http://www.highcloud.org/cloudsnapple

Also post your pics and experiences on our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/highcloudfoundation/

Join us at our upcoming High Cloud PeasantMan Triathlon -- Group rides, runs, open water swim clinics, bike and multiple triathlon clinics, BBQs, culminating in a Sprint and Olympic distance Triathlon where every finisher gets an awesome cupcake -- doesn't get better than that for sure! 

https://www.facebook.com/PeasantMan

A couple taps into endurance - theirs and other runners' - to help underprivileged kids.. By Sarah Lorge Butler. Runner's World.

Adriana and Matt Anderson's average day is like a marathon. They rise most mornings at 6:30 to work as management consultants in Washington, D.C. They return to their Alexandria, Virginia, apartment at 7 p.m. and head out for a run. Afterward, their second shift starts. They're often at the dining-room table until 2 a.m., working on High Cloud Foundation, a nonprofit running organization they founded a year ago to send food and supplies to poor children in South America, Africa, the Middle East, and India.

The mission was to help children of limited economic resources within El Limonar area of Tolima, Also, High Cloud had the objective to help single mothers to which the Foundation has contributed crafts classes, providing them food and clothing donated by families in the United States.

The campaign began at 11 am with a conference led by Miss Paola Cuevas, nursing student, who provided a seminar on: “Healthy living”. During her presentation she explained the following topics:

• Feeding children.
• Healthy habits.
• How to care for our bodies, as families live in the countryside, live in mud and wood houses and lack of potable water.

She instructed children how food is fuel for the body and is the source of energy and nourishment for your body to function properly. She also illustrated to them on conditions and diseases that can arise from poor or inadequate nutrition.

As for healthy habits, the High Clouder Daniela Lozano, dental student, taught the benefits of using the toothbrush and cream to cleanse daily after meals, which prevents decay and ultimate loss tooth.

The mothers took careful note of the explanations given by the lecturers on how to learn to eat well, with little food available to them according to the region where they live, to achieve a healthy life.

After the speeches were given children were provided with a health kit consisting of: toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper and talc, a team of notebooks, folders, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener, colors, black and red pens, plastic school kit and slates for younger children, balls, carts and hats because it is a very hot area.

The single mothers were given some kitchen utensils, food and clothing collected in the United States.

Yasmin Lozano a nurse from the local community, provided a fully equipped first aid kit with the necessary medicines to provide emergency assistance

After the activities, all of the attendees were provided a lunch. Mothers and children were happy, not only with what they learned, but also toys and health and school kits they received.

Below are photographs of the children who are so very grateful to the High Cloud Foundation for all the help we give each year in Colombia.

Melissa Tovar 

Please see pictures below from our past event:

http://www.imathlete.com/events/EventOverview.aspx?fEID=24333

Also, please see the below link for almost 400 pics from our past event -- courtesy of the LUNA Chix!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sheddshots/sets/72157651959383570/

January 31, 2015

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we kick off the holiday season!  This is a time to reflect, be thankful, relax and be with our loved ones. We wanted to thank you for making High Cloud such a great family. We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a beautiful jewelry project that has been taking place with our High Cloud community in a very rural area in the country side of Colombia. The project focused on a group of 12 low-income women who before the implementation of the project, made only $5 a day to support their children.  With this project, High Cloud has been able to create employment opportunities for these single mothers by providing them with the tools they need and teaching them how to make beautiful pieces of jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, earrings, lucky charms, etc). Now, this group of women are able to sell their products at the local markets and have reduced their poverty level by increasing their daily income which indicates that this project has been successful, effective, has produced achievement and it is very sustainable.    

Here is a link to a video that shows how High Cloud has developed this program and how the women learn this art:  http://animoto.com/play/lomfqL14YamzGCz4fgSxrg

The strong positive impact of this program has led us to continue to develop it by getting more instructors, raw materials and expanding it to the poor areas of Bogota which is a city that hosts more than 270,000 displaced people, including single mothers and children. Many of you are already wearing the jewelry that these single mothers are making as an only source to sustain their children, so please wear them with pride as a symbol of the positive impact that you are making by volunteering and helping with our High Cloud events!

We as High Clouders have to be thankful for being able to provide these kind of sustainable programs to so many people and children in need.  A full report of this meaningful program will be posted on the website as well as the letters from the communities thanking the High Clouders for supporting them in living a better life.

Enjoy the video and get inspired to assemble tricycles and get toys for the kids in the local communities at Pro Bicycle Shop.  This is a quick example that all of our hard work and our wearing the High Cloud gear as Ambassadors goes a long way.

It is an honor for us to have you as our High Cloud family. You guys make High Cloud such a special place. We could not do it without you and for that we love you and we are eternally grateful.

Have fun tomorrow and let’s kick off this holiday season with a big smile and tons of energy!

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Adriana, Matt and Kailee

Kinhaven 5K -- November 

High Cloud Snapple Holiday Homeless Run December

High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon January 

High Cloud PeasantMan Triathlon May

Alexandria Running Festival May

High Cloud International Peace Half Marathon September