Awesome Bend has announced the finalists who will vie for its next quarterly grant of $1000 at Pitch Night on October 17. The event will be held 6-8:30pm at the Summit Saloon & Stage, 125 NW Oregon Street in downtown Bend and is free and open to the public.
In three-minute pitches, finalists will share their ideas for making Bend a better place to live, work or play. A group of ten trustees who each donate $100 to form the collective grant will select the winner. An audience favorite prize will also be awarded.
The finalists are:
Anvil for Bend High Blacksmithing Club (Vivian Nye and Kyla Roberts) – purchasing an anvil and supplies for the Bend Senior High Blacksmithing Club
Bend Beer Yoga (Cady Lindsey) – organizing a yoga class that incorporates the drinking of beer whilst performing traditional beginner yoga poses and not taking life too seriously
Hack for a Cause – Bend (Teri Hockett) – challenging the tech community to solve community problems in 48 hours
Inspirational Vessel Project (Tanya Alexandra Sweet) – launching a combination of art, inspiration, and knowledge into the community while showcasing services for the houseless
“You Matter” Signs (Judie Geiss) – installing signs with uplifting messages around Bend
“I’m always amazed by the variety and creativity of the proposals people submit,” said Pam Stevenson, the Dean of Awesomeness. “This time, we have finalists ranging in age from high school students to 82 years old and ideas addressing serious issues or, on the other hand, reminding us not to take life too seriously.”
Awesome Bend’s mission is to inspire and support creative ideas to make Bend more awesome with money and mentorship to help turn them into reality.
For more information about Pitch Night, to apply for a grant or to apply to become a trustee, please visit www.awesomebend.org or email awesomebend@gmail.com.
