When I was a kid I didn't like to eat my vegetables. At the time I didn't see a need for them. I used to joke to my mom that I would catch up on eating all my vegetables at our next Thanksgiving dinner which of course was months away. I understand now that my mom wanted me to be healthy and vegetables are good for me. This segment is about eating your vegetables, well mentally. The vegetables that I'll be dishing out to you are for your own good. It's a dose of getting exposed to something that might be new to most of you, even outside of the usual surf culture. It's ok if you don't like it, but like my mom said,"at least give it a try before next Thanksgiving."
The other day I was lucky enough to spend some time with Bob Sharka the Executive Director of "Friends of Film." Friends of Film is a non-profit charitable organization that: helps filmmakers get their works seen, recognizes significant film contributions with its Lifetime Achievement Award, presents the annual Pacific Palisades Film Festival - now in its fifth year -, holds monthly screenings, presents a VIP private residence coctail party /screening program, assists other film festivals with equipment, covers film festivals and award shows, brings in guest speakers, posts reviews, etc.
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| Bob Sharka and Me (Eric Cedeno) |
Check out the trailer:
I did some searching on the internet and found the whole film online and more informatuion about the people in the film at www.withmyowntwowheels.com/ and I wanted to share it with you. Check it out:
Fred
Caregiver
Chapola
Chongwe District, Zambia
As a volunteer caregiver for HIV/AIDS patients in rural Zambia, Fred struggled to make his rounds by foot. Many of his patients lived 15-20 kilometers apart, and he was expected to visit them 2-3 times per week. Now, thanks to a bicycle from World Bicycle Relief, he is not only able to make these rounds, but also visit twice as many patients in a given week.
Mirriam
Master Wheel Builder
Ability Bikes Cooperative
Koforidua, Ghana
For a Ghanaian woman with disabilities like Mirriam, finding a job and becoming self-sufficient is often impossible. The social stigma attached to disabled people in Ghana makes integration into society very difficult. However, thanks to the bicycle mechanics training provided by bike Boston-based Bikes Not Bombs, Mirriam is now the chief wheel builder at Ability Bikes Cooperative, a bicycle repair shop staffed entirely by disabled Ghanaians.
Bharati
Future Leader
High School Student
Sone Sangvi, India
Several years ago, education for a young woman in Bharati’s village ended with primary school. The regional high school was far away, and many families didn’t want their daughters risking the long walk to school unescorted. Thanks to a local women’s empowerment group called Ashta No Kai (For a Better Tomorrow), Bharati and her friends are now able to make the trek to high school…by bicycle. Bharati’s dream is to become a district supervisor, something that was completely out of reach for her mother’s generation.
To learn how to help Contact:
Armene Modi
“Ashta No Kai – India”
Solitaire, 4 Samadi Road,
Off Nagar Road, Pune 411006,
Maharashtra
Email: ankindia@vsnl.com
Carlos
Pedal Power Engineer
Maya Pedal
San Andres Itzapa, Guatemala
In the rush to rebuild after Guatemala’s brutal civil war, farmers in San Andres Itzapa were left at the wayside. In order to empower his fellow farmers and reduce the air pollution that now prevents them from working for much of the day, Carlos helped found Maya Pedal, an organization dedicated to creating low-cost, low-impact mechanized tools to assist rural farmers. Their inventions: the bicimaquinas – pedal powered water pumps, corn grinders, coffee de-pulpers, and whatever else Carlos can dream of – are all crafted from old bicycles that were collecting dust in garages across the United States.Sharkey
Volunteer Bike Mechanic
Bici Centro
Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara, California is a city with two faces. One is the idyllic beachside retreat that has earned the title of “American Riviera.” The other is a town divided by socio-economic, ethnic, and gang-controlled borders. Sharkey grew up in the latter. In his struggle to escape the gang lifestyle that consumes many of his peers, Sharkey came upon Bici Centro, a community-run bike shop that caters to all of Santa Barbara’s diverse cycling communities – from the migrant day-laborers to the eco-concious commuters to the shave-legged racers. Sharkey now volunteers at Bici as a bike mechanics instructor, teaching Santa Barbarians from all walks of life how to keep their two wheels rolling.I thought this interview was a good one by the local Santa Barbra Teen Press. Check it out:
January 28, 2011, Fund for Santa Barbara's SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AWARD Nominees soirée.
Ryder and Peter met with producer and co-director Jacob Seigel-Boettner of "With My Own Two Wheels" to discuss the film, made at five locations around the globe.
Ryder and Peter met with producer and co-director Jacob Seigel-Boettner of "With My Own Two Wheels" to discuss the film, made at five locations around the globe.
Get involved in something that will help others. You can always start local and brach out from there. You make all the difference in the world. Thanks again for taking a look-
What a great documentary, thank you for sharing!
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