With your amazing work, generosity and support, our community raised a total of $20,435.00 for Concern Worldwide!

We did it. Tweet by tweet, ticket by ticket, we came together in a remarkable way that only Toronto can to reach our ambitious fundraising goals for an even more remarkable cause. Our efforts mean that 265 children will receive the gift of education. Their lives will change forever because of your help.

We also succeeded in raising local awareness of the global efforts to bring help to the world’s poorest people through schools, teachers, and quality education. With nearly 600 attendees at Tryst Toronto, it was an amazing demonstration of how we can rally together offline using social media for social good. Oh, and it was a pretty amazing party too :).

Join us in thanking the great people from all ends of the city that made the event possible.

Volunteers:

• PR - @erin_bury, @justineabigail, @JennaStothers, @staneymv, @melissaretty, @pinkbrickroad, @40deuce
• Event - @carolynvan, @akthe5th, @randymatheson, @alanlepo, @3rdparty
• Sponsorship - @drupeek, @dariusbashar, @idogood, @vinnyverma, @danielpatricio, @_ian_barnett

Event:

• DJs - @skratchbastid, @modernmod, @DJMarkeey, @davidakermanis
• Photos - @rosapark, @sarahdeath, @scolirk, @MotionBlur, @smack416
• Media - @blogto, @mtvcanada, @techvibes, Inspiredology

Sponsors:

• Yoda - WIND Mobile
• Dumbledore - Yorkville Media Centre, GCI Group, Make Web Not War, Microsoft WebsiteSpark, Bing, Sequentia Environics
• Mr. Miyagi - ScribbleLive, FreshBooks, Creative Niche, Socialtext, BNOTIONS, XCINO, VALT Productions, Simon Pure, SRED Unlimited, RIGHTSLEEVE, Angle Media Group
• In-Kind Donors - RIGHTSLEEVE, GelaSkins, 4QR, Belkin, Blockbuster, Flip Video, Linksys, Flight Centre, Damn Heels, Raptors, Blo, Uniq Lifestyle, AUX TV, Healthy Gourmet Gifts, ING DIRECT, Balmshell, Designer Cookie, Magen Boys Entertainment, Redpath Sugar, Fuze Beverages
• Creative Partner – Jet Cooper

On behalf of the Twestival Global team, the great people at Concern Worldwide, and your Twestival Toronto organizers, THANK YOU for making it happen. For more information on Twestival Global, stay tuned to @Twestival or http://twestival.com. For more information on Twestival Toronto, stay tuned to @TwestivalTO or http://twestivalto.com.

Thanks,

@sarahprevette
@skanwar

We’re less than 7 hours away from the third and largest Twestival Toronto ever! With 450 tweeps now confirmed, it’s a party you are not going to want to miss. Buy your tickets at http://twestivalto.com.

In celebration of all your support, we thought we would share some more details of all the awesome at tonight’s event.

1. EXCLUSIVE T-SHIRTS BY @RIGHTSLEEVE

If you’re one of the first 100 people at Tryst Nightclub tonight, you’ll receive a special edition Twestival Toronto t-shirt produced by @RIGHTSLEEVE. They come in 3 gorgeous colours and a variety of sizes, so don’t miss out.

Bonus: Twitpic yourself wearing the shirt with a message to @RIGHTSLEEVE #TwestivalTO, and you could win 1 of 10 other cool prizes. How cool is this?

2. EXCLUSIVE IPHONE SKINS BY @GELASKINS

If you’re bringing your iPhone tonight (or willing to get creative with scissors), you’ll be able to pick-up a special edition Twestival Toronto phone skin produced by @GelaSkins. They come in 3 gorgeous colours you’ll want to rock.

3. GOODBYE TREATS

When we eventually all have to leave Twestival Toronto (sadface?), it won’t happen without some especially useful treats. Thanks to Fuze Beverages and Redpath Sugar, we’ll have a supply of healthy Fuze beverages and delicious Redpath cookies to cure the munchies.

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

Leading up to Twestival Toronto on Thursday, we’ll be highlighting some of the amazing sponsors who are supporting the event. Today we chat with Jennifer Evans from Sequentia Environics.

Twestival Team: Tell us a bit about Sequentia Environics.

Jennifer Evans: We are an eight year old customer communications firm specializing in content, community and analytics, and the intersection of all three, working with clients like Bell, Yahoo! and HP.

TT: What motivated Sequentia to get involved with Twestival Toronto?

JE: We are big fans of Amanda Rose – she and I grew up in the same hometown and have followed the success of Twestival since it was just an idea! Thrilled to be able to support what you and she have been able to accomplish.

TT: Why do you think Twestival Toronto is an event Sequentia should be supporting?

JE: Big local action on a big global scale, coordinated yet with a distinct flavour in each location, what’s not to love? J

TT: How is Sequentia embracing social media and social media events?

JE: It’s in our DNA. We’ve been developing customer-centric communications since 2002, and social channels are a great way to foster engagement.

TT: If you could request one song at Twestival Toronto what would it be?

JE: Amos Lee, Keep it loose, keep it tight. What you really need to do when running a successful customer communications program: know which ties are loose, which are tight, and how to get from one to the other!

TT: Tell us what you hope the event will be like in 140 characters or less.

JE: We hope the event will be: Lotsofmoneyraising!

Next Steps:

1. Follow @sequentia on Twitter
2. Buy your ticket to Twestival Toronto

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

One of Canada’s hottest DJs, Skratch Bastid has shared the stage with Nas, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Ludacris, Ice T, Mix Master Mike & many others.

An incredible producer, in 2008 Skratch Bastid was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Producer of the Year.

Skratch Bastid is a legend. And he’s playing a set at Twestival that you don’t want to miss.

Joining the line up for the evening are Toronto’s own @Modernmod & London’s @DJMarkeey – it’s a roster of talent that is sure to see everyone on the dance floor.

Don’t miss out! Get your tickets now before they’re gone!

When you get to Twestival Toronto tomorrow night, don’t miss your opportunity to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win one (or more) of these amazing prizes. Every dollar raised through the raffle will go directly to Concern Worldwide to help us reach our $20,000 fundraising goal.

@RIGHTSLEEVE + GelaSkins
Follow: @RIGHTSLEEVE, @GelaSkins

We sent an exclusive announcement to last year’s Twestival Toronto attendees about the special edition giveaways from @RIGHTSLEEVE (100 only) and @GelaSkins. Stay tuned at the event!

Damn Heels + Blo + Uniq Lifestyle + Balmshell
Follow: @DamnHeels, @bloheartsyou, @LoveBalmshell, @UniqLifestyle
Value: $750

Ladies night out for 4 lucky winners, including: 4x pairs of Damn Heels, 4x Blo Outs, 4x Balmshell products, and Uniq Lifestyle’s free entrance, champagne, vodka and mixers.

It’s a perfect night out to remember!

WIND Mobile
Follow: @WINDMobile

You will get the amazing Blackberry Bold 9700 on Canada’s hottest new wireless provider, with 3 months of unlimited WIND Mobile service! Perfect for you.

Toronto Raptors
Follow: @Raptors
Value: Priceless

Official autographed jersey by the one and only Chris Bosh (#4, Home). Support the #boshtown movement!

Best Travel Job Ever (Flight Centre)
Follow: @flight_centre
Value: $200

Travel voucher for $200 for any travel booked conveniently through Flight Centre. Don’t forget to enter in their Best Travel Job Ever contest!

Belkin
Follow: @Belkin
Value: $250

Get your tech-savvy hands on either a TuneBase Direct with Hands-Free, TuneCast Auto LIVE, Bluetooth Music Receiver, or Laptop Cooling Pad.

Flip Video
Follow: @FlipVideoCanada
Value: $250

Open your world up with a Flip UltraHD camcorder perfect for every social media obsessed tweep.

Blockbuster
Follow: @BlockbusterCAN
Value: $300

Bring entertainment home with 1 of 6 available $50 gift certificates for use at Blockbuster locations across the country.

ING DIRECT
Follow: @SuperStarSaver
Value: $100

Get your savings on, with a high interest Investment Savings Account from ING DIRECT loaded with $100!

Healthy Gourmet Gifts
Follow: @hgourmetgifts
Value: $150

It’s a healthy gourmet gift basket, complete for a gourmet dinner party with generous selection of starters and mains. It’s perfect for a romantic dinner in!

Linksys
Follow: @LinksysCanada
Value: $100

Get your tech-savvy hands on a Wireless-N Broadband Router (WRT160N) to get more of the interwebs faster.

AUX.TV
Follow: @AUXTV
Value: $100

It’s a prize pack with an AUX.TV t-shirt and 8 new release CDs for you to jam out to after the party.

Damn Heels
Follow: @DamnHeels
Value: $400

Hot on the heels of the ladies night out package, we’ll also have 20x additional pairs of the damn useful Damn Heels.

The Designer Cookie
Follow: @DesignerCookie
Value: $100

You can snag 1 of 2 $50 gift cards for filling your stomach with designer and delicious baked goods.  Yummy!

Balmshell
Follow: @LoveBalmshell
Value: $300

Following the ladies night out package, we’ll also have 10x Balmshell Beach Patrol lip glosses and 40x Balmshell 2-pack mini lip glosses.

If you’re interested in sponsoring a raffle prize, please contact us at TwestivalTO2010@gmail.com or @TwestivalTO.

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

Leading up to Twestival Toronto on Thursday, we’ll be highlighting some of the amazing sponsors who are supporting the event. Today we chat with Aya Zook from Bing.

Twestival Team: Tell us a bit about Bing.

Aya Zook: Bing is the ‘decision engine’ from Microsoft we launched last June.  When you think about it, the search experience as we know today really hasn’t changed in the last 10+ years.  You type in keyword, it spits back links for you to sift through and figure out on your own. We think search can be better and it’s time to evolve the interaction model.  This is why we designed Bing to help people overcome ‘search overload’ and make faster, more informed decisions when searching online.

TT: What motivated Bing to get involved with Twestival Toronto?

AZ: We’re actually supporting a number of Twestivals – Toronto, NYC, SF, and LA.  We go where our community goes.  And Twitter being the hub of how and where we engage, we wanted to support a cause dear to the community.  We’re also a big proponent of ‘search literacy’ and the educational role an engine can play.  Concern Worldwide’s education focus was a natural fit for this reason.

TT: Why do you think Twestival Toronto is an event Bing should be supporting?

AZ: Toronto has a vibrant tech community we don’t always get to reach being out in Seattle.  We thought this would be a great opportunity to say ‘hi’.

TT: How is Bing embracing social media and social media events?

AZ: At the product level, Bing currently integrates real-time data through our partnership with Twitter.  We also have a Twitter app in Bing Maps where geo -tweets are overlayed on our rich mapping experience.

We’re involved with a number of social media events through sponsorships, speakers, and unique in-person engagement opportunities.

TT: If you could request one song at Twestival Toronto what would it be?

AZ: Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z (sorry, no Bing hook here…like Bing Crosby)

TT: Tell us what you hope the event will be like in 140 characters or less.

AZ: Bucketful of awesome for a good cause.

Next Steps:

1. Follow @bing on Twitter
2. Buy your ticket to Twestival Toronto

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

It’s a startling fact. More than 113 million children of primary school age are not enrolled in school. Millions upon millions of children are not given an opportunity to break out from the cycle of poverty. Shocking, isn’t it?

Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to bringing real, long-term improvements to communities in need. Concern’s aim is to improve, in a sustainable way, the livelihoods of extremely poor women, men and children. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by increasing access to quality education.

For over 40 years the organization has worked tirelessly to bring help to the world’s poorest people - by establishing schools and providing the necessary materials as well as qualified teaching staff.

Concern’s education projects help thousands of children to get access to a primary education and the chance of a brighter future.

It’s an idea that we need to support. An ideal that we can all advocate. Something we can contribute to just by buying a ticket to a party in our own city. Support Twestival Toronto and help bring education to more children around the world: http://twestivalto.com

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

Toronto - you rock.

With 4 days to go before the big event, the support of this amazing city has resulted in over $15,000.00 being raised for Concern Worldwide.

That is amazing. With the average cost of providing education to one out-of-school girl set at $75, that’s 200 lives you’ve changed. It’s incredible - but we can do more.

We’ve sold 310 tickets (as of 12:25PM) to this Thursday’s event — that leaves 190 tickets left. That’s almost $4000 that can go to helping children around the world get an education. That’s over 50 more lives we can change for the better. Get your ticket - change a life.

Help us showcase Toronto on the global stage as a community that rallies together for the greater good.

Together we can make a difference: http://twestivalto.com

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

Leading up to Twestival Toronto on Thursday, we’ll be highlighting some of the amazing sponsors who are supporting the event. Today we chat with Mark Reale from the Yorkville Media Centre.

Twestival Team: Tell us a bit about the Yorkville Media Centre.

Mark Reale: The YMC is an organization whose initial directives were to try to provide a spark for people who felt trapped in dead-end careers or facing unemployment during the turbulent times at the end of 2008.

The goal was to provide free training in digital media in order to help curious and motivated people establish a foundation dealing with web technologies.

Beyond that, the YMC has extended its reach to helping people in various walks of life develop more familiarity with web technologies through a 9-week program covering everything from the business aspects of web projects through the actual design and development stages.

TT: What motivated YMC to get involved with Twestival Toronto?

MR: The YMC is always looking to partner up and support organizations that embrace technology and look to use it as a tool that can affect positive social change.

After being introduced to Twestival - the whole ethic felt sort of like it was a family member of the YMC.

We have benefitted from the support of wonderful groups and individuals, so we are always looking for ways to keep the positive momentum going.

TT: Why do you think Twestival Toronto is an event YMC should be supporting?

MR: Hearing about Twestival’s success last year and wanting to contribute to to its continued success is reason in itself, but Concern Worldwide’s cause particularly resonated with us here at the YMC. Stripped down to its bare bones, the cause is all about empowering through education, and in that regard - we didn’t even think twice.

TT: How is YMC embracing social media and social media events?

MR: To be honest, the YMC is just a baby in this social media universe, so subsequently we are investigating every social media avenue we can find.

The YMC benefits tremendously from guest speakers coming in and delivering content to the participants, and we really got kick-started into the social media way of doing things after meeting the folks at Jet Cooper and having them come by and drop some science during our Fall 2009 YMC session.

Since then, through various social media channels, we’ve had a chance to share thoughts and shake hands with a lot of great people - some of whom have enthusiastically lent their support to the YMC and will be a part of upcoming sessions, and some of whom the YMC has been able to reach out to and lend support.

TT: If you could request one song at Twestival Toronto what would it be?

MR: Wu-Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow

TT: Tell us what you hope the event will be like in 140 characters or less.

MR: An artifact of a beautiful movement that is underway, a chance to build with some progressive minds, reason to look forward to the next one.

Next Steps:

1. Checkout the Yorkville Media Centre
2. Buy your ticket to Twestival Toronto

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO

Leading up to Twestival Toronto on Thursday, we’ll be highlighting some of the amazing sponsors who are supporting the event. Today we chat with Luke Southern, Digital Strategist at GCI Canada.

Twestival Team: Tell us a bit about GCI Canada.
Luke Southern: GCI Canada is a full-service public relations agency based in Toronto, with a public affairs division in Ottawa. We represent many well-known brands including Mattel, Belkin and Dell.

TT: What motivated GCI to get involved with Twestival Toronto? 
LS: This will be the second time that GCI Canada has sponsored Twestival. We think the event is great way to support a charitable cause, and an opportunity for us to engage directly with some of the thought leaders in the world of social media.

TT: Why do you think Twestival Toronto is an event GCI should be supporting?
LS: Supporting Concern Worldwide’s humanitarian work around the globe is the best reason to sponsor.

TT: How is GCI embracing social media and social media events?
LS: The emergence of social media has transformed the public relations industry. Consumers today have higher expectations of the relationships they have with brands. At GCI, we believe in an integrated approach to public relations – bringing traditional media and social media together to achieve the best results for our clients.

TT: If you could request one song at Twestival Toronto what would it be?
LS: Telephone by Lady Gaga

TT: Tell us what you hope the event will be like in 140 characters or less. 
LS: “Just in home from #twestivalto. Over 1,000 attendees raised $20,000 for @Concern! Good for me, too… met half the people from my TweetDeck!” (140 exactly!)

Next Steps:

1. Follow @GCIGROUP on Twitter
2. Buy your ticket to Twestival Toronto

Thanks,

#TwestivalTO