Walk Stars | Join the 42-km ‘Mao-a-Thon’ This Saturday

Do you consider yourself a walk star? Then sign up for our 42-km “mao-a-thon” this Saturday. It’s a walk in the park. Ritan Park.

The mao-a-thon is inspired by Mike Wester and his Maovember 2017 feat of walking 900 km in 30 days. This time around it’ll just be one day and 42 km / 28 laps of the park.

How to participate? Find some sponsors! They could sponsor you for say 1 kuai or 2 kuai or 5 kuai or [insert amount here] per km. If they sponsor you 1 kuai and you finish the 42 km circuit, you collect 42 kuai, with 100 percent going to our partner The Library Project, which has furnished over 2,000 libraries in rural schools.

We also have several relay teams. For example, four people each take turns walking, which means about 10.5 km per person. That also means four times as many people getting sponsors!

If you’re interested in joining the walk, please contact us via nihao (at) maovember.com or use this QR code to join our dedicated WeChat group.

Finally, here are some photos of Mike Wester’s epic one-day 70-km walk in Ritan Park two years ago. I hope the weather is this nice on Saturday!

‘Coolest’ Gathering in Town | Maovember Launch at Hulu

Join the “chillest” gathering in town. The Maovember 2019 mission launches Friday, November 1, at Hulu with a repeat of last year’s terrace event. Bundle up and enjoy drinks, snacks and games to support Maovember’s 2019 partner, Library Project, which has furnished over 2,000 libraries in rural schools.

The mulled wine stand returns and guests also have the option of hot whisky, ginger and Coke, a twist on a Chinese remedy for the cold. We will have a fun game with tasty boozy prizes– beer from Jing-A. And, like last year, a flow of delicious Hulu snacks.

Finally, we will launch our 2019 Maovember pins. This year features a “green” theme as we merge a new logo with our extra pins from campaigns past.

Entrance to the gathering at Hulu is rmb150 and includes one hot drink or wine, a 2019 Maovember pin (regular price rmb50), and snacks– with 100 percent of the money raised to The Library Project.

And for those still in the Halloween mood, the Hulu staff will be showing they care — by dressing as scary nurses. You can also still try frightening food from the special “Hulu-ween” menu!

So stop by, have a drink and some snacks, get a pin, and help support Library Project. The event starts at 6:30 PM. Much appreciated if you RSVP at nihao (at) maovember.com so we have a rough idea of how many people will join. If you are on WeChat, we can also add you to our event update group.

Thanks to Hulu for the support!

Maovember’s 2019 Partner: The Library Project

Maovember 2019 is about to start and we are backing one of our veteran partners once again: The Libary Project. Since being established in 2006, TLP has furnished books, tables, chairs, shelves et al — libraries — in over 2,000 rural schools in China. TLP has a long track record of teaming up with individual donors, smalls campaigns like ours and big corporations. It is fully registered in China, something that is increasingly important for those raising and donating funds.

I’ll also post an update soon on how our last campaign’s funds were spent. That includes our efforts with bakery Bread of Life and equipment we funded, including industrial clothes driers, printers and a specially made wheelchair from Germany. I’m just waiting to hear from Bread of Life on one last item. That update will also cover The Library Project, which also did a review this year of some previous libraries we funded.

We are a bit behind on organizing this year and right now need to focus on confirming our event lineup and getting through opening weekend, which features our launch party this Friday at Hulu and our 42-km “mao-a-thon” this Saturday in Ritan Park.

Maovember 2019!

Planning is under way for this year’s Maovember. From a “mao-a-thon” in Ritan Park to a weekend of corn toss — Saturday at Irish Volunteer in Beijing, Sunday at We Brewery in Tianjin– to a party at Hulu to events with our usual friends, things are in motion. Expect more details on Friday, October 25, when the one-week countdown to Maovember begins.

‘Mo the merrier | Paddy O’Shea’s hosts MVB closing party

The Maovember closing party at Paddy O’Shea’s is a fun annual tradition and this year was no exception. The party featured Jameson pickleback shots inside and hockey shots outside courtesy of the Beijing International Ice Hockey guys, two bands, The Reprobates and The Soops, and a draw in which everyone who bought a pin won a prize, including bottles of wine, Paddy O’Shea’s merchandise, and more.

With representatives Tom Stader from Library Project and John Bison from Bread of Life Bakery on hand to receive ceremonial checks, it was a good way to wind down this year’s campaign.

The pickleback bar, games and donations raised 元2226. The draw, in which everyone bought a pin, raised 元1500. That meant 元3726 and a nice addition to this year’s Maovember total.

A cut above | The Rooster hosts Sip & Shave in Shanghai

Shanghai got into the Maovember spirit with a “Sip and Shave” event last Sunday. One of two “hair of the dog” Maovember events, and organized by Pilou, it brought together The Rooster and Homie Barbershop for some beers and beards fun. Patrons could opt for a beer, a trim and a Maovember pin for 元100 or just go for the beer and pin at 元50. By the time the sipping and shaving finished, the event raised 元1100.

Suit up! Santacon supports Maovember for second straight year

For a second straight year, SantaCon teamed with Maovember for a “hair of the dog” event. Dozens of Santas, elves and other North Pole denizens took to Beijing’s streets on December 1 for a pub crawl that began before noon and lasted deep into the night.

Sales of Santa suits—just 元50 each!—were donated to charity and raised 元2050. Sales of mulled Orchard Pig cider at one of the many stops, Paddy O’Shea’s, also went to charity and raised 元1500. That meant a grand total of 元3550 and a nice early Christmas present for Maovember and its partners Bread of Life Bakery and The Library Project. Check out some of this year’s photos below and some of last year’s at this link.

O’Shenanigans! Maovember closing party set for Friday!

The annual closing party at Paddy O’Shea’s is always a Maovember highlight: expect this year to be no different. The party will feature two bands, The Reprobates and The Soops, plus a Jameson pickleback bar, a raffle, a BIIH hockey shootout with Orchard Pig cider as prizes, and the Just Dance dancers (just dancing). Representatives from this year’s partners, Bread of Life and Library Project, will be on hand, and there is always the usual Paddy O’Shenanigans. Starts at 7:30 PM: see you there! You can check out the action from last year here.