Mary Beth from the City’s Neighborhood Initiatives Team saw our project in the Public Library Newsletter last month. She decided to collect bottles and messages during one of her workshops. Great idea! We appreciate everyone who can run with the idea and bring us completed bottles. The biggest challenge seems to be getting the bottles to dry out. Don’t worry, if we see some moisture when we record the message we will let it dry out for a few days. Yes, it does take a few days. Thanks Mary Beth!
Ms. Crosby at JEA downtown had a bag of completed bottles waiting for Dorian’s pick-up. Every contribution helps. Thanks Ms. Crosby and JEA!
On Moncrief Road on the Northside of Jacksonville is an after school center for under-privileged children that is part of the Boselli Foundation. Missi Schock a teacher at the foundation had the after school program complete bottles for the project. “The kids were so excited to be part of a large art project and to know that their bottles would be used to build the wall.” It touched our hearts to know that these children who have so little could find so much excitement doing something for others. If you are not familiar with the Boselli Foundation, visit their website and consider becoming involved. It’s quite an amazing endeavor.
Beth from the Main Library downtown called for a bottle pickup. And I got to check out the receptacle nicely placed in the new arrivals area. It’s almost like a throne…very nice. Thanks Beth!
Today I emptied the receptacle at the Pablo Creek Regional Library on Beach Boulevard. We have drop off location at 5 libraries, so bring them by. Every bottle helps.
MOCA Jax continues to be a big supporter by allowing us to set up in their lobby during Art Walk. Usually there’s a big crowd going through the museum and tonight was no exception. We gathered around 120 messages for the cause and signed up a few “Messenger” volunteers. Thanks to everyone who dropped by, we’ll be back for one more round in March.
A BIG surprise today…Winona from the JaxParks’ After School Program came by in a big van to drop off about 1000 completed bottles. “There’s more coming!” she said as we hauled them into the studio. A great effort by the kids and the teachers. A huge contribution to the wall.
Today was a big day for the project with my appearance on WTLV’s First Coast Living live broadcast. Click here to watch. It’s amazing the reach of television and we already connected with a few additional volunteers because of the show. I’ve been nervous about today for a while, always feeling that my mind would go totally blank when a question is asked. Casey and Leanza did a super professional job with the interview, and made sure that I didn’t screw up. I was very impressed with the whole experience.
As I mentioned on the show, February will be our big push for bottle collection. We need to double or triple our current count (around 4000+ counting all the bottles yet to be logged in). I know this can be done. The schools and service clubs are coming through for us in a big way. My job is to begin construction on the wall so that we can excite others to join us. Bottles are everywhere, they just need to be harvested.
If you are reading this and haven’t joined in, please consider being a Messenger and getting the word out. I know you must have a circle of friends who can help you. All it takes is a concerted effort to collect bottles and dry them out. The message writing is fun. You can easily collect a hundred bottles in a week! With everyone pitching in, we can build an impressive wall to let the world know who we are and that we care about those who serve.
Eric Simmons and Sandra Lockley at the Wesconnett Branch Library called and said they had a full receptacle of bottles to pick up. Yay! Most of these were dropped off by individuals…we thank you all. Each and every bottle helps us to build a bigger wall for all to see.
The Key Club at Oakleaf HS in Orange Park collected over 500 bottles with messages during a week long effort. The project was introduced to the students by Kiwanis member (and our good friend) Steve Arrington. The club members were all on hand today as Kiwanis President Christopher Lawrence recognized the club. It takes a lot of effort to collect, clean, dry out, and obtain messages. These students did it! We thank you!
