Vote for Pepsi's ‘Do Good for the Gulf' grants

The Pepsi Refresh Project is giving away an extra $1.3 million to fund great ideas to help the Gulf communities. Participants can vote for up to 10 ideas a day. There are a number of local projects to vote for, including projects from E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center, The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, White-Wilson Medical Center, Sharing & Caring, The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce and Juli Guthrie of Miramar Beach.

The E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is in the running for $250,000. If the Center wins through the most votes, the funds would go toward educating students in the Florida Panhandle about the environmental sciences for the 2010-2011 school year. The E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center is a 501(c)3 registered under the name Nokuse Education, Inc.

To vote for the project, visit http://gulf.refresheverything.com/educatetomorrowsleaders.

The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation is also in the running for a $25,000 price. Its goal is to showcase more than 100 Gulf Coast artists at its annual arts festival. The grant would allow them to broaden marketing efforts, enhance the entertainment and offset the loss of sponsorships due to the spill.

Vote for the foundation at http://gulf.refresheverything.com/mattiekellyartsfoundationorg.

White-Wilson Medical Center’s Little Black Dress Fundraiser is in the running for the $250,000 Pepsi Grant. One hundred percent of these proceeds will benefit women in Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties who need healthcare services or treatment.

White-Wilson’s Little Black Dress Fundraiser is also competing for the $250,000 Pepsi grant. In May 2010, The White-Wilson Center for Women’s Imaging hosted The Little Black Dress Party to promote preventive healthcare for women and raise money for local charities. If White-Wilson’s Little Black Dress Fundraiser wins the Pepsi grant, 100 percent of the funds will be used to promote and provide healthcare services to women in need in our community through local charities. 

Vote at http://gulf.refresheverything.com/littleblackdress.

Juli Guthrie of Miramar Beach is also in the running with the idea for a “2022 Learn to Grow Center.”

“This isn't a cure-all for the current situation, but is more in the intentions of long-term help for the people of the Gulf Coast,” said Guthrie, who got involved with Refresh after hearing about it on radio.

Guthrie has imagined a multi-purpose farm that would grow the products needed to make alternative fuels, produce organic fruits and vegetables and serve as a learning center.

“I envision it to be a field-trip spot, for kids to come and learn, hands-on about being green,” said Guthrie. “Being the mother of three, I want to educate my kids to be healthy and give them the wisdom to take care of the Earth, along with thousands of other children.”

Vote for her idea at http://gulf.refresheverything.com/2022learntogrow.