Drawing Bloooood - PartTwo

So I'm a little late - sorry! I usually try to have the current page done by Friday, but I chose to wait to include comments from Saturday's Blood Drive.

All-in-all, the usual success, and Carolyn and Troy deserve a pat on the back for all their hard work. There are always a few hiccups - this year a walk-in donor showed up and was turned away because it was too close to ending, and she was O-negative, a rare blood type. I offered to draw it for her (I had a paper cup and a straw) but she declined. All going to show how helpful it is to pre-register.

An artist note: The quotes above do not all go with the people I drew (some do, some don't) because I don't get permission to quote any of the donors. If you have a comment, please share here!

Next week, a new story. Speaking of new stories, I'm always looking - please send me your ideas by email or in the comments section!

Drawing BLOOOOOOOOD!

In the spirit of Halloween, I present this story of a cartoonist who, in her words, says the best part about this program is "we get to save lives by doing what we love."

(Full Disclosure - I have been participating in the "Cartoonists Draw Blood" project since its inception.) Besides being a good cause, it's a joy to help in such a worthwhile program just by contributing a few hours and a pint of BLOOOOOD. 

Speaking of witch, I will be at Speaker's Church Saturday on Saturday, October 29th along with Carolyn, Bill Brown, and a shambling horde of cartoonists. If you show up, let me know that you've seen this post so I can interview for next week's page!

2016 Facebook Invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/491187757755990/

Direct blood donor sign-up link for 2016: http://www.redcrossblood.org/give/drive/driveSearchList.jsp?zipSponsor=Cartoonistdrawblood

Press Release: http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/local/washington-dc/Cartoonists-Draw-Blood-event

Last year's photos: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Curls-Studio-50763422380/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10153644273257381

The Oasis of Peace (part three)

I could add several pages of accomplishments to this list, including several Nobel Prize nominations for peace. I encourage you to look at some of the following links to learn more about the people of the Oasis of Peace; I know I will pay more attention to them and their work as a model for all the world.

I decided to add extra color because the "rainbow arch" was the first thing that caught my eye went I was looking for stories. It seems like a small piece of the big picture, but as a kid I would have loved having this in my neighborhood, and as you'll learn if you read more, it's the children that will build the future of this community.

A small but interesting note is that the name of the village IS "Oasis of Peace". Sometimes it is referred to as Nev Shalom Wahat Al-Salam, and sometimes the order is reversed (Wahat Al-Salam Nev Shalom) because these are the Hebrew and Arabic versions of the name (it does make a difference which you choose when Google-ing.)

http://wasns.org/ (main site)

http://wasns.org/video-interview-with-nadine-nashef (Video interview with Tali and Nadine)

http://www.oasisofpeace.org/ (American friends of Oasis of Peace)

The Oasis of Peace (part two)

To be continued...

There's more to tell about this story, and I hope to include interviews with representatives of NSWAS and its support groups. Meanwhile, I have a favor to ask. 

Do you know of s story that my small but growing readership might appreciate hearing about? It does not have to be a BIG story... it can be as simple as two neighbors helping each other, or two rival school teams lending each other a hand. I know you know stories like these. Please help me share them!

The Oasis of Peace

Today is the first day of Rosh Hashanah. As I mentioned before, I teach at a Hebrew Sunday School and the rabbi and I are pals (he's a good guy, for a Red Sox fan.) Last night at the evening services the President of the Temple initiated a new tradition which she borrowed from her Catholic relatives (yes, she's part of an Interfaith family too) called "the sign of Peace." 

During a mass, there is a pause where everyone stops and shakes hands or hugs the people around them. Jayne asked everyone in the sanctuary to do the same. I can't think of a better sign for the start of this new story from the middle east.

P.S. - afterward, the Rabbi commented that he liked Catholics too, especially because they were started by a rabbinical colleague.