Charity - Raul Colon - photographer, digital marketer & writer living on the beach in Puerto Rico.

Learning by Investing Time for a Good Cause @soleplus

November 21, 2011 by Raul Colon

A few months ago I read about the awesome effort of Sole Plus by my good friend @ricklipsett since he has been donating his time to help out our youth. Rick is a very talented artistic friend that does a lot with his own resources to promote art.

Last Saturday I was able to spend time with Rick Lipsett while he ran the Sole Plus part of the Converse Open Gym in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

I was able to see how Rick set up the work area where the kids where going to be creating art in the form of the concept of a Converse Sneaker.

For those of you not familiar with Open Gym it is an event sponsored by Converse in which they have a Basketball Tournament and activities around the tournament in which the participants are given free resources such as jerseys, haircuts, and even photos on a blue screen where they appear to be posing with NBA Players.

Overall I was happy to see such a well-organized event in which the community gets really involved.

This also gave me an awesome opportunity to spend time with my good friend Rick and local artists Ivelisse Brigoni and Erick Carreras better known as EKC 4.

If you want to learn more about my experience at the Converse Open Gym Sole Plus event feel free to read my post on the complete experience at PapaHeroes.

My 8+ Birthday Wishes, Easter Bunny, and Juanga

April 23, 2011 by Raul Colon

I was going to write a post aligned to this but I guess the message was more than clear and a special signal from a superior being (whichever you believe in God, Allah, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Darth Vader and the many others).

As many of you know I am an animal lover. Not only do I dearly try to protect them I also don’t eat them.

Last night while some friends brought me an early Birthday present we saw a rabbit running around the street. Since we knew it has escaped we set up a strategy and will a little bit of cabbage to entice him we where able to capture him.

Since we live in a gated community I called the security guards so they could contact the owner of the rabbit. The owner was notified but I guess for him enjoying his Friday night was more important than retrieving his pet.

Sadly this is a good example on how in our Island (Puerto Rico) people really treat pets as pure objects. Yes I have to give credit to a few of us that are really passionate about defending their rights and protecting them but we are an obvious minority.

As I have expressed various times through this blog and via other channels I regret not having people that are more conciensce of the rights of animals in and it makes it even harder to understand when they do it with their pets.

I am not asking everyone to become vegetarian or to be as committed as a few people that I know like @mark_hayward and Dellymar from @sasfapr are to improving animal wealth-fare here locally but if you decide to buy a pet make sure you make the full commitment.

I guess given this incident of how the Easter Bunny came to visit me early has created a disturbance in the force since my pampered pet Juanga decided that he did not want this intruder in our home. So here on the Saturday Morning of my Birthday after trying to calm Juanga all night and not sleeping much I want to share my Birthday Wishes.

As a Birthday present I would really like you to the one (or more than one its up to you of) the following things.

Contact Sasfapr.org and Adopt a Dog from Sasfapr.org an animal No Kill Shelter in Puerto Rico and/or Animal Wealthfare of Culebra ( you can send a tweet @mark_hayward he can gladly help you via twitter also).
Help my friend @ricklipsett by donating, buying art, and spreading the word on helping a friend with Newborn which was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks back. Yamil Colón, needs a bone marrow transplant. His twin sister Camila, died of this condition when no one suspected what was going on. Since I am a new dad myself and @danielalcolon would really appreciate if you reach out to them.
Or be creative and do something special for someone or even donate to your favorite charity.
Make sure a Homeless person gets a meal today. I will go out and make sure I make that happen if not today in the following days.
Let your love one’s know you love them. (4 and 5 I have taken from a great list @chrisbrogan created months ago on his blog post How You Could Help, Thanks Chris).
Send a cash donation to any of the above mentioned organizations.
Write a post of any of the Above Mention organizations to create awareness.
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Remember even if you can’t donate money you can always invest time in a cause or charity you truly believe in. Even sending a tweet or posting a message in your wall on Facebook can make a difference. If you share it with your network and someone does the same it might pay off.

So if you really want to wish me a Happy Birthday! Take something from the list or add any other ideas in the comments area.

Enjoy your Easter Weekend and Love your Family and never forget about your extended family (your Pets).

Links to the Organizations

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My Personal Facebook Like & Vote for Self Promoter Policy!

January 21, 2011 by Raul Colon

In the last few days the pageants and competitions for little girls and babies have increased. I am always able to measure this by the amount of requests from self promoting parents that contact me with a link taking me to a competition where I can vote for their Daughter just because they have me on there list.

Yesterday I finally decided that if you never talk to me via facebook or any other channel and you approach (or try to obligate me) on making me hit a Like button for any of the following I will unfriend you!

Beauty Pageants. If you have a daughter and you think I should vote for her because you are my contact on facebook, don’t count on it. I have never been a fan of bringing your daughter up in that kind of environment. Here in Puerto Rico it amazes me how people give such importance to a beauty pageant and not to other things that are more important in life. As a new father I rather see my daughter playing sports or involved in a charity effort than wanting to be a model or worst a beauty pageant queen.

Photo Contests. If you want your kid or baby to win a photo contest and request me to vote for your kid and help him win something. I am a new dad and I have shared very few photos publicly keep this in mind. Most of these contests are a cash machine for the organizers by recruiting sponsors and making a huge profit of parents who are over promoting their kids.

In any way pimping your kids. My friend @karimacatherine gave me the perfect definition for such a person. I reality if you are trying to make your kid win a contest to receive some kind of economic benefit (Vacation, money, or other perks). Think twice you might be pimping your kid. So don’t be a Pimp. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your child when they have real talents but using there looks to serve you is a lot like being a pimp.

Asking for Likes in General. The purpose of a Like button on facebook if to have people genuinely express their feelings towards your status, page, brand, image, or other elements. A few weeks ago I was requested to hit like on a Steakhouse to have someone win a contest. If you know me or have read this blog you understand very clearly Why I Don’t Eat Meat!. If you are going to recommend me to like something it might not be the best idea if you are offering me to like a place where they sell dead animal carcasses in volume.

When is it Ok to ask me for a Like?

If you are part of my community, you share my posts, you comment on my blog, you talk to me (other than asking for favors), and you are trying to help a cause that I believe in. If there is a page about animal rights, human rights, people doing something positive to help others, any charity that aligns with my values please feel free to recommend me liking a page or comment.

So in conclusion my personal facebook policy on hitting like buttons to serve selfish people will get you an automatic un-friend.

How do you deal with self promoters?

How do you feel about parents using Social Media to brag about their kids? How does it change your opinion when they post inappropriate photos?

Abundance

January 1, 2011 by Raul Colon

I ended 2010 giving thanks to people who really made 2010 a great year.

I am not a big fan of creating resolutions and sticking with them so I will be working on prioritizing tasks during 2011.

I want to make sure all of you who read my blog and mean a lot to me have Abundance.

I will be working in 2011 on creating Abudance for everyone including myself. I think many people focus to much on finding what they need and a priority for them. The people I consider successful and great human beings are always making sure people have abudance.

How can we Create Abundance for others?

I think Giving is the keyword for creating abundance. A while back I read one of the many great posts by @chrisbrogan HOW YOU COULD HELP and it really had me thinking for the last two months of the year. I recommend you to visit his list and see the great and creative ways he has been able to motivate me in giving.

Ways of Giving

Creating Awareness is the most powerful way of creating abundance and giving. By using your network to help others and letting others know about great charities, great resources, and other great things we really see value in you are making a difference Not only are you giving to the person running the effort but you are also helping the person in need of the resource. (example: I am a Fan of these great charities on twitter @sasfapr, @invisiblepeople, @serpuertorico, and @skip1 feel free to follow them and let others know about their efforts, if you want to be more special feel free to donate). This is my favorite way of giving because by creating awareness you are empowering people and/or groups.

Referring Opportunities to people who need it. If you are offered a job, project, work, or even a free lunch and you are not able to take it try to pass it along to the great people in your community. Or even better to someone who really needs it.

Sharing information so many people give to me daily via their blogs, online, and offline interactions. You can give someone advice that might be useful for them to make a decision, set up a business plan, improve their strategy, or just be a better person.

Buying a meal, book, bus ticket, or even socks for a homeless person (like @hardlynormal does with many of his efforts including Invisiblepeople.tv) can make a persons life change. I have been in line when someone who in my appearance is struggling left their wallet and did not have enough to pay for gas (I always look for a way to make it comfortable for the other person) and I paid for it without even them knowing I did that for them. Just random acts of kindness will bring better things in the near future I can almost guarantee it.

So start of this year thinking of Abundance by giving a little something of what you already have. Sometimes just by letting someone know you care makes a big difference!

How do you define abundance?

How do you plan to create abundance for your family, friends, and community?

If by any chance you think you might not have enough to give look at how @hardlynormal with just handing a pair of socks makes Elizabeth’s day.

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3 Wishes…

December 25, 2010 by Raul Colon

I am not a big fan of celebrating the holidays. I knew I had to visit the hospital but I thought it was going to be for Daniela’s arrival. Daniela has decided to start misbehaving and not meet her first deadline (being born on December 23rd), which as a new father worries me (I’m just kidding). I am at the hospital visiting my Grandma and the best gift I got today was seeing how much she has improved in the last two days. I want to thank all of you who sent good vibes via phone, Twitter, email, text messages, or even telepathic good vibrations. They are definitely working.

Last night minutes after presencing a small earthquake I had the opportunity to see a shooting star (something even more special on christmas eve). I did ask for a wish and I quickly got want I wanted seeing my Grandma a lot better today.

What do you wish for when seeing a shooting star?

For the last few months I read about @hardlynormal’s blog http://invisiblepeople.tv/ (@invisiblepeople & @wearevisible )He helps homeless people in multiple ways and does a great job. In essence I think the best thing he gives them is a lot of hope.

I originally wanted to post a fun Christmas video but I rather share this video that was posted on http://invisiblepeople.tv/ so you get a bit of what @hardlynormal is getting accomplished and also meeting Precious.

Precious requests two great wishes. What is even more awesome about her is that she wants the best for everyone especially the people around her in the same situation as her? She is so humble that she only had two wishes which both where for everyone to have a House and a Job.

Following Precious example I am going to give out my 3 wishes. I wish that at least one person that reads this blog tells someone else about @hardlynormal’s effort, donate to his effort, or help out someone in need today and at least once a week for the new year.

What are your three wishes? Are your wishes aligned to your well being or the benefits of others?

Enjoy your holiday weekend and be Grateful of what you have and the great moments you spend with your family members.