shredly to the max!

Almost four years have passed since I helped fund this project on kickstarter. Ashley Rankin had a great idea for women's sports clothing, combining fashion sense with utter comfort and support. I believed in her, as did 127 other supporters.
At the time, her line was restricted to biking and hiking shorts, as seen above. A colorful bunch, for sure! All were made from thin chamois for total comfort. The bonus was the non-chafing design.
She also had jersey shirts in several designs, all flattering. Those were all in black, but with piping and pleating to emphasize femininity.
Fast forward to today.
In my email was an announcement from the folks at SHREDly about their latest products. Not only are the jerseys offered in several colors, but she has such a variety of bottoms that she offers this handy shorts guide!
Of course she still has the original mountain bike shorts, but that is now offered with a longer length, too. For those who don't want the thigh vents and the adjustable waist, the multi-sports shorts have you covered! Prefer to just lounge around in style and comfort? Choose the leggings instead!
There are even YOGACHAMS for underneath it all!
Black Friday blues?
Go see a movie instead!
Then shop Small Business Saturday and take 20% off at SHREDly. Just use the discount code SBS2015 and you'll be all set!
Maybe, one of these days, we'll have a store closer than Ocala, Florida. Until then, cyber it up, y'all!

Thanks, Ashley, for the kind words on the site!
Our intro into the market was through Kickstarter where we crowd sourced to raise a large portion of the capital necessary for our very first production run. It was a frickin’ rad experience and everyone that supported us can pat themselves on the back knowing that they helped get SHREDLY out there. Click here to view our funded project and see where we very first began! We still can't thank all of our supporters enough and remain eternally grateful for all that believed in and supported SHREDLY!

kiva: the gift that keeps giving

This young woman in Paraguay isn't one that my loans have helped, or are helping. But she sent this video to Kiva to remind the 1.3 million of us at KIVA that we are making a difference in lives around the world, twenty-five dollars at a time.
You heard me right.
Just $25 to be a hero to someone making a difference, not only in their lives, but in the lives of all around them.
You don't even have to join The Nerdfighters in our goal to "decrease world suck", but you would certainly be welcome in our group.
(smile)

I've been a member since July of 2012. Since that time, I have made $25 loans seven times. As a loan is repaid, I reinvest those recovered funds into someone else's dream of a better life.
Currently, I have three loans outstanding, in Ecuador, the Philippines, and Costa Rica.
Curious about the trustworthiness of the loan recipients?
Here are the latest reports.

Funded on Apr 16, 2014
Jesus De Nazaret Group
Ecuador | Perfumes
You Loaned: $25.00
Newly Repaid: $1.58
Total Repaid So Far: $23.26 (93.04% of your loan)
Repayment Status: Paying back on time

Funded on Jun 9, 2014
Elaine Marie
Philippines | Higher education costs
You Loaned: $25.00
Newly Repaid: $0.56
Total Repaid So Far: $2.72 (10.88% of your loan)
Repayment Status: Paying back on time

The Banco Mujer Los Girasoles Group, in Costa Rica, will begin repayments in February.
By that time, the folks in Ecuador will be paid up and I'll have $25 to fund another loan.
Marvelous!

flamingos to the rescue!

Who would have thought
a flock of pink plastic birds
could bring so much love?
Evidently,
the folks who organized
this Flamingo Fest!

Troy Wandzel believed in the mission.
Remember him from SeeSAW?
He designed this self-portrait for the event.

Jane Fishman, former columnist
for the local newspaper,
and local artisit Carmela Aliffi
created this bird.
Christened "Cotton Candy",
she's fashioned from found materials,
no doubt from Jane's garden.

Local birds were joined by
some from other flocks.
Karen Abato designed this bird,
then photographed it at a Buddhist shrine.
What great blessings!

Even tattoo artists
got involved with the birds!
Amanda Harrison,
with Good Fortune Tattoo,
lent her creative talents
to this fundraiser.

This other-worldly beauty
was photographed
in a marsh setting.
Created by Brian MacGregor,
the bird was a big hit
at the auction yesterday.

Fortunately, the birds had a layover
before their big flight to Muse Arts Warehouse.
Starlandia offered them safe harbor.
Clinton Edminster, the owner,
designed a circle of love with his one bird!
(The wreath is mine now!)

This one's red carpet fashion was created by the young son of illustrator Karen Bradley.
Named 'The Flash', I had thought at first
that it was called 'Still Wet'
as that was what the sign proclaimed!
(Quite lovely in my living room and
quite appropriate for this fan of Sheldon Cooper!)

'The Flash' didn't get "dressed"
until after his flight to the show.
This one waited until the last minute, too!
But Odd Lot improv artist Andy H
took on the challenge,
with his girl Friday's help.
And I got to watch the action!

Some of the birds were even decked out
with lights for flying into the evening!
That was good, as the auction proceeded
from mid-afternoon until after 7 pm.

One other in the flock
also boasted
running lights.
(Get it? Running lights?)
Adorable and functional!
(smile!)

The homage to 'The Rocky Horror Show' marks Jin Hi's leadership of this year's production.
The black bird to its right, with the 'prayer for peace', was created by my friend Patrick Young, up and coming minister.

Why was this flock of flamingos under this one roof in Savannah?
Why, in support of one whose stance resembles theirs, of course!
All were destined for new homes as they raised funds for
Jin Hi Soucy Rand,
our star of stage and screen,
as she battles cancer yet again.


Birds of a feather
flock together.
Good birds!
I'm so happy to fly with this crowd!

oskar and klaus paper pets!

Calling all kids,
big and small!
Here's Oskar the cat,
here to save us all!
Have no worries
about him being blind,
a more worthy hero
you'll never find!
He's always up
for an adventure
with never a care,
life is meant
to be lived,
if only you dare!

His good buddy Klaus
is a more normal cat.
I guess being sighted
has made him like that.
Still, wherever
Oskar leads him,
he's sure to go,
and if the path is dim,
he'll be sure to go slow.
Left to his own,
Klaus would sleep
on the couch
all day -
without a peep -
he's such a slouch!



For your very own pets,
go to valhallacats.com.
Go on, now...
you know you want some!

As for me, I got mine!
I'm now on alert for the books
and I'll keep you posted
so you'll know when to take a look!

venturing out says farewell

By the time I got involved in 2011, Venturing Out was already three years old and running for the spotlights onstage. I lent my support to their theatrical performance by former inmates and it was a great success. Hooray! I was not able to attend in person, but I watched it on Vimeo. You can, too.
Today, the founder of the Venturing Out sent word that the end of the year will mark the end of their mission. That's not to say that former inmates will be left in the lurch. Oh, no. Other groups have formed with missions similar to those of Venturing Out.
That is a very good thing.
Still, it is sad to see the end of this group.
Here are the reassuring words of farewell from Baillie.

***** ***** *****

Dear Venturing Out supporter,

Today, I am the bearer of sad news. By the end of the year, Venturing Out will have shut its doors. It is a painful day for me, and for the whole VO family. Over the last seven years we have worked hard to develop VO, and I am enormously proud of what we have achieved together. Ultimately, however, we simply do not have the ability to continue.

I set up Venturing Out in 2008 in response to what I saw as an opportunity - that men and women leaving prison struggled to find decent employment due to the stigma of having a criminal conviction, yet many had significant entrepreneurial experience and talent that could be repurposed toward starting their own legal enterprises post-release. Thanks to an incredible group of dedicated volunteers including our passionate entrepreneurship instructors, Venturing Out was born in order to provide practical entrepreneurship education to people in county and state correctional facilities, enabling them to support themselves sustainably upon release. Over the past 7 years, we've supported hundreds of men and women in prison to transfer or gain the skills to start a legal enterprise post-release.

We now welcome a new phase; our all-star instructors Judy Armell (judyarmell@aol.com) and Marilyn Feinberg (marilyn138@comcast.net) have been continuing to teach the course independently and the curriculum will be accessible to anyone else who would like to use it in prisons. If you're interested, please contact Judy and Marilyn directly. We will be donating our remaining assets to the worthy charity Span Inc, which offers a variety of programs to people who've recently been released from prison, and which has been a partner and friend of VO nearly since our inception.

I would like to thank the many people who've enabled VO to come this far - our volunteers, funders, and partners - to say we couldn't have done it without you is an understatement. I want to thank, in particular, our Board of Directors and our former Executive Director Laura Winig, who have invested an unbelievable amount of time, belief and energy into this organization. Above all, I want to thank you, our supporters, who have been there for us during the whole journey.

After seven years, the picture for the criminal justice sector is still gloomy. America's prison population remains the highest in the world at 2.3 million people, which President Obama has called "a source of inequity that has ripple effects on families and on communities and ultimately on our nation." People leaving prison continue to be marginalized and shut out of the labor market - despite the tremendous value they offer the economy, both culturally and financially. I hope there's a significant shift in this sector toward greater investment in rehabilitation and a less punitive ethos, and soon.

If running Venturing Out has taught me one thing it is that we have an incredible pool of latent talent in this country among people in prison, who - given the chance - have an enormous amount to contribute to our culture, our society and our economy. It is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

I hope we can keep in touch. And if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me; my current email address is baillie@sparkinside.org.
All the best, and thank you again for your support,

Baillie
Founder
Venturing Out

***** ***** *****

I'll definitely keep in touch.
My youngest brother will be re-entering society at-large in just a while and I want to be able to steer him in the right direction.
Thanks, Baillie, and thanks to all of your crew over the past seven years, for helping inmates become men and women again.