Thank you to everyone for making Hope Rising a success! A special thanks to our presenting sponsor, CIBC, and all of the artists and sponsors whose generosity made the night possible. Hope truly is rising here and in communities across sub-Saharan Africa that are turning the tide of AIDS.
Read more, view photos and watch video clips from Hope Rising, a benefit concert for the Stephen Lewis Foundation at the links below:
- Now Magazine: Hope Rising: A well-timed gathering of progressive powerhouses for a good cause
- Globe and Mail: Photos from the Hope Rising benefit concert
- Canadian Press: Alicia Keys headlines Toronto AIDS benefit, says no contribution is too small
- National Post: Concert Review: Hope Rising! at Toronto’s Sony Centre
- NOW Magazine: Q&A: Alicia Keys, Angélique Kidjo and Stephen Lewis: All participants in the Hope Rising Gala Concert in aid of the Stephen Lewis Foundation on May 3
To find out more about the Stephen Lewis Foundation and the grassroots African organizations we support, click here.
View photos from the event on our Flickr channel:
Dare to Wear Love on TVO’s Get Involved (VIDEO)
Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell, the men behind Canadian fashion label Hoax Couture, were recently profiled on TVO’s Get Involved. In the video, Jim, Chris and Ilana Landsberg-Lewis — Executive Director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation — talk about Hoax Couture’s efforts to support the Foundation through Dare to Wear Love, the fashion-forward and cause-driven fashion show that since 2009 has closed out LG Fashion Week beauty by L’Oréal Paris (a.k.a. Toronto Fashion Week).
To find out more about Dare to Wear Love, click here!
Dare 2010 slideshow (VIDEO)
Thousands of Canadians participated in A Dare to Remember 2010, whether by daring or donating. Many Darers sent us inspiring photos and videos of their Dares, so we created this Dare 2010 slideshow to showcase their ingenuity.
Check out the video above to watch some amazing Dares in action! These are just a snapshot of all of the Dares out there, many of which are continuing into 2011.
To find out more about A Dare to Remember, visit adaretoremember.com.
20 “Dodgeball Maniacs” and a World-Record Dare
Helder Brum weilds his trusty dodgeball. (Photo from facebook.com/dodgeballdare)
Last year we blogged about Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow, the Montreal-based yoga instructor who broke the Guinness world yoga-marathon record as her Dare for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s A Dare to Remember campaign. Today we have another world-record-level Dare to tell you about — except this one involves far less graceful posing, and far more throwing foam balls at people.
Starting this Friday, January 7th at 7 PM, Helder Brum and 19 other self-described “dodgeball maniacs” will take to the court for a 36-hour world-record dodgeball game in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation! The team has already raised $4000 for African community AIDS organizations, and hopes to raise at least $2000 more.
Want to watch the fun or find out more? Visit facebook.com/dodgeballdare for directions, information on watching the event live online, and more. Want to donate to the cause? You can do so by clicking here.
You can read more about the 36-Hour Dodgeball Dare in this article from Inside Toronto, and this article from Metro.
Dare 2010: Lethbridge College students and staff dare to be dessert
Here’s a sweet video from the Dare to Remember 2010 campaign. Students at Lethbridge College in Alberta dared their professors to take pies in the face in support of African community organizations funded by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. You can find out more about this delicious Dare by clicking here.
Dare 2010: Yasmin, yoga and a daring world record
Yasmin during her yoga marathon. (Image from her blog.)
In August 2010, Montreal yoga instructor Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow completed 32 straight hours of yoga, breaking the Guinness world record for longest yoga marathon. But her incredible feat wasn’t simply for the satisfaction of holding a Guinness record — she took on her challenge as a Dare for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s A Dare to Remember campaign. And what a Dare it was: as of World Aids Day (December 1st), Yasmin had raised over $10,800 for African community organizations turning the tide of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Yasmin recently spoke with Radio Canada International’s The Link about her Dare and the Foundation’s work. You can listen to her interview with host Mark Montgomery by clicking here.
Friday December 10: Make your Aeroplan Miles doubly meaningful
Looking for a way to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation? Donate your much valued Aeroplan miles on Friday, December 10th! While you can donate miles any day of the year, Aeroplan’s Beyond Miles will match every mile donated to the Foundation on December 10th.
These miles are incalculable in value. They enable the Foundation to bring the voices of African grassroots leaders directly to communities in Canada. They allow our Field Representatives (predominantly African women experts) to visit the projects first-hand. And they make it possible for African community workers to come together to share their strategies, experiences and successes.
There are countless ways to support grassroots organizations working to turn the tide of AIDS in Africa. This is a profound and concrete way to make a difference. Aeroplan miles facilitate their work and allow the Foundation to direct funding to support projects directly.
To donate your much-needed Aeroplan miles, click here.
Today we wanted to share with you a December Dare that has been getting a lot of attention: Decemburns. As explained on Decemburns.org,
‘Decemburns’ are sideburns that you grow during the month of December to help bring awareness to HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The idea is to look silly enough to evoke the question “why do you look like that?”, giving you the opportunity to explain to your friends and family that women are disproportionately affected by this disease in Africa, and that men carry a disproportionate amount of the power to improve the situation. Also, to raise money to support good programs that work towards rectifying this imbalance and putting the brakes on HIV transmission.
In other words: grow sideburns in December (or wear a pair of fake ones) and help raise awareness about — and funds for — African community organizations turning the tide of HIV and AIDS.
Global News interviewed Decemburns founder Mark Daku and Stephen Lewis Foundation staff member Alexis MacDonald about the fundraising effort. You can watch the video by clicking here.
To join the Decemburns team or donate to the fuzzy-faced cause, click here!
Dare 2010: World AIDS Day Dare awesomeness
Yesterday was World AIDS Day, which was the perfect opportunity for a number of folks to do their Dares! Here are a few of the inspiring Dares that took place this week:
Michael Wilson poses in front of a sign for Peggy's Cove. Two-thirds of the way there!
Michael Wilson dared to run as far as he could in a day
Michael raised more than $2000 and ran from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove — a 62 km trek! Michael blogged about his Dare and posted some inspiring (and potentially shin-splint-inducing) words and photos from his run. You can check out his blog by clicking here, and you can support Michael and other International Development students at Dalhousie University by clicking here.
The Martin family dared to get rid of their car
As of yesterday, the Martin family in Toronto are officially a no-car household — for good! During an event at a local café, the family symbolically handed over the car keys and brought their bikes onstage, before peddling home to their new, car-free life. So far, the Martins have raised $1400 for African community projects turning the tide of HIV/AIDS. To read about why Stephanie Martin and her family took on their Dare — and to donate — click here!
The Port Perry G-Moms pose during belly-dancing practice
The Port Perry G-Moms dared to belly dance
The Port Perry G-Moms is a grandmothers’ group raising awareness and funds for African grandmothers and grandchildren affected by HIV/AIDS. They wrapped up a month of practicing, achy joints and sore muscles with a belly-dancing extravaganza on World AIDS Day for their family, friends, and supporters. The G-Moms raised $2900 before the event even took place. You can push their total even higher by clicking here!
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We’ll be profiling some fantastic December Dares — like Decemburns and DecemBreak — in the coming days. Keep checking back to find out more, and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all things Dare and SLF.
World AIDS Day: WAD TV guide, Stephen on the Radio, and the Great Canadian Conversation
Today is World AIDS Day! To commemorate World AIDS Day, Stephen Lewis took to the stage on Monday to answer Canadians’ questions about HIV/AIDS in Africa. The event, filmed in front of a live audience and broadcast online, was dubbed The Great Canadian Conversation about HIV/AIDS in Africa.
If you missed the live broadcast, fret not! We captured the entire event, and the video is now up on our website. If you want to hear from Stephen Lewis about the state of the AIDS pandemic and what you can do to help turn the tide, click here to watch it now!
Also, Stephen was a guest on Metro Morning with Matt Galloway on CBC Radio One in Toronto this morning for World AIDS Day. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.
World Aids Day TV guide
Mark Roe Dares to Figure Skate – 6 p.m. (Ontario only) – A-Channel
Watch A-Channel sports anchor Mark Roe perform his figure-skating Dare for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s A Dare to Remember Campaign. If you can’t catch it tonight, visit anewsvideo.ca to watch the video. Read more about Mark’s Dare by clicking here.
ET Canada profiles Dare to Drum – 7:30 p.m. – Global
ET Canada will be promoting Bunch’s awesome family Dare — Dare to Drum — and Sloan’s super-cool video for the event. Find out more about Dare to Drum and sign up for this weekend’s event by clicking here.
Strombo talks with Stephen Lewis – 11 p.m. – CBC
Watch Stephen on the George Stroumboulopoulos Show for World AIDS Day. Will George do a Dare for A Dare to Remember? Tune in to find out! If you miss it, click here to watch the video after it airs.
