The 9th Annual UTW DAY
CELEBRATING POSITIVE. LOCAL. ACTIONS. WORLDWIDE.
The 9th Annual UTW Day took place on Saturday, September 18, 2021. As in previous years, we had participants in countries around the globe: Australia, Asia, Europe, Canada, and the USA.
Los Angeles, CA, USA – UTW Headquarters
Our positive local action for the 9th Annual Unfuck The World Day here at the UTW Headquarters benefitted our sisters and brothers who are experiencing homelessness on the streets of Hollywood. On September 18, 2021, we offered an afternoon of free showers and haircuts.
For this event, we teamed up with Compassion Connection. We were able to use their professional Kohler shower trailer that provides seven state-of-the-art shower stalls, six regular and one allowing wheelchair access.
The Kohler shower trailer
Before our guests took their showers – for which we provided towels, soap, and other needed essentials – they were able to browse for clothing and shoes in a boutique-style setting, where donated, gently used, clean clothes, shoes, and other needed items are displayed on racks and shelves, allowing a real shopping experience, rather than having to dig through trash bags or cardboard boxes.
To make sure the boutique would not run out of clothing, we had put out a call to our friends, neighbors, and co-workers to clean out their closets and stop by to drop off their donations, and many followed our call!
After our guests had taken their showers, a team of stylists and barbers was ready for them to cut, trim, and style hair, and beards.
Browsing for clothing in a safe and friendly environment
3 stylists and 2 barbers volunteered their time
While our guests were waiting for their appointments, they were provided cold beverages, fresh fruit, energy bars, cookies, and more. We also had giveaways, like notebooks and pens, flashlights, toiletries, tarps, and many other things, plus our volunteer Adrianna set people up with free, government-provided phones. And last but not least, our friend and supporter Jon Linton, founder of the Let’s Be Better Humans campaign, joined us in his beautiful outreach bus to distribute underwear.
We are excited that this event fell into place after many covid-related hurdles had to be taken. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be there and help! And a special thank you to Andrew Froemming, the Director of Operations at the Hollywood Adventist Church, our location for the event, for his incredible support!
Our awesome volunteer Diana worked tirelessly
Andrew (left), the Director of Operations at First Adventist
Two of our stylists, Tanisha, and Jacob
Craig and Thomas sorting donated clothes
Don and Jill managed the giveaways
Jon Linton’s Let’s Be Better Humans bus
The check-in table for the showers
Volunteers Brian, Cindy, and Joan
Many of our volunteers, but unfortunately not all of them made it into the picture
Donated shoes and sneakers went quickly
Jeff, Kia (all the way from Atlanta), and Brian
Jon of Let’s Be Better Humans, and Maike
Tarps were a sought-after item
Volunteers Maike, Kia, and Joan
One of our guests who came for a shower
Stylist Susan giving Dawn’s long hair a trim
Kirsten and Bill managed the Boutique and Shower Check-In
The Boutique provides clean, gently worn clothing and shoes
Tanisha cutting Ryan’s hair
Augsburg, Germany
Our long-time supporter Bernd Beigl happened to be in town from one of his many tours crossing the European continent on his bicycle, and he took the opportunity to join us for UTW Day 2021. His positive local action for the day was picking up trash and cigarette butts, and he created this awesome little video for us!
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Bernd doing his part to unfuck the world
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Calgary, Canada
UTW Day 2021 Team Member Karen Begg
UTW Day organizer Karen Begg in Calgary will join us again for our 0ur 9th Annual UTW Day, and we’re very happy to have her on board! This year, Karen will team up with a local charity called Elephant Arts Relief Society Elephant Artist Relief Society (EAR) is a registered charity that provides practical resources to artists in the Calgary region in order to help sustain their well-being and livelihood and, in turn, contribute to a vibrant cultural sector.
Karen will organize a Pop Up Art Event & Social Mural Painting, “pay what you can”. All proceeds of the sale will go to the local artist relief society which provides emergency funding for artists in need.
Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Our friend and supporter, Pauletta Pierce, who in previous years attended UTW Day events organized by the UTW Headquarters, decided to do her own positive action this year! When she found out that a local Senior Citizen Building in Chinatown called Cathy Manor elevators in a 15-story building were down for 2 weeks, she joined in with local community members to make themselves available to their Elders to bring supplies up and down the stairs.
One of the elevators was finally repaired, and together with community members and local youth, Pauletta organized a UTW Day event, celebrating the Chinese Moon Festival and honoring the Elders at Cathy Manor.
Chinese Moon Festival symbolizes the reunion of family; it is a greeting of autumn, giving thanks for a good harvest.
The gathering for the Elders was celebrated with food and traditional Lion Dancers, bringing good fortune and luck. And what better day to do this than Unfuck The World Day?!
Pauletta and her daughter Angelique
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Olongapo, The Philippines
Our awesome team member Melissa
We were more than excited when we heard that Melissa Flores and her friends from Olongapo, The Philippines, were joining us again this year! Melissa has been part of the global Unfuck The World Day team since we celebrated it for the first time in 2013, and we always look forward to see their beautiful actions!
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
UTW Day 2021 Team Members Valentijn & Janneke
In the past years, our official UTW Day Co-Producer Valentijn Vogel and his wife Janneke in Rotterdam, The Netherlands used to organize concerts at their restaurant, Allegaartje, to celebrate Unfuck The World Day, and raise money for local charities.
Because of this year’s stricter regulations, instead of a live show, Valentijn and Janneke created a video reel with special performances by local bands. On Unfuck The World Day, the video played in a loop at their restaurant, so their guests could watch and listen to the music while eating dinner. You can watch the video here.
The restaurant proceeds from the day, 400 euros, went to support Isaak & de Schittering, a local food bank that distributes meals to those in need.
Valentijn Vogel, our awesome co-producer in Rotterdam
Jonny Smokes, one of the artists who submitted songs for the video
Guests were given the opportunity to make a donation
Tolga, QLD, Australia
UTW Day 2021 Team Member Christine Boll
UTW Day organizer Christine Boll in Tolga, QLD, Australia joined us for the second time, and we were very happy to have her back!
This year, Christine teamed up with a local charity called Mareeba Animal Refuge which is run by volunteers who are making a difference in the lives of refuge animals.
On UTW Day, Chrissy and her friends went on a 100 km bike ride and, by slowing down, see the world as it is, Every rider brought a bag to collect trash along the way.
Vancouver, WA, USA
On Unfuck The World Day 2021, long-time supporter, and first-time participant, Jeanette Eileen Weaver, went to clean up the hiking paths along the Columbia River near her hometown of Vancouver, WA. We are so happy that she joined us this year!
GERMANY
UTW Day 2021 team member Mike Rinker
Mike Rinker, a beekeeper from Wöllstadt, a small town near Frankfurt, Germany, will join us for a second time, and we are very happy about that.
Mike couldn’t help but notice the massive amounts of trash along hiking paths, and he decided to pick up bottles, cigarette packs, and other discarded items while out and about with Luna. This year he will organize a Bucket Walk to encourage people to collect a bucket of trash while doing a walk (with/without a dog) to clean up the nature around Woellstadt.
