Art for 1000 Wells Invites Shoppers to Buy Holiday Gifts Online, and Save Lives in Africa

Independent artists and artisans invite holiday shoppers to buy once, and give twice this holiday season with their upcoming eBay Giving Works charity art auction, Art for 1000 Wells, which will benefit Blood:Water Mission’s humanitarian work in Africa.

San Luis Obispo, CA -- November 15, 2007

With the arrival of the holiday season, people’s hearts flow into their actions. You know the feeling--holiday decorations go up, and colored light bulbs turn on someplace inside us. We fight crowds as we tramp through malls and stores, and ride the waves as we surf online shopping centers, all in the quest of buying presents for those we care about.And when we find that one perfect gift--the one we know they’ll love--we feel a rush of excitement that just might compare to winning the Super Bowl.

As we give to those we know, our hearts also turn to those we don’t. Our checkbooks come out, and we donate to worthy causes--we feel the warmth of the holiday spirit, knowing that our contribution may improve a person’s life or put a smile on a child’s face someplace in the world.

Each experience is edifying. But imagine this--what if we could give both ways at the same time?

This is the concept that inspired Art for 1000 Wells, an international group of artists and artisans who are bringing their talents together for a 10-day eBay charity auction, which will run from Saturday, November 24th to the evening of Tuesday, December 4th. The goal of the auction: To raise funds to benefit Blood:Water Mission’s 1000 Wells Project.

Founded by the members of the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band Jars of Clay, Blood:Water Mission is a non-profit organization which strives to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, through providing clean water solutions in African communities, supporting medical facilities, and promoting community and worldwide involvement.The goal of the 1000 Wells Project is to provide one thousand wells to one thousand African communities.

“We hold fast to the conviction that we are all responsible for being good stewards of our time, our resources and our compassion in a broken world,” quotes the Blood:Water Mission website. “Every person has something to give in return for what has been received.”

The 1000 Wells Project is connecting people from all across the globe, and Art for 1000 Wells is a perfect example of this. Hailing from several countries, the individual artists and artisans each have their own personal challenges in life, yet are still reaching out to help others.

Working with eBay’s auction and fixed price formats, the artists will offer their original work for sale online, and contribute a portion of the profits to Blood:Water Mission. From November 24^th to December 4^th, holiday shoppers may go to www.eBay.com, and enter the keyword term TWBW (Thousand Wells Blood Water) into the search bar, to find a wide variety of original items for sale at auction. The creations will include such one-of-a-kind items as artwork, fine-art photography, handmade crafts, and more. Each item will be as unique as the artist who created it.

Water is life. A thousand wells will save uncountable lives. Art for 1000 Wells invites shoppers to search “TWBW” on eBay this holiday season, and give the gift of original art. With one purchase, you will really be giving twice.

For more information about the auction or individual artists, please visit the official website at http://artfor1000wells.googlepages.com

Or contact:

Christine Taylor

805-474-8136
artfor1000wells@gmail.com

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