Marya Mann : Blog : Day 3 | The Gift Of Pictures

Day 3 | The Gift of Pictures

Aloha Kakou! (Love for us all)

Thank you for supporting ArtWavEs (AWE) Nourish the Children.

Do you recall how, for more than a decade, AWE has nourished, and in some cases saved, young lives through our work? Here is a glimpse of the happy children and some of the goals we have achieved with your generous support….

- Thousands of wholesome meals served at events including our elaborate, joyful Christmas dinners celebrating children, families, and gift-giving.

- The New Thought Center in 2013, Queen Emma Community Center in 2014, and Daifukuji Temple in 2015, when we served feasts, sang, danced, painted together, and brought nourishing light to those in need.

- The happy faces of kids eating traditional Christmas meals and taking home more meals for the holiday weeks in Blessings Bags when federal school lunches were unavailable. We provided good nutrition until schools were back in session.

- The playful performances by Benjamin and Maggie, the African Dance Troupe, the Hula, songs by Simon, and talk-story by countless storytellers who shared the secrets of joy with appreciative families and houseless children.

- Randyl and Raybo packing up trays of hot food in a pick-up truck and hand-delivering ready-to-eat meals on Ali’i Drive and at the Old Airport to Kailua families on who couldn’t come to events.

- Recall the exhibits of Peace Flags and Blessing Banners including snacks and often painting with kids at the Old Airport Suicide Prevention Conference, at the Dancing Tree Christmas Arts Showcase, at Daifukuji Temple, at Kalani Honua in Puna, and at Mango Festivals, Avocado Festivals and the Ka’u Festival. ArtWavEs Peace Flags were carried in the Women’s March in Kona in January of 2017 and they were hung at Palamanui’s Hawaii Community College graduation in early summer, 2019.

- Appreciate the architecture of love and generosity that drives people to give and celebrate despite problems and in defiance of the tendency to forget others who are less fortunate.

There’s a deep, collective longing for more connection, collaboration, and community. While doing the work that makes a positive difference, we’re also in the middle of this paradigm shift…a shift that asks for time to develop more meaningful and long-term program goals.

As discussed at our recent Creative Council meeting, AWE’s goal is to continue developing STREAM-based ArtWavEs programs to share in Hawai’i communities and schools and beyond. STREAM means Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math.

Making Peace Flags serves a STREAM of encouragement and support for the whole child in all these areas and more.

Through healthy food, mindful movement, kindness circles, generous Peace Flag painting for other communities and the amazing gifts of creative collaboration, youth are growing into peaceful, trauma-free communities. We believe in the truth of the Chinese saying, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats forever.” Teaching the arts can fulfill the deep need young people have for skills together with self-esteem, social coherence, and a sense of belonging in a peaceful world.

I am beginning to meet with the schools, groups. and district advisors to discuss continuing ArtWavEs programming in public and charter schools, and we also have been developing more “family banner” projects with single and extended families. We are also developing new modules of our STREAM-based leadership arts program for audio and video recordings.

These edutainment teaching tools and events featuring Lara Printz, Susun Gallery, Susan Minor, Kathy Donnelly, Carrie Perkins, myself, and others, will be shared with communities where children are recovering from the traumas of a pandemic, mass shootings, and war. These groups can especially benefit from our expressive arts workshops which bring more AWE and less stress.

Please help us help the children and families who need extra support not only at Christmas but all year round.

It has been an amazing experience to connect and share space and energy with our expanding circle of peacemakers, and that includes you.

Keep those peace dreams coming! Keep those paintbrushes painting! Please keep us in mind as you consider how to contribute your hard-earned dollars and volunteer support this year. Help us help the children by offering your vital support:

A donation of $25 purchases the materials and instruction for two Peace Flags to be made by a child, one taken home for personal care, and another for contributing to arrays that are sent to troubled areas.

$30 serves 15 children homemade nut snacks

$35 purchases materials, instructions, and sewing of one array for communities who are part of our collaborative global peace project.

$120 provides Artwaves printing of business cards and brochures.

$150 contributes to 1/20 of the cost of a new website

$500 buys one ArtWavEs Care Package of paints, brushes, fabric, and instructions to serve 50 students with our workshop experience.

$574 buys 200 meals for Hungry Neighbors during Christmas at the Salvation Army

Do you want to nourish children? Your support can make a tremendous difference. Earmark your gift for scholarships or nourish our general fund. Please make your tax-deductible donation here:

Gift for ArtWavEs Nourish the Children

Learn more about ArtWavEs on Youtube & please LIKE, Comment, & share this link with friends!

ArtWavEs Mission Video

Mahalo nui loa!
Marya for ArtWavEs