Maovember 2018 partners | Library Project, Bread of Life confirmed

Bread of Life Bakery and The Library Project are confirmed as the two partners for the sixth annual Maovember mission, slated to launch November 1 at XL Bar & Restaurant.

Bread of Life trains and employs working-age orphans with brittle bone disease. It serves many Beijing restaurants and individuals, and has received kudos for its quality, especially its carrot cake and pies. Maovember 2017 funded this delivery vehicle as well as the industrial mixer, refrigerator motor and new computer equipment shown below.

The Library Project is responsible for funding over 2,500 reading rooms across China and was our partner for the first Maovember in 2013. Maovember 2017 teamed up with The Library Project for reading rooms in Yunnan and Hebei provinces. Here are a few photos from a Hebei project.

Maovember 2018 will be providing more funds to these two worthy operations. Want to help? Learn more here.

Wheel results | Maovember funds Bread of Life delivery vehicle

One request from 2017 Maovember partner Bread of Life Bakery, which employs working-age orphans with brittle-bone disease, was a new delivery vehicle. We soon discovered buying a vehicle was one thing the scarcity and cost of the Beijing license needed for deliveries in the city quite another.

Then we lucked out. New Bread of Life manager John Bison met someone who was selling his Honda and Beijing plates and, because he liked the bakery, willing to get them go for the bargain price of USD5,000 or RMB34,300. Deal done!

Bison brought the vehicle to Paddy O’Shea’s, a Maovember supporter since year one and site of our closing parties. He’s seen sharing some of Bread of Life’s much-loved carrot cake with co-owner Paul Rochon.

You can also catch it, perhaps wearing a giant moustache, at the Maovember 2018 launch party at XL Bar & Restaurant on November 1. The vehicle is part of our mission to show visible results from our fund-raising. Look for more posts in the coming days and wees about the bakery equipment for Bread of Life and the reading rooms for Library Project that Maovember funded over the past year.

Happy New Year from Team Maovember!

Happy Year of the Dog to all Maovember supporters! Hundreds of people donated time, money, venue space, drinks, foods and more this past year to help our 2017 partners Library Project and Bread of Life.

Bread of Life has already used Maovember money to upgrade its water heater and walk-in fridge. We are planning a site visit after the holidays to see how the rest of the funds are being used for baking equipment.

The next Library Project reading room will be furnished in March. As GoodWorks, our 2016 charity partner, will close this month, its unused Maovember funds will be transferred to Library Project for reading rooms in Yunnan, where GoodWorks sourced its coffee and tea. It’s sad news that GoodWorks will end but good news that all donations will be put to good use. Photos, details and receipts will be posted as those projects unfold.

Maovember is truly a team effort and a testament to the generosity of people from all over the world who live in China and want to do something good. All the best for the New Year holidays!

Walk Star | Mike Wester Finishes Month-long 900-km Mao-a-thon

`It took more than a million steps but Mike Wester, manager of True Run Media and The Beijinger magazine, successfully completed a 900-km mao-a-thon to support this year’s campaign.

The month-long mission saw Mike complete walks around the city’s second and third ring roads as well 75 km on his fiftieth birthday, 108 km during a weekend attempt to visit every CHEERS wine shop and 120 km during a two-day walk to 2017 charity partner Bread of Life and back. When he arrived at the Maovember closing party at Paddy O’Shea’s on November 30 with 899 km under his belt, a group of supporters joined him to finish off the 900.

Many people sponsored Mike per km at 1 mao (rmb 90) or 5 mao (rmb 450). He also had corporate sponsors, including IDC Dental, BActive, 24 Hour Fitness, CHEERS, The Roots, idMASK and Punjabi.

Mike is also a member of the Maovember 2017 Steering Group. Some pics from his mao-a-thon:

Recap | Maovember Wraps Up with Shave Off at Hatchery

The last “hair of the dog” event for the Maovember 2017 campaign featured a “shave off” at The Hatchery. Attendees could get a shave, or just a trim, while enjoying Jing-A stout or Jameson drinks, with all funds to Maovember. The event raised rmb2,040 and wrapped up a successful 2017 campaign!

Recap | The Beijinger and Punjabi Hold Chili Pepper Eating Contest

People called it the year’s hottest event: The Beijinger chili pepper eating contest at Punjabi on December 2 had tongues burning. Eight competitors from eight nations tried round after round of increasingly hot peppers, with the crowd also getting samples. Ankit Nayal of India eventually took the title. He works for BActive, which ranks among the top sponsors of Maovember this year. The contest was one of three “hair of the dog” Maovember events in December and raised 38,700 mao (rmb 3,870) from drink sales and from attendees voting, via rmb50 donations, on the competitor they believed would win.

All competitors got Punjabi, Bodensee, Ayam Brand, Herb Whisperer and Caravan prizes. Attendees who voted via donations were part of a draw for prizes from Q Mex Taqueria, Saigon Mama, Pak Pak Thai Kitchen & Bar and Punjabi.

Truly a hot event and all for a good cause.

Recap | Beijing SantaCon Doubles as Maovember Fundraiser

Every year, a sleigh full of people in Beijing dress as Santa and do a day-long tour of bars, restaurants and cafes to get into the spirit of the season. This year’s SantaCon was on December 2, started at The Local before heading off for 10-plus more hours of fun, and raised money for Maovember. It was one of three “hair of the dog” events held in December. Some rmb1,800 was raised in Santa suit sales, with a further rmb600 from Paddy O’Shea’s and rmb250 from Orchard Pig. Well-done, Santas!

Recap | Paddy O’Shea’s Hosts Official Maovember Closing Party

Maovember officially closed its 2017 campaign on November 30 with a rowdy party at Paddy O’Shea’s. The night kicked off with a group of supporters joining Mike Wester for the last of the 900 kilometers he walked during his mao-a-thon in November.

Party-goers then enjoyed CHEERS mulled wine, Orchard Pig cider and Jameson picklebacks, hockey and dart games, the weigh-in for the CHEERS Wine Your Weight in Wine Contest, and live bands all night.

Representatives of this year’s partners, Bread of Life and The Library Project, were on hand to accept rmb25,000 each as an initial donation. The rest will be given once the final accounting is done this month.

All in all, a wild and fun finish to this year’s campaign, one that raised 33,490 mao (3,349 rmb) through wine, cider and pickleback sales, games and donations!