About 300 folks showed up for the the fourth annual fundraiser event.

The event was one half auction, art canvas, food and drink and one half rock show. Money raised goes to Rise UP school in Bodhgaya India.

Sheri Mama!

Century Center – Courtyard Venue

Sponsors: Sage Ways Inc.; SOBA; Level L2; Five Fusion; Eyes On Wall Street; Klaver Landscaping; Backporch Coffee; Planet Hair; Monster Cookie; Powder House; Soundsfast; John Thompson and Assoc.; PoetHouse Art; Kristi Brown Inc.; Backcountry Chiropractic; The Shoe Inn.

Maria

Lakes Groopies

Bill and Kristi

Folks came; chatted; had a bite and a beverage; and snagged a few auction item;  took in some music and made merry on this wintry night. Cheers to all for making it happen, especially Maria who worked her butt off.

Dave and the Bubbas

Music included Dave Ember & Co., Julie Southwell, Lakes, Autonomics, and Empty Space Orchestra.

Mark Kinker

Bollywoood Dancers

Bollywood Dance troop once again performed to an adoring audience. There bouncy upbeat style puts a smile on everyone’s face.

Becky, Consuela, and Nancy

Sheri and Christy

Maria meets the students at Rise Up School

Below is an email from Maria sent from India:

So we have arrived in Bodhgaya!  Our trip was eventful.  We drove from Agra to Tundal in late afternoon after visiting the Red Fort (Agra Fort) and little Taj Mahal.  Red Fort was a huge fort made of red stones as well as white stone (marble) and hand crafted with jade and many other stones.  It was the place where many ruled the country from many centuries. In fact we learned that the grandfather of Mahal used to ruled from there until his son took him out.  Another site is that he was buried in what is called baby Taj Mahal, the original inspiration for the one we know today, the Taj Mahal (which is the tomb for his grand daughter!)

Well…as I said it was eventful, there was a big accident that was not very nice to see and Jesse was shaken by it (I decided not to look)  We made it to Tundal and had to wait for about 5 hours at the station!  IT was crazy, we actually found a little store/dinner to hang out.  Not quiet the nicest place but better than other places.  We played cards most of the time and when it was time to head out we laughed realizing we still have it in us to kill time by playing games in our travels.  Brought us back many memories and lots of laughs!  Not to mentioned that it kept me focus on that game rather than the noises we kept hearing that we could not figure out…were they all the parrots that we living and flying on the ceilings or the rats roaming around??? hummm…like to think the first!!!

We got on our sleeper and met the cutest couple that share the sleeper room with us.  They were so nice and made sure that the next morning we knew which station to get off at.  Here they don’t announce what station is next, you have to guess and hope you make the right stop!

So we got off in Gaya, which is about 18 Kilometers from Bodhgaya, where the school is.  Like Sheri told us, you don’t want to hang out there!  It is not a place to hang out but once we got to Bodhgaya, it is totally different.  Here they say is where Buddah was enlightened and you can see the mountains/caves where history says he lived for 6 years in meditation.  So everything is name after one of Buddah’s names!  The funny thing is, is that 90% of the town is strongly Hindu.  The little city is lush, lots of little nurseries and gardens where they grow vegetables, herbs for their dishes and for medicine.  I have not yet seen this in India until yesterday!  Our guest home is comfortable, clean and the people are so nice!  Everywhere we go people are so friendly and take you right into their community!  We have made lots of friends.

So far few locals saw the sticker of Rise Up on our laptop and they commented that they also know of a Rise Up school here.  They had no idea we are the same and their comments were that it is one of the best school here in this area.  Form our research not even 5 years ago, the government was not doing a good job taking care of kids and their schooling.  So when the school was founded, it was the only thing available.  Today all casts can go to school but still treated accordingly and the schools have much to work to do in improving many things.  So the Rise UP school stands out as one of the best thing that could have happened for the kids around here.  This was so good to hear, especially when they had no idea who were are connected with.  Many claimed that kids are loved and treated well there!!!

Ahmed and his buddy

So after our breakfast, we walked across the river right to the school.  They were waiting for us, Indian style…garlands and petals!!!  I felt as if I was a queen or something, how I was welcomed!  Immediately we felt in love with the kids.  How can you not???  The school is well built, clean and organized.  We got to spend the whole day with them.  I got to sit on one of the classes that were working on Hindi and English grammar and was asked to help the teacher correct the work they were doing….did well with the English and I think they did translate from Hindi right since almost all had the same sentences!! I was very impressed with their calligraphy/printing!  The teachers have done a great gob!!  Coming from my teacher’s view, I have to say I am very pleased!  We had lunch with the 7 orphans boys that live at the school.  They were very well mannered and happy to be with us!  Today we also met after school with staff and had a great talk, head their needs and concerns and I have to say they love the kids and are making sacrifices to teach there.

After the meeting with staff we got to hang out and play games with the orphans and waited for the other 2 orphans to arrive that are in high school.  They were so fun, loving and well mannered!  They taught us this game that they are good at and kept winning…I am determined to get more practice tomorrow after school … it is really fun playing with them.  Jesse and I kept talking on how we see ourselves teaching it to our kids and making it another fam game!

After school we heading back to the guest house by bicycles!! They gave us one to each and told us to use them while we are here.  I have to say that was so much fun!! Granted I did not have any brakes and all I could hear was honking behind me from cars and motorcycles warning me that they were passing me and and I need to move to the side!  We had lots of fun doing this.

Tomorrow we will be at the school very early for we got much work to do!  We are taking lots of pics and soon we will be able to show them to you.
–
Maria
Rise Up Clothing, LLC
1.800.344.1540
www.riseupinternational.com

The kids get their school supplies for the year

Older kids get their supplies and new uniforms. Uniforms are very important in India. Might be the best clothes the kid has. New are the tables and benches to sit. The kids were (and most still are) sitting on old rice sacks.

Teachers keep strict discpline and kids love to pose and have there photos taken.

Click Here to go to fundraiser page -details and photos of the event.

Peace to you all and thanks to our sponsors, donors, friends, family, musicians, attendees, and any one else who gave it up for the cause.

Planet Hair, Eyes on Wall, Klaver Landscaping, Monster Cookies, Kristi Brown Inc, John Thompson Land Surveying, Back Porch Coffee, Denfield Paint, Sage Ways Inc (buy your stuff from these folks).

Jessie & Maria from Rise Up, Mark from Boomtown for the place thanks alot, Tracy for the henna, Nancy for busting her ass, Jan for keeping it organaized, Amy and Cole from Sparrow Bakery, Matt for the sound, Chris Cabot – Lief James – The Autonomics for the music,  Deschutes Brewery, Kebaba, Hot Lips, THE PIE CART thanks for slaving away and making 25 pizzas for the event, Taj Palace, Lavoy Bakery.

Anita – Alex and Bailey for being great supporters, Carrie for your energy, Ron and Erin, Dawn for buying half of the auction items, Tamera, Becky, Jasmine for peddling the canvas, John and Robert for the chai, Jason for laying it down. Thanks to all the artists young and old: Casey, Lori,  Joe K, Joe, Dave, David K, Linn, Bob, Dana, Jesse and Erin, Christopher and Janet, Micheal and Julia, Tom

Click Here For Fundraiser Page

Our annual blowout event to raise some cash for our school project in Bodhgaya, Indian is going to be held on Sunday, October 25, 2009. This year the owner of the eclectic and unfortunately defunct Boomtown record and gift store is donating the Boomtown space for the event (located at 910 NW Harriman Ave, Bend, Oregon 97701 – corner of Galveston and Harriman near Blacksmith restaurant).

Starting in 1632, 20,000 laborers worked on the Taj Mahal for 20 years

New Delhi, India  – Scene in front of Delhi Train Station

Original Post March 2008 – Some overload being in a new place with fresh eyes. I walked from our hotel down to the corner and two blocks more. Overload. The street is full, hard to take in. The sidewalk is blocked with people, people talking, people spitting, a young girl with a bent leg softly grabs my ankle, a man has set up shop ironing clothes with an antique coal powered iron. The street is a river flowing with tuk tuks and bicycle rigshaws, cars and the occasional ox cart piled high with huge bundles and three or four riders. Everyone is swerving and honking and there is always a near miss. I think there is a system but it’s indiscernible. There is a small temple around a tree. Women are preying and draping garlands about, a sahdu holy man sits nearby smoking. There is a larger temple further on with men in orange robes on the filthy steps. I’m forced to the street. I avoid anything wet, occasionally someone will appear in a doorway and throw a bucket of liquid in to the street. The road is lined with shops, clothes, plastic stuff, shops with jute and cardboard, street side restaurants and men selling bettle nuts, a boy is washing dishes in the gutter. I walk by a line of bicycle rigshaws. Over and over the drivers ask “please sir you ride” following me for a short distance. A lady in a sari with a baby approaches indicating with her hand to her mouth and saying over and over “chipati, chipati”. The baby’s eyes are black in the Indian way. My eyes stay ahead. I come to an overpass, I go under. Men are sprawled about. Smoking, cooking, sleeping all in filthy rags. I step around a sleeping man with no legs. The noise is deafening, the smoke of exhaust thick. Grimy garbage piled high. I step in something horrible. I keep going. Young boys approach. Selling, “please sir please sir” selling flashlights, selling necklaces, selling a dance from a monkey, selling a hand made drum, selling something plastic. Keep going, no eye contact. Music blares, high and squeaky, maybe it’s chanting. The electricity is out, roaring generators run belching smoke to power shops. I walk by a row of open urinals. A man is pissing on the ground next to them. Groups of men sit around a stall drinking chai tea. Pots of oil at rolling boil cook food. All this in two blocks. Everything is chaos, but for them everything is as it should be.

 For more information about Rise Up, our efforts in China, and to see how you can get involved- check out our website www.riseupinternational.com

For the latest updates & photos visit our newsblog: Rise Up NewsBlog!

 Rise Up
869 NW Tin Pan Alley
Bend, Oregon 97701

Building Construction: Concrete post and beam with brick infilled walls. Flat concrete roof. Steel barred windows with no glass but with wooden shutters. Two more bathrooms and four more classrooms.

A good solid building that can survive the monsoons, the heat and rot, its fireproof  and can’t be blown down.

Thanks to Sheri and the generous time and contributions from the folks in Bend and elsewhere and to the crazy crowd at RISE UP international.

Pramod, Upendra, Rakesh, the other teachers, cook, handyman, and all the students, and the nine orphan boys will have some more room to live, learn and play. Children have the right to a childhood. An education, no matter how simple, can make all the difference in life. Like I’m sure, dear reader, you know all so well.

Pramod and Upendra check out the new digs.

The folks who run the Rise UP India school are a hardy lot. They are working hard under difficult circumstances.  You, dear friend, probably have no clue about the situation in India. But they shrug it off and plunge forward. Want to find out? Send them an email at:

 rakeshmishra8242@yahoo.com 

Think about supporting Rise UP. It makes you feel good, and definitely increases your Q factor. Peace  -  Love  -  Happy New Year.

Mission Statement

RISE UP INDIA is dedicated to helping children living in impoverished settings by providing education and other aid with the goal of stopping and preventing child exploitation.

The other sunny day, I cut out of work and went down to the beach for a late afternoon walk. I reached my turnaround point and I was walking back to the car when I saw something in the surf. A guy was standing there. In front of him something was thrashing around in the surf. A big fish, like a dolphin. I went up to see. We looked. It looked like a big dolphin with no dolphin nose. It was big and thrashing and stuck. A couple of other guys showed up. It seemed like the creature was stuck so we kind of spontaneously decided to push it further out into the surf. We got it turned around and pushed out a little. The water filled with dark rust colored liquid. Another fellow came up to us. He was talking on his cell phone. He told us to stop. Apparently he was from the beached whale response team. He said the troubled creature was a pygmy sperm whale. We stopped. He said that we should just try to keep the whale upright. It was about 10 feet long and big, probably weighted 800 pounds. In short order another guy, Tim, showed up and pretty much took over. We held the whale upright. Some other folks stopped and some cars stopped. We got some beach towels and fed them under its belly and hauled the whale up the beach so its blowhole was free. The blowhole for the pygmy sperm whale is offset to the left of center on its head. The poor thing was struggling and every once in a while it took a big breath. Tim said four or five of us should hold the whale upright and stay clear of the tail. If the whale slumped over on its side the blowhole could get blocked and it would make it hard to inflate its lungs. Tim sexed it and it was a male. Tim was on the phone; apparently he talked to the marine center in Port Aransas, in Galveston, in Houston, and to the state in Austin. Tim came back and told us there has never been a case of a beached pygmy sperm whale surviving and that there were no rehab facilities available anywhere. He said he had been told from above what to do. In his truck he brought out a huge syringe and gave the poor whale an injection of a sedative near its spine. It was getting dark, the wind was up, I had my sunglasses on, and I had been standing in cold water for over an hour. We kept out of the whale’s line of vision and kept peoples car headlights out of its face. We put towels over its back and kept its skin wet. We dug out the sand to make room for its flippers, but most of all we held it upright. A man held his hand underneath and on his chest and felt the heartbeat. I felt cold and stiff but this was nothing compared to the whale’s suffering. Tim came with two huge syringes of poison. He injected the whale and it didn’t take long. It had one last weak breath. We held it until it moved no more. The whale’s only encounter with humans; euthanasia. I felt like crap. We put a stretcher under it and hauled it up on to the beach. I was frozen and really didn’t want to look. I left in the warmth of my car.

I didn’t sleep that night

 .

 The next day I was emptying out my pockets. I found a penny from 1942. I remembered back to when I was a kid and when I collected pennies. 1942 wasn’t that uncommon back then, but I hadn’t seen one in years.

The day after, I was walking on the beach again, I found a shell. A shell like the Shell Oil shell, only black, shiny, jet black, like a shell I’ve never seen.

 Somehow these three things seemed related: the whale, the penny, and the shell. I can’t say how, but in my mind I could think of a hundred meanings. But the meaning seemed to me to be like most of the experiences in my life. My life, the world, is full of surprising, delightful and tragic things. And in the end, although we may deny it, we’re all ground to dust.