RAINFOREST AID 09 Thank You from Michael Cranford

michael cranford rebecca.jpg My heart goes out to you all ! 139 + musicians who traveled from 5 countries and donate their $ performance , 30-40 local and international volunteers,

hotel owners in San Jose, Alajuela, Puerto Jimenez and La Palma, taxi drivers, cattle trucks and the local Campesinos from Amapola. I want to thank our video,

sound, and recording crew, and the owners of the property that provided their land to help pull this off. Our production, advertising & website partners in Puerto

Jimenez , San Jose, Austin, Denver, Boston & Canada. For our sustainability, recycling and educational volunteers and partners from Costa Rica and abroad.

And to all the conservation organizations who believed in RFA.

My only hope is that whatever we do in the future to protect the Osa, our efforts include creating jobs for Ticos, and to educate children about the rainforest

and the important roll they play to help protect it. The future of The Osa is in their hands.

Rainforest Aid is The First Festival in Costa Rica to:

• First Ever - 3 Day Music Festival In Costa Rica. Ever !

• Bamboo and banana leaves used as sustainable solution for plates. (

no plastic was used to serve food.

• First time in history of the Osa to bring classical, blues, rock and

world music to the stage.

• $8-9,000 worth of jobs for local Tico Families & Campesinos

• Dozens of local Tico business’s earned more money in 3 days that

they earned over the last 6 months.

• Only 6-8 bags of trash were created even though we had a 3 day

attendance of 600 people.

• Only 4-6 bags of recycled plastic were dropped at the recycling

center in Puerto Jimenez, as all waste was identified, sorted, washed,

organized and used before it was bagged for re-location.

• 100% of RFA’s waste was received by composting toilets ( no porta

toilets were used )

• Composting toilets and showers are for the continued use of the community.

• 100% of the human waste is being turned into humanure at local

sustainable farm.

• Local taxis and cattle truck owners made thousands of dollars

getting musicians and guest back and forth ( imagine the look on the

musicians faces as we pilled them high in the back of cattle trucks

each morning and night ) Mooooo ! If that is not a cultural emersion

program, I don’t know what is.

• Monkey Bridge to be installed over new road to help connect

biological corridors.

• Public phones installed in Amapola

• 30-40 trees were planted near the festival grounds.

• Many Hotels from La Palma to Puerto Jimenez were busy with tourism and tours

Many Thanks to many people –

Ron, Nubia, Andres, Bruce, his family & musicians. Will, Chris &

Martine, Turbo Tim, Alex, Oli, Steve, Alexi , Jose, Gena, Steve,

Alida, Tracy, Kathy, Brett, Robert, Neyer, Philip, John, Rich,

Charlie, Laura, John, Phil, Kim, Lana, Marcos, Jacqueline and Andres,

Waleska, Alex, Mitch, Rebecca, Merlyn, Cynthia & Dan, Lauren, Helen,

Luis, Wilber and family, Pollo, Thomas, Bill, Mark, Brian & Rosibele,

Freddy, Francisco, Veronica, Jenn & Jim, Lea & Martin, Don Rigo,

Ricardo, Marli and Geraldo, Cynthia, Norman and Isabel, Jessica,

Michelle, Mike n Donna, Jan, Adolfo, Elizabeth, Gena, Marten, Manuel

Obregon, Antonio, Nancy , Mud Cat, Charmaine & Boney, all of Global

Entertainments musicians, the circus performers, Steve and Mariella,

Zeph, Jeff n Mary, Guido , Steve, Denny, Willy & Jananda. The Mulder

family, John Podson, Daxc, Walter, Fressy, Debbie & Rick, Mike n

Lyra, Isabel, Ingrid, Coconut Dave, sassy, Bill, Evan, Andy, Terry &

Drew, Steve, La Costa, BM , Solid Car….and everyone else’s name I may

have missed…..

All of us with Rainforest Aid thank you from the bottom

of our hearts. Thanks for showing up, hope to see you next year.

Sincerely - Michael Cranford

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

any Thanks to many people –