Project FIT in Utah USA has published my images

By PJAMES on June 7, 2007 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

From the Summer 2007 booklet by Project FIT, which addresses the needs of the homeless
in General Santos City, Mindanao Philippines. (pages 1 & 2 pictured below)

June 2007: 3 of my images from the Philippines were licensed & published by Dave Crockett in Utah who heads up Project FIT - a private Charity project collecting and distributing clothing & necessities to the homeless and in-need in General Santos City, Mindanao Philippines.

A very noble and necessary project indeed; please call Dave at (435)592-2814 or email him: dave@crockett.net
if you'd like to donate clothing (new or used), other items specified on pg. 4 of the booklet below, labor or services for the people & children of General Santos City Philippines.

Clothing & needed items that David's crew collects will be shipped by freight to the Social Development Center in General Santos City, Mindanao in November 2007.

Maybe readers here can network with their own Family or a few friends to assemble even a small clothing box to ship to Dave - I know he would certainly appreciate it greatly.

I've done this so many times myself for homeless children & Families, so I speak from a very personal experience -
homeless & destitute people must try to make due with almost none of the simple comforts in basic clothing that most of us all enjoy - it's very hard to stay clean, and to keep what little clothing they have clean, so when you give a homeless person something as simple as a new t-shirt, pair of sandals, or pants/shorts, their eyes light up like a child's on Christmas morning, and it can give them back some of their dignity when they are able to look more presentable.

I'm also going to put a clothing package together for David's project with personal clothing of mine I don't happen to wear anymore, as I left most of my own summer clothes behind in Philippines.
...I'm also going to ask my 3 nephews to contribute their own clothes they've outgrown, so I'll have a good variety of items to send to David's cause.

pages 3 & 4 of the Project FIT booklet:

Excerpts from David's emails to me are in the link below:

Paul,

Sorry about the lag in my response time.

I am looking forward to my project in GenSan and your outstanding
photographs will be a great addition here as I endeavor to mobilize my
community. In the next few days I will draw up a draft of my literature for
your review, so that you know which photos will be used, and we can
then discuss how best to secure larger files for publication.

To inform you of the intent here: to collect
(between now and November) as many clothing, shoes and hygiene items as
practical from within the community, and have them shipped by freight to
GenSan's Social Development Center. The Center is eager to work with
me and I am confident that I can achieve a substantial collection of
children's' clothing that will be distributed to those most in need.

I am not a wealthy man by any stretch of the imagination, but I
strongly believe in the importance of doing what you can, when you can, and
trying to make a difference, however small--hence the project. Dad
instilled a principle that I think is at work here--to always leave a place
better than you found it. This will make my trip more fulfilling and
purposeful, and it will be interesting to follow the results.

It will take considerable work and coordination from this end to
line up donations and freight services. I'm leaving open the
possibility of continuing my efforts on an annual basis, pending outcome of the
first round.

Meanwhile, if you have had any experience, good or bad, with overseas
freight, I'll appreciate and accept any advice you care to offer.

Please accept my donation--it comes with my thanks, both for the use of
the photos and for the work you do. Would love to know more about you,
how you became involved in this work.

Thanks again, and I'll be in touch soon.

Warmest Regards,
Dave Crockett
"Project FIT"
==============

May 26, 2007

Paul,

Good to hear from you. It would be alright with me if you mention my project, and you are welcome to use my name if you wish, if it increases my chances of making this a success. Perhaps someone in my region will pick it up and offer some help.

At any rate, the project moves ahead, and if I have to scale back and use UPS or DHL, so be it, but I am really hoping I can find a way to get a few pallets or crates there by sea for not too much money.

Please stay in contact with me--two heads are always better than one. A draft of my mailer will follow after the holiday weekend--it's on the computer at my office (I'm writing from home at 3:20 AM because I am deep in thought about these kids). The message of the mailer is plain and simple--call me and I'll come get your clothes. I am using three pictures. I'll also develop a few posters of the FIT logo (attached) to place at some strategically selected drop-off points in town. The images seem to be working fine, but if you would like to send some larger ones they will be easier to work with on the press. You will see which ones when I send the draft. I have not developed a web site for the project-but that is on the radar.

Our local printer has agreed to donate the printing... our local pharmacist is contacting the Leader Corp. to see if they will provide combs, brushes, hair clips, toothbrushes and/or soap, and other businesses in the community are also making gestures of interest. Heart-warming indeed.

Will talk soon.
d

David Crockett
435.592.2814 Mobile
email: desertislands1@excite.com
===========================