Is this something we want to consider getting involved in?

[Gloria Bell]

http://twestival.com/

On 12 February 2009, cities around the world will be hosting Twestivals to bring Twitter communities together in the spirit of fun and for a good cause.

All of the proceeds from these events will be going to support Charity:Water. There are currently over 47 cities officially signed up to organise events, please get in touch if you wish to be involved or coordinate one in your area. The full website will be launched next week with more information and links to register for your local Twestival.

Follow @twestival for updates.

Gloria Bell
Glori...@gmail.com
cell (267) 909-2308
Twitter - @gloriabell

[Melissa Thiessen]

Sounds like a really great idea to me. I was just looking at this before you emailed it out, and I think it's a great use of Twitter!

Melissa Thiessen

http://melitami.com

http://girlsgonegeek.tv

http://www.twitter.com/melitami

[Operation NICE]

Hi there!

I had sent an email to the Geeks Who Give email address about this,
but I know my email sometimes ends up in spam filters, so I'm not sure
if they ever received it. But I definitely would love to be involved
in the Twestival project, if it comes to fruition in Philadelphia. I
think it sounds awesome! If there's something I can do, just let me
know.

-melissa
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Melissa Morris Ivone
Proponent of Nice
http://www.operationnice.com

On Jan 11, 3:22 pm, Gloria Bell <gloriakb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://twestival.com/
>
> On 12 February 2009, cities around the world will be hosting Twestivals to
> bring Twitter communities together in the spirit of fun and for a good
> cause.
>
> All of the proceeds from these events will be going to support

> Charity:Water<http://charitywater.org/>.

> There are currently over 47 cities officially signed up to organise events,
> please get in touch if you wish to be involved or coordinate one in your
> area. The full website will be launched next week with more information and
> links to register for your local Twestival.
>

> Follow @twestival <http://twitter.com/twestival> for updates.
>
> Gloria Bell
> GloriaKB...@gmail.com

[Melissa Thiessen]

I took the plunge/initiative and signed Philadelphia up for the Twestival. I'll let the list know once I get information from the organizers.

Melissa Thiessen
http://www.twitter.com/melitami
http://www.girlsgonegeek.tv
http://melitami.com

[Kara LaFleur]

I think I may have inadvertently broken the thread. For continuity of information, I am including the email I just sent. My apologies!

I think i just have a natural aversion to the TW-prefix. But upon further reflection - there's more to my reservations:

As this is already a branded event, I don't think we could necessarily do it under the geekswhogive namesake. There seem to be strict guidelines and things involving portals and webstandards. Melissa - please let us know when you get more information regarding this matter. Of course, geekswhogive will support it, and any other fundraising/ outreach event in the city in any way that is possible; that is the whole "opensource" concept behind our founding. I am just unclear as to how regimented the whole Twestival thing is, which may in fact, be against our collective ideas for the organization.

I did some research on Charity: Water - and have seen nothing but good reports, which is an excellent sign.  They are very well funded by not only huge corporations, but also by some very generous benefactors. They get excellent national press coverage, and seem to be doing very well. They have star studded galas complete with red carpets. (Also, galas = not cheap and "proceeds" refers to any money Left Over from such an event, but that's a lot of $$ for the event that goes down the drain -  all puns intended). So I requested some more basic info from them (ie an annual report which will give a general overview of where their money actually goes).

All of this brings up an excellent question - on the outset of gwg we had made a point of being a local organization - that wanted to support local initiatives to make our community stronger. Now I am by no means saying that this is not a good cause, but does something like this go against what we initially set out to do? A Twestival in Philly is a great idea - but It is already it's own thing, does it need to be a part of GWG? Should it maybe exist independently; doesn't it already?

Kara

--
~ Kara

Work To Ride (a work in progress)
www.karaslafleur.wordpress.com