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Welcome to Vrbish #003
This week is all about creating a culture of doing, and leaving our communities in a better place than where we found them!
This Week in Vrbs - Vrbs making an impact in their local communities, New Vrbs Artist collections
Builder Spotlight with Vetch - How the Vrbs donation will positively impact Camp Dost
The Local Impact Grant is an incredible opportunity for Vrbs to act on our mission of doing good with no expectation of return. With a current budget of $481/month, there are already creative ideas that are effectively helping people and improving public spaces!
Small efforts compound into a large impact, and that is the whole idea of having a culture of doing. Here are some other Local Impact initiatives you can participate in or vote to fund:
Empowering with Skateboarding and Technology
Vrbs Artist in Residence, pumpynft, launches Nouns Mates, a collection of 777 NFTs on Base, with 40% of mint funds going back to the Vrbs Treasury!
Vrbs Victorious Collection reaches #2 in OpenSea Top Charts!
Rocketman said it better than I could have, these are excellent examples of a positive-sum movement! These artists are spreading Vrbs through their work and giving back to the treasury at the same time!
In the interview below, Vetch gives us an inside look at Camp Dost, a summer camp that empowers pediatric cancer patients with skills for personal growth, independence, and fulfillment. Through a Vrbs proposal of 0.85 ETH, Vetch is filling much needed gaps in the Camp's programming budget!
[Curtis] Can you tell us more about your role at Camp Dost, and the mission you are supporting?
[Vetch] I've been a staff member since 2011, on the Administrative Board since 2018, and currently in my final year as Camp Director. It's been an extremely rewarding experience, letting these kids be themselves for the first time. Camp Dost doesn't baby them, but empowers them through expression, independence and communication. The Vrbs donation will allow us to incorporate creative storytelling into our programming, resulting in a more impactful and fun experience! I just want to leave this program in a better place than where I found it.
[Curtis] Let's double-click on the Vrbs impact. Can you expand on the specific impact this donation will have on the program?
[Vetch] This will be the first year post-Covid that the vaccine requirement has been lifted, resulting in a large influx of new campers, approximately 30-40 more than last year. With more campers, our overhead costs increase. Without the Vrbs donation, things like activities, camper gift packs, and the supplies required for our week-long immersive, interactive team building story would need to be scaled back in order to allow us to admit and serve as many children as possible.
[Curtis] I think the camp's mission will resonate with a lot of people. If someone is inspired, what's the best way they can contribute to Camp Dost? Are there volunteer opportunities?
[Vetch] Our staff is made up entirely of volunteers, and we are proud to report that staff retention is over 90%. That being said, financial donations and specifically supply donations will have the largest impact.
[Curtis] I'd say that retention is a testament to how impactful the program is!
[Vetch] Absolutely! Some of the staff members are even invited to my wedding, so we've really become a family over the years.
[Curtis] Clearly as Director at Camp Dost you've embraced philanthropy. Is this also what attracted you to Vrbs?
[Vetch] Like many in Vrbs, I started as a Web3 nomad. It was difficult to mobilize around a group with a common mission. The y00ts n00uns became my first Web3 home. You could not find that level of quality and excellence in people anywhere else. From there, the Vrbs mission was born!
[Curtis] Vrbs is about doing good and making an impact, how can Vrbs improve to better achieve this goal?
[Vetch] We need more proposals, more grants, more conversations. Making an impact starts with small efforts. Fundamentally not everybody will agree with me, but we can't be afraid to spend the Treasury. Vrbs was meant to have a culture of doing. I don't know if we will be as big as Nouns one day. Maybe we will. But first we need to start with small local impacts. Let's start showing people what we can do!
Thank you for reading!
Vrbish has one mission: To amplify Vrbs and the builders and creators that support it.
Please share this with a friend and do your part to amplify our voice. Every new community member helps Vrbs do more good in the world
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Check out an interview with @vetch about Camp Dost Vrbs funded part of the programming budget, helping give kids the summer they deserve https://paragraph.xyz/@vrbish/vrbish-003
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