Hey it’s Ian! There is a cause that has become really important to me. The story of the children whose lives have been displaced, and bodies destroyed because of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Children are taken from their homes at a very young age, trained and forced to go into battle. The children who are too small to hold and fire guns are given whistles and sent to the front lines! there they are told to blow the whistles when they see “the enemy”. Obviously they are the first casualties in the battle. The idea of this going on in the world i live in hurts bad.

The Falling Whistles Campaign (takes it’s name from the whistles the kids are to blow) raises money for the advocacy and rehabilitation of these children. The money is raised through the proceeds of a necklace fashioned from a whistle. My request is a simple one, take MY whistle necklace and wear it on your journey, research this amazing organization at http://www.fallingwhistles.com/main/
and share the story. Spread the word, and the website info… You know where I am, or email me a time we can meet, to give you my whistle! Don’t worry, i will get another one! Thanks Keith, for what you are doing, and for letting me share this with you and your readers!

It was great to meet you today and hear some of your heart behind your vision. I want to hear more. This is my challenge for you: to share your life story with me and a few friends from Nieucommunities and allow us to speak back to you what we see and pray for you. We want to listen.  – David Jauregui

Great being with you Keith and seeing your heart, home, and hope!
-Rob Yackley

It was an honor to meet you! Thank you for sharing your story with us.
-Christiana Rice

I think it would be really cool if you were to take out a homeless teen for lunch at In n’ Out. That would give you a chance to enjoy the wonders of In n’ Out, and also see what the day to day life of a homeless teen is like. Best of luck!

-Tea Room Storyteller

I would love to be able to share this enlightening new gratitude of what we have, instead of focusing on what we don’t have, with others, including yourself.

Any ideas?

-Bellayoga21

As a future counselor (school), I innately put others first. In turn, I also spend quite a bit of time throughout my day talking to family members and friends. So as one can imagine, I often find myself putting things off that I should be getting done. I recently came to the realization that “being connected” all of the time is not conducive to productivity and above all my sanity lol. However, as much as I would love to chuck my blackberry out the window and check out of gchat for the week it’s not realistic. I simply cannot not answer a call from my dad, or an urgent bbm from Pauly d yadda yadda. So I guess a wish for me, as I forge through my first draft of a journal article late in the evening would be to go without a cell for day! Have someone else answer my calls, bbms, texts, e-mails, and gchats…

-Christine

In light of all things kind and generous, I was given a rescue cat this past Christmas. Totally changed my life around, gave me something to talk to, vent to, and play with; something that was unable to judge… or feel sorrow.
I’ve always wanted to give something back to animal shelters, particularly no-kill shelters. Volunteer time, money, publicity, endless. There are many in the local area, and one in particular: Purrs and Paws in Lake Geroge, NY http://www.purrsandpawsrescue.org/.