Forche
01-29-2013, 09:58 PM
Hey everybody its that time again! Come on down to Tucson for a week full of glass blowing events and fun!! :bouncy::bouncy: Hope to see you down here!
Here's a quick schedule:
Best Bed Show (Feb. 6 - 10) http://www.beadmercantile.com/
Wed. Feb. 6 - AZ Project main event day 1 http://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcome#!/theazproject?fref=ts
Thrus. Feb. 7 - AZ Project main event day 2
Fri. Feb. 8 - Sonoran Flame Off http://www.sonoranglass.org/flame-off-2013/
Sat. Feb. 9 - Auction/After party at Mr. Heads https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Heads-Art-Gallery-and-Bar/157521560941506?ref=ts&fref=ts
Glassblowers commin down include:
Alex Ubatuba
Abe Fleishman
Adam G.
K-Sass
Eusheen
Bandhu
Matt Eskuche
and many more........
Local Boys:
Calm
Devol
Forche
Brett Hughes
Jon Russell
Fathead Glass
Karl Taylor
Matt Bain
Ely Andrews
and more.....
This years charity is for a good friend of mine and our community down here Josh Bailey. Josh is such a kind hearted intellectual individual and has always had the brightest outlook on life even though he has been struggling with severe health problems for the past 10 years. Here is his story:
Josh has been a local Tucson Glassblower since 2004. Josh found out he was sick in 2002, right after high school, causing him to loose his full ride scholarship to college. He was diagnosed with Ehler Danlos Syndrome, a muscular disease that effects all major and minor joints. This causes him immense pain, which causes him to take an immense amounts of pain meds.
When Josh was 23 he suffered a minor heart attack. When he was 24 he was diagnoses with bladder cancer. This meant nine months of chemo treatment and surgeries for the rest of his life to make sure the cancer doesn't return. The cancer is currently in remission.
What has prevented Josh from returning to blowing glass recently is that his heart is now giving out on him. He has been warned by doctors to sleep no longer than 2hrs in order to make sure his heart hasn't stopped. This has made it so Josh has had to move back in with his parents, so he can be monitored. This has placed extreme emotional and financial stress on his family.
Josh now has to deal with two sets of prosthetic's, that he's had to purchase this previous year, in order to stop his heels from breaking under the pressure of his own body weight. This is in addition to him previously needing the braces from breaking both his heels which resulted in him being mandated to bed rest for over five months. He literally has one cast removed, just to have another replace it.*
So, to all who would like to donate, or sponsor, please help us to help our friend and fellow glassblower with finances and surgery. Through the horrible things life keeps throwing Josh, he continues to impress us with his strength and awareness. Although he suffers, he never asks for help. This is where the AZP steps in and we can't do it without your support.
If you are donating to our cause, please send it as soon as possible. Contact us if you have any questions :)
Infinite thanks, love, & gratitude ~ The AZP Crew
Here's a quick schedule:
Best Bed Show (Feb. 6 - 10) http://www.beadmercantile.com/
Wed. Feb. 6 - AZ Project main event day 1 http://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcome#!/theazproject?fref=ts
Thrus. Feb. 7 - AZ Project main event day 2
Fri. Feb. 8 - Sonoran Flame Off http://www.sonoranglass.org/flame-off-2013/
Sat. Feb. 9 - Auction/After party at Mr. Heads https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Heads-Art-Gallery-and-Bar/157521560941506?ref=ts&fref=ts
Glassblowers commin down include:
Alex Ubatuba
Abe Fleishman
Adam G.
K-Sass
Eusheen
Bandhu
Matt Eskuche
and many more........
Local Boys:
Calm
Devol
Forche
Brett Hughes
Jon Russell
Fathead Glass
Karl Taylor
Matt Bain
Ely Andrews
and more.....
This years charity is for a good friend of mine and our community down here Josh Bailey. Josh is such a kind hearted intellectual individual and has always had the brightest outlook on life even though he has been struggling with severe health problems for the past 10 years. Here is his story:
Josh has been a local Tucson Glassblower since 2004. Josh found out he was sick in 2002, right after high school, causing him to loose his full ride scholarship to college. He was diagnosed with Ehler Danlos Syndrome, a muscular disease that effects all major and minor joints. This causes him immense pain, which causes him to take an immense amounts of pain meds.
When Josh was 23 he suffered a minor heart attack. When he was 24 he was diagnoses with bladder cancer. This meant nine months of chemo treatment and surgeries for the rest of his life to make sure the cancer doesn't return. The cancer is currently in remission.
What has prevented Josh from returning to blowing glass recently is that his heart is now giving out on him. He has been warned by doctors to sleep no longer than 2hrs in order to make sure his heart hasn't stopped. This has made it so Josh has had to move back in with his parents, so he can be monitored. This has placed extreme emotional and financial stress on his family.
Josh now has to deal with two sets of prosthetic's, that he's had to purchase this previous year, in order to stop his heels from breaking under the pressure of his own body weight. This is in addition to him previously needing the braces from breaking both his heels which resulted in him being mandated to bed rest for over five months. He literally has one cast removed, just to have another replace it.*
So, to all who would like to donate, or sponsor, please help us to help our friend and fellow glassblower with finances and surgery. Through the horrible things life keeps throwing Josh, he continues to impress us with his strength and awareness. Although he suffers, he never asks for help. This is where the AZP steps in and we can't do it without your support.
If you are donating to our cause, please send it as soon as possible. Contact us if you have any questions :)
Infinite thanks, love, & gratitude ~ The AZP Crew