News

Here at ONE DROP, we’ve decided to reduce our water consumption during the Holidays and invite you to do likewise. To help you, we’ve drawn up a list of small things you can do to reach your goal:

1. Eat less meat (about 5,000 litres of water are required to produce a kilogram of pork).
2. Thaw your meals the day before rather than the same day in water.
3. Give blue gifts, like devices to reduce water consumption.
4. Avoid flushing the toilet at night (close to a third of a household’s water consumption is attributable to flushing).

LA SOIRÉE ONE DROP’s ripple effect continues to be felt around the world, as the dazzling event—a partnership with Cirque du Soleil^®—generates increased support for ONE DROP’s various international projects. In 2011, LA SOIRÉE ONE DROP travels North America and Europe, while proceeds further ONE DROP projects in Central America, Asia and Africa.

So far in 2011, the LA SOIRÉE experience found its way to New York (June 29), Toronto (Sept. 7) and Montreal (Oct. 2). While the $800,000 raised in New York and Montreal will help finance ONE DROP’s Project El Salvador, proceeds from LA SOIRÉE Toronto will contribute to ONE DROP’s efforts to raise awareness of local and global water-related issues, as well as its initiatives in developing countries, such as Project India—where over a million lives in the state of Orissa are being helped by the locally-supported social arts and popular education component of ONE DROP’s tripod approach. Next benefits events will generate proceeds to finance Project El Salvador and Project Burkina Faso recently unveiled.

Last dazzling events of 2011 will take place in Los Angeles on November 10 and in Paris on November 23. Don’t miss your chance to participate to LA SOIRÉE ONE DROP in support of water for all!

Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil^® and Chair of ONE DROP, took the opportunity of WSOP Final Table, starting on November 6, 2011, and bringing together the poker community, to confirm the participation of 22 professional players to The BIG ONE for ONE DROP tournament. This announcement means that at least $2 444 442 will be donated to ONE DROP’s projects.

In June 2011, The BIG ONE for ONE DROP tournament was announced, hosted by the World Series of Poker^® (WSOP) and requiring a $1,000,000 buy-in. It was mentioned then that a specially-designed WSOP platinum bracelet would be awarded to the winner, as long as at least 22 participants would enter in the event. At this time, 15 participants were confirmed.

From the seven additional professional players confirmed, there are Jonathan Duhamel, world ambassador of poker and first Canadian to be declared world champion, Sean O’Donnell, representing a group of friends in Montreal, Canada, wanting to get involved in the cause of water for all with ONE DROP, and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, champion from France and member of Team PokerStars Pro. They all recognize the importance of giving access to water worldwide to fight poverty and hope to encourage many more players to contribute, thus enabling the continuity and development of ONE DROP’s projects.

“I am absolutely thrilled to participate in the biggest poker event ever organized. 1M$ is a lot of money but my participation comes naturally because of my attachment to such a great cause.  Life starts with water and because of its uneven distribution, a person dies every 20 seconds.  The BIG ONE for ONE DROP will raise 111 111$ per participant, which will definitely prove the poker community attachment to the Foundation.  As for me, I personally commit to give 5% of my winnings from this tournament to ONE DROP,” declared Jonathan Duhamel.

“I am speaking in the name of a group of friends of Guy that got together and organized a series of mini satellites in order to qualify one of us for The BIG ONE For ONE DROP. Although, individually, we couldn't buy a seat, it is important for us to get involved and give back... so we got together in support for ONE DROP and our friend Guy,” explained Sean O’Donnell. As for Elky, he made the commitment to donate 1% of his winnings for life to ONE DROP.

The BIG ONE for ONE DROP tournament will bring together individuals in an unusual way for the cause of water for all. Guy Laliberté also took the opportunity to launch "All in for ONE DROP", a new campaign developed specifically for the poker community. Members of the poker community are welcome to use the hashtag #allinforONEDROP on Twitter to inform of their contribution to ONE DROP and the cause of water for all.

The BIG ONE for ONE DROP is an unprecedented effort to raise awareness of water-related issues amongst the poker community and to raise funds to allow ONE DROP to continue to deliver on its important mandate. Funds will be directed to ONE DROP projects around the world, where the team is hard at work dealing with the local water crisis. 

Source:
Katherine Adams
Communications Consultant
The BIG ONE for ONE DROP
Email: katherine.adams@onedrop.org
@QueenKayAdams

After a five-year hiatus, the legendary Masquerave will take place on November 12, 2011, at the Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler, Canada. Owner André Saint-Jacques has re-invented Masquerave as a benefit event for ONE DROP in order to support its mission.

With a stunning visual environment designed by multimedia specialists, Moment Factory, international DJs and live musicians, burlesque-style entertainment, aerials, acrobats, dancers and contortionists from Cirque du Soleil^®, guests can expect a spectacular evening held for a good cause.

A significant amount will be donated to ONE DROP’s projects in developing countries and also to support Whistler’s Ecole La Passerelle (Francophone school) and the Whistler-Blackcomb Foundation.

ONE DROP and his Founder Guy Laliberté, also Founder of Cirque du Soleil^®, welcome Bearfoot Bistro owner’s initiative and thank him and his team for contributing to ONE DROP’s mission in favor of access to water for all, today and tomorrow.

Tickets to Masquerave are available by calling Bearfoot Bistro at +1 604-932-3433, by emailing masquerave@bearfootbistro.com or by purchasing via PAYPAL.

Source:
Jayne Lloyd-Jones
Spectacular Ink
Telephone: +1 604-925-8187
Email: jayne@spectacularink.com
or
Marc Des Rosiers
Bearfoot Bistro
Telephone: +1 604-902-2622
                 +1 604-932-3433
Email: marc@bearfootbistro.com

ONE DROP contributes to Canadian Free The Children’s (FTC) We Day events with a video to inspire youth around the world. Founded by Toronto’s 12-year-old Craig Kielburger, in 1995, FTC went from a group of Craig’s classmates fighting child labor to the world’s largest network of children helping children through education.

Since 2007, FTC has organized We Day, an extraordinary annual event kicking off We Schools in Action, a year-long program that educates students about social justice while providing the tools to put them at the forefront of active global citizenship. Every We Day event brings together tens of thousands of youth to enjoy renowned speakers and musical performances. More than just one day of celebration and inspiration, We Day is a movement of young people leading local and global change. In Canada, touring events include Toronto (Sept 27, 2011), Vancouver (Oct 13, 2011), Waterloo Region (Nov 16, 2011), Winnipeg (Nov 23, 2011), and Montreal (Feb 29 and March 1st, 2011).

Helping to inspire and educate We Day audiences on world water issues, ONE DROP has produced a two-minute video that asks viewers to imagine a world without access to drinking water. As FTC and ONE DROP share the idea that the world’s younger generations are our most potent agents of change, our video uses the wow-factor to energize these audiences with messages of empowerment through story and images from ONE DROP’s projects.

WATCH THE VIDEO!