http://v3.kevincarrollkatalyst.com/index.php/site/index/ en kc@kevincarrollkatalyst.com Copyright 2010 2010-02-01T19:54:35+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/ideas_worth_spreading_a_tedx_vacouver_moment_of_play/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/ideas_worth_spreading_a_tedx_vacouver_moment_of_play/#When:19:54:35Z 2010-02-01T19:54:35+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/play_it_forward_a_ball_can_change_the_world/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/play_it_forward_a_ball_can_change_the_world/#When:21:40:10Z A Play It Forward* tale from one of the many global human catalysts making a positive impact on the lives of others with a ball - thanks, Beth McGill! Her story is another wonderful demonstration of the transformational power of sport & how a “ball can change the world!” *A special thanks & shoutout to: Joanne, Paul, Brian & Julie for your contributions to this Play It Forward moment! Hello Kevin, The balls were an absolute hit and the little ones started digging into the balls instantly.  Fifteen of the balls are being used for the HIV education program, 4 are being used for the local street leagues and soccer tournaments held on the weekend and the final ball I personally delivered to a very small squatter community.  The children were trying to play soccer with a flat rugby ball so I found a mother that I designated as the ball care taker and she is currently letting the kids play all day and bringing the ball in at night.  Such a great gift and I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to bring them over to South Africa. September brought only smiles in the smallest of ways to a rural community in South Africa. Thanks to Molten USA and Kevin Carroll, 20 soccer balls were delivered to Richmond, South Africa through the Hope In Richmond (HIR) organization to continue the youth HIV and sports education programs.  The soccer balls are being used at the community center for after school sports programs, used in HIV education activities, and also were given out to smaller areas for the kids to participate in friendly sport.   Richmond, South Africa is home to 9,000 South Africans with unemployment exceeding 70% and HIV/AIDS infection rates estimated at 35% .  HIR adopted the small community in 2005 and, to date, has renovated the soccer facilities creating a community center with a soup kitchen, indoor and outdoor recreational areas, meeting spaces, a youth library, improved sanitation for the community, and provided medical supplies and equipment for the local hospital.  On the last HIR trip to Richmond, I was privileged to deliver 20 new Molten soccer balls to support our local Grassroot Soccer HIV program which teaches the youth HIV/AIDS education through interactive activities often involving soccer balls.  The Grassroot Soccer Skillz curriculum also provides youth with the knowledge, life skills and support to live healthier lives, HIV Free. HIR staff and children attending the community center were ecstatic to see the brand new beautiful balls to replace their popped soccer balls which did not survive the desert terrain. September_SA_2009_1_.JPG Even with all the despair and hardship that surrounds the African people, they still find time to laugh, play, and sing. Sometimes something as small and as simple as a soccer ball can bring smiles and laughter to a community in need. On behalf of the community of Richmond and HIR, special thanks to Kevin Carroll and to Molten for donating soccer balls to a community and education program dedicated to enriching the lives of the people of Richmond, South Africa. Dankie! Enkosi! Beth Got Play?! 2010-01-31T21:40:10+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/got_happiness/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/got_happiness/#When:03:57:58Z Fast Company 01/25/10 - Happiness is contagious, and that “contagious” quality is where design meets the market. Coca-Cola’s Happiness Machine video is a perfect example of how viral happiness can be. The brand’s first viral venture captures what happened when they placed a very special vending machine on a college campus. Got PLAY?! 2010-01-26T03:57:58+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/power_of_sport_beyond_sport_awards_2010...calling_all_catalysts/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/power_of_sport_beyond_sport_awards_2010...calling_all_catalysts/#When:03:54:19Z There are 12 categories for the Beyond Sport Awards 2010 covering the entire sporting spectrum of health, social inclusion, corporate and social responsibility, and philanthropy. These categories are split into three clear sections – Beyond Sport Community Awards; Corporation and Federation Awards; and the Judges’ Awards. The Shortlisted entries from each category will receive: A free invitation to the Beyond Sport Summit on September 27-30 in Chicago Flights to and accommodation during the Summit Access to Beyond Sport’s global network of international sports organisations, company leaders, and influential political figures Opportunities for business mentoring and to become members of the most influential group of social entrepreneurs ever assembled around sport The winners of the six Beyond Sport Community Awards will receive a minimum of £10,000 funding each and a package of substantial business support to enable them to move forward and become fully sustainable in the future. Learn more - Beyond Sport Awards 2010 Got IDEAS?! 2010-01-20T03:54:19+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/making_a_difference_the_time_is_now..._to_serve_our_beloved_community/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/making_a_difference_the_time_is_now..._to_serve_our_beloved_community/#When:03:00:56Z On January, 18, 2010, people of all ages and backgrounds will come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move our nation closer to the “Beloved Community” that Dr. King envisioned. Dr. Martin Luther King devoted his life’s work to causes of equality and social justice. He taught that through nonviolence and service to one another, problems such as hunger and homelessness, prejudice and discrimination can be overcome. Dr. King’s teachings can continue to guide us in addressing our nation’s most pressing needs—-poverty, economic insecurity, job loss and education. Volunteer with Americans across the nation on the 2010 King Day of Service and make a real difference in your community. Learn More… Play It Forward BONUS: if your MLK day of service effort involves play or sport in your community, share your story on my site & earn the chance to receive a custom KC playground ball , soccer ball or basketball!! Got SERVICE?! 2010-01-17T03:00:56+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/making_a_difference_eat_better_move_more...what_the_alliance_is_all_ab/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/making_a_difference_eat_better_move_more...what_the_alliance_is_all_ab/#When:23:35:58Z About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation: The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats—childhood obesity. Along with our co-leader Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices and communities. A catalytic equation for making a difference: KC + The Alliance + Little Rock, AR + The Clinton Presidential Library = an inspiring gathering of like-minded, social innovators (aka social do-gooders) who intend to positively impact GenNext! Got HOPE?! 2010-01-16T23:35:58+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/stay_forever_curious/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/stay_forever_curious/#When:22:47:20Z At 365 Awesome! we believe the world is filled with awesomeness.  We also believe it’s easy to overlook all the really cool things, people and places around us.  With daily reminders from 365 Awesome! we hope to change that. Got Curiosity?! 2010-01-09T22:47:20+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/a_simple_truth_the_story_of_the_pencil/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/a_simple_truth_the_story_of_the_pencil/#When:21:38:38Z The Story of the Pencil Published:December 19, 2009 Source: Like the Flowing River by Paulo Coelho A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked: ‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’ His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson: I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’ Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special. ‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’ ‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, they will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’ ‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’ ‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterward, it’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person. ‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’ ‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’ ‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’ Got Dixon Ticonderoga No.2 ?! 2009-12-20T21:38:38+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/picture_this_a_ball_can_change_the_world/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/picture_this_a_ball_can_change_the_world/#When:20:14:37Z Photog:Fran Meckler A Ball Can change The World! features inspiring images captured by Fran Meckler* from three events/projects that are part of the global sport for social change movement. Featured in Fran’s images are: Girls Kick It! - Namuwongo, Uganda; The 2009 USA Cup - Washington, DC; The 2009 Homeless World Cup - Milan, Italy. *Fran & I were connected via my freind & fellow social-do-gooder Jeremy Goldberg, Founder of Global Youth Partnership for Africa this year - thanks, JMG! Got Hope?! 2009-12-18T20:14:37+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/got_play1/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/site/got_play1/#When:18:19:41Z Graffiti Courtesy of The Red Rubber Ball Company/UK Enjoy Your Chase! 2009-12-14T18:19:41+00:00