CHNY2K8 Donation Drive & Service Project Results

West Haven Children’s Home (DeepBlueRipple)
•    Toiletries
•    Clothing
•    Recreational Equipment
•    Hand Percussions
Donations delivered along with an afternoon concert with 26 musicians in the general pavilion and then performing bedside music for each bedridden child.  The highest of praise and gratitude goes out to the musicians who made this all possible and brought healing to these children's hearts through music: Andy Pond, George Pond, Sean Foley, all the members of Laura Reed & Deep Pocket, Mark Schimick of Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Natti Love Joys, Lorin Rowan, Bobby Miller, Bill Liggin, Sugar Kayne, and Greg Hollowell.  Infinite gratitude to the following folks who documented our musical journey through photos, recording, and video: George Wash Rodgers, Bobbe Jacobs, Tess Conway, Leigh Hillard, Scott Eicholtz.  And to those who accompanied the musicians & film crews and danced, laughed, loved, and played with the children of West Haven: Nicole Potter, Julie McAleer, Elana Himmelfarb, Libre Brousseau, David Morris, Donnis Wooten, and Harvey Toub.  A big thanks to Mr. Lloyd Johnson, JP and Ms. June Thompson Principal of Rusea's High School who took time out of their busy schedules to meet us at West Haven to join in on the merriment. Lastly, thanks to Ms. Merdella Grant, Administrator of West Haven and the entire West Haven nursing staff for allowing us the honor of playing for the kids, singing along and joining in on the fun, and helping us make the visit go smoothly.

Green Island High School (DeepBlueRipple & Feat Fan Excursion)
•    Physics and Math Lab Installation
•    134 high school reference and fiction books
•    Ruler sets, rulers, protractors, compasses
•    Teacher stickers
•    Glue
•    Index cards
•    Pencils
•    Pens
•    Erasers
•    Pencil sharpeners
•    Scissors
•    Calculators
•    3 ring binders
•    Notebooks, Notebook paper, Writing pads
•    Tape
•    Highlighters
•    Paint brushes, colored pencils, construction paper, poster paint,
and other supplies for the Art Department
•    Cookbooks for the home economics Department
•    Various Educational Instruction Books
School supplies will stock classrooms and be handed out throughout the year to students unable to afford school supplies.  The Physics Department had no teaching materials, so has had to borrow from other high schools.  They will now be able to prepare their students for their comprehensive Physics exam!

Backpacks with Art & School Supplies (DeepBlueRipple & Feat Fans)
Over 100 filled backpacks were individually distributed to children in Negril and White Hall neighborhoods.

Negril All-Ages School (DeepBlueRipple & Feat Fans)
•    Drawing & Construction Paper
•    Markers
•    Colored Pencils
•    Glue Sticks
•    Crayons
•    Modeling Clay
•    Arts & Crafts Supplies
•    Stickers
•    Glitter
•    Teacher stamps
•    Playdough
•    Children’s Safety Scissors
•    Paint Brushes
•    Erasers, Paper Clips, Pencils, etc.
•    Sidewalk Chalk
•    Stencil Sets
•    Watercolor Paint Sets
•    22 Children’s Reference Books
•    200 Early Reader Books
•    302 Middle School Books
•    30 sets of Educational Instructional material (Math, Spelling,
        reading. Etc.)

Rusea’s Band Instrument Drive (DeepBlueRipple & Feat Fans)
•    1 Baby Martin Acoustic Guitar
•    1 Epiphone Acoustic Guitar
•    1 Tenor Saxophone
•    1 Music Stand
•    2 trumpets
•    3 Clarinets
•    2 Flutes
•    28 Recorders & Instructional Books
•    1 small TomTom & pair of sticks

Divers Village Girls Club (DeepBlueRipple & Feat Fans)
•    Tye Dye Bandanna Activity (facilitated by Sharon Garrison)
•    50 Beginning Reader Books
•    16 Coloring Books
•    All activity books, craft kits, art supplies
•    Home School Supplies for Elementary Level Instruction

Tia Mandolin Project (DeepBlueRipple)
Tia Brooks, daughter of Ruth & Ruben Brooks of The Overtakers, was presented with a brand new mandolin that was handcrafted in North Carolina.  Mark Schimick of Larry Keel & Natural Bridge dreamed up, spearheaded, and brought this fantastic project to completion.  Tia was handed her new mandolin along with instructional booklets and a new hard case on stage at The Grand Lido during a Little Feat concert.

1st Annual Friends of the West End Kids Fair (DeepBlueRipple)
The children of the West End Neighborhoods of Negril were treated to a spectacular festival of events run by enthusiastic and generous volunteers from CHNY.  Activities and workshops included: watercolor painting with Nicole Potter, orgami with Marilyn & Sandy Palsha, tie dye with Karen Dillingham and crew; a drumming workshop with Bill Liggin & a harmonica workshop with Jah-T, Laura Reed and Horse; boomerang with Wes, frisbee, soccer, hacky sack taught by many volunteers, and a hula hoop workshop with Melanie Mac Neil; face painting & kids tattoos; and an appearance by Kazoo the Clown (Andy Hiles), who handed out over 200 kazoos and led a symphony of kazoo merriment.  Live music was donated by members of CX1 & Snake Oil Medicine Show, Peter & Lorin Rowan, Bobby Miller, Laura Reed & Deep Pocket, Natti Love Joys, and Mark Schimick of Larry Keel & Natural Bridge.  The Fair culminated with an extraordinary kid-operated Chinese Dragon Parade led by a band of CHNY minstrels and CHNY volunteers, who led them around the Fair and through their neighborhood.  Over 40 harmonicas, 200 kazoos, many hand percussion instruments, and lots of frisbees & hacky sacks were gifted to local children who attended the event.  Thanks to each and every person who came out to make this event spectacular.  We couldn't have done it without all of you.  A special thanks to Nicole Potter who motivated kids to paint pictures for the disabled children of West Haven, matted the paintings, and then brought them with us to West Haven and displayed them on the walls for bedridden children to enjoy.  Also a special thanks to Paul & Sunshine Diaz of Tree Sounds Studios who donated 40 Honer Harmonicas to hand out to children at the event, and Horse who donated 10 harmonicas to hand out to children at the event.

Rastafarian Temple Benefit Dinner and Concert (DeepBlueRipple)
CHNY Director of Guest Relations Kim Rivers designed and organized a DeepBlueRipple International Benefit dinner at the Rastafarian Temple in the foothills outside of Negril.  It was a smashing success!!! Guests were treated to spectacular sunset views, a traditional Ital dinner, and live music in the exotic Temple gardens and hand carved Temple balconies.  Musical talent was generously donated by Lorin Rowan, Natti Love Joys, Troy House, Sugar Kayne, Lee Barbour, and Emil Nomel.  This benefit raised $1,000 US dollars to offset costs related to DeepBlueRipple International's service projects.
Proceeds went to:

• Artist transportation and driver costs for the West Haven Children's Home musicians visit & donation delivery in Copse, Hanover Parish.
  
• Clean-up Day at Central Park for the Kids Fair
  
• Transportation costs for artists and children performing at the Grand Lido Feat Fan Donations Ceremony
• Transportation and labor costs for collecting and moving the enormous quantity of donations given by the Feat Fan Excursion family from the Grand Lido to the CHNY Donations Sorting Center.
• Transportation and labor costs for delivering donated books and supplies to: Rusea's High School in Lucea, Hanover Parish; Green Island High School in Green Island, Hanover Parish; and Negril All-Ages School in Negril, Westmoreland Parish.
• Overweight airline charges for bringing supplies down from the United States for various DeepBlueRipple events
• Transportation and meal costs for a service project coordination meeting with Mr. Lloyd Johnson, Justice of the Peace of Hanover Parish and Principal June Thompson of Rusea's High School.
  
• Various other costs related to service projects, Jamaican advisory board meetings, and donation transportation and labor.

Any remaining funds from the Rastafarian Temple Benefit will be placed into DeepBlueRipple's account as seed money for future projects.  Words cannot adequately express our gratitude to Kim Rivers for dreaming up such a beautiful evening that both entertained and inspired those who attended AND provided much needed funds to offset the costs of our philanthropic ventures.

1st Annual Negril Solar Power Forum (DeepBlueRipple)

Held at Negril Escape, hosted by Carey Wallace, and facilitated by Harvey Toub.  More information on this wonderful meeting of the minds is forthcoming.

Future Projects (DeepBlueRipple)
Tree Sounds Studios of Atlanta, GA donated a Fostex digital 16 track DAT Recorder with headphones set. 3 microphone stands, and 4 microphones to be used for future projects recording children in JA playing music and teaching older children how to use recording equipment.  Thanks so much to the generosity and vision of Paul & Sunshine Diaz of Tree Sounds Studios.