Swap Til You Drop - 28th June

Dear friends,

On behalf of the swap team, I would like to thank every single swapper who braved the chilly, early Sunday morning and came to Crown Hotel to support our swap party fundraiser! Thanks to the generosity of our 80 or so swappers, and the hard work of my team and the Oaktree Foundation volunteers, we reached our initial target of $1000 in less than 2 hours!

It was great meeting our swappers, and based on the smiles and lovely comments and emails we have received, it seems like the event was a hit! We’re so happy to be able to contribute to the Timor-Leste Youth Livelihoods Foundation in a way that is also sustainable and beneficial for everyone involved. The success of our swap party stands as testament to the idea that one person’s ‘trash’, can truly be somebody else’s ‘treasure’ – we were so amazed by all the items that people were coming in and leaving with!




This swap party fundraiser was our first event as a team. We were grouped via the amazing Oaktree Foundation, and personally, I felt really lucky to have had the privilege and fun of working with such lovely, passionate and enthusiastic people who willingly dedicated so much heart, effort and time into this fundraiser. Our swappers might recognise them as the smiley people in the red shirts running around frantically, constantly making sure everyone was happy. Watch this space, because I am sure that this is not the last you’ll hear of Amritha, Anna, Monique and the Oaktree Foundation Generate Volunteers! It was really cool to see so many people interested in getting involved – and for those wanting to make a difference, I would definitely recommend getting involved with any of the Oaktree initiatives, and checking out any of the Global Poverty Project presentations coming to a city near you!

Again, we would like to thank our swappers and supporters for a great event. The staff at Crown Hotel were absolutely amazing, Mark at Wagamama supported our event from our very first baby steps on Twitter, Alix and the Australian East Timor Association offered our swappers amazing goods woven by East Timorese women, Salone Scalone and Sparkles Cupcakery generously provided amazing treats for our swappers, the Be Lured team were on hand to pamper our swappers, and as you can see from these lovely pics, Sam Koh did an awesome job of capturing the moment. We would also like to thank everyone who helped spread the word about our event and cause. And finally, we would like to thank our amazing volunteers who came and helped us keep the event running on the day – Celeste, Alex, Mel, Kate, Lewis, Liz, they say that friends are there not only in good times, but also in times of need!

It means a lot to us that people came and supported our idea and our cause. Poverty is a confronting issue that isn’t just prominent amoung our streets – the challenges of poverty, hunger and disease loom large in the lives of hundreds of millions around the world. The aim of our swap party was not only to raise money to alleviate the poverty of East Timorese youth, but to also benefit our community by allowing people to exchange their pre-loved clothes, books, accessories and so forth with others in the spirit of greater sustainability, and donating the rest to various local charities. Whilst poverty in East Timor is not an issue commonly discussed here in Australia, it is still a poignant issue as ever. With only seven years to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, we are in urgent need of a reminder of the challenges of extreme poverty everywhere around the world, and the opportunities and necessity of more concerted and effective action to support improved livelihoods for the poorest billion people on our planet.

Thank you again to everybody involved in this event. We are excited to see the idea of the Oaktree swap party taking off – Melbourne and Brisbane, keep an eye out!

If you have any feedback, questions or comments you would like to make, we would love to hear them. Please feel free to leave a comment here, or email us at swaptilyoudrop09@gmail.com - we still check our email regularly and look forward to working together again and hearing from you,

Cheers and many thanks,
Felicity on behalf of Amritha, Anna and Monique – the best swap team ever!

A big thank you!

We have been really lucky thus far to have been blessed with such amazing support. We would like to thank everyone who has helped spread the word about our fantastic cause – The Timor-Leste Youth Livelihood Programme in conjunction with the Oaktree Foundation.

Swap ‘Til You Drop is an idea we developed as part of the Oaktree Foundation Generate Volunteer Program. Oaktree is an amazing, entirely youth-run organisation which is working to empower developing communities through education. It has provided us with the skills and confidence to branch out (pun not intended) and really push ourselves to help create lasting change in the lives of the disadvantaged. We have met some fantastic people who are passionate about raising community awareness and fundraising for great causes, and whom have played a huge role in the planning and promoting of Swap ‘Til You Drop – especially Mel and Lewis.

If you are interested in getting involved in making a difference, and have something amazing to offer the world around you, you should definitely consider getting involved with any of the Oaktree initiatives!

Why not organise or participate in a Barefoot Party this month too? To find out how you can get involved, check out the website and/or Twitter page.

The lavish lounges, beautiful Baroque wall, and friendly staff are just a few of the things that really set apart Crown Hotel as the perfect venue for our swap party and other special occasions! They have been so incredibly supportive of our cause, that we don’t know where we’d be – literally – without them.


Be sure to support our buds at fbi radio! Become a supporter today, and help keep the best new music and emerging sounds from Sydney, Australia and overseas, on air!
Tune in to 94.5 FM between 6-9am on Tuesday for our little shout-out. We would like to specially thank the lovely producer of the morning show on Tuesdays, Deelini Wettasinghe for her support!



It’s not every week that you get featured in 9 to 5 next to the Empire of the Sun guys! Pick up your copy every Monday to find out what’s on and what’s buzzing in Sydney. Don’t fret if you’ve accidentally missed the alarm, or hit the snooze button one too many times – you can catch up via a digital copy online.


Check out the City of Sydney website to find What’s On in Sydney! They do a fantastic job of keeping everyone in the loop with everything that’s happening, and we are really flattered to be featured on it.


If you are excited by the idea of finding something lovely to wear at Swap 'til You Drop, you will absolutely love the e-magazine MyLookBook!

The trendy girls at MyLookBook do a fantastic job of showcasing everything you love about fashion – beauty, trends, designers, awesome finds, and let’s face it, what other people are wearing. It is compiled by amazing designers & boutiques, with each image linking directly to their website or online store – that look you like is just one click away. The lovely Krista, who has been a great supporter of our cause and event, also updates the MyLookBook blog with great looks and finds.

Found something amazing from the Swap Party, but not quite sure how to wear it? MyLookBook will provide you with plenty of ideas and inspirations to create a look you will love. Looking stylish is as easy as sitting back and relaxing.



We were really stoked to be noticed by one of our fave Aussie blogs, Girl With a Satchel. We love Erica Bartle’s propensity for entwining interesting insights & credible critiques of magazines, with glimpses of glossies, covetable fashion, beauty, and all things pretty (and guiltily girly) in life… GWAS definitely makes for a compelling daily read!

For the latest in fashion, beauty and living, and for some fantastic shopping tips and trends, look no further than Shop Til You Drop! Check their newsletter for constant updates of bargains and events – including our Swap Party ;)

(The screenshot has been slightly modified.)

UTS Vertigo is a really cool website that isn’t just for UTS students – check it out for interesting interviews, reviews, events, and don’t miss out on the competitions!



Our friends at Grapeshot run the Macquarie Uni tri-weekly magazine, providing info, entertainment, and opportunities for all students to get engaged. Feel free to check out their neat blog!



Creativity. Activism. Careers. Fashion. Travel. Thoughts. Feelings. Confusion. Celebrations. Lip magazine gives perspective on these real issues through writing, art, fashion, photography and vision of their contributors, in a way that will make you laugh, make you cry, and give you something to think about.


With style to boot, My Style Australia is definitely a blog and website to keep an eye out for!

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This is just a preview of what’s to come! We are still working on making this swap party the best it can be. In the meantime, if you have Facebook, please rsvp to our event, to provide us with a rough number of guests to expect.

We hope you’re looking forward to the swap party too!

Amritha, Anna, Felicity, Monique x

PS If you can't make it to the swap party, and would still like to support us, please make a donation - your generosity will help us make a difference to the lives of East Timorese youth and families.

18 days to go!

Hi everyone!

With less than 3 weeks to go, here is some more info to get you excited about the swap party!

FAQs


DONATIONS


Q: How much is it, and how do I donate?
Great news guys- the asking price is now $15 at the door! Your generous donation will make a huge difference on the lives of East Timorese youth. Half a day of swapping (fun), provides for 15 days of much-needed sustainable education to provide them with the know- how to start up their own businesses and generate income for many years to come.

We would appreciate donations of any amount beyond that, please feel free to make any donations as you see fit on the day, or at our new online donation page.





A little goes a long way, and we would really appreciate it if you could help spread the word about this event!


Q: What do I get for my money?
Apart from a fantastic opportunity to swap clothes & accessories you don't wear for those you will, we will be providing great music, arts & crafts for you to get involved in. There will
also be a Wagamama surprise! For only $15, it's all too hard to say no to. Plus, we'll have some fashion stylists on board to help you out & stick around for the launch of our fashion show! Put on your new outfits & strut your stuff. Be photographed for our vintage style gallery!


Q: Where is my donation going?
Did you know that 42% of East Timorese live below the World Bank poverty line of $1US, and a startling 40% live below the extreme poverty line of $0.55US?

The adult literacy rate is a shocking 58% and in 2008, 80% of the youth were unemployed.

These devastating rates have been attributed partly to the lack of access to quality education.
Out of 100, only 8 will have tertiary education.

This is where we all step in.

Oaktree Foundation has partnered with the good folks at Plan Timor-Leste to develop the Timor-Leste Youth Livelihoods Program. Their overarching goal is to ensure that Timorese youth have access to adequate income and have the opportunity to participate productively in their communities through vocational training, business skills and life skills training specific to the needs of each group. The Program will work with 10 communities in Alieu (pronounced eye-lay-oh) to create 20-25 sustainable businesses.

You can help make a huge difference.

Just over $1 a day provides these youth with enough skills to form their own businesses and help generate income for the families and communities for many years to come.

For more info on this great cause, please head to www.planinternational.org/wherewework/asia/easttimor/ .

LOCATION

Q: How do I get there? Where is it?
We have been fortunate enough to secure the lavish Dome Bar at Crown Hotel! It is situated at 589 Crown St, Surry Hills – it is on the corner of Crown St and Cleveland St.

The hotel is a short walk, and an even shorter bus ride from Central Station.

The quickest way is to head to Elizabeth St near Kippax St (right across the road from the Central Station exit on Chalmers St/Elizabeth St), and catch any of the following busses:
· 343, 308, 309, or 310 - a 2min bus ride to Elizabeth St near Goodlet St and then approx 500m walk to Crown Hotel; or
· 393, 395, or 372 – a 5min bus ride to Cleveland St near Crown St. This bus drops you off pretty much in front of the hotel.

SWAPPING

Q: What should I bring?
Bring anything that you no longer wish to keep, and think someone else would actually want and wear. Please make sure that the items are clean, and in good condition – we will check all items at the door for signs of obvious wear and tear.

Please make sure that all clothes are on clothes hangers! We will keep record of the hangers you bring in and if you’d like, we’ll make sure you get the same number of hangers back.

So it’s probably for the best not to bring in any hangers you don’t want to let go of – those thin metallic hangers will do.

Please help the environment and re-use the bags you brought your items in – we will not be providing plastic bags.

Oh and please don’t be discouraged from coming to the party because you feel as though you have nothing to offer – you’ll never know who appreciates your style, size and generosity!

Q: How come you have a 1-for-1 token system? Why don’t you have different tokens for items of different value?
Basically, we don’t think it’s fair on you and everyone else that anyone, especially us, should judge how much your clothes are worth. As such, we’re going to place equal weighting on all items, and trust that you will find items you like, in place of items you no longer like. If you feel an item is too valuable, then perhaps it’s best that you consider not swapping it in. Remember, this is all in the name of fun and we don’t want you to regret anything!

Q: Can we try on the clothes?
Like we said above, we don’t want you to regret anything, so there will be a communal change room for you to try clothes on, so you might want to take this into account if you're a tad shy like me.

Q: What will happen to the rest of the clothes?
We will donate all of it to charity. We would like as many people as possible to benefit from our swap party :)

Many thanks for your support,

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Amritha, Anna, Felicity & Monique xx