__twocolumncontent.jpg)
Any kid with the nickname “Mr. Awesome” is undoubtedly destined to change the world, and that’s exactly what Calder Sloan is doing even though he’s no longer a part of it.
Calder tragically lost his life in 2014 at the age of seven in an electrical accident in his family’s swimming pool. But his spirit lives on through Caleb and Calder’s Awesome Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on child social causes, water safety and acts of kindness under the mantra of “Laughter. Adventure. Kindness.”
The foundation has partnered with the Los Angeles nonprofit #HashtagLunchBag to give attendees at PromaxBDA: The Conference a way to give back to the local community.
On Thursday, June 8, from 10:30 - 2:30 p.m., at the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Los Angeles, PromaxBDA members will have the opportunity to create bagged lunches, complete with inspiring messages for people in need of a nourishing meal.
It will all take place in an area dubbed “Caleb and Calder Sloan’s House of Awesome”—a funhouse-themed activation with décor, music, and a live DJ, as assembly lines of creative, marketing and design professionals from major media organizations work to create more than 2,000 meals in four hours. The meals will be distributed immediately to shelters, benefitting children, adults and families.
In addition, the crayons used to write notes on the lunch bags will be donated to The Crayon Initiative, which recycles used crayons, creates new ones and distributes them to local schools and art programs.
Caleb and Calder’s Awesome Foundation was founded by Calder’s father Chris Sloan, owner and chief creative officer at 2C Creative, and a PromaxBDA member, along with his wife Carla. Calder’s younger brother, Caleb, will play an active role in the foundation as he grows up.
“When the unthinkable happened to my family, the PromaxBDA organization and membership really stepped up and supported us and our cause,” Sloan said. “We are tremendously grateful to them and #HashtagLunchBag for continuing to help us honor our son through this exciting event.”
Sloan, along with Ajay Relan, founder of #HashtagLunchBag, and Steve Kazanjian, president and CEO of PromaxBDA, will take the stage on Wednesday to promote Thursday’s activation.
“The foundation has conducted fundraisers and raised money for other charities, established scholarships and endowments, and undertaken give back events in South Florida, but this PromaxBDA marks the biggest coming out party yet,” Sloan said.
Yet it’s just one way the foundation has inspired change in Calder’s memory. It started with Calder’s hand-drawn self-portrait that serves as the organization’s logo.
After Calder’s death, the drawing went viral, with major celebrities, professional athletes and other luminaries snapping selfies with the artwork. The image was featured on The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Today Show, in Times Square, and is even being painted on a FedEx plane.
That exposure, along with his family’s tireless campaigning, led to the creation of the Calder Sloan Pool Safety Task Force enacted by the Florida State Legislature, which has resulted in significant pool and water safety regulation and reform that they plan to expand nationally.
“It is our hope that his legacy will make a difference in the lives of even more children who could use a little ‘Laughter, Adventure and Kindness.’” Sloan said. “If Calder were here today, he would be so proud and I know his little brother Caleb is.”
Tags: