Now, the first campaign had to be something with impact, and which would show the community and network of readers that I am not taking these monthly campaigns lightly. Although it was was a fairly easy step for me. While mostly avoiding the read meats, other than the occasional meals, I was not the biggest fan. Mind you, while I always dreaded eating red meat, and suffering from indigestion and upset bowels as a side effect, I wasn’t always the best at eating vegetables either.

When I decided to become a vegetarian, I had to sit down and do a little research. I looked through some cookbooks, and researched online how to stay healthy, and get all the essential vitamins, and nutrients. Armed with knowledge and determination, the first campaign was announced. Being Vegetarian for a month would prove a challenge; not because of the fact that I wanted to eat a steak every day, not becuase I could not live without meat, but the fact that it was a prohobited item made you want it that much more. You always want what you can’t get.

It all seemed so easy.

The hardest part of the campaign was going out to eat. Many restaraunts are now armed with an arsenal of vegetables in the kitchen, and visible on the menu, as a side dish, salad, or ingredient, but you would be surprised to see how little they offer for fellow vegetarians, or vegans. Sure, some menus have a veggie burger, or a veggie wrap, but that gets really repetative really fast. And no, fries are not a meal.

Throughout this campaign, I have noticed a lot of interest from readers and the community. People getting involved and asking me how the campaign is going. It gives me hope to further expand on the future campaigns, make them bigger and get more people involved, maybe an open campaign where anyone can join in and participate.

Thank you to all the supporters, and people who have helped out throught the month! Special Thanks to our partners at The Running Board Press and Adore Ink for helping with the postering and getting the word out on this campaign!

As some of you are aware, July 31st will be host to the first ever Promos4awareness and The Running Board Press event. The first event announced was the official Promos4Awareness and The Running Board Press: WALK FOR Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. Nerve cells communicate by sending electrical signals called action potentials down long fibers called axons, which are wrapped in an insulating substance called myelin. In MS, the body’s own immune system attacks and damages the myelin. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals. The name multiple sclerosis refers to scars (scleroses—better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which is mainly composed of myelin. Although much is known about the mechanisms involved in the disease process, the cause remains unknown. Theories include genetics or infections. Different environmental risk factors have also been found.

This event will be a estimated 9Km walk, run, skip, jog, skate, skateboard, bike ride, whatever you would like! As long as you come out and join us, that is all that matters. In order to be able to participate in this event, I will make sure to stay healthy. This means not sitting at home and doing nothing, but going out and being active. Maybe a baseball game with friends, a walk, a jog, a run, or even a bike ride. Whatever will help train for this walk for MS.

In addition, we will I adding a secondary campaign into the month of July. The U.S. Department of Education’s 2003 statistics suggest that 14% of the population – or 32 million adults – have very low literacy skills. Of the 774 million illiterate adults worldwide, two-thirds are women. With that in mind, and those staggering numbers, I have made it a goal to complete TWO books before the end of July. I am not an avid reader, but whatever helps raise awareness about worldwide illiteracy.

Make sure to stay tuned to see what books are the lucky ones of the month! The first book is Six Months in Sudan: A Young Doctor in a War-torn Village by Dr. James Maskalyk. You can check it out HERE.

I hopt that the campaigns will bring people out! Hope to see you all on July 31st in the WALK FOR MS!

Promos4awareness & The Running Board Press Present: Walk For MS

MS affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. Nerve cells communicate by sending electrical signals called action potentials down long fibers called axons, which are wrapped in an insulating substance called myelin. In MS, the body’s own immune system attacks and damages the myelin. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals. The name multiple sclerosis refers to scars (scleroses—better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which is mainly composed of myelin. Although much is known about the mechanisms involved in the disease process, the cause remains unknown. Theories include genetics or infections. Different environmental risk factors have also been found.

Promos4Awareness and The Running Board Press would like to present our FIRST ever event. Our first event will be the to help raise awareness about  Multiple Sclerosis through original campaigns and events.  In collaboration, we will be planning on a great turnout and hoping for the best. The Promos4awareness & The Running Board Press Present: Walk For MS is a walk-a-thon to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system.  We will be on the grounds at 10:00AM  and the walk kicks off at 11:30 am. At the end of the walk we will have acoustic performances, which will begin at 3 pm.

We will be announcing Acoustic Performances for the event very soon, and I hope you will all come and walk with us for this campaign! We are pouring everything we have into this and want to make it something for everyone to remember! All it is is a 9KM walk, run, skate, skip, kite flying! Come out and have some fun and help raise awareness! Just because we are a younger generation does not mean we have to ignore real world issues!

We will be on the grounds at 10:00AM  and the walk kicks off at 11:30 am. At the end of the walk we will have acoustic performances, which will begin at 3 pm.

(Volunteers)

Organizers of the Promos4awareness & The Running Board Press Present: Walk For MS are busy looking for Volunteers for the following, grounds crew, stage hosts, food and beverage servers, runners. If you are interested in volunteering, there are a number of opportunities available. If you are interested please contact FrancisAllard@Promos4Awareness.com for more information.

* Beverage/Food Service
* Registration
* Grounds Person

It would also be appreciated if Volunteers could  help with set-up of the event. This is a great way to get those hours you need for school!

(Rules)

* Please respect volunteer
* No Alcohol
*No fighting
* No illegal drugs
* Pets allowed! :)
* HAVE FUN!

(Web)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=134456153249803&ref=ts
http://www.TheRunningBoardPress.wordpress.com

If you are interested in sponsoring, partnering, promoting this event, please let me know and we will arrange something! I would LOVE to get as much support as possible!
If you have any questions, please contact us @ FrancisAllard@Promos4Awareness.com or call Francis Allard at (905) 409.1238

6 Uncooked Lasagna Noodles
3/4 Cups prepared guacamole
3/4 cup chunky salsa
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Cheddar Cheese
Additional Salsa (Optional)

1. Cook Lasagna noodle according to the package directions. Rinse with cool water; drain.
2. Spread 2 tablespoons of guacamole onto each noodle. Top with 2 tablespoons salsa and 2 tablespoons cheese.
3. Roll up noodles jelly-roll style. Cut each roll into half (two equal-size pieces). Serve immediately with additional salsa (optional)

Interested in participating in the campaigns and being a supporter? Please comment this post OR use the contact form and send us a email! Thanks so much to all supporters!

Click For Full View

The first installment is a introduction to the idea of Promos4awareness Monthly Campaigns, and a introduction to the first campaign to join it’s ranks. June marked the launch of the Promos4awareness campaigns, and it launched with a bang; Vegetarian For A Month. This little video explains what I will be doing, and how to go Vegetarian if you so decide to. If you would like to be in a video with me; just contact me and I will gladly make a video with you!

Also shoutouts to everyone who asked for them.

The public to this day have shown me a lot of support, and so has the great bands I have been working with. All endorsed bands have made me feel loved, and so many of the new people I have met through Promos4Awareness have been really amazing, and I can’t thank them enough. The extent of this website is only in the mere beta stages, and much much more is to come with time. I would like to personally thank everyone who is showing support, and has helped me make it this far.

Which is where the campaigns come into place, my way of giving back to the community.

After much consideration, and careful planning, I have decided that the month of June is the launch of the Promos4Awareness Campaigns. As a sign of respect to a few of my fellow readers, I have decided to follow their idea for the FIRST campaign, which will be a challenge for myself. I will be going VEGETARIAN for the whole month of June. We all know my weakness for Chicken Burgers, Pulled Pork, and Bacon, so this will surely be a challenge.

To keep up with this campaign, I will be posting a picture of EVERYTHING I will be eating during the month of June (All meals per day) directly to FACEBOOK via mobile upload. If you are interested, please add me to FACEBOOK if you have not already and follow my campaign. This is promised to be fun, a challenge, and exciting. If you would like to see me post 1 update per day, per three days, or per week of the progress PLEASE let me know and I will get everyone involved.

Please support this campaign and show your support through the month of June! And remember I will always keep you posted on Facebook, Twitter,and  MySpace. So make sure to add those accounts if you have not already done so! I also ask that if you support this campaign, or this website to please repost this, retweet, blog, spread it in any which way possible.
Thank you all SO much!

More Information about going vegetarian can be found here:

ChooseVeg.ca
GoVeg.com
Vegetarian.org

If you believe in marriage equality and support it please make sure to visit this week’s featured not for profit organization Canvass for a Cause

Canvass for a Cause (CFAC) is a California based non-profit organization specializing in grassroots organizing for the progressive movement. With 3500 members and supporters Canvass for a Cause utilizes direct action, volunteer recruitment, and grassroots political organizing to achieve its goals.

With grassroots organizers based out of 2 offices who work all over California, Canvass for a Cause has worked on a host of progressive issues including (LGBT) marriage equality, cannabis rights, as well as helping to aid in international relief efforts. The CFAC mission statement is “Our goal is to recruit and train activists to send out into the community in order to educate about progressive issues, build support for campaigns, and raise funds for the cause.”

Well, they have done it again. Check out this awesome idea by David Lieske that Starbucks will be launching on March 9th 2010 in select US stores! Introducing the Eco-conscious Starbucks Card!

Hello!

We’ve seen quite a few suggestions to increase our use of recycled content in the production of Starbucks Cards.  The spirit of this idea marries well with our Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ goal to find innovative ways to decrease our environmental footprint.

We focused on understanding the journey our Cards make – from raw material sourcing to end of usable life – so that we can make sound decisions and reduce our environmental footprint.

For every product we offer, we want to provide something you’ll love, while also staying consistent with our values as a company.  This is certainly true for the Starbucks Card, which is why we were so excited to work with Conservation International to develop a new Card made with 80 percent post-industrial recycled materials.

Perhaps the best part of the Conservation International Starbucks Card is that it allows you to get involved in the critically important effort of preserving tropical forests, one of our planets most threatened resources.  Each time you pay with your Conservation International Starbucks Card (from March 9 through December 31, 2010) Starbucks will donate 5¢ to Conservation International to help save forests.  Forest preservation is a powerful tool in fighting climate change.

The Conservation International Starbucks Card will be available in participating U.S. stores starting March 9.  I hope you will love this new Starbucks Card as much as we do.  Enjoy!

Christianity:

What do Christians believe? Answering that question is no simple matter. Christianity as a religion encompasses a wide range of denominations and faith groups, and each subscribes to its own set of doctrinal positions.

A small number of faith groups who consider themselves to be within the framework of Christianity, do not accept some of these beliefs. It should also be understood that slight variances, exceptions, and additions to these doctrines can exist within certain faith groups that fall under the broad umbrella of Christianity.

Alcoholism:

The term “alcoholism” refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.

Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous.

Check out the shots below and some behind the scenes videos.

NOTE: Neither of us are trying to push a religion on you. This is all Ryan Chung’s Personal Beliefs.
Check out Ryan’s Blog at RyanChungThnks