Have you ever had one of those crazy ideas pop into your brain, usually late at night?  Maybe it's something just for the fun of it, maybe it's something that will really make a positive impact on others.  Or  maybe it's something that just seems so far out of reach that you brush it off and blame your thought process on too many late night snacks.

Hello!  My name's Peter West Carey, father of an outstanding eight year old, professional photographer and freelance writer living in the wonderful Puget Sound region of Washington State.  I too am given to those crazy ideas.  I'm also ambitious about making the good ones come to life.  I've been mulling over an idea for about a year now and have finally nursed it to the action stages.

In brief, this crazy idea is known as the People, Place and Patterns Project and endeavors to bring distant cultures into classrooms and community groups first in my local community and then expanding the sphere of influence further and further from home. 

I have a strong belief that photography can bring a better understanding of different cultures to those young and old and bridge a geographical gap most will never physically cross.  To that end I have picked a country dear to me and a continent which I have never explored as a starting point for this project.  Starting in February of this year and running through the end of May, I will be traveling to the high mountains, sweeping deserts and ancient markets of Morocco, the rugged countryside of Kenya, Tanzania's fabled Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Parks in the shadow of Kilimanjaro and twenty thousand feet up a little known peak in Nepal.  I will be taking two separate trips to explore and learn more about the people, places and patterns each country holds.

Upon my return to the States, I will begin presenting the photos, videos and stories gathered on the journeys to over 50 school classrooms, 10 libraries and reach out to at least 20 community groups by the end of 2010.  More will be added for 2011.  Indeed, I've already started making contacts near and far who are excited about bringing these distant cultures their students.  I've received unanimous response from those interested that having a speaker come into their classrooms and engage children makes a larger impact than simply playing a documentary DVD and discussing it afterward.  I've also received encouragement to engage Rotary clubs, Lions clubs and other community groups who enjoy sharing knowledge with those living close to them.

This project continues my  life-long pursuit to help others learn about the world around them.  I have previously raised over $15,000 to help build a school in Nepal with the phenomenal group Room to Read, and while my financial goals are less lofty this time (a mere $10,000 is all I need to raise), my passion is just as deep.  I believe and hold dear Room to Read's motto, “World change begins with educated children.”

I can use your help in making this crazy idea a reality.  When fully funded, this project can ignite a desire to understand the world outside our borders for at least 1000 children and 700 adults before the end of this year.  As a thank you for your help, I am offering a number of rewards on my pledging website.  You can back this endeavor for as little as $1 and the project uses Amazon.com to handle funds.  If my goal of $10,000 is not reached by February 16th, 2010, nothing will come out of your pocket.  It's all or nothing funding which ensures your pledge will only be collected if the project reaches its goal.

More information and an easy pledge processing can be found at http://thecareyadventures.com/blog/the-people-places-patterns-project/ .  Thank you taking the time to consider this project.  If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section below or contact me directly at peter[at]thecareyadventures.com.