A Few Good Men
This post is dedicated to the people it is about. Selfless individuals who are all doing their part for various charities, and doing so in ways I do not think I could do.
The first are two men I know personally. I work with the, or I should say with the company they work for, and have almost daily contact with them. At this point in time these two guys – who are normally based in Singapore and the UK respectively – are in the middle of the Atlantic in a 7 meter long rowing boat. Yep, they are rowing the Atlantic for charity.
The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge
The race is simple. Teams of two, a 7 meter long boat with only a small hut for shelter from storms, and 2,900 miles of Atlantic Ocean. They are undertaking this great effort for the charity Shelterbox. Shelterbox is a company that airdrop food and supplies into areas affected by natural disasters. By doing this race the guys are hoping to raise a grand total of 132,000 Pounds Sterling.
They have been rowing for 17 days and 18 hours now, and have just crossed the halfway point in the journey.
If anybody wants to donate to this great cause they can do so here 
The second cause I would like to mention today is again one that is a question of endurance. Granted not on the same scale as an atlantic row, but then again it is endurance of a different nature entirely.
It has become an annual tradition in The Netherlands for three famous Radio DJ´s from a particular station, to lock themselves up in a glass house – only the bedroom and bathroom is covered – in the middle of a city centre and play to conduct a radio show 24 hours a day for those 7 days. The twist is that not only are they locked away but they are not allowed to eat. That's right they do not eat a single morsel of food while working in shifts for 7 days straight. That's nights, early mornings, you name a time of day and at least one, normally two of them are up and working.
Last year they raised just over 7 million Euros and this year they hope to beat it. It just happens to be in the city next to us, about 10 minutes down the road, so my wife has been to see them, and we have donated as much as we could.
The event is called Serious Request Live
The cause this year is called "This one is for Mama" and it is for the families – namely in the Ivory Coast – who villages were ransacked and men slaughtered. The mothers have been left to raise their families alone and with no possessions at all. A donation of 15 euros will feed a family for a week. It is crazy and heartbreaking to hear their stories, and I am so proud of the DJ's for doing this. Celebrities who actually do something for charity, rather than those that just demand we give and offer nothing even remotely sacrificial by return.
Anybody interested in Donating to this cause can do so via the below link. It is in Dutch, but I believe the directions are fairly standard and should be usable.
To both sets of people I say, Well done boys! you have my respect and I wish you all the best in your endeavours.
