I run the risk of a misleading title here? I’m happy to be corrected. I’m not sure if it’s the biggest?
It’s certainly the biggest I’m aware of. And I base that on the number of Tweeps that got involved last year, in many cities and towns throughout South Africa, to collect blankets for those who don’t have the options many of us do for escaping the cold of winter. And of course the noise I witnessed on Twitter.
Having recently participated in A Day Without Shoes with the rest of the TomorrowToday team, I was reminded very physically, on a chilly Jozi day, what it feels like when you can’t slip a pair of shoes on when the weather turns. I can only imagine night after night of winter weather with no ‘tools’ to increase your body temperature.
It’s the Twitter Blanket Drive.
Last year was it’s first. Started by Melanie Minnaar, famous for all sorts of things : ) I remember a simple tweet of hers, while she was on maternity leave last year. It was a Sunday morning and she asked on Twitter if anyone wanted to get together for coffee, bring a blanket and donate them to a worthy organisation? I got to interview Melanie, and she admitted she’d expected 6 or 7 people to respond. What she got was several hundred (my numbers are sketchy and complete hearsay, but I’m sticking to them : )
It’s all about the following:
- Watch for locations in your town or city
- If there isn’t one, you can contact Melanie and set one up in your town or city
- If it’s anything like last year, then on one day, everyone will gather at set venues, to meet eachother (TweetUp) have a drink and drop off your blanket/s.
- These will be given to worthy organisations around South Africa who distribute blankets during winter.
It’s that simple.
How do you get involved?
- Go to www.twitterblanketdrive.co.za
- Check out the Twitter feed of people using #TBD
- There a page detailing how you can help?
- There are contact details
- There’s even a newsletter you can subscribe to
It’s not meant to be complicated or bureaucratic. Just good people doing a good thing for people impacted by winter.
I’ll be there. Fer Sure!
It’s amazing what we can achieve when we work together… and even more amazing at how easy it all becomes through technology and the likes of social media! This is a great idea and I am thrilled to be on-board!