Category Archives: Community

Help Me Climb 48 Storeys For Clean Air

Posted by on February 16, 2009 No comments

The BC Lung Association is holding their 8th annual Climb The Wall: StairClimb For Clean Air next week and I need donations to be able to participate. Please help me get there – I only need $100, but it would be fantastic to help raise money for this organization that does so much tireless work to help us all live a healthier, cleaner life.

DONATE HERE. It’s very easy, just a few clicks away: name, address and credit card and your receipt (for taxes) gets delivered right to you.

I am also thinking of recording it, maybe. The climb itself should take about 10 minutes, or so I’ve been told… Could be a painfully tedious video, but wouldn’t you like to see someone climb a staircase for 48 floors? Compelling content.

Thanks for your help and support for helping me get to the top of Vancouver, and thanks for helping all of those people who need support in medical research, asthma education, clean air initiatives, and programs to help young people live tobacco free.

Update: I ran it in 8:18. (under Mallen not Cole for the record) Wasn’t that bad, even after all of that red wine…

Social Media Club Interim Board of 42!

Posted by on July 10, 2008 No comments

Yes, 42 board members. Is this in the Guinness Records yet? Actually, it’s currently at 41 – the 42nd is very soon crossing the floor. (I nominate another fantastic Vancouverite to squeak in – let’s get some more Canadian blood in there!)

Chris Heuer, Kristie Wells and Howard Greenstein have been long-time advocates of social media and building and supporting community, which led to their organization they Co-Founded several years back, the Social Media Club (SMC). They have recently reached out to their community and formed an Interim Board of Directors.

I am happy to jump in with the other 40-odd very notable members at this time and I am totally humbled to be in such company. (You should see the tracks of email convos popping back and forth between this fine group of social media-ites: phew. All great stuff.)

This online over-the-internet-waves-and-on-the-ground Board will be in existence for the coming months – perhaps 6 or so – until an actual *proper* board of 12 is officially elected in some sort of democratic way down the road.

Until then, please read the official announcement, the release, the news and support this social media mecca endeavor wherever and however you can. Oh, and what the hell is SMC anyways? Well, for starters: community, sharing, conversation, changing the world! – Go forth and find out!

Cheers to CH and KW for kicking this all into high gear, looking forward to great things to come…

Bridging Media: Miss 604 & Robert Ouimet Capture It All

Posted by on March 31, 2008 3 comments

xposted from Bridging Media

Vera's Burger Shack Caters to Bridging MediaIt’s the day after Bridging Media both Erica and I are thrilled how it all came together and that the day was received so well. About 150 people turned out, a mix of digital media professionals, Producers, Broadcasters and a few newbies as well. While my photos are coming soon (Flickr Tag “bridgingmedia” please), and more posts to be written on the summary and the all important future growth this beast, you can listen to all of the sessions, courtesy of Robert Ouimet, and can read the Live Blog of all four sessions from Rebecca Bollwitt – thank you for putting in the time, energy and efforts capturing the day. (And thanks to John as well, for snapping some pics!)

There were a LOT of people who helped out to pull this off. Sponsors, organizers, speakers, participants, attendees, all of those people that just randomly stepped in to help out where needs: Thanks to ALL of you!

post to facebook add to del.icio.us Digg it add to ma.gnolia Stumble It! seed the vine

The Happiest Frog: BC’s Green Directory

Posted by on January 24, 2008 No comments

happy frog I just joined another social network, shocking, I know, but this one is different and even a little extra special.

Happyfrog.ca is a Vancouver-born network that is starting to nurture their sustainable community through conversations, knowledge-sharing and every day practical tips, with a focus on green and healthy living.

My first go at the community was, in a word, really fun. And that’s not just because that’s what their logo tells me to do. The next word I’d use to describe my inaugural experience: useful. Practical is another. HappyFrog.ca truly is a user-generated space online, with its’ members providing the knowledge that the rest of us benefit from. It’s not too long before you can’t help but give a review or cast a vote. And why not? You’re directly contributing to your community. Reviewing a yoga studio, a physiotherapist or a park not only helps other consumers, but also provides small businesses and green organizations with feedback, promotion, and no doubt helps them generate more ideas to better serve the community.

The topic directory has pretty much listings on everything from eco travel to naturopaths to restaurants to spas. It’s all there. And rated by all of us. So it’s real.

Be sure to visit “Ask the frog” – this is a fantastic feature. It’s the site’s community Q&A – “dark greenies” can share tips with “light greenies”. (And then we all get beamed up by Scottie.) It’s pretty cool – users can throw any question out to the masses and get thoughtful responses from random users, so you’re meeting and conversing with other people using the site as well. You can also post events, add your blog to the blogroll, and what’s even better, small businesses and organizations can post their logos, business ideas and descriptions and promote themselves to the site – at zero cost.

It’d be great to get more people on the site, contributing to a greener, sustainable community by being a member and help direct the rest of the community to a healthier Vancouver: Go Green, Frogs!

Web Strategizing For Women In Film

Posted by on November 14, 2007 No comments

St. John's, NewfoundlandI spent last week in Newfoundland with a great group of people, conceptualizing and strategizing to build a web portal for women in film, to be extended further of course to include *both* genders. We’re starting with women, as the client is the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival; a festival that has been successfully operating and growing for 18 years.

I was at the festival last year speaking about marketing your film online, social media and web 2.0 tools. Word on the street is it’s the best small film festival going. Well, given the locale alone, of course it is! As a side note, this comment is not surprising. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t rave about Newfoundland after visiting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a story (of people who have visited for the first time) that ends in “… and now they’re moving here.”. I could go on.

Building Online Community For Women In Film - The Strategy SessionsWhat’s surprising for me to learn while in this process of working with Pattie from Catapult Media and Kelly and Lynn here at the festival HQ is that for most of the calendar year, this festival is run and operated as a one-person show. What gives? Kelly Davis does an amazing job each year, and continues to do so, and this year was able to hire Lynn Kristmanson for a short contract to assist and take control of certain aspects, but where are the funds to support this amazing arts community and this festival that has international attention and acclaim? If it is to grow and continue to build on its successes and reputation, the people and staff behind it must grow as well.

This is a pretty common tale in the arts right across the country. Federal and Provincial governments have long been held accountable for a lack of funding for the arts community, and in this case, I think it’s a miss on supporting the culture and heritage sector as well.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone who shares the same conundrum as Kelly Davis and the Film Festival in St. John’s. More people working on this project equals more outreach equals more industry participation equals more local contribution and tourism dollars pumped into the local economy, all with a reputable, successful, in this case international, artistic, cultural event at the core.

Join Me To Make Poverty History

Posted by on July 31, 2007 2 comments

Over the past few weeks I have been working with the Make Poverty History campaign head office in Ottawa. Initiated with Catapult Media, I have helped to set up this blog in the fight against poverty, both locally and globally.

Built in Drupal with the very least of bells and whistles, the blog is a sort of interim blog until the re-launch of the new site, being designed and built by Vancouver firm, Communicopia, and is set to launch in the next month or so. We have recruited 8 bloggers from across the country, along with a celebrity blogger in Kenya, who will be contributing to the blog to spread the word, gather some eyeballs, educate, inspire, motivate and challenge us all to help Make Poverty History.

Check out and join the Facebook group as well (there are a ton out there, but this is the “official” one!).

ORDER YOUR WHITEBAND!

We are hoping to gain force and awareness in building toward October 17th for Stand Up and Speak Out.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

  • Read this blog (even though it’s not in your feeds just yet!), spread these outlets into your communities, and contact the MPH team via the Contact Page on the blog with your thoughts and comments.

All postings and comments will transfer to the new site this fall.