Let’s get together and feel all right!

There will be music.

There will be dancing (with fire, and without).

There will be laughter.

There will be One Love.

This Friday night I’m heading to nYne to support a humanitarian project that’s near to my heart – Great Shape ! Inc.

Last year I spent two weeks on the island with this amazing organization and it changed my life in ways I could never have imagined.

For one week I worked with beautiful and amazing elementary school children, playing, eating, reading, teaching them how to use computers, and learning what their everyday lives feel like. Volunteers from around the country – teachers, principals, administrators and other regular folks like me who just want to make a difference somehow – spent 5 days in schools with intermittent power, questionable plumbing and sticky-sweet humidity, and it was absolutely awesome! Five days filled with hard work, new discoveries and life-changing moments – on both sides of the desk. Looking back, I can honestly say those kids taught me more about myself than I could ever teach them about literacy. But they didn’t seem to mind the discrepancy.

The second week I worked in a dental clinic, staffed by incredible dentists, hygienists, all-pro assistants and a handful of non-dental-pros (like me) who wanted to help the Jamaican people get one step closer to a healthy life. I held babies while their mothers were in the dental chair. I made friends with Rastas and bonded with a gaggle of local ladies who thought I looked like a Barbie Doll (how could I not adore them?). I held the hands of school children who’d never before set foot in a dentist’s office and hugged about a hundred people who were so grateful for our help that they couldn’t contain their happiness.

Every morning I walked on a storybook beach. And every night I met up with my fellow volunteers for countless moonlit hours of stories and Gin Tings. I sat beneath sunsets that took my breath away. I ate things that made me long for a cheeseburger (but broadened my horizons all the same). I made friends for life. And I made a difference in some lives, too.

I could go on for hours – days, actually – about the experience, but for now let me sum it up with this: In a most selfless and gracious way the people of Jamaica opened my eyes to the things that matter most in life – joy, respect and love. I brought those things home in my heart (and a few bottles of rum came home in my suitcase).

Friday night you can experience a brilliant slice of this life. A great big bunch of us will be meeting at nYne to celebrate the amazing feeling of giving to others – while music plays, liquor flows and love abounds! Just $10 gets you in, but I warn you … that’s $10 that could change your life. Are you ready?

The projects (literacy, dental and vision) are still in need of volunteers – so lay your money down and get ready for what could be the first step to a life-changing experience – GreatShape Jamaica fans will be in-house (including me) to answer any questions you have. And for those of you not quite ready to commit to another stamp on your passport – how about a couple boxes of crayons (donations of school supplies are happily being accepted) or an extra cash donation for a school uniform (your $15 could make the difference – kids can’t go to school without uniforms and it costs only 3 lattes to get them there!).

Real Life Rockaz will be rockin’ the house. Live hulahoop performances (are you kidding me? Have you seen these hips? I win!) by Visual Vortex. Live painting by Jessica LaPrade. Glass by Royal … and all kinds of other amazing stuff. I heard there’s even going to be some kind of crazy fire dancing by a family of … wait for it … fire dancers! This I gotta see!

All ages are allowed at nYne between 7 and 9 (fyi: face painting). After 9, it’s all about the over-21 crowd (probably you could still have your face painted if you asked real nice). Come down. Celebrate. Donate. Celebrate some more! I, for one, can’t hardly wait to see you!

“Live for yourself and you will live in vain; Live for others, and you will live again.” — Bob Marley

You’ll find nYne at 232 W. Sprague.