http://v3.kevincarrollkatalyst.com/index.php/site/index/ en kc@kevincarrollkatalyst.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-17T10:36:44+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/its_gametime_for_social_gamechangers_march_goodness_2010/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/its_gametime_for_social_gamechangers_march_goodness_2010/#When:10:36:44Z March Goodness Razoo* is hosting their annual March Goodness Tournament where a select group of 96 nonprofits compete for grants based on fundraising through the Razoo giving network. 64 nonprofits are competing in our at-large competition “The Big Dance” in 4 regions; 32 small nonprofits are going head-to-head in “The RazooNIT”. *[ra-zoo’]: (noun) a coin of little value; when combined, small contributions make a huge difference How the Competition Works Participating nonprofit organizations will be soliciting as many unique donors as possible through their March Goodness Project Pages linked through this site (click map above). We will track the number of donors and donations and post results live on the leader boards linked above. A visitor must make a donation (minimum $10) through the designated March Goodness Project Page (labeled MG2010) in order for it to count. Nonprofits will be ranked by unique donors to their official March Goodness Project Page for the first round. For the Final Four portion of the Big Dance, the four regional winners will compete in the second round and will be ranked by total dollars raised during the Final Four eligibility period. The RazooNIT is a one-round competition; the 32 competing nonprofits will be ranked by unique donors only. Key Dates   * March 15 – 30: Big Dance Regional Tournaments and RazooNIT   * March 25: DC United Sweet 16   * April 2 – 6: Big Dance Final Four Follow all the goodness action via the MG2010 Blog and on Twitter - @MarchGoodness The social goodwood will be abuzz with excitement as this make-a-difference & change-the-world tourney kicks-off this week! All of the MG2010 tourney teams have put in long hours of preparation & training for this shining moment. Everyone starts this “new season” with the hope of being crowned the Champion of Changemaking Champions - your assist is needed. Got DIMES?! MG2010 East Region MG2010 South Region MG2010 Midwest Region MG2010 West Region RazooNIT It’s Change Time! 2010-03-17T10:36:44+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/i_can_see_clearly_now...one-four-one_you_buy_we_give._141/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/i_can_see_clearly_now...one-four-one_you_buy_we_give._141/#When:23:09:36Z What if you could not afford glasses? Would you be able to work? Read? Cook? Recognize your children? Would you be able to drive? How much would you be able to enjoy the things you cherish in your life? According to the World Health Organization, 153 million people cannot see simply because they do not have access to corrective eyewear and/or cannot afford proper vision care. We have seen first hand what it is like for many of these children and adults to live without glasses. Children cannot see the blackboard clearly; as a result, they lose interest in school and hinder their chances of realizing their potential. For many adults, work is difficult to find and many everyday activities such as reading a book are not possible because these people simply cannot see clearly. But… When a child receives a pair of glasses, suddenly the blackboard becomes clear. Schoolwork gets better. Participation in extracurricular activities gets better. Life gets better. For adults, finding work is easier. Books and newspapers become readable. Faces of loved ones become recognizable. The ability to commute gets better. Life gets better. Something as small as a pair of glasses has the power to change a person’s life and open up a whole new world of possibilities. 141 Eyewear is the brilliant, Do-Gooder creation of Kyle Yamaguchi & Shu-Chu Wu. Kyle & I met back in 2006 at an event for Proctor & Gamble. He had plans to “chase” his dream of employment at Nike. He shared his dream with me - his “chase” was courageous to me. His words conjured up something that my grandmother/Mom-Mom always said, “a closed mouth don’t get fed. you gotta open up your mouth and tell someone what you want!” Kyle opened his mouth in a Cincy conference room & because of his random-act-of-courage, I decided to conspire with him & I shared a few Nike connections. He took the initiative and… tahh-dahh…he’s been working at Nike for over three years! We reconnected last week in a small cafe in NW Stumptown (aka Portland). Kyle recalled our chance meeting of four years ago & the catalytic impact it had on his life - I was humbled by his gratitude. Then he shared the news of his BIG, life-changing work - giving better sight & vision to young people around the globe! I’m truly inspired by his vision & I have no doubt that many of you will be as well! Give a looksee & join 141 Eyewear’s movement to change the way a child (literally) sees the world…You BUY, We GIVE. 141! (Katalyst Note: I bought a pair of glasses right after our meeting & 141 is giving a pair away!) Got Vision?! 2010-03-14T23:09:36+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/out_with_the_bad_in_with_the...great_work/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/out_with_the_bad_in_with_the...great_work/#When:02:01:59Z Start the Work that Matters! It’s time to do more of the work that means something to you, stretches you and makes a difference. In Michael Bungay Stanier’s Do More Great Work you’ll find fifteen ‘maps’, practical exercises to help you identify how to find, start and sustain more Great Work. Amongst other things you’ll learn:   * Where to find clues to your own Great Work. (They’re all around you.)   * How to locate the sweet spot between what you want to do and what your organization wants you to do.   * Tactics to best manage the overwhelm.   * How to double the likelihood you’ll do what you want to do. There are also original contributions from leading thinkers like Seth Godin, Dave Ulrich, Michael Port, Penelope Trunk, Leo Babauta and Chris Guillebeau on how to do more of the important stuff. To do more Great Work you need focus, you need courage and you need resilience. Give a listen to the Do More Great Work Interview Michael did with me recently- Listen! His enthusiasm & passion for this topic is undeniable! Got Passion & Purpose?! 2010-03-11T02:01:59+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kakakaka-katalyst_kcs_bff_-_shamik_dynamik/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kakakaka-katalyst_kcs_bff_-_shamik_dynamik/#When:03:54:22Z Photog: Marcus Swanson Shamik Dynamik recently came to the Rose City(after touring in Australia. Malaysia & the Philippines) to share his musical genius on a project that I will be dropping soon! He’s my “BFF” - BEATBOX Friend Fo’evah! Got PLAY?! 2010-02-16T03:54:22+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/ideas_worth_spreading_a_tedx_vacouver_moment_of_play/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/ideas_worth_spreading_a_tedx_vacouver_moment_of_play/#When:19:54:35Z 2010-02-01T19:54:35+00:00 http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/play_it_forward_a_ball_can_change_the_world/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/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/blog/got_happiness/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/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/blog/power_of_sport_beyond_sport_awards_2010...calling_all_catalysts/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/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/blog/making_a_difference_the_time_is_now..._to_serve_our_beloved_community/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/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/blog/making_a_difference_eat_better_move_more...what_the_alliance_is_all_ab/ http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/blog/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