Become An Ambassador

If you have an electronic signature and prefer email, send us your form to:
annie (at) worldhoopday (dot) com

You can also drop it in the mail:

World Hoop Day Ambassadors
465 Esplanade Avenue, Suite 2
Pacifica, CA 94044  USA

Ambassador: Annie O'Keeffe, Founder & Creator
Drop: Mexico, New York, California
Location: Cozumel, Guaymas, San Carlos, Playa del Carmen, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, San Francisco, Treasure Island
From: born in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, 15 years in NYC, current residence in Pacifica, Ca
Date: May 5, 2005 - Present

As a child, Annie Leffingwell O'Keeffe hooped for fun.  Around May 5, 2005, she thought it would be great to have an international holiday for hooping, but that blossomed into a dream to have the whole world hoop for peace by December 2012.   

To accomplish this goal, she knew hoops would have to be donated to those who could not afford one.  She spent four months of 2005 traveling through Russia, the Alps, France, Scandinavia and the British Isles talking about World Hoop Day.  She continues her travels and gifting as often as possible, making 1-2 trips a year to a new place where dozens of children become happy hoop owners. 

The photo to the right is Hoopin' Annie (in white) donating hoops to local children of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

777

2007

2006

• Anna (UK) visited Sri Lanka and taught local communities how to make hoops with basic materials

• Julah (NC) visited Haiti and taught local communities how to make hoops

• Danielle (WI) visited Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands in Spring
  

2005

• Annie (NY) travels with hoops to European Union and Eastern Europe to spread the word of World Hoop Day – a day of Peace & Giving, June-October

Ambassador:  Jane from j Tote Bags
Hoop Drop:  Peru
Location:  Chawaytire
From:  Austin, TX, USA
Dates:  February 2010

In February, I spent some time exploring the mountains of Peru.  Inspired by World Hoop Day’s mission to spread hoop joy to kids in poverty around the world, I brought a box of hoops from home that friends and I put together.  After a week of checking the hoopbox onto planes, explaining it to customs, learning from customs agents that a hoop is called “hula hula” in Peru, I ended up unpacking it in Chawaytire, a textile weaving community 13,000 ft up.  There, among wandering animals, families picnicking and weavers setting their wares out on blankets, was a road full of kids looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon.

They waited quietly, shyly, to see what was in the van… and gathered to watch my quick demo.  Then the hoops came out – the boys put them on right where they were standing, the girls went off in a group to try them further down the road.  When the hoop box was empty, I brought out the real treasure – a pile of black unfinished hoops that Annie had sent me, and a box full of sparkly tape. 

Textile weavers are way better hoop tapers than us flat-landers from Austin, TX.  By the time we started the van back down the mountain, the road was full of hoopers, hoop makers, and beautiful sparkly hoops…oh yeah… and tons of smiles.

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Kirby
Hoop Drop:  Thailand
Location:  Buriram
From:  Lake Louis, AB, Canada
Dates:  January 2010

I traveled with the supplies to make 15-20 hula hoops. I spent 12 hours in a hotel room the night before I traveled to The Tree of Life Orphanage in Buriram making and taping what turned out to be 17 hula hoops. I had never actually made a hula hoop before so the process was slow but very exciting as the hoops turned out beautiful! The next day I transported the hula hoops to the orphanage and waited for the children to get home from school. The second the children saw the hoops they couldn’t wait to use them. Fully dressed in their uniforms from school they busted out their hoop moves until supper time a few hours later. In the beginning it seemed that the children were trying many different hoops of different colors and sizes but a few hours in, and as the days went on, it seemed that they had each picked a favorite and stuck almost entirely to that hoop. 

They took care of their hoops and kept them clean and some of the children hung them on their wall as decorations when they weren’t using them. During the week I taught the kids a couple different tricks with the hoops and some of the children taught me new tricks they created on their own! Most of the children were leg hooping long before I thought to try and teach it to them. They had competitions to see who could hoop with the most hoops.  Although reluctant at first, by the end of the week I had the directors of the orphanage, as well as the adult neighbors, hooping.  The adults seemed to enjoy it even more than the children, simply because they were not expecting it to bring them so much joy, and then it did.

Part way through the week the other volunteers at the orphanage and I were invited to attend an activity day at the school to run an English station.  I decided to bring the hula hoops as well. The kids at the school were thrilled with the hula hoops, and one girl in particular couldn’t get enough.  The director of the orphanage and I decided to give the extra hula hoop we had to the girl who had fallen under the hula hoop spell- she was thrilled. 

Everyone I spoke to about World Hoop Day thought it was a fabulous idea after they saw the reaction of the children with the hoops. The hoops provided so much more than they expected; they brought confidence, creativity,  leadership, and sheer joy. What a fantastic experience!  See more of her photos on Kirby's FaceBook Page.

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Jowanna's & her mum's friend
Hoop Drop:  Uganda
Location: Gold Coast & Sydney
From:  Australia
Dates:  January - May 2010

I donated 20 hoops to a book fair, which is held every year by my friend's family to raise money for a school and health-care centre in a Ugandan village.  Its the village that my friend's father comes from - which I like.  The hoops all sold in the first few days of the book fair. 

My friend's mum wants to take hoops over for the village school when she flies over in May, so I have 20-25 hoops here ready to go.  She is insisting on paying for them though, but I'm insisting on doing it for cost price & I will be putting the money straight back into making more hoops to donate elsewhere.

I LOVED making the extra hoops for this!!!  I've made all different sizes & it's so lovely to think that kids far over the other side of the world will be playing with them.

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Natasha of Pixie Hoops
Hoop Drop:  Fiji
Location:  Taveuni
From:  Canada
Dates:  December 2009 - Present

Bula Bula from Fiji,

We are in Fiji to live permanently, we have a very dynamic dream set up here.  We are working in Fiji to develop a youth circus in the outer islands. We are be based in Taveuni, third largest island in Fiji. 

Volunteer instruction includes circus arts, performance, dance, costuming and of course Hooping!

Pixie Hoops made and shipped over 50 Hoops that will arrive in Fiji in February.  The children are more excited about the Hoops then anything - hooping make the world go round!!

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Natalie
Hoop Drop:  Mazatlan
Location:  Mexico
From:  Bend, OR, USA
Dates:  October 2009 - 2010

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Megan
Hoop Drop:  Paraguay
From:  Chicago
Dates:  August 2009 - 2011

___________________________________

Ambassador: Jessikah Towle
Drop: Casa de Milagros Orphanage (Chandler Sky)
Location: Cusco, Peru, South America
From: New York, USA
Date: March 2009

Recently, while traveling Peru, I was given a grant from World Hoop Day to make hoops as an offering to the children at “Casa de Milagros” which is a home for orphaned children, just outside of Cusco.

I am continuously humbled by the power of the hoop. Over and over, I have seen the magic of this large, plastic, circle, bring so much joy and healing as it whirls and spins around the human form, like a ring around a planet.

The children at “Casa de Milagros” were no exception. I did not give the children the hoops right away. Since I was going to be there for a few days, I decided to wait and get into their rhythm first. There was school, chores, homework, then dinner. I figured between homework and dinner was going to be the best opportunity for playing with the hoop. On the second day, I brought the hoops out, and before I could even get close to unwrapping them the kids had their hands all over them. There were literally squeals of delight, and they got right to it. In Peru they call it “hula hula” not pronouncing the h’s so it sounds more like “ula ula”.

I picked up my hoop, and showed them some tricks, and I kid you not, for the next three days every free moment they had, they spent hooping. It was fun and challenging to offer trick tips. Luckily there was a native English-speaking boy living there as well, whose parents have responsibility for the run of the place. He was able to translate for me with ease. In my short amount of time with the children, many became apprentices to the hoop.

Even while traveling in remote areas of the jungle, and on mountain buses the sight of the hoop brought a smile to all who came in contact. That is the magical part for me, to see the light spark in people just from the sight.

Back to top.

___________________________________

Ambassador: Dia

Hoop Drop: Proyecto Montezuma
Location: Montezuma, Costa Rica, Central America
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Dates: February - August 2009

I started a hoop group in Montezuma for all ages.  We have designated Proyecto Montezuma as a donation spot for anyone traveling who would like to donate hoops for the children, or volunteer their time to make hoops with the kids at the school. Kerri, the program director, will make sure that they get them. I'll be here until August but I'm trying to set it up so that the children in the community are able to receive hoops long after I leave! If you want more info on Proyecto Montezuma check out wwww.proyectomontezuma.blogspot.com.

___________________________________

Ambassador: Melanie MacNeil of Asheville Hoops
Drop: Deep Ripple Second Annual Kids Fair
Location: Negril, Jamaica, West Indies
From: Asheville, NC
Date: January 2009

Melanie returns from her second Negril, Jamaican trip, partially funded by WHD. Asheville Hoops mission is, “To spread the joy of Hoop dancing to people of all ages.” What a gift to be able to extend this mission in Negril, Jamaica, W.I. She writes, "While in Jamaica, the locals loved to see the hoops. Ironically there is a recent “Dancehall Reggae” track by artist “Macka Diamond” called the Hula-Hoop. The Hula Hoop is referred to as the “ula-ooh”.... 

 

The children immediately pulled the hoops out and began to roll, spin, toss, hook and dance with the hoops, playing in new ways I had never known or expected. Many of the children in wheelchairs simply “wore” them around their chairs. Others simply held onto them as the tangible experience of the colorful tube in hand was just as blissful as hooping them on the body." Check out her photos of the Kid's Fair here. Check out her orphanage trip here.

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Emily
Hoop Drop:  Peace Corps
Location:  Paraguay
From:  Brooklyn, NY, USA
Dates:  December 2008 - 2010

______________________________

Ambassador: AC Fiberalchemist
Drop: Walden House Rehabilitation Center
Date: September 15, 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Received:  10 Hoops

Dear World Hoop Day,

Thanks to such a generous comunity!  Wow, what a smile those hoops put on the people's faces Sunday at Walden House circa 3:15ish. I just delivered a few to them, so they can practice when I am not around. It was so funny, the intake worker started hooping in the middle of their fancy hallway reception area. It was a riot.

Thanks to "World Hoop Day" for their generous donations in making this effort possible and for arranging the Door-to-Door delivery service. Totally cool.

______________________________

Ambassador: Dove
Drop: U.S. Peace Corps
Location: Cape Verde, Africa
From: NY
Date: August 2008 - 2010

___________________________________

Ambassador: Jo & Rachel
Drop: Refugee Homes in Palestine and Israel
Location: Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East
From: The United Kingdom
Date: August - September 2008

Hi Annie,

I'm currently in east Jerusalem, working with the international solidarity movement. We had hoop making and hula sessions as part of a summer club in the Salfeet region, and we have been doing hooping with the grandchildren of the family, who's house is under siege.

We have lots of tape left over and you can by the pipe here everywhere! So as I have another 2 weeks here, I will buy some more pipe and continue to make and give away hoops. Hope all is well with you, salaam xx

I'll get on trying to put these pictures up! To see them... Click here.

___________________________________

Ambassador: Kaya
Hoop Drop:
Embracing Project
Location: Liberia, Africa
From:Las Vegas, NV, USA
Dates: 
June 2008 - Present

___________________________________

Ambassador: Melanie MacNeil of Asheville Hoops
Drop: Deep Ripple First Annual Kids Fair
Location: Negril, Jamaica, West Indies
From: Asheville, NC
Date: March 2008 

I decided to assume my role instead as an ambassador of fun, health and creativity. I knew my work in Jamaica was to spread the good word about hoops. I felt inspired to bring the positive energy that hoops can generate to the West End of Jamaica. I was connected to the Deep Blue Ripple organizers and soon became involved with the 1st Annual Kids Fair held in Negril. I was thrilled! 

After connecting on Tribe.net with Hoopin' Annie, some simple networking led to a grant from World Hoop Day. With that support, I was able to construct, transport and contribute 13 kid's hoops.   After school ended around 3pm, the kids slowly filed in to create a wild and active event! The kids recognized the Hoops immediately and in an exciting frenzy, they were quickly pros. With instant smiles and an eagerness to learn, the kids swept throughout the park like a storm! I spent 3 hours playing, teaching, laughing and adventuring with these bright-eyed and energetic sponges.

Overall, my travels taught me a new appreciation for life. As the hoop represents a sense of oneness and wholeness, I saw the children as reflective, shiny mirrors glowing back at me. The language of laughter, music, and art were global, and with the help of the hoops, we transcended through language, culture and boundaries to reach a common ground: FUN!   See photos here!

Back to top.

___________________________________

Ambassador:  Mariana
Hoop Drop:  São Paulo
Location:  Brazil
From:  Porto Alegre, Brazil
Dates: 2006 - present

Photos Here