Video from the Prince George Citizen.
RamblingRat benefiting StreetKids International teams up with Future Cents, to set up a skate board project in Prince George Canada. To benefit young people who cannot afford a skateboard in the local community.
Last night was an excellent evening at the Rambling Rat 2009 Kickoff event I organized to benefit Tim Dennis and Street Kids International. The musicians, Kevin Hutchings, Andrew McFayden, and Jeremy Stuart were all moving, emotional, professional, and so good. The poets Robert Budde and Michael Cruikshank were both incredibly empathetic and in touch with our emotions as we sat with them. I say with them, because we weren’t just watching these people, we were with them, sharing a space, a feeling, an energy. And it was a beautiful energy.
Tim gave a really good and enjoyable talk, and even got Yon and George from Future Cents youth project up on stage to speak, play, and even give a mini skateboard presentation! Kenny got to say a little something as well, and Kristina Willing, Kenny’s mom, played the guitar and sang a very touching version of ‘You’ve got a friend’ that made Tim cry.
The energy, empathy, respect, and regard in that room last night was incredible, something I rarely get to be witness to, let alone feel. All of us had come together for one purpose: to support street kids. Each person who went up on stage had a story to share about their youth or their experiences with youth, about being outside on the street, about being aware of life around us, taking notice of the kids out there who are trying to get by, stuck on the street. Each performer somehow was connected to who Tim is a person, to Tim’s heart. I did not do this consciously, but upon reflection I realize that the evening spoke to Tim deeply in a spiritual way, and that got me to pondering. (more…)
*Online bookings please bring your online printout.
https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/startup.aspx?eventid=25019
After coming through Prince George, finding himself on CBC and in the local papers, the Prince George Citizen and the Free Press, Tim Dennis of Rambling Rat Overland Expedition has decided to return for his 2009 Kick Off Event ! He will be on site benefitting StreetKids International, a global charity that helps street kids from around the world! He will speak about his world travels, beginning in his native Scotland and traveling in his Toyota Landcruiser through countries such as France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech, Ukraine, Russia, & Japan, highlighting his wonderful experiences thus far with the people and places he has come to know.
COME DOWN FOR a wonderful evening of music, poetry, and entertainment & support StreetKids international!
When Saturday, January 24th @ 7:30pm
Where The Art Space, Upstairs, Book & Company, 1685-3rd Ave., Prince George
Thanks to Jim Brinkman of Books & Co for donating the Art Space
Thanks to Blake Productions for donating use of the ‘Band Kit’ for sound
Performers
Kevin Hutchings, music from his CD’s “Songs of William Blake” and “On the Bridge You Were Burning”
Robert Budde, poetry by this renowned local poet and professor.
Andrew McFayden, Scots Gaelic music from this well known local entertainer and radio show host
Jeremy Stewart, music and poetry from this phenomenal local talent
Michael Cruikshank, poetry and music from this local editor and poet
- and More!!
Much gratitude goes out to Nichole Regan, without whom this event would not have been possible!
About Street Kids International
StreetKids International is a non-profit agency founded in Canada that is a global leader in developing and disseminating the strategies and tools needed to give street kids around the world the choices, skills, and opportunities to make a better life for themselves.
Having reached more than 2 million street kids in over 60 countries, StreetKids International has been recognized by the United Nations as a Global Best practice leader in youth work.
StreetKids International is committed to protecting the privacy of its donors. Your contact information is required to issue an official tax receipt. An electronic tax receipt will be sent to you at the email address you provide.
George and Kenny Planning the skateboard project togher
The RamblingRat benefiting StreetKids International Expedition has joined partnership with Future Cents (www.futurecents.ca ) in Prince George to create a skateboard project to benefit local youth.
Future Cents a community program that empowers young people with multi-barriers to make good employment and education decisions, and to have the ability to make healthy life choices.
George Logan Davis, Youth representative of Future Cents, and Kenny Thomas, of the RamblingRat expedition, joined together to create the project.
George and the Future Cents youth had already built an indoor half pipe ramp which they were planning to make available to the local community. Kenny of the RamblingRat Expedition had set up a similar Project in his home town of “Smithers” where he was able to get a skateboard shop to provide a deck and safety equipment for use in their indoor half pipe. This project was exclusively for kids that could not afford their own board and equipment. Kenny was keen to replicate this concept in Prince George.
George and Kenny came up with a proposal which they made to Ruins skate board shop in Prince George ( www.ruins.ca ) to ask if they could help sponsor this project. Ruins gratefully sponsored two boards.
This is what Kenny and George have to say:
“The partnership between Future Cents and RamblingRat puts out a positive message to the local community that we care about street youth across the globe.”
The project has been a great success and the youth at Future Cents have worked really hard to make everything work in a very short space of time. We created a lot of postive media attention with the partnership . Catch the links below for the media snaps.
We would like to thank Franka Petrucci, manger at Future Cents, and Tammy Marlulau, Active manager
Rikki gelowitz, program coordinator, and I worked with Jan Kupp, youth supervisor.
You can contact Future Cents at www.futurecents.ca and email them at francafe@shaw.ca
Media:
Well I’m finally on my way again after a wonderful rest in Smithers and I didn’t leave without acquiring a new navigator! Kenny, Kristina and Mike’s 14 yr old son, has joined me. Kenny is an unusually gifted boy who has a lovely heart! He had been doing some silly things in the past while without thinking of the consequences… some could say that’s typical of 14 year olds spur of the moment thoughts. They definitely live in the moment – the now! I won’t go into details, but some of his choices were beginning to affect his future and were definitely affecting his family. I have grown to love this family like they were my own (Kristina says that we are!) and wondered if I could help.
I started thinking about what my travels really mean. I started on this venture because I love working with youth. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to do more than just travel and see the world. That’s why I teamed up with StreetKids International in the first place. They have the same foundation that I have when it comes to helping youth. So, I saw an opportunity for both Kenny and I to help each other. We talked about him joining the tour and his parents were very supportive. (Even the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre, where he goes to school, suported Kenny’s travels by letting him do his work on the road and even working in some of his credits with his travels!)
Kenny had already worked with Chris and I to get the skateboard project off the ground in Smithers, so I knew he was a very caring kid with a lot of creative ideas and a lot of energy. I thought that this could give him the opportunity to stretch his mind, to go places and see things that could open up a broader, more positive world for him. He could have the time and opportunity to think of creative things that are outside his area. He is a very good speaker and has a lot of talents that I don’t think he even knows he has yet. He’s the one who started teaching me the guitar (and yes, we brought a guitar with us!). He brought his sketch book with him and I like watching his newest artwork take shape. But, best of all, he can connect with the youth we meet and help to make a difference in their lives. And that will make a difference in his eyes too. It’s when we give that we receive the most and learn the most and grow the strongest we can be. Kenny has started his own blog. We will have it connected as a link on this site soon, but if you want to go take a look at it now, go to http://goingbeyondlimits.blogspot.com/ . I think he picked a great title for his blogspot!
So, here we are in Prince George getting ready for the fundraising event on Saturday and trying to get some other things going for the youth here. Jason, from Rayz Board Shop in Smithers, let Kenny bring the RamblingRat skateboard with him so we can show it to other board shops and maybe get the same kind of sponsorship going with them! The Aquatic center here gave us 100 free pool passes to give out to underprivileged youth in Prince George which Kenny will be presenting to Future Cents Youth Ministry on Friday. I would like to thank Jim Worthington the Aquatic coordinator for setting us up with this great package. I’m sure this will be greatly received by the kids at Future cents. We have also been given from Bubba Baloo’s Northern british Columbia’s largest indoor adventure playground, 5 x Punch card fun passes, they are a great package allowing the holder 12 visits and two food pass’s and tokens too. For this i would like to thank Derek Beitz manager for making this work too.
Thank you to all my friends and newly acquired family in Smithers! I will be back!
The beauty of the sun streaming through the snowy softness and highlighting the colors of the flowers made me think of how wonderful this community has been.
Family home totally lost in fire.
Before i started this round the world trip i had to make the decision to sell my house and what to do with all my possessions, what to keep and what should go. I had to think long and hard about this and we somtimes create a too stronger bond to possessions than we should. For Mr and Mrs Kean and their teenage sons and daughter, they had no choices – whilst they were at work and their sons skiing the house they live in tragically caught fire.
I had met the Keans the evening before for the first time as the two dogs from the house where i am staying had run over the nearby frozen lake to the Keans house and Mike and i had driven over the hill to collect them. We drove up on top of a knoll where they had built a fabulous home on a plot with the most incredible view! They had designed and built this home with their own hands and with many personal touches. I met Mr and Mrs Kean briefly as we loaded one of the dogs from our house (being Jack – our other dog Jill had run back home), on leaving i mentioned how lovely their house was. Within 14 hours of this we had recieved news that the house had totally been lost in a fire and nothing had been saved, and the very upsetting news was that three dogs had died in the house, two of thier own and one of their friends that they had been looking after.
Kristina Willing and myself decided to drive over to see what we could do. On arrival it was very upsetting because the house had completly gone – just the foundations and the last of the wood burning away. Kristana hugged them and quickly swung into action by asking if they needed coffee or food, they didn’t know what they needed but thought they would go to thier daughters house who lived over the road but was away in Vancouver. Kristina and i went into town to get coffee and and some lunch like salad and sandwiches, as well as a meal that could be put in the oven for later.
On our return to thier daughter’s home more friends had arrived to help so we stayed for lunch and to discuss who was going to help with what and the community help was starting to put its arms around the Kean family.
The “Smithers” community is incredible and i would also say that when i have been on my travels it has been all the small towns where i have had the biggest support. It is strange how you can live in a big city with so many people and not even know who your neighbor is. You only realize how warm and friendly small communities are because it is the best way to survive. They are not as competitive, usually have longer standing roots within the community and, most importantly, are very close to nature.
Over the next couple of days they had been found a tempory home where they can have their own space again. All the family members, the adults and teens alike, have lost everything too. Just think about it… you only have what you are wearing left in the world! Everything else has gone.
I had made my very first apple pie with pastry on the top and bottom layer with some assistance from Mike Willing. I made two pies, one for the Keans and one for us, i was not sure how it would taste but it sure smelt homely. Kristina Mike and myself took it to the Keans shelter home and we were welcomed in. They looked a lot calmer now and were amazed at the out pour of love from everyone, they opened cupboards in the kitchen and said “Just Look” full of food wow and furniture in the rooms too.
I know the Keans don’t know me well and i am a very transient figure to them and i have been thrown into a very strange relationship with them, one that is just another human wanting to do what feels natural… and it is good.
I want to send my love to the whole family and i wish you the best for what has been a very challenging start to 2009 but i know things will be ok for you.
Love Tim Dennis
Tim Dennis sponsors projects in Peru
Tim Dennis has joined with www.kiva.org to support two projects; these Micro loan projects are both in Peru South America.
Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.
A micro loan is a small some of money that you lend to an individual that is paid back over an agreed term.
Kiva have been a key tool for this since 2006 to bring people from poverty to our personal laptops and give the man on the street the opportunity to lend directly to the person in need, this kind of lending is usually the only way someone in their position can borrow money.
I personally like the concept of micro loans, i like the fact that the money that you give goes directly to the person setting up their own project, you have the ability to follow the progress of this project to the end of the loan time frame, you can then reinvest with the same or another individual or group.
So if you too would like to try this then go to www.kiva.org and create a profile and start lending.
Below are the details for you to look at.
Ketly, Sponsor 1
Ketly is 22 years old, single, and lives with his parents and siblings who support him in his endeavors. He owns a motorcar, which for the past year he has used to transport passengers to various corners of the city. He enjoys the personal rapport he establishes with his clients and has earned a good profit with his business. He administers his own daily earnings and does not have much economic overhead right now so he is doing well at work and personally. This is first loan with MFP and he has committed to his communal bank to make the payments timely. With the requested funds he will repair his motorcar and buy spare parts to build up a second one.
Name: Ketly
Location: PUCALLPA, Peru
Primary Activity: Motorcycle Transport
Loan Requested: $200.00
Repayment Term: 5 months – details
Repayment Due Dates
Mar 15, 2009 $30.43
Apr 15, 2009 $31.14
May 15, 2009 $32.99
Jun 15, 2009 $33.79
Jul 15, 2009 $35.10
Aug 15, 2009 $36.55
Loan Use: To repair the motorcar
Date Posted: Jan 2, 2009
Date Funded: Jan 3, 2009
Tim Dennis Joins www.kiva.org to assist Peruvian community.
Group Sponsor 2
The Iris Lanao Village Bank (named for FINCA’s Executive Director) is made up of 23 members, who are beginning their fourth loan cycle. All of the group members are from the Chiara District, located one hour outside of the city of Ayacucho. Most of the local community members are farmers or raise animals. The group members are involved in a variety of different business activities. Some sell dry goods, small animals, food, sweets, grains, or firewood, while others are farmers.
Gabriela is 33 years old and married with two children. Gabriela has a store where she sells dry goods and vegetables. She also grows corn and potatoes, which she sells in the markets in the city of Ayacucho. Rosa is 36 years old and married with six children. Rosa has a store in the Kishuar community, located 30 minutes outside of Chiara. She also farms and raises animals. Luzmila is 26 years old and lives with her partner and their three children. Luzmila raises guinea pigs (a Peruvian delicacy) and also buys guinea pigs from other farmers, selling them in the city of Ayacucho.
The group members are requesting different loan amounts, like 300 (US$ 100), 450 (US$ 150), 600 (US$ 200) or 900 (US$ 300) soles. “Iris Lanao” is requesting a total of 14,500 soles in loans. The loans will be used to buy animals, rice, sugar, sweets, firewood, clothing and grains. Some of the group members dreams are for their children to get an education, to expand their businesses, to get ahead in life and to have all the basic necessities.
Group Name: Juana Gabriela Tucno Vilca Group
Group Members: Juana Gabriela Rosa, Toribio, Gloria, Julia, Luzmila, Enma Isabel, Aydee, Bernardina, Maura, Adelaida, Maria Julia, Guillerma, Rosa Margot, Juan, Leonidas Teodoro, Gregorio, Florentino, Elsa, Saul, William Wilfredo, Norma, Alejandro,
Location: Ayacucho, Peru
Primary Activity: Farming
Loan Requested: $4,700.00
Repayment Term: 5 months – details
Repayment Due Dates
Mar 15, 2009 $783.33
Apr 15, 2009 $783.33
May 15, 2009 $783.33
Jun 15, 2009 $783.33
Jul 15, 2009 $783.33
Aug 15, 2009 $783.35
Loan Use: Buy animals, rice, sugar, sweets, firewood, clothing, and grains
Date Posted: Jan 1, 2009
Date Funded: Jan 3, 2009
I am really excited to be working with these two projects and i will follow the progress and keep you informed as to how they are getting on with their projects.
Tim Dennis 2009
On December the 6th 2008 i was traveling from Fairbanks Alaska south west towards Anchorage,
not far from Nenana i had stopped to assist a family that had slid off the road and down an embankment
I helped to get their car safely back onto the road.
I did not realise how this had affected them and how much this had meant to them and thier family and friends, i have recieved some lovely comments from the Durrells and friends and wanted to post them for you all to see, I am very happy that i could help them that cold night and would hope somone would also help me in the same situation.
Thank you to you all for you kind words Love from Tim Dennis
Raymond, Michelle and Family
radcm@yahoo.com
Hi Tim,
I am sorry it has taken so long to get to your website. (I finally got a wireless adapter for my computer here in the motel.
I want to say thank you for your kindness
My family and I are from Maine and New Bruswick Canada. I am in the US Air Force and we have just moved to Eielson AFB, Alaska from Langley AFB, Virginia.
We had been traveling since November 20th. We arrived by Ferry into Whittier AK and were heading for Eielson (just outside Fairbanks). The drive from Anchorage had not been too bad. We had seen little traffic and the roads were passable. We were driving a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan that we had not put snow or all weather tires on yet. We had made it about 25 miles north of Nenana. This about where you start down out of the mountains when heading toward Fairbanks. There was about an inch or so of snow on the roads and we were on a very windy part of the road.
The road had got a little worse and I had slowed down to around 45MPH. Our heater had turned intermittent on us just before we reached Nenana and we considered stopping there, but wanted to make it to Eielson that night. In hindsight I wish we had stopped.
Ahead I saw a sign signaling a hill with a 6% grade and I took my foot off the gas, the last time I looked at the speed we were going 40MPH. We started down the hill and I immediatly began to worry. I saw a sign ahead showing multiple turns. The first was to the left and we made that one fine. The second was to the right and I could feel the van starting to slip. By the time we made it to the third turn my speedometer read 65. I was doing my best to slow down without losing control of the van but nothing was working. At the start of the turn I lost complete control. I told my wife to hold on and we spun around 180 degrees and continued down the hill backwards. My front left tire hit the snow on the side of the road and caused the rear of the van to “slingshot” backwards off the road. The side of the road sloped away at about 30 degrees and I thought for certain we would roll. My only concern was for my wife and two kids in the back. Fortunately though the snow piled up beside us as we slid and prevented the van from rolling. When we came to a stop we were facing back up the way we had come and were about 20 feet off the road. The engine was running and for the moment the heat was working. My wife and I took a quick assesment of the inside of the van and noticed that our 5 month old was still sleeping and our 2 year old was still watching Spongebob on our portable DVD player. Neither seemed to have a clue that anything happened.
Due to the angle we were at and the snow piled up beside us I could not get out the drivers door so my wife and I switched places. I tried to open her door but again, due to the angle, the door kept slamming shut so I climbed out the window. While I was climbing out a car passed heading towards Nenana and I tried to wave him from the window. Our lights were on and shining up onto the road but he didnt stop.
I walked out onto the road and finally got to a spot where I could get one bar on my cell and called my friend in Anchorage and asked him to call to Fairbanks for a tow truck to pull us out. He said he would and I went back to the van. When i got back another vehicle was coming so my wife started flashing the lights and they stopped. It was another van with some people coming from Anchorage. The didnt have a tow rope but offered to help. About that time we saw lights coming from the direction of Fairbanks and we started waving.
A vehicle pulled up and the first thing I thought was “This guy is ready for anything”. It only took a short time to realize I wasnt far from wrong.
Tim jumped out and immediately offered his assitance. A short while later and my van was back on the road.
I tried to offer compensation for his time and help but he would have none of it. All he asked is that I visit his website.
I would like to thank both him and the other family that stopped to help us. Often times in situations like this people who have the ability to help, for whatever reason simply dont. However there are some people who, no matter what they have been doing, no matter how tired they are, see a need that they can fill and put down whatever they are doing and help. Tim mentioned that he had just driven the Dalton Highway, and while I have never driven it, I am sure that he was probably tired and wanted to make his destination for the night. Yet he stopped to help a family driving from Virginia who were not prepared for the weather or the road conditions. Many would say that it served us right to have to sit in the snow, but there are some that have the compasion to help no matter what. I can only hope that should I come across a similar situation that I have that same compassion, even if it’s only to offer a warm seat in my vehicle while waiting for their vehicle to be rescued.
Tim, My family and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts! My God bless you and yours!
2008/12/15
Karen Durrell
http://kad45@verizon.net
As parent/grandparent of this family, I certainly would like to add my “2 cents worth” of thank yous to you for “aiding and abetting” them in their distress. Thank you! Thank you!. We had been following them via phone calls all through their trip and had not heard from them for a couple days – past their call-in times agreement – and knew something was wrong. So, many many thanks for helping them. God surely had a plan for you and for them!
2008/12/16
Phillip Durrell
philatcal@yahoo.com
Hi Tim,
Raymond’s dad here. Thank you so much for helping our children and grandchildren out in their time of need. Family and friends back here in Maine really appreciate what you did for them. May God’s hand of protection and blessing be upon you as you continue to journey around the world. If you’re ever in the vicinity of Calais, Maine, I would like to shake your hand, and I bet my wife would give you a big hug!
2008/12/16 Pastor Chip Howell
chipjudy1@msn.com
Hey Tim
Both Ray & Michelle
grew up in our church and we had been praying for them and their boys as they traveled across the country. As it turned out you were one of the answers to those prayers. Thank you so much for your willingness to be a help. May God bless you and protect you on your journey. That is a serious looking buggy you have. take care, God Bless.
Chip Howell
http://www.ramblingrat.com | tim@ramblingrat.com
From Tim to Raymond Michelle family,Karren and Phillip Pastor Chip
Thank you for all your kind words of thanks, i would help anyone in need my whole life has been rewarded and guided by these acts.
Taking this journey around the world is showing me that we all have the same needs and love will bring us together.
2008/12/20
Phil Durrell II
p.durrell@freenet.de
Thank You Tim,
For helping my Little Brother.
As an American living in Europe I know that this is not something that is Standard, Usually it causes Grid Lock on the highways over here cause everybod drives by super slow to see exactly what happened but not to even think of helping. If yoou are every in Germany let me know Dinner is on me.
Phil Durrell II
(bet you never thought such an act sould go around the world did ya!!!!)
Its been a very long year and i want to thank all the people that have helped me along the way to make this project possible.
Hello to all the community in “Smithers” Canada i am at the Driftwood Village hall tonight celebrating the New Year with live local bands and i’m dressing up as a sailor, i was going to dress as an Elf but didn’t get round to finding any good ears!!
Information: The RamblingRat benefiting StreetKids International is working on a fundraising evening that will be held in Prince George, the plan is to put on a themed evening at a popular night spot.
I will keep you all informed on how and when this will happen.
The latest and first event will be organised by Nichloe Regan from Prince George she has very kindly offered to help administrate the events. Contact information for Nichole and a press release will follow soon.
Hello to my Mum who is in Perth Australia, all my family in Uk and abroad, hello to my friend Mark who is working in Australia combining you are doing a great thing going travelling. Hello to leon Farley, Wendy Satchwell, Micheal Morse, “Mouse” Manni, Sue and Andy, Dave and Danni Mathew’s, Trek Overlands Tim and Clair, OEC International, West Coast 4×4, My friend Katsumi in Japan and Hirosa and Hideki also Edwin and Itgen,, the list goes on,, please feel free to include yourself in the comments as the battery is going on my lap top now.
Thankyou to the Willings for putting up with me.
Love to everyone in the world “I Love Life”
