August is an Awesome month!

By the time August rolls around, it seems that everyone is in high gear to squeeze as much out of our short summer as possible before it rapidly rolls into September.   Thus, we assumed Awesome submissions and interest would wane a little this month ... boy, were we wrong! 

15 incredible submissions this month made it another very tough month to narrow it down to just 4 awesome ideas.  Do you have any idea how tough it is to be surrounded by so much creativity, innovation, hope for the future and just all-around awesomeness and then be limited to selecting just 4 of those ideas to come and pitch to us??  It keeps me up at night wondering how we can find ways to reward more of these incredible people of Calgary and their inspiring ideas. 

• Top4 Finalists:
Music Everywhere! (Tony Grimes) 
Bringing music to where music is needed most - community gardens that are growing our food.


Word Powered Art (Jo Steffens) 
Text-based art to be displayed on digital billboards.


• HSCA Harvest Market (Joe Vipond)
  A celebration of Urban Agriculture... the first of an annual competition celebrating what can be grown within the city limits of Calgary.
  
  
• Free Classic Movie - aka Guerrilla Drive-in (Matt Hamel) 
  Join like-minded Calgarians outside the Simmons Mattress Factory part of the new Riverwalk to watch Casablanca under the stars for free.
   
• Honourable Mentions:
• Worldviews Film Project - Kate MacKenzie 
  create curriculum kit using videography to enable students to explore different worldviews of Calgarians highlighting leaders who are making their communities more awesome!
  
  
• SEGS (Sustainable Enclosed Garden Structures) - Alan Marston
  Create affordable, maintenance-free garden systems that simply requires a small amount
  of water each day until harvest. 
   
• artWALKwithART - Art Proctor
  A monthly free thrill ride of cultural discovery in Calgary - First Thursday Culture Crawl
  
  
• Winston Heights – Mountview Playground Party - Alex Reed 
  A kid-centric, family-oriented, neighbour-meeting inner-city community party celebrating the opening of this innovative, world class playground
  
  
• The House Project -Caitlind Brown & co
  
  Featuring 8 artists with a love for community,
  collaboration and a knack for ripping things apart.
   
• Superheroes For Kids - Gord Cohen
  Lifesize cardboard cutouts of your favorite superheroes to take to sick kids hospitals to empower kids to be their own superhero and help them get better
  

Now you see why this was so difficult??  Incredibly awesome ideas!

Looking forward to seeing you in Inglewood, DaDe ART & DESIGN LAB   |   1327 9 AVE SE to join in the fun with the Top4 finalists pitching for the $1000 CASH!   It's going to be another #awesome event!

~Lori

Thousand Dollar Thursday - July 28

Don't miss out on the fun this week with our 4th Awesome Calgary $1000 grant for an awe-inspiring project to help make Calgary the most awesome place on earth! 

Thurs. July 28 at 6pm at the Calgary Drop In Centre (423 4th St SE). 

• Opening act - The world renowned Heebee Jeebees!  - 6pm 
• Four 90second pitches (Team Zeus, LED Dominos, Illuminated Landscapes & International Computer Literacy) where the teams will duke it out for $1000 in cold, hard cash to get their idea off the ground 
• Q&A session with Awesome Trustees and audience (that's you!) to dig a little digger in to each of the ideas 
• Meet & Greet with the Awesome Calgary Trustees (the awesome people who donate $100 each month to help foster innovation in this city)
• The Drop IN Centre staff & volunteers will be available to give tours of the Centre following the event.   
• Close to transit and Free parking!  (in the DI Centre lot or across 4th St SE in the gravel lot)

How to find Awesome Thousand Dollar Thursday Event: 

1. Come to the Drop In Centre by 6pm July 28 - 423 4 Ave SE (see map below)
2. Someone will meet you and let you through to the elevators 
3. Presentation room is on the 6th floor 
4. Cheer on your favourite Top4 idea 
5. Ask questions, be awed, get inspired ... and have FUN!
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