"Dear President Bush,
During your first year in the White House, you wrote in the margins of a report on the Rwandan genocide, "Not on my watch." I urge you to live up to those words by using the power of your office to support a stronger multi-national force to protect the civilians of Darfur."
- This is the postcard I sent to our President today through www.savedafur.org. I am taking a stand by asking the UN and Uganda to live up to our Responsibility to protect the children and end this reign of terror.

"I believe the situation in Northern Uganda is intolerable. I will not stand by and allow it to continue. I hereby commit to using my power, my voice and my energy on behalf of the child who's name I wear."
- This is the oath I took today. The names of thousands of children abducted by Kony to serve as rebel soldiers and sex slaves have been imprinted on silver dogtags with a green band. I just purchased one for myself and one for each of my boys from www.creativevisions.org.

Today my children started filling a new piggy bank for the suffering in Africa. I am committed to doing what I can and sharing the experience with my children. I want my boys to grow up with a sense of responsibility to the global community. I want them to feel proud of their efforts and find comfort in helping others.

DO NOT turn a blind eye on a very real problem. So, what are you willing to do?

Invisible Children
www.invisiblechildren.com

Invisible Children, Inc. is dedicated to providing financial resources to invisible children by documenting their true, untold stories in a creative and relevant way, resulting in positive change. On April 29th in more than 130 cities across the country, thousands will participate in The Global Night Commute to put an end to child abduction, the need for night commuting, and war in northern Uganda.

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Creative Visions
www.creativevisions.org

Creative Visions' The Name Campaign seeks to end the conflict in Northern Uganda through awareness. They have collected the names of thousands of children abducted by Kony and have imprinted each one on a distinctive silver dogtag with a green band. All profits from the sale of the tags go to programs that support the children of Northern Uganda.

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The International Rescue Committee
www.theirc.org

The International Rescue Committee is a global leader in emergency relief and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by conflict and oppression. The IRC is providing help to thousands of uprooted people fleeing ongoing violence in Darfur, Sudan. The conflict has driven more than 2 million people from their homes and into overcrowded camps, and as many as 400,000 people are now dead or have disappeared from Darfur.

In addition, the IRC works in all four conflict-affected regions of Uganda aiding victims of violence and providing assistance to the most needy. A total of 5 million people are estimated to benefit from the IRC's programs in Uganda.

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The Save Darfur Coalition
www.savedarfur.org
800-224-2084

The Save Darfur Coalition's mission is to raise public awareness and to mobilize an effective unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of 2 million people in the Darfur region. The Rally to Stop Genocide will take place in Washington, D.C. on April 30, 2006. It will feature leading voices in the effort to stop genocide in Darfur.

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Uganda Rising
www.ugandarising.com

For two decades, the Acholi people of Northern Uganda have been caught in a civil war between a rebel group whose main objective is inhumane terror and a government whose military response has often increased misery and suffering. Over one and a half million people have been displaced into camps and over 25,000 children have been abducted to be used as soldiers and sex slaves. And yet through it all, every day across Acholi-land something remarkable happens. Against a backdrop of dismal statistics, miniscule opportunity and unpredictable terror, in a part of Uganda forgotten by the world, children who have never known peace, face the day as if to live this way is normal, as if they still believe in the future. These children are the embodiment of resilience and hope. This film is the story of Uganda, her stolen children, and the fight to be free.

Uganda Rising is a Mindset Media Production. It will world premiere at HotDocs International Film Festival, May 4th, in Toronto, Canada. For more information, visit www.ugandarising.com.

(The above information is copied and pasted from another website.)

Labels: politics

What a great month this was at ScrappersBliss.com. Cathy Zielske was our celebrity guest and she was such a cool person to chat with. She has inspired me to try a new approach with my scrapbooking. Also, voting has begun on the A2Z Essentials Layout Contest at ScrappersBliss.com!! Now, let me tell ya.... this is HARD!!!!! There are so many great entries. I really hate judging anyone's work but I do my best to look at everything with an open mind. I compile my first list of loves (which is usually quite long) then I start breaking it down by picking out small details about each layout that make it shine. I hope that every person who enters these contests knows how great they are and doesn't let the results get them down. I truly admire all of you for giving it a shot. I am personally too chicken to ever enter any contest. I wish I had the guts, but I don't.

Stay tuned for the announcement of next month's contest and Celebrity Guest. You won't want to miss either one!!

I just don't care to post the mundane day to day stuff, so I end up with big breaks between posts. Have you all deserted me yet?

Well, it is the 21st, so there is only four days left to enter the A2Z layout contest at Scrapper's Bliss. Do not delay! The 1st place winner gets a July 2006 Designer of the Month spot at A2Z's website and $50 in products!! I have to admit, 2nd and 3rd place prizes aren't too shabby either.

Last Sunday wasn't only Easter. It was our 6th wedding anniversary! We had lunch at Northwoods then spent the day in Santa Monica with the kids at the Ashes & Snow Exhibit. It was truly stunning and I am so thrilled to have had a chance to see that during my life time. If you haven't heard about it yet, check out www.AshesAndSnow.org right now. Anyway, after that great day we drove to Temecula to drop the boys off at my Mom's so we could have a romantic dinner together. We went to Bailey's, which happens to be where we have spent 5 out of 6 of our wedding anniversaries. (Last year we went to Chat Noir in Costa Mesa. Fabulous!) All in all it was a perfect day!

Here are a couple of Easter photos of my kiddos. One thing that never changes through the generations is how to eat a chocolate bunny. Ears first!!! Mmm mmm that's a tasty rabbit!