Posted on March 31, 2008
Despite everyone’s differences, we all share a common heartbeat. This is the theme of the first inaugural Take the Pulse benefit concert Tuesday night at Grafton-Stovall Theatre, brought together by the Community Service committee of Student Ambassadors and Amnesty International. The benefit concert will help entrepreneurs in the developing world through Kiva.org.
Kiva.org is a non-profit organization that “gives resources to entrepreneurs to start businesses,” said sophomore Danny Lampton, a member of Student Ambassadors.
The organization aims to help poverty-stricken countries through the Web site.
“The money made at the event will be loaned to a specific entrepreneur in a developing country with the goal of empowering them out of poverty,” said senior Lauren Backenstose, a member of Student Ambassadors. “So JMU will be the lenders and then on the Web site we can pick a specific person or business to help.”
Kiva.org allows lenders to keep track of how the entrepreneurs’ small businesses are growing. Then lenders are repaid the donated money within months, allowing the lenders to withdraw the money or lend again.
“So the money will be recycled over and over again,” Lampton said.
The idea behind Take the Pulse originated from Lampton, as he brainstormed fresh ideas to do community service with his brother.
“The phrase [Take the Pulse] is catchy, yet vague,” Lampton said. “So although it needs to be marketed a lot, it gets people’s curiosity.”
The performances taking place include Secret Ninja Death Squad, Dear Dear, Wild Animal Party, The Avenue, Josh Vana, New & Improv’d and Mozaic Dance. Amnesty International invited Georgetown law graduate Ryan Woodward from TransFair Trade to be the keynote speaker.
Woodward will be speaking about the idea behind fair trade versus free trade, while supplementing with his own experiences with helping small farmers in Gambia, said senior Michael Zanchelli, a member of Amnesty International.
“What is great about Take the Pulse is all the money will get recycled,” said junior Jackie Southee, New and Improv’d business manager. “It’s the event that keeps on giving, and we’re so happy to contribute by entertaining all the people that come to support Kiva.org.”
Artisans’ Hope, a fair trade retail store located about three miles north of JMU, will be in attendance presenting information about fair trade. They will be displaying and selling some of their products while spreading the word about fair trade and its importance.
“Fair trade is an alternative way of doing business,” said Sara Brenneman, manager of Artisans’ Hope. “The idea is that everyone deserves the right to be treated with dignity and respect and deserves to be paid fairly for their work. Instead of solely focusing on the bottom line, organizations participating in fair trade are focusing on the beginning step in getting a product into their stores: the people who are making that product.”
