The winner of April’s $1,000 Awesome SA grant for best (“most awesome”) idea will be announced at the new Rosella Coffee Company at 203 E. Jones Ave Thursday at 6 p.m.. If you haven’t been to Rosella yet, this is your chance to exercise your Instagram hashtags #architecture #interiordesign #craftbeer #sammies #twoshotsplease because it’s very well done, inside and out (see photo above). It’s hard not look good in a renovated warehouse.
“When I saw the space, I just felt like, ‘This is it!’ I loved the idea of using an old, converted warehouse, loved the 20-foot ceilings and loved the location, both to the River Walk and (Broadway Street) apartments,” Rosella Owner and KSAT-TVAnchorman Charles Gonzalez told the San Antonio Business Journal.
Take a look at this month’s finalists’ grant application below, as submitted to the Awesome SA board of trustees. April’s applicants have been challenged to come up with ideas for how to further improve/activate Travis Park, stay tuned later this month to find out the Awesome SA finalists for that round.
[Read More: Travis Park Open for Business, Play, Awesome Ideas]
Liza Meyer: Alamo Forest Partnership/Síclovía September 2014
A little about me:
Have you ever sat under a tree to read a book, find shade from the hot sun? Trees are silently and diligently working to conserve our water, reduce the stormwater runoff, reduce the energy demand for cooling our homes and improve the quality of the air we breathe. Yet, every year our tree canopy is diminishing. The Alamo Forest Partnership (AFP) was established in 2001 with a vision to reverse the trend of a diminishing urban forest. Our mission is to raise community awareness of the value and proper care of trees by educating the public and conducting tree adoptions.
Here’s my idea:
AFP is best known for its annual “Jammin Jams Fruit Tree Adoptions” at the Pearl Farmers Market. This event is a public tree adoption event of 500-750 fruit and nut trees. Before an individual can adopt a tree they must first complete an education session to learn about the commitment of tree adoptions – proper placement, planting and maintenance. AFP is requesting $1,000 from Awesome SA to expand its tree adoption event reach to the YMCA’s September 2014 Síclovía event.
Síclovía is a free event that turns major city streets in to a safe place for people to exercise and play. Based on the previous four Síclovía events we expect over 65,000 participants. AFP has found this event to be a perfect opportunity to engage a large audience to learn the value trees bring to San Antonio and to take the pledge by adopting a tree. Each individual adopting a tree will be required to complete an education session on proper tree care.
AFP with its matching funds of $1,000 will commit to have at least 400 one-gallon trees adopted by San Antonio families.
How I will use the money:
The requested $1,000 of Awesome SA funding will be used to purchase 200 one-gallon trees of native Texas species. If awarded, AFP will match Awesome SA’s funding with $1,000 from their operational budget to purchase an additional 200 trees.
How will this make the San Antonio community more awesome?
This project will empower citizens to take responsibility for their community by providing them the knowledge and tools to successfully plant and care for a tree. The project will assist in relieving San Antonio’s problem of a depleting tree canopy. Long term benefits to our organization and the community will be the resident’s renewed awareness of a tree’s contribution to our ecosystem. The success of this program will be measured in the number of trees planted.
Laren Salguero: SA Create Space
A little about me:
I’m a designer, small business owner with a strong interest in improving San Antonio.
Here’s my idea:
I want to create a space for co-creativity. Much like how Geekdom is a gym for geeks, I see this space as a gym for creatives — a place where people can go, get creative and make a mess while meeting other creatives. Sometimes the projects I want to take on are limited by the space and supplies I have in my small apartment. I imagine this idea to be a membership-based non-profit/social organization, where members would be encouraged to teach their craft in workshops to other members and non-members.
Initially, the only needs would be to secure a space, get some members, a locker system and some large craft tables and chairs (hello, goodwill!) Members would have a locker to store their supplies and materials. Eventually, through membership fees, I would like to be able to purchase some equipment for screen printing, community supplies, printing press, etc. Down the line, I would like to include a space to sell member’s work.
How I will use the money:
I would use this money (along with my own) to help secure a space for the co-create space as well as for legal fees to set up the non-profit/social organization and marketing efforts.
How will this make the San Antonio community more awesome?
Having a collaborate space for creatives to go would be an awesome addition to an already thriving arts scene. I’d love to facilitate this growth for our community.
Jaime Leeper: Add Sun Safety Prevention to Travis Park
A little about me:
Miles Against Melanoma South Texas is a chapter of a national organization whose purpose is to bring sun safety awareness to the communities. Being that the sun is something everyone is susceptible to, cases of malignant melanoma are on the rise. We want to help teach on how to prevent this; once one is diagnosed with melanoma, there is no cure – they fight it their entire life.
Here’s my idea:
There are several companies that do great things to help create the environment of sun safety. There are companies that have machines that are “misters” – sunscreen is applied by a push of a button. There are also automated sunscreen dispensers. I think Travis Park should have one of these. Lastly, there are also companies who create canopies that are hoisted up over playgrounds to protect our children while they play.
I would like to help assist with this and can reach out to these companies to see about getting these items donated, or at a significant cost reduction.
How I will use the money:
Strictly for this purpose. Miles Against Melanoma wouldn’t use the money for any other project. All that we ask is the Awesome SA recognize us as an organization in San Antonio. We have logos that can be supplies.
How will this make the San Antonio community more awesome?
Less sunburns, less melanoma diagnosis, better education on how the sun, while fun, is dangerous.
*Featured/top image: Rosella Coffee Company. Photo by Iris Dimmick.
