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EditorsApr 08, 2015
Bee-ing helpful
Isn’t it always nice to hear that donated funds actually have helped a person or organization reach a goal?
Think about it. As consumers, we’re often asked at checkout lines to donate a dollar to one organization or the other. Sometimes we’re asked in other places, too; outside grocery stores, through the mail, perhaps at fairs or other community events. Of all the times you’ve donated, how often did you hear back from the organization to let you know your dollar made a difference?
Many of us in the jewelry industry are lucky enough to say we have, first-hand, seen the difference our dollars make through one organization, Jewelers for Children. JFC regularly invites children who have been touched by the charity’s generosity to speak at industry events, showing us in the most personalized way exactly where our donations went.
It makes people feel good. It makes them believe they can, and do, help to make a difference.
But outside of this, what other times are you granted the opportunity to see the results of your donations? Does the grocery store call you back to tell you that $5 million was donated to the Jimmy Fund? Did the ASPCA email you a bulletin to tell you they fed 10 dogs with your dollar?
I do understand that many organizations have longer-term goals, or put donated funds toward research and are unable to check accomplishments off their lists as quickly as others. My point here is that it’s refreshing and uplifting when I do see donations directly help achieve a greater good, so I was pleasantly surprised when a friend from Gumuchian reached out to me on Wednesday morning to tell me that funds donated from the sale of one of their collections ultimately did just that.
Last spring, Michelle Graff wrote an informative blog on the plight of the honeybee: how colonies are collapsing, hives are failing and bees are dying, as covered in a Swiss documentary called More than Honey. At the end of her blog, she highlighted two brands that were introducing bee-related jewelry designs, the sales of which would profit organizations working to understand and combat the factor contributing to bee colony collapse.
One of these brands was Gumuchian, which debuted its “B” collection at last year’s Couture show. The B collection offers honeycomb-themed jewelry made in 18-karat gold with diamonds, and a proceeds of all sales from the line go to HoneyLove, which champions urban beekeeping and home gardens.
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Gumuchian’s B collection, an 18-karat gold and yellow sapphire sunflower charm ($1,800 retail) and an 18-karat yellow gold and diamond honey bee charm ($2,400 retail)
Well, wouldn’t you know it--Gumuchian announced Wednesday that an urban beekeeper symposium and workshop was held last month thanks to donations received through the sale of the B collection.
Held at the Grow Native nursery in Los Angeles, the workshop taught attendees how to set up a “swarm box” on their property in order to help save the feral bee population.
“We taught people step-by-step how to set up a treatment-free, foundation-less langstroth hive (the standard type of bee hive used by beekeepers) from scratch and how to make starter strips with beeswax,” said Honey Love CEO Chelsea McFarland. “The workshop was open to the public of all ages, had great attendance, and inspired a new group of beekeepers.”
That’s good news for us all, as bees pollinate about 80 percent of the world’s plant species.
Myriam Gumuchian, vice president and director of sales at Gumuchian, said they’ll be continuing their partnership with HoneyLove through 2015.
“It was wonderful seeing exactly how the donations were being used and even better knowing that we’re a part of something so important and vital to our livelihood,” she said.
Myriam, I’m with you!
Gumuchian will showcase the B collection again at this year’s Couture show. To get in touch with Myriam about the B collection, contact her at myriam@gumuchian.com or at 212-588-7081.
Well, wouldn’t you know it--Gumuchian announced Wednesday that an urban beekeeper symposium and workshop was held last month thanks to donations received through the sale of the B collection.
Held at the Grow Native nursery in Los Angeles, the workshop taught attendees how to set up a “swarm box” on their property in order to help save the feral bee population.
“We taught people step-by-step how to set up a treatment-free, foundation-less langstroth hive (the standard type of bee hive used by beekeepers) from scratch and how to make starter strips with beeswax,” said Honey Love CEO Chelsea McFarland. “The workshop was open to the public of all ages, had great attendance, and inspired a new group of beekeepers.”
That’s good news for us all, as bees pollinate about 80 percent of the world’s plant species.
Myriam Gumuchian, vice president and director of sales at Gumuchian, said they’ll be continuing their partnership with HoneyLove through 2015.
“It was wonderful seeing exactly how the donations were being used and even better knowing that we’re a part of something so important and vital to our livelihood,” she said.
Myriam, I’m with you!
Gumuchian will showcase the B collection again at this year’s Couture show. To get in touch with Myriam about the B collection, contact her at myriam@gumuchian.com or at 212-588-7081.
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