Making Connections

Sunday, April 29, 2007

It’ll take 22.5 hours – not counting the 10 hour layover in London – to get to Swaziland. That’s a lot of air miles. But the point of our trip is to lessen the distance between (RED) shoppers around the world and the (RED) shareholders in Africa. Like most businesses, (RED) exists to generate returns and create value. Our dividends are a bit non-traditional, however, as we measure them in number of “lives saved.”

I fly to Swaziland today to meet some of the moms and kids that have been saved since inspired, empowered people started purchasing (RED) items from our brand partners – Gap, Motorola, Converse, Emporio Armani, Apple, and American Express – generating $25 million for the Global Fund to invest in HIV/AIDS programs in Africa. We may only have launched last year, but already (RED) shoppers have put us at number 15 on the list of contributors to the Global Fund. And 100% of (RED) funds go directly into the field to activate efforts that represent the best performing and neediest programs in the Global Fund’s portfolio.

Swaziland was chosen as the second country, after Rwanda, to receive a (RED) grant through the Global Fund. With a population of 1.1 million, Swaziland’s HIV prevalence is 33 percent, and life expectancy is 42. Among pregnant women, HIV prevalence is at 39 percent. More than 70,000 children have been orphaned by this treatable, preventable disease. These data may seem daunting but (RED) consumer power is already making an impact. With an initial disbursement of $5.3 million, (RED) funding has already provided the medicine needed to keep 17,000 people with HIV/AIDS alive, in addition to providing the medicine to ensure that the children of HIV positive moms are born healthy, and providing support for over 59,000 vulnerable children.

But numbers only tell part of a story… usually the dry part… so we are going to share the pictures and words and feelings that make the fine connection, which is the poetry of understanding. Understanding is a two-way street or, maybe a better way to say it, is that understanding is “linked hearts” like the West African Akoma Ntoso symbol featured on some of the (GAP) RED shirts. We want (RED)’s shareholders in Swaziland to feel connected to the (RED) consumer community, just as we want the (RED) community to feel connected to the people we’ll be meeting in Swaziland. We know it’s important to “show the money,” so all can see that (RED) is working. But showing the money, we hope, will also make clear that these connections are real in a much deeper sense. Central to (RED) is the idea that all participants in the value chain get embraced ( ) – the purchaser, the corporate partner, and those impacted by HIV/AIDS in Africa. This world needs more embraces.

More from the Manzini, after meeting up with my travel companions: Christy Turlington Burns, (RED) ambassador; Adele Sulcas from the Global Fund, and Julie Cordua, (RED). Nicole Hahn, who was with us on a May 2006 trip to Rwanda and Lesotho, will also be joining to help us gather this chapter on film. Stay tuned…

--Tamsin


Below are more details about Swaziland, along with our itinerary:

(RED)/GLOBAL FUND SWAZILAND GRANT OVERVIEW

To date, (RED) has generated $25 million for the Global Fund. $11.7 million is already at work in Africa, funding programs in Rwanda ($6.4m) and Swaziland ($5.3m). A third Global Fund grant, in Ghana, will be added to the Global Fund (RED) portfolio later this year.

Swaziland Quick Facts:

• Population: 1.1m
• HIV prevalence: 33%
• Health spend per capita: $66
• Life Expectancy: 42
• Number of people living with HIV: 220,000
• The number of children orphaned by the disease: more than 70,000
• HIV prevalence among pregnant women rose from 4% in 1992, to 43% in 2004, dropping to 39% in 2006

Overview of Swaziland Grant:
Grant amount (5 year total): $52,544,145
Amount disbursed so far: $36,468,215
Amount of RED money disbursed: $5,268,370
Program start date: August 1, 2003
Program end date: July 30, 2008
Principal Recipient: Swaziland’s National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA)

Swaziland Results: (RED)™ money that has flowed to Swaziland supports Global Fund-financed programs which have already:

• reached over 8,200 mothers with services to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV
• trained over 150 midwives and doctors in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
• reached almost 100,000 people with voluntary counseling and testing for prevention of HIV
• trained over 70 counselors to teach prevention of HIV
• set up over 35 counseling and testing centers for prevention of HIV
• established feeding schemes in 335 schools
• built 277 community feeding centers (KaGogo centers)
• provided education support for over 59,000 vulnerable children
• provided anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS to over 17,000 patients
• trained over 800 nurses and doctors in treating patients with HIV/AIDS
• trained almost 3,000 health workers to deliver home-based care for HIV/AIDS patients

Swaziland’s 5-year goals: (RED)™ money that has flowed to Swaziland supports Global Fund-financed programs in Swaziland which aim to:

• reach over 12,000 mothers with services prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV
• train over 300 midwives and doctors in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission
• reach over 120,000 people with HIV testing, results and post-test counseling
• train over 1600 nurses and doctors in clinical management of HIV/AIDS
• provide almost 33,000 people with anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS
• continue to support community feeding centers and school feeding centers already established
• continue to provide educational support for vulnerable children
• train 400 traditional healers in HIV management and referral

Swaziland’s HIV/AIDS program goals for the next 2-3 years are necessarily ambitious, including a four-fold increase in the number of women receiving treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and almost doubling of the number of people on ARV therapy. In order to meet these targets, additional funding of $16 million (during the remaining 2 years of the 5-year duration of this grant) will be needed. The Global Fund will disburse this money in small increments, committed every 3 months, contingent on continued adequate program performance and achievement of results relative to targets jointly agreed between the Principal Recipient and the Global Fund.

NERCHA Overview
The Global Fund grant in Swaziland is managed through NERCHA, the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS.

NERCHA is mandated by the Swaziland government to coordinate and facilitate the national mulitsectoral response to HIV/AIDS.

NERCHA’s vision: an AIDS-free Swaziland.

NERCHA’s mission: To provide the coordination and facilitation of the national multisectoral emergency response to HIV/AIDS, by creating an environment that supports effective service delivery to the people of Swaziland.

Swaziland’s National AIDS Program (SNAP) was created in the Ministry of Health in 1989. NERCHA was created in 2001, after King Mswati III declared HIV and AIDS a national disaster, in 1999. Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence in the world.

NERCHA is the Global Fund’s “principal recipient” in Swaziland, meaning all Global Fund financing for the national program is channeled directly to NERCHA. A large majority of this funding goes towards providing antiretroviral treatment free of charge to all Swazis medically “eligible” for ARV treatment. ARVs have only been available free of charge since 2003, when the first Global Fund grant (the (RED) grant) began funding the national program.

NERCHA’s implementation of the national AIDS program focuses on 3 main areas:

1. Treatment, care and support
2. Prevention
3. “Impact mitigation” for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs)

TRIP ITINERARY
The Global Fund and NERCHA have arranged visits at a variety of locations that receive (RED) money. Below is an overview of each organization we’ll visit and background on a few of the specific individuals we’ll meet.

DAY ONE: Wednesday, May 2
Meet with NERCHA at NERCHA offices:

• Briefing by Derek, Khanya and Dumisani on NERCHA work, with a focus on ARV distribution and orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs)
• Context setting re: issue of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland – how far we have come in the past 3-4 years?
• What has been the impact of the availability of ARV treatment?

DAY TWO: Thursday, May 3
Mbabane ART centre

• Establish the context for how the majority of Swazis receive their anti-retroviral medication.
• Guide: Dr Patrick Okoth, Sibongile and Rejoice on behalf of Dr Velephi Okello, national ART coordinator, who will be out of the country.
  

Baylor Clinic Visit

• Baylor Clinic is a private pediatric AIDS clinic providing “PMTCT+” services (a “whole family” care model); all ARVS distributed here to women and children are Global Fund-financed ARVs
• Guide: Dr David McCollum – context setting for clinic’s activities and GF role
• Ms. Lulu Vilapati, clinic translator and patient liaison – recipient of GF-funded ARVs

Ms. Lulu Vilapati, Age 23
Lulu was tested and diagnosed with HIV in 2003 when she was pregnant and extremely sick with diarrhea, thrush and a host of other common opportunistic infections. In her role as clinic translator, she plays a vital role in comforting families laboring under misconceptions and fears about their own HIV status, as she is a vibrant example of how treatment with ARVs can allow individuals to regain strength and vitality.

Her 25-month old daughter, Sinetepha (“we have hope”), is HIV-negative, thanks to the kind of mother to child transmission prevention efforts that the Global Fund is financing with (RED) money.



Hope Heals Visit

• Hope Heals is a support group for over 100 HIV-positive individuals created by Ms. Sylvia Khuzwayo, and which is run informally from her home
• Guide: Ms. Sylvia Khuzwayo, HIV+ mother and Director, Hope Heals

Ms. Sylvia Khuzwayo, Age 39
Sylvia is a mother who has been living openly with HIV for 7 years. She discovered her status after joining a support group from a desire to do charity work. She lost her husband 9 years ago – the hospital told her it was throat cancer but she later found out AIDS was the cause.

Through Hope Heals, she helps individuals dealing with the difficult practical aspects of their illness and treatment. Living openly with HIV is no small feat in Swaziland, where stigma remains a deterrent to talking about HIV.

DAY THREE: Friday, May 4
Esitjeni Kagogo Centre Visit

• Background: KaGogo (meaning “Granny”) centers are used as service delivery points for small communities, for everything from education to food storage.
• Guide: Ms. Inkhosikati LaMtsetfwa, Director, Esitjeni Centre and volunteer coordinator

Ms. Inkhosikati LaMtsetfwa
Inkhosikati coordinates a group of 23 volunteer caregivers and cooks at the Esitjeni KaGogo Center. The site provides two Global Fund supported functions: (1) a community center called a “KaGogo”, and a neighborhood care point; which serve 230 children from the surrounding area.

KaGogo (“Granny”) centers are used as service delivery points for small communities, for everything from education to food storage. The centers serve as classroom, community meeting space, community kitchen for feeding orphans and, in some cases, as micro-credit and savings program meeting places. The Global Fund finances 277 such KaGogo centers in Swaziland. At Esitjeni, 60 of the children are “double” orphans, 117 have no father, and another 46 have no mother. In Swaziland, grandmothers are well-respected in the community, but also serve increasingly as the main caregiver for families when mothers and fathers pass away.

Bono's (RED) song from Idol Gives Back available on iTunes now

Get on iTunes now to buy your own copy of the (RED) song "American Prayer" on iTunes, written by Bono, Dave Stewart and Pharrell, and performed by American Idol finalists, on this week's star-studded Idol Gives Back special. All proceeds from the sale of the song will be sent to the Global Fund, to fight AIDS in Africa.

Buy "American Prayer" on iTunes now!

Austin, TX: Bobby Shriver sighting in Gap store

Continuing his mission to visit every store that carries (RED), Bobby popped into two Austin Gap stores last week to meet the sales team and talk to customers about (RED).

Here's a photo of Bobby with the Gap team and ONE campaign members Debbie, Natalie and Ethan. (RED) staffer Julie, who took this photo, was thrilled to meet (RED) people who are dedicated to fighting AIDS in Africa: "The Gap employees were outstanding! They told us about parties they had to celebrate the launch of (RED) – complete with their own fashion shows, (RED) soundtracks and red punch. It was also great to see new (RED) collection items on the store shelves – new dresses and shirts!"

If you spot Bobby in a store and tell him you're a (RED) person, expect something fun to happen. You might just get a great big hug!

ENTREPRENEU(RED)

Last night, I met with some old friends and some new at a reception in San Francisco.

A delegation of trade ministers and ambassadors from Lesotho, Ghana, Uganda and Burundi were in town to discuss business opportunities with Bay Area businesses, including Gap Inc., which has been sourcing in the region for over a decade.

The invitation to meet came from Rosa Whitaker, the first Assistant US Trade Representative (AUSTR) for Africa, who now runs a firm created to support Africa’s engagement in the global economy. I’ve known Rosa since the late 1990s, when we were both working to convince Congress to support the passage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. I hadn’t seen Rosa since we were together in Lesotho last May, and happily, the trade picture for Africa – and certainly for Lesotho – is looking even brighter today.

Rosa, joined by current AUSTR Florie Lizer, asked me give an update on (RED), both in terms of funds generated and trade engagement spurred by (RED) activities.

I passed around examples of products from each of our (RED) partner companies, and shared photos and stories from our launch on Oprah. The Gap t-shirts from Lesotho, the Motorola packaging from Lesotho, the Emporio Armani Owusu-Ankomah symbol graphics, the Converse mudcloth shoes – these all brought smiles and questions about how to drum up yet more collaborations.

There are entrepreneurs all across Africa looking for business opportunities. Finding companies – as well as consumers – that are interested in buying items and services from Africa is almost as big a challenge as the logistical hurdles that any startup business faces. (RED) has created an incentive and a connection point here… and we’re only just beginning!

--Tamsin

Ghanaian musician Rocky Dawuni joins (RED)

Photos by Cary Sullivan

You know how we love music at (RED) – we were thrilled yesterday when Ghanaian musician Rocky Dawuni paid us a visit at (RED) headquarters. In Ghana, Rocky's a star whose songs and words promote social and health issues important to Africans. What struck me about Rocky was his serene manner – it was refreshing to hear him talk about tackling problems in Africa with a truly positive outlook. He shared with us photos of himself onstage and at work with UNICEF in Ghana, wearing (RED)! One of my favorite things that he said was, "If you help Africa lift itself up, I'm definitely in support of it. That's how I feel about (RED)." We asked Rocky to share some of his words with the (RED) community – so here he is, our latest guest blogger, Rocky Dawuni. --bn




I have been blessed to emerge as one of Ghana and Africa's musical voices for some years now. Every year, since 2001, during the Independence Day of Ghana, I organize and play a huge concert called "Rocky Dawuni’s Independence Splash" in Ghana's capital city of Accra. The concert attracts thousands of people and has been broadcast nationally in Ghana to millions. One of the cornerstones of my artistic vision has been the importance of using my artistic voice as a viable tool for social change and development.

This year, 2007, commemorates Ghana's 50th year of attaining independence from colonial rule. As part of preparations for my concert, I partnered with UNICEF and the Carter Center to spread the critical message of clean water and sanitation. I traveled all over the northern parts of Ghana meeting chiefs, community leaders, politicians and the masses while shedding light on this issue through dialogue and exploring possible solutions. During my travels, one favorite clothing item of mine during this trip was my (PRODUCT) RED t-shirt. Apart from loving the design and “hipness” of it, I also felt the need to promote (RED)'s promise for the Global Fund and Africa.

I first heard of (RED) last year while I was in Los Angeles and was immediately drawn to its promise of sustainability in the fight against AIDS. Being from Ghana, I have had a direct experience as to how disease, poverty and inaccessibility to treatments are devastating. The (RED) model of also supporting local African artists and artisans, in my opinion, provided a blueprint to promote local commerce while also fighting poverty.

“Rocky Dawuni’s Independence Splash,” presented by UNICEF and my NGO Africa Live! was held on 6th March, 2007. It was an unprecedented success with an estimated audience of over 50,000 people, global media and personalities including the head of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz.

The energy and promise of (RED) in converting corporate responsibilities into strengthening Africa resonated with me before, during and after the concert. I believe it’s an idea whose time has come and empowers people to make a difference while also engaging in their usual purchasing activities.

It is my belief that, as we help transform lives through conscious and purposeful actions we end up transforming ourselves.

--Rocky Dawuni


MORE ABOUT ROCKY DAWUNI

To listen to Rocky's music, visit:
www.rockydawuni.com
www.myspace.com/rockydawunimusic

To read more about his music and work:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ghana_39177.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/africabeyond/africaonyourstreet/features/18304.shtml
http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?newsid=2622&section=6

To see Rocky perform, check his website for tour dates.


Tomorrow, April 19, he's appearing at Afro Funke' at Zanzibar in Santa Monica to celebrate the upcoming exhibition of celebrated Ghanaian artist El Anatsui at the UCLA Fowler Museum – if you come, you might just meet some (RED) staffers!

Get your BabyGap (PRODUCT) RED onesies

BabyGap (PRODUCT) RED onesies haven't hit stores yet, but click now to GAP.COM/RED and you'll be able to get the onesies for your favorite baby before everyone else does!

What's your baby's (RED) word?

Choose from:
ADO(RED)
ADMI(RED)
DELIVE(RED)
INSPI(RED)
DIAPE(RED)

Click here to buy now!

--bn

Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED, featuring Owusu-Ankomah

The Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED team wanted to let you know how Giorgio Armani came to use Owusu-Ankomah's drawings on his Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection, so they sent over this story and some original sketches by Owusu-Ankomah himself! It's a great look into the creative process. --bn

To view all nine symbols sent from Emporio Armani, click to our Flickr photo set for Owusu-Ankomah.

Giorgio Armani wanted to have something in his Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection which was recognizable all around the world. Something special to create a big connection with Africa.

When he first saw Owusu-Ankomah's drawings – the Ghana born artist – he understood that he was the person to make this real.

Owusu-Ankomah designed especially for Giorgio Armani more than 30 African symbols with a specific meaning that Mr. Armani agreed to use in the Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection.

Each season Giorgio Armani selects three or more symbols to use on apparel, packaging and point of sale. He decides what symbols to use depending on what he wants to communicate that season.

This is what Giorgio Armani said about Owusu-Ankomah:

“The beauty of art is in its ability to inspire, free from the boundaries of culture, race or religion. It was this power that attracted me to the work of Owusu-Ankomah. As I set about designing my first Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection I wanted to create a tangible and personal connection with Africa. What better way than to incorporate the striking art of Owusu-Ankomah, whose work captures the rich history, culture and strength of that great continent?”


The Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection is available at all Emporio Armani stores worldwide. Learn more about Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED at JOINRED.COM and www.emporioarmaniproductred.com.

Why do you buy (RED)?

Debbie K., a regular reader at (BLOG) RED, recently asked some of her friends to tell us why they choose to buy (RED).

Thanks, Debbie! (You can also check out Debbie at the ONE blog, where she posts comments regularly, and also attends ONE events.)

What's YOUR reason to buy (RED)? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Here are some excerpts written by Debbie and her friends:

I bought my first INSPI(RED) t-shirt the first day that (RED) went on sale in the U.S. back in October 2006 and I wear it proudly. I have bought several other (RED) t-shirts since then.

(RED) is a win-win situation for everyone involved in the process: the people of Africa get the medical help that they need to survive, the buying public gets high-quality products that they enjoy using and the (RED) partners get the opportunity to be a vital part of a new business model for social good.

(RED) succeeds every time another person is kept alive on their ARV's; (RED) succeeds every time another child orphaned by AIDS is properly taken care of and (RED) succeeds every time another person buys a (RED) product and has hope that they can change the world for the better.

I'M SOLD ON (RED). You should be, too.

--Debbie K.


I will be blunt in saying that I buy (RED) products so that I can be a walking advertisement. There is not a day that goes by when I am wearing a (RED) product that someone doesn't ask me about it. These are some of the comments that I have received: "Is that the INSPI(RED) shirt that was on Oprah for Africa?" "I like those pink sunglasses, are those Bono's glasses?" "That’s a beautiful beaded bracelet, where did you get?" In wearing the items and getting people to respond to them, it is my opportunity to tell the people all about the (RED) product/Global Fund and where they can be purchased.

Since I purchased my first (RED) item I have now accumulated for myself, family and as gifts 18 (RED) products. I am hoping that by giving some of these items as gifts, people will become more educated and the trend will become bigger. I will also be donating a gift bag with many (RED) products for my children's school charity auction in May. Because of (RED), I will also be speaking to my son's class on extreme poverty.

--Albert C.


Why do I buy (PRODUCT) RED? The answer: How could I not, knowing that my dollars are going to save lives, because I bought a t-shirt, cell phone, etc., that I would have purchased anyway had it not been from (RED)?

When I wear or use (RED), I am reminded everyday that this crisis we all face is not over. In a society that at times can make the individual feel powerless, (RED) changes that. I speak not only for myself -- my friends and family feel the same way. We all buy (RED)!

--jaynejenjune


I feel that (PRODUCT) RED espouses all the values that I do. I am, by just buying a t-shirt helping in the treatment of AIDS! I know that the money will go to a reputable organization, the Global Fund. I am doing something to make a difference. Every time I wear my shirt I tell someone why it says (RED)! Why I am doing it, and how they can make a difference in the life of another person. I am wearing my heart on my chest and spreading the word. I am trying to make a difference! I know I am! I will continue to buy (RED) products.

--Michelle L.


(RED) excites me. The usual rush I get from finding a good buy pales greatly compared to how I feel when I purchase a RED item. Just knowing that a percentage of the money I spend goes to helping another gives me great satisfaction. After all, I would have spent the money anyway. And the products are appealing, functional and damn cool!

(RED) is a wonderful avenue in which to help those less fortunate. It's a brilliant concept, helping AIDS patients to get medicine as well as producing jobs for people who want to help themselves. (RED) just keeps on giving!

There is great power in being a consumer. I choose to put my money where my mouth is. Buy (RED) is the message!

--Van N.


I support (RED) because it makes me feel like I am doing something. Something for the mothers who love their children just as much as I love mine but cannot afford the food or medications that they need to keep them alive.

The moment I heard of (RED) I wanted to support it. It makes so much sense, for me, to do what you normally do but in the process help someone who so desperately needs it. Whenever I wear one of my (RED) shirts, or buy a (RED) product as a gift, or even see the (RED) logo, I am reminded of the mothers in Africa whose ordeal is NOT over, and won't be, unless people care. I won' t forget them. And I, for one, am blessed to have a tool like (RED) to feel that I am, in some small way, sharing what I have to help.

--Scarlett B.


I'm a registered nurse, and I work in a med/surg unit that specializes in HIV/AIDS.

I've seen a 60-year-old grandmother, in a monogamous relationship, whose husband cheated on her and passed the virus onto her.

I've seen gay men, straight men, former health care workers who were stuck with needles, rape victims, teenagers who were born with the virus, drug addicts, even accident victims who had a contaminated blood transfusion pre-1985.

One patient that really touched me was Stephen, a former NYC cop, faithfully married, whose first wife had the virus from a previous marriage. When Stephen learned he was infected, he became an activist, traveling to middle schools and high schools around the New York Area teaching young people about AIDS, and the reality of living with the virus. He died shortly before Thanksgiving last year, and he was every nurse's favorite patient--the nicest, most patient guy you'd ever meet in your life.

This virus affects EVERYONE! Everyone in the world is affected.

So that's why I support (PRODUCT) RED. I know I've been talking about American patients instead of African, but a human being is a human being.

--Kristin M.

(RED) all over at the Vail Film Festival

It's been a week since I've checked in with you all... A few of us from the (RED) team have been at the Vail Film Festival to spread (RED).

We're back now, and somehow the Santa Monica Mountains just aren't as pretty when they're not snowcapped like the peaks in Colorado. ;)

So what were we doing at Vail? First and foremost, we let filmmakers know that there's a new short film category called (RED) VISION for next year's festival. It was really exciting to talk to creative folks about how they (and you) can lend a hand in telling people about (RED). If you're interested in submitting your own (RED) short film to the 2008 Vail Film Festival, get the details at JOINRED.COM/VAIL.

It was such a joy to meet people who love (RED), and also those who didn't know what (RED) is, because that gave us a chance to tell them what's up. Those who'd never heard of (RED) got a peek at our swag bag so they could see what products are available in stores and online, and they also learned from us and our volunteers about how the money gets to Africans affected by HIV/AIDS. People who already knew about (RED) told us that they were so glad (RED) is reaching out to filmmakers to spread the message.

During our week in Vail, it seemed like (RED) was everywhere – the festival directors Scott and Sean Cross even spoke about (RED) and announced the film competition during their opening night speech and during the filmmakers' reception! Visually, you couldn't miss (RED) anywhere in Vail, too. Every film festival volunteer wore PREMIE(RED) shirts that Gap produced just for the festival – the shirts were a great conversation starter for the volunteers to tell people about (RED).

Our friends at the Hotel Café were on board at Vail, too – they played two "Music Café" concerts at the local venue Red Lion (appropriately named!) during the festival, and of course they told the audiences all about (RED) while they were at it. Here's a picture of Buddy onstage with a (RED) sticker. :)



(RED) was even embraced by the hosts of Good Morning Vail, the local morning television show – Tricia Swenson, host/producer of the show, wore a PREMIE(RED) shirt on the air last Friday and told people about (RED)'s presence at the festival.

We got to meet some amazing Gap store managers, too – Amy and Patty from Denver (pictured at the top of this blog) drove out to volunteer to help us run the (RED) booth and tell us about what it's like to sell (RED) in their stores. Their enthusiasm for (RED) was infectious – it was amazing to learn that (RED) has such passionate supporters working in stores to make sure that customers know what it means when they buy (RED).

Truly an inspiring week, and we can't wait to see the (RED) VISION film submissions. Good luck!

--bn