Our usual Sogueco Family Thursday Dinner Date last evening included a new twist - we went to happy hour! Firstly, having a drink with my three-year-old was certainly new but the cool thing about this happy -- in addition to the food and great company -- is we helped someone in need.

Much kudos to Lisa Claydon and Lauren Wolfe of CK Marketing for party planning the Ho Ho Ho Holiday Happy Hour and Benefit for the Less Fortunate. Attendance was light but perhaps understandable given the time of year. However, the concept of this particular happy hour needs repeating. And not only during the Xmas season. No doubt, it's going to be a rough 2009 and if we in association community can all do something just a little extra during upcoming networking opportunities in the next year, it will make a huge impact. Click here for more photos of the event - WARNING: some shots taken by a three year old, can you guess which ones?!

No worry if you did not make it last night because you can still do some good. The following is from CK Marketing's Facebook invite with all the pertinent information you need to make a donation:

"Food banks across the country are especially stressed this holiday season, with demands for services up and donations down. At the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., they're struggling to keep up with requests from those in need. That’s why Lisa Claydon and Lauren Wolfe of CK Marketing have invited you to help them spread some holiday cheer to those less fortunate.

This Thursday, please join your friends at Ireland's Four Courts in Arlington, VA for a holiday happy hour and benefit. We're asking that you bring an item or two from the suggested "need list" (see link below) or make a monetary donation to the Capital Area Food Bank. Items/money will be collected on site and delivered to the Food Bank on Friday, December 19. Feel free to invite your friends, the more the merrier…ho ho ho."

NEED LIST: http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/support/donatefood.cfm
Make a donation… http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/donation/donate.cfm

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This post is a contribution to Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty. Since my thing is technology, I've compiled a list of Web resources and news/blog posts on how we can implement technology to combat poverty. If you'd like to add to this list, please e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or leave a comment. I will update the post as I receive contributions!

Personal Note: I'm originally from the Phillippines and I've seen abject poverty in squatter towns around Manila. This inspired me to contribute time (promoting a fund-raising classical concert) and money to Feed The Hungry, an organization helping those in need in my country of birth. You can monitor the organization's activities by following the blog of Feed the Hungry's Education Chairperson Pablito Alarcon. Through my participation, I realized doing a little changes people's lives for the better and doing a lot changes entire communities. The key is leveraging our skills to this cause. Thanks for visiting.

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