By: Laura Walton AFC®
Last month I attended Social Venture Partners Fast Pitch event at which seven select non-profits competed to inspire the audience through their stories, told in just three minutes, their “fast pitches.” The speakers for each non-profit did just that – they inspired – and so did the keynote speaker, a former astronaut, Ron Garan.
Ron Garan, currently with World View Enterprises here in Tucson, did two stints in the International Space Station. Looking back from space to our planet Earth 240 miles below, he saw its beauty. He describes it as “a stunning, fragile oasis — this island that has been given to us, and has protected all life from the harshness of space.” He saw this:
He returned to Earth with a keen appreciation of the gift mankind has been given – this planet – and his own mission to encourage collaboration on a global scale. He argues that we have the resources and technology to solve many of our problems; we need the will to work together. He says, “each and every one of us is riding through the Universe together on this Spaceship we call Earth, we are all interconnected, we are all in this together and we are all family.”
In the spirit of this perspective and the season, my wish is for peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind ~ enjoy your holidays!
Note: Social Venture Partners of Tucson is part of a world-wide network of donors. Its mission is to “cultivate effective philanthropists, strengthen nonprofits, and invest in collaborative solutions – building powerful relationships to tackle our community’s social challenges.”