“We want to bring DOING leaders together,” explains co-organizer of TEDx Macatawa Jay Frankhouse. He is referring to a March 8, 2012 event being held at the Knickerbocker Theater in Holland.
Although TEDx has been around Michigan for a few years, this is the first for the Macatawa region. For those of you unfamiliar with TED, it’s an international conference focused on technology, entertainment and design that creates ideas worth spreading and implementing. A TEDx event is one that is organized at a local or more regional level.
“This is going to be a hot ticket,” assures Frankhouse. Although they aren’t announcing speakers quite yet, Frankhouse did share that the presenters are all from West Michigan except for one. And, it’s the organization’s goal to spotlight leaders who are operational in their ideas and working them now.
Do More Good is their theme for the conference, but its more than just a conference. “Participants are not just ticket holders, they are solutionists,” says Frankhouse. “They will be curated by the level of potential for doing good.” So, it is call to all of you action-oriented people out there.
They also have a philanthropic model in mind.
The organizers have established it as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and created a fund managed by the Holland/Zeeland Community Foundation. Although corporate sponsorships are accepted, individual community members are also encouraged to support the event with donations. And they have, according to Frankhouse.
“This event is by and for our community,” he says. “It’s a gift we are making and receiving.”
As a designer co-planning this event, Frankhouse is definitely unique. “I’ve been referring to it as a wicked design challenge,” he says. It definitely has its challenges, as they have committed to implementing the event with a budget of $30,000 or less. That’s quite a perplexing dilemma, for certain.
Only 400 tickets exist for this exciting event and applications will be available soon. If you want to partake in this Do More Good experience, check out the links below:
• Visit the TEDx Macatawa
website for more information
• Subscribe to their email
updates for announcements and application process
Source: Jay Frankhouse, TEDx Macatawa
Writer: Jennifer Wilson, Do Good Editor
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