Newsletter and updates

This is the first of a series of regular updates (newsletter-style) to keep supporters of The Vanishing America Project informed.

As the support base grows, the newsletter will be improved, and as the bond strengthens between the Project and organizations like The Captain Planet Foundation, The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeepers, and The Sierra Club, new educational elements will be added.

For now, we'll keep it simple and easy to read.

See you on the road!

Destinations

Colorado and Utah -- The Humane Society has received a donation of two Pre-Owned Land Rovers to help them with their study, The Assateague of the West Wild Horse Project – a program designed to help control the herd population on BLM lands. I am currently in touch with The Humane Society’s public relations department to get permission to join the scientists in the field so I can document their efforts and capture some exceptional images of mustangs in the wild. If the trip is approved, I will begin the task of raising the $3500 it will take to get me out there and keep me there for a month. Sponsors, warm up those checkbooks!

Arizona -- On April 18th, I will hit the road in BABS, with The Greasy Beast in tow, to attend the First Overland Expo in Prescott, Arizona. The vehicles will be featured at the expo, and I will have an opportunity to meet numerous vendors, travelers, and power players in the world of overland travel. It could be an opportunity to bring aboard more sponsors and get national recognition for The Project. I’ll also be taking classes ranging from off-road vehicle recovery to navigation and safety. This trip is sponsored by one of my biggest supporters, Carole Webb.

California -- After the event in Arizona, I will be taking a brief side trip to San Diego to take care of some personal business.

Tennessee -- On May 9th, BABS and I will be donating our services to photograph the Third Annual Pink Bandanna Ball in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the goal of Emily's Power for a Cure to raise funds and awareness to fight Neuroblastoma, while helping families who are actively fighting this disease. In 2008 Emily's Power for a cure pledged $300,000 to TC Thompson Children's Hospital for the purchase of a pediatric CT scanner. This scanner will greatly benefit the lives of children with cancer and make it easier to diagnose and treat many childhood illnesses. Check them out at http://emilyspowerforacure.sitesvp.com/PinkBandanaBall.html.



Funding

The Vanishing America Project is in a constant search for funding sources, and is currently looking into “Fiscal Agents”. Fiscal Agents are 501(c)3 organizations that help artists, scientists, researchers, etc. by allowing them to channel fund, grants, and donations through the organization’s tax-exempt umbrella. If accepted into one of these organizations, the number of grants and funding opportunities available to The Vanishing America Project would increase by up to 90%. Though never a guarantee that funds will find their way, or that grant applications will be accepted, the odds will be improved.



Print Sales

Several hundred of the best images from The Vanishing America Project are now on sale at:

http://vanishingamerica.smugmug.com/

Limited time only!
Beginning Monday, April 13 and ending Monday, April 20, I will offer supporters a special discount on print purchases at http://vanishingamerica.smugmug.com/. A password is required, so email me if you would like to take advantage of this special offer.


Publicity

This coming June, Land Rover Lifestyle Magazine is planning a two-page spread about The Vanishing America Project. I’ve seen the mock-up, and it looks great! I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, check out the magazine online at www.lrlmag.com

Competitions

Name Your Dream Assignment

Unfortunately, The Vanishing America Project fell out of the top 20 in the Name Your Dream Assignment contest. I begged, coerced, and pleaded with everyone I know to go online and vote, but no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t obtain enough votes to stay in it. I’m disappointed, but that’s the way it goes.


Nature’s Best Photography

The Vanishing America Project is also entered into Nature’s Best Magazine’s 2009 Windland Smith Rice International Awards competition.

More than $15,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. The winning photographs will be published in the Awards 2009 Collector’s Edition of Nature’s Best Photography, and may be selected for our annual exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, and displayed in other locations and photo gallery presentations related to the Awards competition. Entries are judged on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit. Winners should be announced in May/June.

For details, visit: http://www.naturesbestphotography.com

Blurb.com

Blurb.com, an online service where anyone can publish their own book and sell it through their online channels is sponsoring the Photography Book Now competition.

“Photography.Book.Now is a celebration of the most creative, most innovative, and finest photography books – and the people behind them. Now in its second year, this international juried book competition is an opportunity for photographers of all stripes to showcase their work to a world-renowned panel of judges, and take a shot at a $25K grand prize.”

I have been updating The Vanishing America Project portfolio book that was printed by Blurb.com last year, and will be entering it into the Photography Book Now competition. It is currently a “Staff Pick”, so my chances are good.


Presentations

The Vanishing America Project presents at REI

Over the past couple of weeks, The Vanishing America Project has made presentations at three of the Atlanta area REI locations. The turnout was modest, but the experience and the connection with the nation’s largest outdoor gear retailer was well worth the effort.


Vanishing America Photo Contest

Coming soon…

The Vanishing America Project will be launching its own photography contest open to the general public. Prizes will include Professional Digital cameras and cash. The first round of judging will be by popular vote, and finalists will be judged by a panel of professionals, including yours truly!

Second Annual Pink Bandanna Ball

Fun with Fundraising!

I just got back from another wonderful weekend in Chattanooga promoting the Vanishing America project. And, it didn't cost me a dime. I drove all the way on used veggie oil! How's that for saving a buck?

This time I had BABS on display at Saturday's Second Annual Pink Bandanna Ball, helping raise money for Neuroblastoma. Check out their website at http://emilyspowerforacure.vpweb.com/index.html.

It was a great time. BABS was parked inside the First Tennessee Pavilion for all to see, and one of the images from the Vanishing America series was donated to their silent auction. They had live music from Love, Peace and Happiness, fantastic BBQ from The Butt Stop (their brisket and cornbread casserole were amazing!), casino games, and a badass mechanical bull (which loved the Nancy, Wendy, and Melissa, the event's coordinators, but had no reservations about kicking my butt)!

Jennifer, who rode the bull with me, has ridden some feisty horses in her day, and managed to stay on for another three minutes, looking like she belonged at a real rodeo. I think she could have outlasted any of the guys there.

And, thanks to the efforts of Nancy, Wendy, and Melissa, and the wonderful sponsors who donated their time, money, and prizes for the auctions, this year's event raised over $116,000! Next year's event promises to be even bigger. Heck, if they keep up this pace, they'll be selling out the baseball stadium!

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After cleaning up and sleeping in until 10am, I joined the Cromie family out on Tennessee's Lake Chicamauga. (Nancy Cromie is one of the angels who helped organize the Pink Bandanna Ball.) We even did a little fishing. However, I was the only one who caught anything...

Marc and Nancy wouldn't let me keep it, though. They said we had to throw it back. Something about "catch and release", or it being too little... whatever.

But, before I threw it back, I named it Will.

Spring Fever and Pink Bandanas

Dateline: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Sunday, April 4, 2008

I drove the Defender up to Tennessee this weekend to visit my friend Marc Cromie, his wife, Nancy, and their kids Hayden, Kali, and Wil.

Marc is a pediatric allergist who runs three Chattanooga Allergy Clinics throughout the Chattanooga area. Since Spring hit, and pollen season is in full force, Marc has been all over the local news providing advice for families on how to treat allergies in children.

Nancy is co-chair of the Pink Bandana Ball, raising money for the fight against Neuroblastoma. Last year, I donated one of my Salton Sea images to their auction, which, combined with sponsorships, other donations, and ticket sales helped raise over $100,000 for the cause.

This year's Pink Bandana Ball is May 3rd.

The event is in honor of Emily Ransom who was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in October 2005. This beautiful, strong-willed little girl known as the Pink Power Ranger Princess fought with everything she had for four months to beat her cancer. On February 20, 2006 while undergoing surgery to remove her tumor, Emily won her battle and went to dance in heaven.

Her family wishes to continue her fight and find a cure for this disease. Emily’s Power for a Cure is her fight against cancer carrying on! While the goal of the foundation is to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for Neuroblastoma, there are more immediate needs for families and children fighting this disease. The foundation, Emily's namesake, was founded in 2006 by Emily's parents Jonathon and Wendy Ransom.

Anyone can Pink it Forward simply by doing a random act of kindness for someone and telling them about Emily and asking them to Pink it Forward. You can also visit the websites of children who are still fighting this terrible disease. The websites for children in the Chattanooga area are listed in the Pink it Forward section of the Emily's Power for a Cure website. Make a difference in someone's life, just as Emily made a difference in ours. Don't forget to share your stories with us.

Pink it Forward!!!

If you're in the Chattanooga area, and can attend, visit their website for ticket information. If you are unable to attend, you can...

• Purchase Princess Emily magnets ($5)
  

• Purchase pink crystal Emily earrings ($20)
  

• Purchase Power for A Cure necklaces ($15)
  

• Purchase POWER FOR A CURE logo merchandise at Zazzle. 17% of every purchase goes to the foundation. Click http://zazzle.com/ranahill*
  

• Sponsor one of the foundation's special events
  

• Participate (and solicit donations) to walk or run in the Country Music Half or Full Marathon in April 2008 in Nashville, TN.
  

• Participate (and solicit donations) for Cartwheels for A Cure, which will be held in June 2008
  

• Purchase a ticket, sponsor, or donate an auction item to the Pink Bandana Ball
  

• Donate blood in Emily's honor ($10 from every donation goes to Power For A Cure)
  

• SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT EMILY'S STORY AND NEUROBLASTOMA!
  

• Gifts of cash or stocks can be sent to the following:
  
  
  

(Please make checks payable to Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and add Emily's Power for a Cure in the memo line).

Emily’s Power for a Cure

C/o Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga

1270 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402

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Holt's Green Tip of the Day!

If at all possible, buy produce from local farmers. Local produce at stores and Farmers' Markets are not only a great way to get top quality produce and support the local community, but they're a great way to help the environment.

When you buy local, you are actually helping save energy and conserve fuel. The simple act of shipping fruits and vegetables across the United States, and from other countries, requires numerous trucks, planes and ships, each one requiring a significant amount of fuel to get from the farm to the store. If you buy local, you help reduce the need for all these vehicles, saving fuel and reducing carbon emissions.

So, if you can, support your local farmer. There is a great search engine put together by the USDA that can help you find a farmer's market in your area (click here). If you can't find locally grown produce in your area, try to make sure that the produce you buy comes from as close to home as possible.