How far will you go for peace?

How far will you go for peace? It is a question that many Roots & Shoots youth have to ask themselves. I think I would go pretty far. Forget embarrassment, forget what’s “normal” and just go for it!

There are so many groups to support being peaceful. Grandmothers for Peace, Pennies for Peace, Pinwheels for Peace, Cranes for Peace, Soccer for Peace, and Texans for Peace. One of my favorites is Bark for Peace “Organic vegan dog treats you can eat with your dog!” (That one is for you Shawn!)

My latest action for peace was a bit unexpected. As we were leaving the Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall, we happened to pass a man with a large multi-colored hula hoop. My collegue, JGI Communications Specialist/Press Officer, Claire Jones said, “Nice hula hoop!” as we passed. The man said, “It’s a hula hoop for peace. Do you want to try?” Upon hearing this I had to stop. I dropped my Glamour goody bag and slung the hoop over my head. After doing my best to consistently hula hoop for a good 20 seconds, I had to give up due to laughing so hard.

Here are some photos!

There are so many funny things about these photos! Check out the looks that people are giving me, the juxtaposition of my silky dress and my bulky khaki coat (it’s the warmest one I had!), and the height of the heels I am wearing!

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Dr. Jane has done so much for peace, but one unique act for peace was snuggling up to a Peace Rat. Click here to read the article about these incredible bomb sniffing, people saving, hero rats!

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What crazy things have you done for peace lately?

An alternative to google that helps raise $

Hi all,

I have been using www.goodsearch.com for a year now and wanted to share the link with everyone. JGI is a designated cause, so just type the full name in the field “Who do you search for?” and select verify. Once  you past that step you can search just as you would using google or choose to shop online. In 2006 we only raised $53.60, but this year it is up to $229.34. I typically search info online 10-15 times a day, so I could possibly raise about $50 a year all on my own. It doesn’t seem like a lot but if we continue to share this website with Roots & Shoots groups, especially during this holiday season, it is sure to add up  : )

Getting Glamour-ous with Dr. Jane

Everyone was dressed up and excited. We huddled together on the curb waiting to cross the street and enter one of the most famous performance spaces in the United States: Carnegie Hall.

Shanay Healy Katia Rossi Glamour Awards NYC

It was November 10, and I had traveled to New York City to support Dr. Jane at the Glamour 2008 Women of the Year Awards. With me were Roots & Shoots Graduate Fellow Katia Rossi, as well as Roots & Shoots members from Port Jefferson, New York; New York City Home Educators Alliance (NYCHEA); and Western Connecticut State University.

Our calves burned as we were led, in heels, up several flights of stairs to the highest balcony. The view from our seats was outstanding. I tried to think of all the people who had sat in my seat before me. What did they wear? What performance did they see? I felt so lucky and overwhelmed with the history of the place.

We spotted Dr. Jane right away and then peered down to try and see the other award winners. We watched the stars’ entrances and introductions. Some of the celebrities—including Natalie Portman—were waiting in line to meet Dr. Jane. You could see the excitement and admiration they felt when they were meeting Dr. Jane. I remember those same feelings when I first met her too.

We were seated with a few groups of young women supporting other organizations and award winners. Even though we were far from the stage, the award winners knew that a whole bunch of young people were up there watching.

They would call up to us and say things like, “To all the young women in the balcony, this is what I wish someone would have told me when I was your age.” It made the whole experience so unique and especially uplifting. The editor of Glamour Magazine, Cynthia Leive, said, “I know you are in the nosebleeds today, but we hope that someday you’ll be up on this stage receiving your own award.”

Besides all the wonderful women we got to listen to and be inspired by, I think my favorite part was when Dr. Jane accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award. She pant-hooted at us from the stage, and we cheered in return. The Huffington Post wrote, “Jane did a special chimpanzee call to a group of girls from her not-for-profit Roots & Shoots, who were sitting in the upper balcony.” What they didn’t mention is how loud we cheered back!

Katia Rossi Shanay Healy Glamour Awards NYC

It was a truly inspirational evening. The performances, speeches and heartfelt stories left me in a euphoric daze. Looking back on the event, it continues to fuel me to make a difference.

Want to get more of the Glamour awards happenings? Get the gossip.