Whats Trending: Sock Monkeys!

So to lighten things up a bit, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the new sock monkey trend.

Here is an example, I was shopping on CSN stores, (it's another Amazon that has contemporary coffee tables to sock monkey slippers) and I noticed these slippers!

When I was at the Tacoma Food and Gift Festival, the sock monkey's were everywhere! Kudos to CSN for keeping up on the trends, but you know who I think started it? A couple guys from Canada. They were at the Tacoma Food and Gift Festival last year and had these sock monkey hats.

What makes them so popular? Is it that they are a classic comforting character or is it that it's such a funny thing, it makes a perfect gift for a kid. I was tempted to buy one at the festival, but find it hard as an adult, to buy it. My boyfriend might wear a sock monkey hat or slippers, seeing as he sees life a little lighter than I do, but still I don't know if its a reasonable buy. I think it is just something popular, classic and trending right now. Of course the definition of trending, includes something that people are no doubt...buying.

Homeless By Choice Because He Was Homeless By Default

Disclaimer: Sensitive material  

Roy Juarez Jr's dad was a roofer by trade and his hero. One day, his dad promised him a fishing trip. The next day, at age 7, his dad left with his cousins, family and dog to go get “ice”. They left Roy at his aunt’s house and came back 2 days later to gloat about what a great time the trip was. That was his first lesson, how to be angry, to hate and hold a grudge. So he built a relationship with is mom. But in the middle of the night, she would call out, “Me Ho, Me Ho” which means “my son, my son,” than she’d cry out in Spanish for help. The last night he remembered, his dad broke her jaw. 

So his family moved into hiding from place to place trying to avoid his abusive dad, but his dad always found them though. The police were at the house so much for domestic calls that the cop started dating his mom. The cop said come live with me, but I don’t want any kids. So at 14, Troy became homeless and a couch surfer. He had a 9 year old sister and a 2 year old brother to take care of.

Family after family adopted him and would tell him, “You are just like a son to me” and he said “No, you don’t know me!” and built barrier after barrier. Finally, he took a notepad and pen and wrote two letters to be read at his funeral.  One letter was to his dad and he said, “I forgive you dad.” After Roy finally did learn the  lesson of forgiveness through mentors, he  went to college, graduated and got a job. 

One day Roy’s boss tells him “If you work for me, you’ll never do what you are called to do. In three months you don’t have a job.” Fresh out of college that is a frightening thing to hear, but his boss was right.

So he asked God, “What do you want from me?” That night Roy had a dream that he was walking into an arena with young kids and a band playing come on in and together we can make a difference. Then he went to Denny’s to work on his tour.  His tour is 24 months and he is going across the nation to tell his story. Check out his site here, http://homelessbychoice.com/.

Roy believes in young people, encourages young people to keep on dreaming and wants to remind adults to never make children feel like a burden.  

“If you grow up in a hard life and learn lessons you’ll never learn in a book. The greatest lesson is forgiveness and becoming the change you wanted to see in the first place,” Roy Juarez said.  Let’s make some change for the homeless kids in Olympia.

You can help by donating socks, underwear, sleeping bags, tarps, flash lights and winter coats to Standup For Kids-Olympia, http://su4k.yefsite.com/. These items are not just on a one time giveaway, but a bridge for volunteers to communicate with homeless kids and build relationships with them, relationships that lead to trusting volunteers to help them get off the streets. 

Here are Some Fast Facts about Homelessness:

• 13 kids die of disease, suicide or abuse every day on the street
• There are currently an estimated 1.3 million homeless and street kids in America
• 2/3 kids on the street try to commit suicide  
• Children makeup 27 percent - the fastest growing segment - of the U.S. homeless population.

http://www.standupforkids.org/about/faqs.aspx

Bringing Up A Leader

To pick up where I left off, at Capitol Playhouse, when a new kid walks through the door, they are walking into an accepting community. Someone who is shy and may not say boo to the other kids in the hallway at school will find friends and get the chance to sing and become a leader at KIK. One such leader is Alayna Deatherage.

Alayna grew up singing with Kids in Koncert. In her first year, she sang at the 9/11 memorials. She was eight years old. In the following years she sang in places around the world, including Japan, France, Washing DC and Disneyland. She turns eighteen next month and is now the choir president. This is her last year with the group.

“It’s always good to make connections with people in other countries,” Alayna says. Even now she is still in contact with her Japanese host family and is good friends with some other youth from France.
Connections in Japan and friends from France only come after working hard to raise funds needed to travel. Last year, the kids sold YEFkard discount cards. A YEFkard membership provides discounts at local businesses.

This year they are encouraging supporters to visit their new YEFsite, an online community and fundraising website from Youth Enrichment Foundation. (KIK.YEFsite.com) Friends and family can visit the interactive social website to stay informed about Kids in Koncert and show support by purchasing from an array of items such as coffee, movie tickets, buttons and other merchandise including the new, even better, YEFkard.

Kids in Koncert is a community where kids from ages 8 to 18 spend a lot of time together singing, traveling and developing close friendships built on trust and accountability that last for a lifetime. The YEFsite social community takes the close knit friendships online, bringing friends, family and other supporters into the KIK world. Check out the site here, http://KIK.YEFsite.com to support the Kids in Koncert community.
This post was previously posted at YEFTalk's blog. 

Get Rythem When you get the Blues

This blog was previously posted on YEFTalk blog:
In a community where everyone is accepted, leadership is encouraged, you get opportunities to travel and have a mentor, I can think of no greater place for a young one to blossom. The community that glows safeness and opportunities at the same time is Kids in Koncert (KIK) put on by the Capitol Playhouse located downtown Olympia.
“It’s a place for kids to showcase their talent, gain leadership skills, self discipline and a new family,” Cathie Shaughnessy said, Business Manager of Capitol Playhouse.
When Cathy told me this, it brought up memories of when I was a kid. I was often the shy and unpopular kid in elementary and especially middle school. In fact in middle school I was picked on quite a bit. My sister who is now in elementary school has told me the kids aren’t any different. If you know any kids in public school you know they have encountered bullying at some point or know of it. That is why the KIK is so vital to our community and our youth.
At Capitol Playhouse, when a kid walks through the door they are walking into an accepting community. A kid who is shy and may not say boo to the other kids in the hallway at school will get friends and the chance to sing solos and become a leader at KIK.
Also, what makes this choir community unique is that there are kids from 8 to 18 that sing together. In most choirs, only kids that are closer in age are put together. With KIK older kids mentor the younger kids, which is important in a young one’s development.
The kids have gone together to France and sang with the Army band at Fort Lewis. Last year the Army band was in Iraq so they did a live webcast concert with them. Talk about learning important real world knowledge at a young age about our troops and the world in general from traveling.
Helping the choir raise money to travel and operate is Youth Enrichment Foundation. Last year, the YEF Kard fundraising campaign help offset the cost of traveling to France and this year the YEFsite will help offset the cost of travelling nationally next year.
Cathy at Capitol Playhouse is excited about the site because it will suit multiple needs. Such as fundraising and creating a family community online since the families can upload pictures, videos and share information on their YEFsite. Their YEFsite is http://KIK.YEFsite.com. Check them out!