To Write Love on Her Arms

TWLOHA 2008: Year in Review.

Dec. 31, 2008 at 2:59pm

Hi Guys.

It's been a pretty amazing year. Thanks beyond words for your support.

Here's 2008 in review, starting back in January.

- Fully-functioning OFFICE FACILITY (aka "The Bungalow") established in Cocoa, Florida, along with our INTERN HOUSE, which is a house full of interns : )

- HEATH LEDGER BLOG.

- U.K. TOUR with The Rocket Summer, The Secret Handshake and Between the Trees. Introduced TWLOHA message at shows in England, Scotland and Wales. Made friends that became foundation of our future efforts in UK/Europe, including Olivia Tan, who came to USA for Summer 2008 internship.

- VALENTINE'S DAY DOESN'T HAVE TO SUCK:: AbsolutePunk.net Live Chat.

- AUSTRALIA : TWLOHA events in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle. Everything from a music store in Melbourne to a high school in Sydney to Soundwave Festival in Brisbane. Like our UK trip, we made friends that we remain in touch with as we plan the future of TWLOHA in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of that list is Gemma Lee from Melbourne, who spent three months interning with us in USA. In 2009, we'll be back for all the Soundwave dates, and much more.

- INTERNS: Launched TWLOHA Intern program and a six-week SPRING BREAK INTERN ORIENTATION.

- RENEE. TWO YEARS.

- UP IN ARMS Tour w/ Switchfoot and Athlete: TWLOHA introduced every single night on Switchfoot's nationwide U.S. Tour

- ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE: Innovators Issue.

- Jamie Tworkowski interviewed by Erwin McManus at Awaken Conference in Los Angeles.

- Jamie Tworkowski speaks at Q Gathering at Gotham Hall in New York City, honored to be one of 30 presenters invited to talk about shaping culture. Listen to the Q&A HERE.

- HOT TOPIC (PART 1).

- HOT TOPIC (PART 2).

- FATHER'S DAY BLOG.

- WARPED TOUR: TWLOHA Tent and team at every stop (all 46) on 2008 Vans Warped Tour. Over the course of the tour, we added 30,000 MySpace friends, surveyed 1,000 people and enjoyed countless conversations about TWLOHA and life in general. We'll certainly be back for more in 2009.

- CORNERSTONE FESTIVAL: If you had ten minutes to speak to 10,000 people, what would you say?

- FOR LEE BLOG.

- BATMAN BLOG.

- TWLOHA and POSTSECRET launch PICK UP THE PHONE campaign to save and support 1-800-SUICIDE

- PURPOSE FOR THE PAIN by Renee Yohe.

- THE ALL-NEW TWLOHA.COM

- VISION: The vision is that we actually believe these things...

- TWLOHA featured on NBC NIGHTLY NEWS W/ BRIAN WILLIAMS

- NEW FRIENDS: Invisible Children, charity: water, TOMS Shoes. We like these folks. We believe in 'em too.

- EAST COAST TOUR: "An Evening with To Write Love on Her Arms". 12 stops between Atlanta and Lowell, Mass. Music by Josh Moore and Zach Williams.

- HONESTLY / THANKS BLOG.

- POSTSECRET BLOG.

- ALLIANCE OF YOUTH MOVEMENTS SUMMIT: TWLOHA was honored to be one of 17 movements invited to New York City for this first-of-it's-kind gathering, organized by Howcast, Facebook, MTV, Columbia University and the U.S. State Department.

- CNN.COM: Live Interview w/ Jamie Tworkowski for "Young People Who Rock".

- TWLOHA begins supporting treatment in the United Kingdom, via NIGHTLINE and MAYTREE.

- Moved by the film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, TWLOHA donates an additional $10,000 in continuing to support the work of Apne Aap in India. Apne Aap is an initiative to end the sex-trafficking of women and children in India.

- Responded to over 50,000 messages between MySpace, info@twloha.com and international@twloha.com

- Over $320,000 donated to treatment and recovery in 2008!!

- STREET TEAM Nearly 10,000 members, from over 20 countries. Thanks for your support!!

- Gathered over 300 contacts on university campuses as we launch TWLOHA University Chapters.

- Over $30,000 raised thru SOCIALVIBE.

- Over 300,000 friends on MySpace. Over 400,000 members on Facebook Cause Page.

Thank you again for an amazing year.
Thanks for caring and for believing that hope is real and change is possible.
Happy New Year, and peace to you.

jamie and the entire TWLOHA team

PS: JANUARY 11, 2009: TWLOHA PRESENTS HEAVY AND LIGHT

Posted in General by jamie tworkowski

Comments (15)

I loved the Postsecret blog.
I do it on this site though.
Thank you Jamie!!
And the team!
Much love.

1 | Left by Taryn | Dec. 31, 2008 at 3:45pm

Hey there
thank you so much for everything you do.
I love all of your blogs!
i always look forward to reading them!
Love,
Erin

2 | Left by Erin Hotchkiss | Dec. 31, 2008 at 7:10pm

happy new years everyone i hope 2009 brings lots of joy to everyone.

love you all
ELLA

3 | Left by Ella | Dec. 31, 2008 at 11:39pm

Happy New Year :)

It's amazing to see what has been accomplished in 2008, WOW! I hope that 2009 will be another amazing year for TWLOHA, if not an even better one. Thank you Jamie for starting the organization, and thank you to everyone on the TWLOHA team for all the hard work you guys do, and thank you to everyone who supports the movement. :]

Thank you TWLOHA, for giving hope and reminding us that "rescue is possible" :D

4 | Left by Rachel | Jan. 1, 2009 at 10:59am

Wow I hope 2009 is even better!
Much love to The WHOLE TWLOHA Team!

HAppy New Year!

5 | Left by Brittany | Jan. 1, 2009 at 11:35am

The PostSecret blog is amazing, love it

6 | Left by Rachel. | Jan. 1, 2009 at 1:46pm

When I watch your videos, or read your blogs, it just gives me a chance to take a breath and realize, people care. Even if the people don't know you, they do...

Thanks guys, for making it possible to see that no matter what, someone is on your side.

7 | Left by Sarah | Jan. 1, 2009 at 8:43pm

I totally agree with Sarah it is wonderful to see that so many complete strangers could care so much.

8 | Left by Brittany | Jan. 2, 2009 at 12:18am

2008 really has been a great year for you guys :] and I hope 2009 sees things getting even better.

but my heart sank when I realised that the U.K tour was before I discovered you guys, or I so would have attended. any plans of coming back in the near future?

thank you for helping me to realise that I'm never alone.

keep on saving lives

9 | Left by Phoebe | Jan. 2, 2009 at 8:19am

You guys are coming back to Australia?! That's heaps cool. I haven't got tix to soundwave, so fingers crossed you'll be at other venues too?
Keep up the great work.
Emma
xxx

10 | Left by emma | Jan. 2, 2009 at 11:50pm

hey. . .
congratulations for all of you TWLOHA team for the successful year on 2008.
i hope on 2009 everything is much better.
and i've read the PostSecret Blog.
after reading it, i realize that my life is more meanful than i thought.
thank you guys.
and anyway, do you have any plan to visit Indonesia?
thanks for reading my comment.

with love,
Anna

11 | Left by Anna | Jan. 4, 2009 at 3:29am

2008 was...quite some year, alright. I found out about Twloha this year, actually, so it can't have been too bad. Anyway, I don't know if you guys ever did anything in Missouri, USA, but I'd love to see you all here.

12 | Left by Emily | Jan. 4, 2009 at 2:58pm

this is quite amazing it eally has changed my outlook on life!thanks for that +D

13 | Left by kitty | Jan. 6, 2009 at 7:34am

Jamie i really am so proud of you. The bungalow is really nice and cocoa village is really pretty. Denny and Chad were really really so helpful at my benefit show, and helped me realize that i can turn my sadness into something better, and it even helped me cope with the pain. you truly are an amazing guy and i cant wait to see you again.

Please email me soon, i would really like to talk to you about having a club at cocoa beach high school and satellite high

Chris

14 | Left by Chris Labine | Jan. 6, 2009 at 7:40am

Thank you TWLOHA!

Happy new year, my hopes and wishes are with you all, for a pain free year!

15 | Left by Morgan | Jan. 12, 2009 at 11:54am

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