Milawesome Volume 2: Stuff the Bus

Even though it means getting up at the literal crack of dawn, I'm very fortunate each year to be able to participate in the annual Stuff the Bus event for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.

If you've never stopped down to the Pick 'N Save on 111th & Greenfield in 'Stallis on the day before Thanksgiving, I highly recommend it. Even though, I was formerly against Christmas music before Thanksgiving, I make the exception as the holiday cheer that 99.1 The Mix pumps into the parking lot all day is contagious. Said cheer is of course helped by the generosity of the community. People drive from homes and office parks from all over the metro region to donate. My workplace did a food drive this year and I have to say after collecting it today for tomorrow's delivery, I'm so proud of the selflessness of my co-workers!

Bus stuffers get an extra bonus treat tomorrow, as the Milwaukee County Transit System unveils its new community-created bus design at 7 a.m.

If you can't physically make it to the event you can donate online to help make a difference for area families this Thanksgiving.

If you want to pretend that you're there all day like me, you can follow these participants on Twitter:

• @RideMCTS
• @991WMYX 
• @kiddradio 
• @elizabethkayfm 
• @feedamericawi

I'll be there from 6 a.m. to about 3 p.m., stuffing away!

weekend plans? stop by the bike expo

Yes, I'm running with the bike theme this month here at the Accidental Wisconsinite.

Today I'm pretty excited to go volunteer at the Wheel & Sprocket Bike Expo from 1-4 p.m. for the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. I also plan to peruse the accessories and at the very least get some new bike shorts since my XLs aren't going to fit any more!

Stop by the BFW booth (back by the service center) to learn about joining an organization that does incredible work for bike advocacy in the state. And for just $25 it's a steal to join! You can also visit booths for dozens of non-profits and charity rides. Including the Miller Lite Ride for the Arts.

Of course, if you can't make it today and want to get a headstart on supporting me in that ride, you can do so by donating online here.

milwaukee props: milwaukee a top biking city!

OnMilwaukee.com reported today that our very own Milwaukee was ranked in the top 25 bike-friendly cities by Bicycling magazine.

This warms my heart on this dreary day (of course my perma-gray hometown of Portland is #2 on the list), as it shows that there really is a growing biking community out there on the roads of Milwaukee.

It also has inspired me to BYOB (bring your own bike) to the FUEL Milwaukee Healthy & Green Team's meet up tomorrow at the Urban Ecology Center. We're going to learn about this great sustainability-focused non-profit, which is one of the many puzzle pieces to getting people active and biking in the community.

And as always, don't forget I've begun my fundraising quest for the Miller Lite Ride for the Arts. Want to get a headstart on supporting me? You can do so by donating online here.

time out thursday: finally laying low

I'm really, really looking forward to this weekend. Why? Because I finally have a chance to relax and tackle the insanity that is my apartment at the moment. I also hopefully have a chance to sketch out some blogs for the upcoming weeks. I feel badly that I didn't get a Worldly Wednesday post up yesterday -- am going to have to plan better for that.

Although I'm "doing nothing," here are some of my "low-key" things on tap:

• Brunch/lunch at The National with Wren
• The Get Down at Mad Planet with the usual crew
  
• AIDS Walk Wisconsin with Maribeth on the 88.9 Team
• Bon Iver Benefit Concert for AIDS Walk Wisconsin

Other than that, cleaning, and blogging, I plan to attack some of the fruits/veggies in my kitchen and create a couple of dishes for the upcoming week. I just got a bunch of sage from my CSA and don't want that to go to waste.

call to action: support our parks with pints

Yes, I still am a big slacker blogger.

BUT I wanted to point out this great event on Sunday to support my FUEL Milwaukee team's (Healthy & Green) adopted non-profit The Park People. It's just $10 and includes a regular Lakefront Tour PLUS Rehorst AND wine tasting too. Besides the boozing, there's also entertainment and raffles. What's not awesome about this?

Hope to see you there!

call to action: miller lite ride for the arts

If you know me, you know I love my bicycle. Once I made the conscious decision to not have a car, my bicycle became one of my best friends. Every spring, as the snow begins to melt I start daydreaming of peddling aimlessly for hours on a sunny day through Milwaukee's beautiful parks and bike trails. I even rode late into the season this year, participating in one of the most fun bike events of my life.

Why such growing enthusiasm for pedal pushing?

Last June I did something I doubted I would be able to do so early in the season: I rode 50 miles for the Miller Lite Ride for the Arts. Some people say that their butt hurts just thinking about doing that -- luckily I have padded shorts. Why did I "torture" myself before a full summer of riding? Because living in Wisconsin I can only bike part of the year, but I can enjoy the performing arts year 'round thanks to the generosity of the United Performing Arts Fund.

I am a proud season ticket holder for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and I try to catch a Milwaukee Rep production at least one or two times a year. I am always open to checking out any performance around town by the many innovative arts groups UPAF funds.

As an adult I enjoy the performing arts, but I would not have this love for them if it had not been instilled in me as a child. Granted I came from an art-friendly home, but I also had the opportunity to experience arts groups in the many communities I lived in as a child. I did not grow up in Milwaukee, but I believe increased exposure the arts is one of the critical solutions to the educational crises we face in this city.

We all know it's a bad economy and unfortunately it does not look like another WPA is in the cards to solve this. Arts funding is being cut and even UPAF itself has reduced its fundraising goal this year. That's why I am committing myself to INCREASING my personal fundraising goal this year. I am shooting to raise $1000 for the performing arts in Milwaukee (I find this appropriate as well, because I am riding with the FUEL Milwaukee team, a group that in its several incarnations, has exposed me not only to arts groups, but some of my best friends who are also arts-minded people). At first the number seems daunting, but when I realize that I have nearly 350 Facebook friends, asking less than a third of them, 100 people at $10 each, puts the goal in perspective.

Will you fund my $20/mile goal?

Donating through the First Giving site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward the site to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

I just got my bike back today from Cory the Bike Fixer. I look forward to posting ride AND fundraising updates here.

milwaukee props: "accomplished...and then some"

I don't have a radio at work, nor can I stream online. However, I did see this encouraging tweet last night on WMSE's twitter: "accomplished...and then some."

Even more moving was this tweet: "We're speechless...Atomic Records just threw down $500 matching pledge despite their current state. WOW!" As you may recall, Atomic is closing in February.

Thank you Milwaukee for coming together to fund my favorite radio station. A special thanks to my co-worker who donated $5 because of my pep talk. And she likes country! :)

don't forget! give to wmse today!

Have you given to WMSE yet? I just donated again to help them reach their goal of $12,000 for the day. Imagine if 1,000 listeners gave just $12?

This morning's pledge-a-thon started at 6 AM and will last until 6 PM (central). You can call - (414) 799-1917 or just donate online (super easy) at wmse.org.

As I said last week, if the Obama win taught us anything it's that small amounts DO matter and they DO add up.

Please donate and help keep great radio on the airwaves in Milwaukee.

horn tooting: exciting announcement

I'm excited to announce that I've been selected to serve on the Young Non-Profit Professionals Network (YNPN)-Milwaukee Chapter Board for 2009!

The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network promotes an efficient, viable, and inclusive nonprofit sector that supports the growth, learning, and development of young professionals. We engage and support future nonprofit and community leaders through professional development and networking opportunities designed for young people involved in the Greater Milwaukee nonprofit community.

I am grateful for the opportunity and thank the existing Board for approving my application. A huge thanks also to those who encouraged me to apply.

I'm very enthusiastic about where this organization is going in 2009 and look forward to being a part of it.

I am also looking forward to the YNPN Holiday Networking even at Bar Louie at Bayshore this evening. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. -- just bring a donation (food or cash) for Hunger Task Force.

milwaukee props: milwaukee's generosity

Despite the economy in the crapper, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee topped its $44 million goal this year.

I've always been amazed at the generosity of Milwaukeeans. I can't recall which disaster, but I believe this city was the #1 donor to either 9/11, the tsunami or Hurricane Katrina. In fact, it easily could've been all three.

With all of its own problems, it's good to see Milwaukeeans stepping up to help their own city too. As I mentioned I did a volunteer project for United Way a few years ago, and they truly do spread the wealth to some fantastic agencies. Luckily I am able to donate through my workplace giving program which makes it so easy.

The news today comes on the heels of learning that the Stuff the Bus event from last week raised 208,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest of Wisconsin. That was 8,000 over the goal!

There are many, many causes in this city to donate your time or money to. I really enjoy highlighting them in this blog and will continue to do so. But tonight I definitely wanted to share the good news of these two goal breakings!

world AIDS day

It's really hard to believe that today is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, but I remember this day being around practically my entire life. It's really interesting to reflect on how it's been repurposed though from shifting the focus from the American epidemic (AIDS quilt, etc.) to the global epidemic that it's become.

I admittedly didn't do much today to make an impact other than buying (RED) Gingersnap Latte from Starbucks. Thanks to my consumerism, five cents goes to the fight against AIDS in Africa.

I also pledged online (well I tried, but I think there was a browser error) to volunteer or donate to an AIDS cause. You can too, via the button below.

That pledge will probably end up being the 2009 AIDS Walk, provided I am in town October 3, 2009. I have done it in the past and it truly is a powerful event.

As with my post on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I definitely want to draw attention to some resources for those living with or the families affected by those with HIV/AIDS. These groups are also essential in educating the public that AIDS is not just a disease in faraway lands, but it also still hits close to home and prevention is key.

The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin not only provides health and legal services to those living with HIV in Wisconsin, but also helps prevent the spread of the disease.

Camp Heartland is one of the most amazing organizations I've ever heard of, and it's so wonderful that it's based in my own backyard. Their mission is to be: "committed to greatly improving the lives of children, youth and their families impacted by HIV/AIDS and other significant life challenges worldwide." Anytime I've seen or heard a presentation or story about their work I choke up. It's just so moving. Seriously, read the history. Crying yet?

My experience with a past AIDS Walk and a group of Camp Heartland walkers in front of me is what inspires me to remain aware of the cause locally. Unfortunately there are still ignorant bigots out there that claim AIDS is some sort of punishment from God. Seeing these a-holes with their signs (many featuring Christian imagery or invoking Jesus's name), screaming at these beautiful, happy kids who, by whatever circumstances beyond their control, are forced to live a life with HIV, probably made me the angriest I've ever been in my life.

So yes, I do care about kids in Africa too. I care about the virgins who are raped because urban legend says that can cure AIDS. But until we in our own country can come together to fight the disease as a health issue and not some sort of moral/religious issue, I think there is greater work to be done.

milwaukee props: the "new" domes

One of Milwaukee's institutions, The Domes (aka Mitchell Park Conservatory), just got a major facelift. Unfortunately I can't appreciate all the changes, as I had never (in my 10 years here!) been inside.

That changed tonight as our FUEL Milwaukee team, Healthy & Green, hosted its first adopt a non-profit event for The Park People. We not only got comped admission to the venue (which is now open late on Monday evenings so visitors can check out its groovy new LED lighting display (and light show!)), but also a behind-the-scenes tour from Friends of the Domes Board President Roger Krawiecki, with some insight from Domes director Sandy Folaron. For a meet up that came together rather quickly thanks to the help of Park People Executive Director Janet Marie Tierney, I would definitely consider tonight a success. We had about six or so FUEL members show up who are not Creative Council members. I also haven't seen any of these folks at other FUEL events, so it was great to have them choose to come to our shindig on a cold, wintery night.

I learned that the Friends of the Domes are looking for energetic volunteers. The organization is definitely adjusting to a changing environment. They need to boost attendance figures. They need special events assitance. They need to creatively connect with education programs--as public school budgets fall field trips get cut (SO SAD!). If you are interested in helping with any of these, please get involved via FUEL or contact the Friends directly through their website.

There are definitely some excited things on the horizon for the conservatory. The County has plans to move their greenhouses from the County Grounds to behind the Domes. There is also talk of starting a urban farm there. Fantastic!

Personally, I can't wait to go back and explore with my camera lens some more. The LED lighting at night provided for some cool shots. Below are some of my favorites:

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

From Tourist in My Own Town

After the event, part of our group headed over to Sobelman's for some socializing. That turned to be interesting as our team leader Lori, who works at Marquette, brought along her "international buddy," Justin from Malaysia, for the evening. I learned that Malaysian:Singapore::Wisconsin:Illinois. I also learned that there's not need for firearms if you know the "dim mak" in martial arts (aka death strike)

Even though I can't experience the Sobelman's burger, I did finally try their famous Bloody Mary. I don't normally like to be that girl who orders a bloody at night, but I found out from The Consumerist that today is National Bloody Mary Day.

What other way to celebrate?

From Tourist in My Own Town

sunday catch up: past present music

I realize I promised last Sunday to give you a review of Present Music's "Thanksgiving" performance.

Clearly, that's been a big FAIL. But, I will try and make some amends.

Keep in mind that this was my first experience with Present Music. Also, unlike other performing arts groups that I've mentioned in this blog (the Milwaukee Rep, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the late Milwaukee Shakespeare), there aren't multiple performances to encourage someone to go see -- Present Music is an event.

While I've been meaning to check out one of these events for most of my young professionalhood, I was finally motivated to go because Present Music is an adopted non-profit of my former FUEL Milwaukee team, Leisure & Culture.

Present Music's mission is to "engage artists and the audience in imaginative and provocative experiences with new music through ensemble performance, commissioning, and education." Part of the "experience" of PM is the venue in which the concert is held. In last Sunday's case it was in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, which is conveniently located directly across the street from my apartment.

There were many similarities between the Cathedral and the Present Music performance, which likely was a factor in selecting the venue. In both, one can see modern interpretations of traditional themes.

In the case of the Cathedral it is the gigantic modern crucifix that is the centerpiece of the church. The sculpture was installed during the controversial remodeling a few years ago. My Lutheran friend that I was with remarked on how grisly the imagery in Catholic churches can be. I've been in a lot of Catholic churches and I think this crucifix takes the scary cake. If I were a small child, I'd actually probably have nightmares from it. Jesus is a skeletal specter, with overtones of a Holocaust victim, pinned to a sharp stake-like cross, encircled by an overexaggerated crown of thorns. I found a blurry image on the web, but this truly doesn't do it justice:
The sculpture makes me incredibly uncomfortable, and that's one of the reasons I prefer not to attend church there (on the rare occasions when I do go to Mass). However, from a theological perspective, it should make me uncomfortable. Obviously Christ's death for our sins is central to the Catholic (and general Christian) faith and it's not supposed to be a pretty thing (that's the Resurrection part). This modern interpretation of the crucifix hits the Catholic guilt nail (sorry, pun intended) on the head and makes you feel really personally horrible about Jesus' sacrifice.

At any rate, the rest of the Cathedral truly is gorgeous and provided the perfect setting for the Present Music performance, which as I mentioned combined the modern and the traditional as well. Like the Cathedral, there were parts of the performance that made me uncomfortable, and parts that I truly enjoyed.

The "Thanksgiving" theme was demonstrated by selections based on musical traditions from Christian, Jewish and Native American cultures and beliefs.

The opening and two closing pieces were traditional Native American songs performed by the Bucks Native American Singing and Drumming Group. It was pretty incredible to hear so many drummers, dancers and singers in the acoustics of the Cathedral. The second to last number, "Friendship Dance," was interesting as several audience members participated in a dance circle around the interior of the church.

Movements from the piece "Mass in Gregorian Chant" by Henry Brant helped transition the concert from one selection to the next. This was an all-flute piece performed by about 20 or so flutists spread throughout the church. I quite enjoyed these movements, especially in regard to their spatial exploration.

The first piece in the "meat" of the program was "Glory to God for This Transient Life" by John Tavener. As the piece progressed, the vocalists in the Milwaukee Children's Choir began a procession around the church, slowly exiting so their disembodied voices floated in from the attached atrium. The effect was very stunning and I liked this selection a lot.

Back to the "uncomfortable," the next piece, "Meditation on a Bach Chorale" by Sofia Gubaidulina, did not do it for me at all. My untrained ears focused on how it provided a matching horror soundtrack for the crucifix statue, but I can certainly respect the mathematical composition of its cacophony.

The palette-cleansing "Fugue in E flat Major 'St. Anne'" by the aforemeditated Johann Sebastian Bach certainly put the Cathedral's pipe organ to work. I don't know how anyone could not enjoy hearing such a majestic piece in a holy building. Massive church organs are one of the manmade smoke and mirrors that convince me of divinity (don't worry, nature convinces me of that much more, but I definitely appreciate some of that grandiose church stuff too).

Following Intermission came Sanctus by Jan Sandstrom performed by the Milwaukee Choral Artists. This was a pleasant choral piece that didn't really sway me one way or the other. It's been quite awhile since I heard a straight up choral piece, so I did enjoy it.

Next was "Pathways to Security" by Henry Brant. I initially liked this piece, as it featured baritone Kurt Ollmann meandering throughout the church while singing his parts, then echoed by the musicians and choral artists. As a listener, I appreciated the audio-spatial effects of the performers in motion. However, honestly, as shallow as this is going to sound, the piece was WAY too long for me. I think perhaps because it was a synthetic language, the repetitiveness just started grating on me after awhile. I definitely can handle longer symphonies, but this selection in full just wasn't my style.

Closing out the set, before the return of the Native American drummers, was a short piece, "Al Shlosha D'varim" by Allan Naplan. The Hebrew chorus was printed in the program for the audience to accompany the choirs on. I did appreciate the choral arrangement here as well, and you must also appreciate the translation of the chorus: "The world is established upon three things: truth, law, and peace."

Clearly I had a mixed reaction overall, but again, I think that's what Modern Art is all about. I do like to be challenged by art and I will likely attend a future performance of Present Music. It's nice to be reminded that there's plenty of musical art still being created, and even if I don't thoroughly enjoy it, I can definitely appreciate it more than musical crap.

*******

Interested in catching an upcoming Present Music performance? You actually DO have two opportunities to catch the next one:

"Close Up"
Friday, January 9th or Saturday, January 10th
7:30 p.m. both nights
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

I will be on the other side of world at that time, but maybe I'll catch you at the next one!

being a good consumer this holiday season

For starters, don't actually follow the tips in this creepy satirical video:




Instead make a conscious effort to Buy Local, independent and/or sustainable this holiday season.

I started my shopping today at Art Vs. Craft, Milwaukee's DIY craft fair. I, as well as thousands of other folks apparently, look forward to this event each year. The opportunity to find unique, funky, handmade gifts created by local or regional artists is one you just can't pass up. I was smart this year and went with cash instead of a credit card, so I managed to do a better job of limiting my own presents. I still got plenty of cute stuff for myself and crossed several folks off the gift list.

I don't want to spoil any surprises, so I'll be vague about my other gift ideas. Basically though, I am vowing to avoid all national retailers for gifts this Christmas season. Obviously there are some exceptions, like I'll probably use the Kodak application built into iPhoto to print some photos, but I think that is acceptable since there's no local alternative.

So how am I going to do this?

• Some of my friends are going to have to wait until after the holidays to get their gifts. When I return from India, they'll be getting global gifts that were bought locally. I think I can do just as good of a job of importing at World Market.
• As I mentioned I got a good chunk of shopping taken care of at Art Vs. Craft today. For other physical gifts that must be purchased before the 25th, I plan to hit up locally-owned businesses, especially those that are members of Our Milwaukee.
• Per usual, some of my hobbyist photography will probably end up in some gift packs this year.
• Despite a great Seinfeld episode giving it a bad rap (The Human Fund. Money for People), I may try giving some charitable donations this year to those in my circle who are less selfish than George Costanza. If I do this I'm going to try and make a concerted effort to tie in the cause to the personality of who I'm giving it to.

Any other tips or suggestions you have for a Sustainable Christmas? What are your consumer goals this holiday season?

Come Stuff the Bus Today in West Allis!

Yes, I am up at the crack of the crack of dawn, but it's for a good cause.

I'm headed to the Pick N Save at 111th & Greenfield in West Allis to stuff buses full of non-perishable food for needy families this Thanksgiving.

It's the annual Stuff the Bus event for Second Harvest of Wisconsin with 99.1 WMYX.

Our goal this year is to collect 200,000 pounds of food.

How can you help?

• Come on down to the Pick N Save between 5 AM and 6 PM today (I will be there with the bus until about 3:30/4) along with your canned goods. Here's a list of what's needed.
  
• If you can't make it down, or aren't in Milwaukee, you can donate online as well. Obviously you can't put a can of corn in your computer, but you can give money to help purchase food.

Hope to see you later today!

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

I thought it would be appropriate to post this away from the break up post...don't worry this is so far from the reason things ended. Trust me.

But at any rate, it is a very important issue and I thought I would shed some light on it in my little corner of the blogosphere.

It's scary to think that as far as we've come by 2008, there is still prolific violence against women, both internationally and in our own country.

Here's a freaky statistic from the UN Development Fund for Women: "At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime."

Yes we hear about international issues in far away countries (for a particularly jarring issue, visit the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women website). Unfortunately Milwaukee, with its high poverty rates, is far from immune from the issue of violence against women. Fortunately, there are phenomenal programs in place in this city to start chipping away at the roots of the problem. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to participate in the Young Professionals of Milwaukee's (YPM) Service Circuit program, which was the predecessor to FUEL Milwaukee's Adopt-A-Nonprofit program. Through Service Circuit I became involved in the United Way of Milwaukee's Healthy Girls Project which targets funds to organizations which help better women's lives. From the website:

The funded programs respond to one of two issue areas identified as impediments to good health and well being of girls in our community: teen pregnancy and sexual violence against girls.

In addition to planning a donor event for this program, those of us in the volunteer group became exposed to several of the non-profits funded through the initiative. About a year or two after that volunteer experience, I served on the public service committee for Ad 2 Milwaukee where we created a campaign for a preventative organization, PEARLS for Teen Girls (see more info below).

Through these experiences I gained hope for what can be done at a local level to eradicate violence against women. Here are some Milwaukee organizations helping tackle the problem. Please leave any more that you know of in the comments.

The Task Force on Family Violence: "The Task Force on Family Violence provides advocacy, education and resources to keep people safe."

Milwaukee Women's Center: Their mission is "To provide holistic care to empower women and families who are experiencing abuse to live safe, independent and healthy lives." I had a friend who worked here for many years and could not speak more highly of the services this organization provided. Through the Healthy Girls Project we visited a safe house and learned firsthand about this empowering organization. One of the most impressive things that sticks with me years later is the fact that many of their staff were women who had used the Women's Center services in the past and overcome cycles of abuse to help other women.

YWCA Milwaukee: A national organization that has a large presence in this city. They really live by their simple mission of "Eliminating racism, empowering women." In addition to providing business education resources to women, they also coordinate the FAITH Program which helps women find transitional housing to move forward in creating a better life for themselves and their children.

The Counseling Center of Milwaukee / Pathfinders: Aims "to help people in need take charge
of their lives, connect to others and contribute to the community." Primarily focused on issues surrounding teen runaways, helping break the cycles of violence early.

Sojourner Truth House: "We provide shelter, safety, support, education and advocacy to break the cycle of violence because domestic respect is the right of every woman, man and child."

The Alma Center: "The Alma Center works to motivate peaceful change through education in intimate relationships, family and community." This is a very unique organization in that it focuses on training for men to unlearn habits of violence against women. I know a couple people who are involved with this organization and it's another one that can't get enough rave reviews for the work that it does.

PEARLS for Teen Girls: "PEARLS for Teen Girls is committed to being the community's signature program for maximizing girls' self-development. True girl/adult partnerships result in building and living PEARLS attributes: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership and Support." PEARLS is near and dear to my heart because of the experience I had with the Ad2 campaign. I cannot describe in a short blog post what an amazing organization it truly is. It fights the issue of violence against women by empowering girls at an early age to take a stand and start making a difference in their communities. The dedication of its board and staff is truly inspirational. I am very excited that PEARLS is an adopted non-profit by FUEL this year as well.

Again, this is a pretty heavy issue to think about and it may seem despairing to wonder where do we start and how do we make an impact. But there is the occasional gleam of good news that makes you glad these organizations are busting their tails. The good news here? The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that the teen birth rate in Milwaukee is at a 28-year-low.

Slowly but surely we can make change.

What local organizations am I missing here that help this cause? If you're not a Milwaukeean, what are organizations in your community doing similar things?

daily inspiration: creative fund raising with "Mr. T"

This story was on OnMilwaukee.com today and it really impressed me.

In case you don't have time to click over, basically this guy is raising money for diabetes research (his father died a heart attack brought on by the disease) by slowly transforming himself into Mr. T. With each level of fund raising reached, he ups the ante on his emulation.

I not only appreciate this because of the great cause it's helping -- The Diabetes Research Institute -- but because of its offbeat, creative approach to fund raising. The best part is, though he is a little wacky, he still has a clear personal connection to the cause.

I've seen more and more stories lately about non-profits having to shutter their doors due to lack of funds in this crappy economy. Unfortunately I think new and interesting fund raising methods are few and far between.

Not to say things aren't changing. The Obama campaign certainly showcased the power of the small donor. Non-profits are realizing that they need to tap into younger generations -- not just as donors but as leaders as well. As someone who got two pledge letters this week (and anticipates more on the way), I would be much more excited to give if the requests were a little more interesting. I'm under 30, engage me online. Like Mr. Fake T, show me the visual of what my donation is doing. Put up a YouTube video of the kids I'm helping. Start a Twitter account so I can follow where my money is going. At the very least, have a blog so that I can get a minimum weekly update. Engage me in a deeper conversation than just your annual appeal. I know you don't have staff, but this is something an energetic young volunteer could do!

I may be able to only give you $5, 10, 20 now, but if I'm still engaged with you in five years that amount will (hopefully) grow.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Fake T works at an interactive agency. He is doing his fund raising both on and offline. His fund raising site is: www.firstgiving.com/mrttattoo.

Also, there is the plea on the site to hook him up with the real Mr. T for an endorsement. If you're just randomly happening across my blog but know how to make this happen -- make it happen!