creativity” and said she has been an integral part of Big Moo Canoe since the first efforts back in 2007. “She was adamant to do something of her own this year and thought a hike might be a fun way to raise awareness for Heifer.”

In just a few weeks, Megan will hike Mount Grays and Mount Torreys in Colorado, two 14,000-footers. She plans to take the adventure in early August and will choose the actual day based on weather forecasts for the area.

World Ark: Your fundraising project is very ambitions for an 11-year old, what inspires you to work so hard to help others?

Megan: Well, it’s pretty simple. I have been raised in an environment where I learned to give generously and care for others graciously. I have wanted to do a 14-er for a while. I really love camping and hiking, and I had heard lots of stories from my parents’ climbing mountains and wanted to make my own project. I had heard a lot about Haiti’s disaster, and a little, but just enough, about Heifer’s REACH program through my dad’s project. I decided to turn my ambition to the aid of others. In the future, I would like to have a Horsetooth for Haiti climb where people could come to the base of Horsetooth Rock, get outside, and hike up the mountain with me in support of Heifer. But I’ll decide that next year. (Horsetooth Rock is just outside of Fort Collins).

Who do you want to help with your fundraising adventure?

My project will help Haiti. I hope to help small towns where aid is less often sent. This might sound a little weird, but I was watching “Oprah’s Next Chapter” and she was with Sean Penn in Haiti. Granted, I’m not sure who he is, but it showed how hard peoples’ lives were even two years later. I hope to help make sustainable living for the people of Haiti so life can get back to maybe a little better than normal. One of my favorite quotes is “Your life is a message, make sure it’s inspiring.”

Please help Megan in her efforts to help the people of Haiti through Heifer gifts of livestock and training. Go to her home page to donate now. We’ll keep you posted here on when she summits and how much she’s raised. Or, follow updates on The Big Moo Canoe’s Facebook page.

Heifer Around the Web: Investing in Women, Blessing Animals, Youth Fundraising

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Linda Meyers

Every Sunday we will highlight some of the people who are funding our work creatively or helping us spread the word of our mission online. If you spot Heifer International while you’re surfing the web or know of a fun or creative fundraising effort, please share it with us here in the comments.

St. Bernadette 3rd-graders collected money for Heifer International as part of their class Lenten Service Project. The hoped to earn enough money to buy chickens through Heifer, and also incubated their own chicken eggs to learn all they could as well. What a great classroom activity!

If you are a pet lover in the Boston area you’ll want to check out the Blessing of the Animals at St. Matthew’s United Methodist church on Sunday afternoon, June 24th. To top it off, a free will offering will be donated to the Buddy Dog Humane Society and Heifer International.

The Case for Investing in Women is a very thoughtful article written by 2013 Presidio Gradate Schol MBA candidate Liz Vyas on investing in women, increasing household incomes, and the concept of sustainability. Several institutions and non-profits are mentioned for empowering women, including Heifer International.

Saint Joseph Parish of Shelburne Falls, MA blogs about the youth’s fundraising efforts for Heifer International, which allowed them to send us a check for $1,500 recently. Thanks so much, we really appreciate the support.

In Clergy Family Confidential, this post called Top Ten Reasons NOT to Go to Church this Summer, Heifer International is listed in #7 (There’s No Church School), as a reason TO GO, at least to his church. At St. John’s, they are offering Heifer’s Animal Crackers as a summer offering.

Heifer Around the Web: Frying Bratwursts, Reading to Feed the Hungry, and Father’s Day Gifts

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Linda Meyers

Lakewood students in Read to Feed program

Photo credit: West of the I

Third grade students at Lakewood School have been busy reading books for pleasure, to become better readers, and at the same time they have been helping end world hunger and improve the environment through Heifer International’s Read to Feed program. This quote by third grader Lylia Okane, sums it up nicely: “My favorite part is knowing that I am helping save lives by reading.”

Jane Elwell,who recently returned from helping a family in Peru, presents “One Man’s Dream,” the history of Heifer International at the Bridgton Library, on Saturday, June 23. She’s going to talk about the experience and the amazing work Heifer does. If you live around Brigdton, Maine, you won’t want to miss this.

The Raven Lunatic talks about visiting Overlook Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts, one of Heifer’s educational centers and farms used to share our message. It’s a great blog post some adorable photos.

This thought-provoking post in the Everywhere Once blog compares the cost of a wedding to several other alternatives, including Heifer’s “Gift of Transformation” than can change an entire community.

Do you live in Wausakee, Wisconsin? If so, you’re in luck… the First Presbyterian Church of Wausakee will have a Brat Fry on Saturday, June 30th, to benefit local missions. The Kids Club will be selling refreshments and these proceeds will to to the Heifer Foundation. Thanks Kids Club!

Thanks to Rebecca McCarthy of the Athens Patch, Susan NC Price of the examiner.com, and Jordan Reid of Ramshackle Glam for mentioning Heifer International in their Father’s Day gift ideas posts.

Heifer Around the Web: Garbage-Men Care For the Earth with Eco-Friendly Music

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Linda Meyers

This is one of the most interesting stories I’ve come across lately. The Garbage-Men, a fun eco-friendly band of teenagers from Sarasota, Florida, make music using instruments made from recycled materials: guitars from boxes, a horn from pipes, and a keyboard from old bottles. Not only are they eco-friendy and care for the Earth, they give 100 percent of the money from one of their CDs, as well as money from merchandise, to Heifer. Read all about The Garbage Men on Time for Kids and their own website, thegarbagemen.com.

Garbage-Men play instruments from recycled objects

Teen band The Garbage-Men perform: (left to right) Jack Berry, Ollie Gray, Harrison Paparatto, Austin Siegel and Evan Tucker. Photo by Robin Rosen, www.timeforkids.com.

Faculty and staff play students in a basketball game that benefits Heifer International. Photo credit: www.wabi.tv

Further north in Maine, the International Club at Eastern Maine Community College put together a basketball game with teams made up of students vs. coaches and faculty – entertaining for all. All the proceeds went to Heifer International. Watch some video taken by the local news here.

You’ll want to keep an eye on this group of adventures, the Arkansas Chuggabuggs. They are taking part in the grueling Mongol Rally, a 10,000 kilometer, six-week adventure across Eurasia in a second-hand car. They’ve selected Heifer International as their team’s charity, and we can’t wait to hear more about their adventure!

Teen volunteer Kara Shen, of Central Bucks East, was honored at the 2012 Bucks County Teen Volunteer of the Year awards ceremony along with about a dozen other teens. Her work includes volunteering at Doylestown Hospital, teaching English to a class at a rural elementary school in Taiwan, serving as a peer tutor and participating in various service initiatives through Heifer International and the Key Club. Congratulations Kara!

A turkey walking the grounds at Heifer Ranch. Photo Credit: Flour Sack Mama

Flour Sack Mama (read the about section to find out the reason for the interesting name) blogger and her family visited Heifer Ranch. She wrote about their experiences and the Ranch itself every day this past week, well worth the read.

Nchimunya Muganya writes an opinion piece for the Times of Zambia on the positives of goat farming, and gives Heifer a mention about our willingness to set up a goat processing plan to enhance processing technology and value addition in the sector.

Heifer Staff Hoofed it for Heifer

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Brooke Edwards

This guest post was written by Lo Vongsaravane, Finance Assistant for the Asia/South Pacific Area.

It was a great experience for me to participate in my first trail run at Petit Jean State Park for the Hoof It For Heifer on April 14^th , especially one that was in support of the great place where I work. I think the event was a great fit since part of the mission is to care for the Earth. Runners enjoying the beautiful trail are reminded of why we should do our part to protect the environment. The event would not have been successful without the wonderful volunteers who support Heifer.

First, let me start off by saying that socks are a necessity when you are doing a trail run. I learned that the hard way at the fourth mile marker. I want to give my many thanks to the kind volunteer who offered up her socks at the aid station. I don’t think it would have been possible for me to finish the race in the allotted 6 hours because I would be crawling due to severely blistered feet. I didn’t necessarily jump at thought of waking up at 4am on Saturday morning, but it really wasn’t that difficult due to the anticipation of doing the race. I needed to drive from Little Rock to Morrilton which was about an hour and half. I made sure that I made it in time for the 7am start or I would be disappointed at myself for missing an opportunity to take part. I was excited that I had other staff join me for the race, Jesus and Ileana. A former staff also came with me, Andy. They were all excited about the race and pretty good runners. It was great seeing all the runners that came out to support Heifer, who woke up early on a Saturday morning, and willingly endured 12 miles of some tough terrain. The weather was perfect for the race. The trail was very scenic which helped me take my mind off the knee and leg pain during the latter part of the race. My favorite parts were passing all the rock formations and the creeks. A couple of runners fell into the creek, but they worked through it. I also took some falls on the tricky portions of the trail and was able to trudge through it. As I headed towards the finish, the cheers from the volunteers were encouraging. I need to express how much the volunteers have motivated me to do more personally, the way they happily offer their time and money in the event to support Heifer and its mission. I’m proud to have finished the race as many other runners did.

I think the race was very well organized, especially for being its first year. The Race Director, Wanda Eason, did an awesome job in coordination from beginning to end. The hard work of all in putting the event together is truly appreciated. I definitely look forward to doing another Hoof It for Heifer soon, with socks.

Heifer Around the Web: Japanese Students Hold Bunkasai Festival to Raise Funds

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Linda Meyers

You’ll want to check out these blog posts we spotted this week:

We were honored to be included in ABC News blogger Lauren Torrisi’s blog post, Fight Hunger With These 5 Charities.

Abby Van Derstuyf, on right, competes with Brooke Isaacs during a chop stick race at a Bunkasai festival. (Photo courtesy of Oberserver & Eccentric)

Roby Brock, of TalkBusiness.net, writes about several Heifer enthusiasts who put the “fun” in fundraising: an 8-year-old creating and selling greeting cards, a group jigsaw puzzle, Jog for a Hog, Big Moo Canoe, as well as some celebrities helping to bring in cash for our projects around the world.

From daily Lenten activities to a Japanese festival and a man dressed up as a cow, the entertainingly unique fund-raisers keep coming:

The JBAB Chapel Protestant Community Challenge hoped to collect $5,000 for one Gift Ark during Lent. “Ark Banks” were given out along with calendars daily activities ideas for adding to the bank. Each week, a different animal was featured, along with an explanation about how the animal could help a family become self-sufficient. The challenge ended with the $7,779 in donations.

North Farmington High School Japanese language students held their first Bunkasai festivallast week, offering those attending everything from rice balls to origami lessons. The event raised $700 for Heifer International and provided fun and learning for students and those attending.

Holy Cow! I was especially interested in this story about a school principal wearing a cow suit after his students fundraiser for Heifer! The school is Salem Lutheran, which is about two miles from my pre-Arkansas home in Affton, Mo.

If you know of any unique fund-raising events or ideas, let us know so we can share them in a future post!

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