Application for The Do-Gooder’s Coffee Klatch (Repost)

(Due to technical issues beyond my control and comprehension, I’m reposting the Application for The Do-Gooder’s Coffee Klatch. Please help spread the word about this!)

â┚¬Å”I'm a firm believer in the power of personal contact to bridge differences.â┚¬Â – Dalai Lama

What
The Do-Gooder's Coffee Klatch â┚¬â€œ a first-of-its-kind resource-sharing and networking gathering.

Who
Non-profit professionals, altruists, philanthropists, and anyone hoping to improve their community. You just have to fill out the application in the link below. Only six participants will be selected each time.

When
The last Wednesday of each month at 11:00 AM.

Where
The Coffee House at Downtown Credo, 706 W. Smith St., Orlando (in College Park).

Resource-Sharing
Each participant will get the opportunity to share three needs that they have to do their work. It can be anything, but we recommend being as specific as you can. When you arrive, you'll receive three index cards to write your needs on, then you'll get the opportunity to share them before group. During this portion, there is no discussion because the whole thing would wind up going on forever.

Networking
During the resource-sharing you learn that an organization's offices need new paint and you know a business that might be willing to give them a discount on the paint, if not donate it. Over a cup of free-trade Joe, you share your information, exchange business cards, and become best friends.

Philanthropods
A combination of the word philanthropist â┚¬â€œ â┚¬Å”one who makes an active effort to promote human welfareâ┚¬Â â┚¬â€œ and arthropods â┚¬â€œ animals characterized, in part, by multiple limbs â┚¬â€œ Philanthropods are people helping the community with their hands in many things. Think The Apprentice without the firing, attitude, and tragic hair. Members from this panel of people who make things happen will be on hand to offer their advice. You will become best friends with them, too. Philanthropods are invited to serve on the panel.

Apply Now
Application for The Do-Gooder’s Coffee Klatch – June 29

The Story
For some time now, I've been trying to think of a way to make Scottie Saves the World a bit more active and, in the process, more affective. Sure, we have our Monday Ripples â┚¬â€œ links I've found that I pass along to you, which you pass along to your friends. And of course there are my volunteer logs, our fundraising, interviews, articles, etc. Have no fear, all of this will continue, but I've finally hit on that way of improving matters; Scottie Saves the World Plus, if you will, or Scottie Saves the World Magnum.

Several ingredients came together in the mixing bowl of my head to make the concoction that will henceforth, and forevermore, be known as The Do-Gooder's Coffee Klatch. First came a wonderful presentation by Sharon Butler at TEDxOrlando called â┚¬Å”Two Coats of Paint: Lessons Learned in the Bogosphereâ┚¬Â in which she recounted the impetus for starting her blog about arts, the creation of it and the things you has done to make it work for her, beyond simply being words on the page. One of those things was a regular gathering of arts people in conjunction with her blog. My inner Oprah heard that and said, â┚¬Å”Ah-ha, girl!â┚¬Â â┚¬â€œ my inner Oprah is the only one who calls me â┚¬Å”girl,” even imaginary Oprah is powerful, so I just roll with it â┚¬â€œ â┚¬Å”That's what you need! A monthly gathering of like-minded people! I am Oprah, I have spoken, make it so.â┚¬Â

The idea was born, but it was but a mere zygote floating around in me because something told me it wasn't quite ready. I didn't want it to be simply a meeting of people; that sort of thing happens everywhere, there had to be a way of making this a little different and, hopefully, more helpful. Enter my editor, Jamie Hyman, stage left, and let's put her in her derby outfit because that's how she dresses when she kicks the most ass, and the link she shared was kick ass.

You're probably expecting to see something highlighted in blue that you can click on, a link sending you to the blog post that Jamie found and properly credit the person who originally wrote about â┚¬Å”resource parties.â┚¬Â A better blogger, multi-award-winner Mark Baratelli say, would have saved that link for future sharing. I, however, didn't save it. So let's skip ahead toâ┚¬Â¦

Flitting around cyberspace I learn about Downtown Credo and BAM! the whole shebang comes together in my noggin. Downtown Credo is a movement to â┚¬Å”reject apathyâ┚¬Â by participating in your community and the whole thing is anchored by a charming coffee house in College Park. I met with the founder, Ben Hoyer, and he loved my idea for The Do-Gooder's Coffee Klatch and said it was right up Credo's alley. Actually, it was Ben who came up with the idea to have a panel of advisors from the community and suggested I come up with a cool name for them.

Unsurprisingly, that cool name came from my other half Brendan O'Connor. Only he could come up with a term so appropriate â┚¬â€œ or as slightly twisted â┚¬â€œ as Philanthropods.

The Do-Gooder's Coffee Klatch is made possible with the help of Watermark Media, Downtown Credo, and Heidi Dog Productions.