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December, 2008:

A Walk in the Park

Dec 12th, 2008
by macaniff.
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family-day.jpgSharon Maynard is committed to making a difference in the lives of teenagers and their families, and her project in the SELP program did just that. She put on a an all day event with family activities and expert speakers talking about family issues. The event took place on October 4 and written about by different local newspapers, including the Enterprise newspaper group of Washington state.

Family Fest in Terrace Park

by Oscar Halpert

In the place longtime Mountlake Terrace residents refer to as Candy Cane Park, about 60 people came together on a blustery, cold Saturday, Oct. 4 for Family Fest, resident and community organizer Sharon Riegie Maynard’s kickoff event for her latest project, The Children of Our Village.

Maynard, organizer of Bears in Terrace and founder of the neighborhood newsletter The Broadcast, started the new group this year as part of a continuing education program she’s involved in.

The non profit organization’s goal, she said, is to enrich the lives of children and “make sure all children have experiences that inspire their life, that spark their future dreams so they live their fullest lives.”

She brought together others who share her passion for helping kids and, by extension, families. Pam Graham, program manager for Lynnwood-based Family Support Center of South Snohomish County attended the event at Terrace Creek Park, along with Sammie Hayes, director of the nonprofit group Momentums. Sno-Isle Libraries’ Mountlake Terrace children’s librarian also attended.

Families were entertained by music and an assortment of speakers made presentations geared toward families.

“What I’m seeing is we have the people nationally and internationally who could make children of our village part of an international movement that helps their community nurture the community in better ways,” Maynard said. “I think children are a reflection of what the community’s about.”

Seery Brings Art back to Inis Meain

Dec 9th, 2008
by Julia Taylor.
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inis-meain.jpg

Olivia Seery leads Landmark Education’s Self-Expression and Leadership programme in Ireland. Four years ago she visited the beautiful and historic Aran island of Inis Mean, located in Ireland’s Galway Bay and fell in love with the island and its people. She created a project in the programme which was an artistic weekend holiday for a group from Sligo and the environs. The trip has become an annual occurrence. The following brief story appeared in the Sligo Weekender of August 5 2008:

Arts Trip to an Aran Island

A group of Sligo people are organising the 3rd annual weekend on the Aran island of Inis Meain, promising creativity, community and fun.

inis-mean-_2.jpgThis year, a writer’s workshop will be run by the published writer and poet Mary Branley and an artist’s workshop facilitated by well-known Sligo artist Tinka Bechert. The Inis Meain Artist’s Paradise weekend takes place from August 8th to 10th and costs €200. This includes return ferry, two night’s dinner B & B, music sessions, workshops and a guided tour of the island.

For details call Olivia on 086-8232166 or Patricia on 087-2194718.

Usually the quietest and least visited of the Aran Islands, Inis Meain is often viewed as an escape from the modern world, a place where beauty, tradition and culture combine with a rugged landscape.

inis-mean-_1.jpgA maze of narrow winding roads, sheltered paths and trails crisscross the island, from the rock hillsides of the south to the deserted sandy beaches on the north shore. Wild flowers bloom everywhere and numerous examples of early settlements dot the limestone karst. The oval fort of Dun Chonchuir is here, and so too are the beautiful Cill Cheanainn and the church of Mary Immaculate with its stained-glass windows by the famed Harry Clarke Studios. Nearby is Teach Synge, the restored island cottage where writer John Millington Synge wrote most of his plays.

Synge’s book “The Aran Islands” tells the story of a man who, 100 years earlier, looked at Inis Meáin and thought “this is the last outpost of ancient Europe, I am privileged to see it before it disappears forever”. This sense is often shared by visitors to this day.

 

Kelly’s Bounceathon Supports Hospice

Dec 8th, 2008
by Julia Taylor.
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bounceathon.jpg For her project in Landmark Education’s Self-Expression and Leadership Programme, Joanne Kelly created a fundraiser event for the Northern Ireland Chilren’s Hospice. The event took place on Sunday, November 30 at the Ballysillan Leisure Centre. The event was a “Bounce-Athon” for children, which goes from 1:30-2:3-pm for 8-13 year olds and 2:30-3:30pm for 5 to 8 year olds.

The event featured a sponsored bouncy castle and trampline bounce, as well as face painters, refreshments and Christmas gifts. To contribute or find out more information about future events call 078 2532 4326 or email joannek@mail2web.com. The program was free with sponsor form and sponsors. All proceeds received go to the Children’s Hospice.

BeRecreative Enters Third Year

Dec 5th, 2008
by DJacoby.
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Jessica Bavinton of the UK has passed on the news to Leadership and Self Development that the project she created in Landmark Education’s SELP program in 2006, titled “BeRecreative” has entered successfully entered its third year. The project is an annual, free event for young people and their families to learn fun and creative ways to recycle and become more environmentally aware. Hackney Today wrote about this year’s event.

Family fun day out

A free, fun packed, family event is being held in London Fields as part of national Recycle Now Week.

The BeRecreative event on 2 June is a joint effort between the Council’s recycling team and Green Champion network.

Building on the success of last year’s event, BeRecreative 2007 promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Kids can get busy making their own toys from recycled materials at the ‘junk journeys’ stall, play on a bouncy castle and have their face painted in favourite designs.

Recycling mascots will also be on hand to meet budding young environmentalists and keep them entertained.

There’s plenty to do on the day for adults as well, including making or customising a shopping bag, creating amazing meals from leftovers, and taking a look at green technologies. there will also be hot organic food on sale, or alternatively bring your own picnic.

Entertainment will be provided by Hackney children, who have attended music, drama and dance workshops run jointly with the Hackney Empire.

They will be performing their own music and dance routines, developed around environmental themes.

Green Champion, Esther Schillinger said: “It was great being involved in last year’s BeRecreative event and this year there will be even more for everyone to get stuck into. It’s a fantastic way to learn, have fun and make a difference to the environment at the same time.”

Here is a video of the first BeRecreative event from 2006:

Walter Creates Mary’s March for the Cure

Dec 3rd, 2008
by Tom.
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mary-walter.jpegFor his project in the Landmark Education Self-Expression and Leadership Program, Philip Walter created “Mary’s March for the Cure” event, to honor his mother, Mary Ellen Walter, who died of cancer in 2000. The event took place in Itasca, IL, at 9am on October 25. Participants walked two miles through the town of Itasca in honor of someone special in their life who had been affected by breast cancer. T-shirts were offered to the first 200 walk participants.

Since his mother died at the age of 57, Walter has experienced regret over taking the life of his mother for granted. In addition to raising money towards a cure, Walter was committed that the walk give the participants a new appreciation for living in the moment and not taking their loved ones for granted.

All money raised during the walk went to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, whose mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and provide mammograms for those in need. So far, the walk has raised $6,245, and contributions can still be offered at the First Giving/Mary’s March website, which also gives more information on Mary Ellen Walter and why Philip Walter undertook his project.

Mangetwo Unites Food Lovers

Dec 2nd, 2008
by Julia Taylor.
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Belfast, Ireland, resident Claire McBride has channeled her passion for food into a novel Landmark Education (SELP) project: the launch of a social networking site for food lovers.

mangetwo.gifMangetwo is designed as an interactive website combined with face-to-face events which allow visitors to be informed about “food, flavours and chefs’ signature cooking styles”, according to the site. “Members can fill their diaries with tasting nights, cookery demonstrations and other food related events, or simply hook up with new mates with an equal passion for food in gourmet eateries.”

On Friday November 21, Mangetwo’s will commence with a live, brainstorming event taking place from 5:30 – 7:30 at the ARTTANK at 58 Lisburn Road in Belfast. To RSVP, contact McBride at clairemcbride@mangetwo.com or visit the Mangetwo website.

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