Take all your friends out for Halloween...

Of all the members of the holiday family, we all know Halloween is the artist of the bunch. Once a year it casts a spell of mischief on us all, and as we dole out fistfuls of confectionary delights, it doles out liberal doses of creative license in the departments of evening garb and household décor. Everyday things like hairspray, forgotten old clothes, and even the white sheets off your bed have their routine function usurped as they are tossed together in creative ensembles to become the trappings of disguise and entertainment. We don masks and adopt aliases, and we give ourselves up wholeheartedly to the command of our wayward creative spirits.



Being the imaginative community that you are, we suspect you’ve got some clever ideas up your sleeve for this Halloween. What are you dressing up for? But most importantly, how are you getting there? Let your drive down to your friends’ house for Halloween be a fun drive. Get there in a MINI, but don't go alone. Now, you can take all your friends with you.

MINI Reef for the Turtles!!!

Look at this picture... I'll explain shortly "How did we get here?"



Koh Tao is an island off the coast of Thailand whose name literally translates to "Turtle Island." The aptly named tropical paradise of white sandy beaches shaded by towering palm trees is surrounded by waters positively teeming with some of the world's most fascinating marine life. Hawksbill turtles, barracudas, sting rays, clownfish and whale sharks are just a few examples of the colorful fauna great and small that drift happily through the beautiful coral reefs that characterize Koh Tao's surrounding sapphire seascape.



Not surprisingly, the idyllic spot has become known as a hot destination for expert and amateur divers alike. But the influx of tourism to the area poses a real threat to the equilibrium of Koh Tao's delicate ecosystem, and local conservationists face the perpetual challenge of giving visitors the chance to interact with this island's thrilling array of subaquatic treasures without destroying them in the process.



The cement MINI prepares to leave dry land and begin its aquatic journey.. Enter MINI Thailand and their unique MINI Artificial Coral Reef Project. On August 26th, together with a team of about 30 professional divers, they sank a playful, MINI-themed landscape below the waves at the diver training site of Suan Olan. The project, which was carried out in cooperation with Koh Tao Marine Conservation Group and the local Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, will have the double benefit of providing a habitat for the island's wildlife while giving novice divers a place to practice without interfering with the natural reefs that lie clustered just beyond the coastline.



Just about to launch.. With the help of highly specialized equipment like crane ships and air balloons, the carefully engineered structure was built using cement, a material chosen for its suitability as a base for coral to grow securely. Experts estimate it will remain in place for about 10 years, serving as an unusual attraction for visiting divers and a message for posterity about the importance of protecting the natural beauty we too often take for granted.



Nothing but the great blue above, and many colorful years ahead.. On the following day, their hard work done, everyone who lent a hand in this innovative and special project celebrated into the night with an after party featuring live music and fire dancing. The theme was simple: "Thank You For Loving Koh Tao." Simple, but right on the mark, since in the end what MINI Thailand and all who participated on that day had proven was that when it comes to building a brighter future for sea turtles and other marine life, a little love can go a long way.



*Article taken from the MINI Source

Let's Stuff MINI Deeds!

We're calling out to all of the Community Heroes out there to donate any gently used sporting goods lying around your house, taking up space and simply not being used. These items will help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season.

There's plenty of schools, charities and other organizations that will most definately give these items a good use. We want to make sure that kids in need live fun, healthy, active lives. Until the holiday season ends, MINI Deeds and I will be accepting donations throughout Calgary.

Find our next location here on our blog and drop off your items wherever you find us on location. You can also drop them off directly at MINI Crowfoot or contact MINI Deeds and Carlos by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy come to your office or home to pick them up!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

Find us at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4!

What do I do for a living?

When I came to Calgary as an exchange student from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. I left home as Carlos A. Cuevas C. My first day of College at Mount Royal College my soon to be best bud gave me the name that I was known for throughout my college years. Carlos From Mexico.
Things happened and time took it's course. I started working for CKCE FM and 9 months after I started working for them I became an on-air personality amongst other things. I take care of remote broadcast, social media, some of the image content for our website, public relations & what ever other little thing that needs to get taken care of.
Soon after I became a full time employee as the Goodwill Ambassador for CKCE FM I had to get a new on-air name that tied in to my tittle, Goodwill Carlos came to light... I know, genius!
When I go home back to Mexico, my friends & family ask me what do I do for a living?! It's kinda complex. I go to events that we plan at the radio station, I meet lots of people. Sometimes I change a tire for compete estrangers, buy random people coffee at the drive thru lines, give away random items depending on the time of the year or just give away hugs & I talk about it on the radio... I guess that the easiest way to explain it, is... I make people happy or at the very least, try to brighten up their day....
I'm very lucky that I get to do this for a living. I'm very lucky to call myself, Goodwill Carlos and to work at KooL 101.5

My Dog?

People asked me a few times, what would my Dog be when I get a Dog... Akita is the Dog I want.

Here is why.

In the early 1900's two events occurred that focused positive attention on the breed. One of them was the story of Hachi-Ko, one of the most revered Japanese Akitas of all time. Hachi-Ko was owned by Professor Eizaburo Ueno of Tokyo. Everyday the Professor would commute to work on the the train from Shibuya Station. Hachi-Ko would accompany his master to the station each morning and meet him and accompany him home each night.

On May 25, 1925, when the dog was 18 months old, he waited for his master's arrival on the four o'clock train. But he waited in vain; Professor Ueno had suffered a fatal stroke at work. Hachi-Ko continued to wait for his master's return. He traveled to and from the station each day for the next nine years. He allowed the professor's relatives to care for him, but he never gave up his vigil at the station for his master. His vigil became world renowned, and shortly after his death, a bronze statue was erected at the train station in his honor.

Thanks to Mike Shannon for passing on this story after our little chat about dogs early this AM

Do you want a MINI for a Weekend?

We are currently playing Where is Charlie! Is the easiest way to win a MINI for a weekend!

Spot MINI Charlie around town and you could be our next winner!

Ever heard of "Where's Waldo?" Play our game called "Where's Charlie" and you could win a MINI for a weekend plus a candy bouquet from Bloom'a'licious valued at over $100 dollars!

Here is how it works:

1. Spot MINI Charlie anywhere - motoring around town, parked on the street, at a mall - if you spot him it counts!

2. Fill out the form located at adoptamini.ca and include your snapshot, the date and the location you spotted Charlie.

I'm even giving out clues on where and how to spot him! :)

From Twitter:

@Darlinglilred to @Goodwill_Carlos when I was driving home from work on Friday I drove by you in your KooL MINI Charlie headed onto Crowchild from 11

@JohnCornegge to @Goodwill_Carlos I saw your mini 1 minute ago! Crowchild taking the exit to Garrison Green :-)

From Facebook:

Lisa Gayle Hey Carlos! Make me a mini driver....do you think Minnie Driver drives a MINI? Happy Friday!

RE:
Carlos Cuevas Hi Lisa! You can win a MINI experience for a weekend from Mini Crowfoot all you need to do is play Where's Charlie! Spot him around the city at any time at any place on any day, take a picture and send it to adoptamini.ca for your chance to win! The MINI Experience for a weekend also comes with a Gift Basket from Bloom'a'licious!

-----

Carlos Cuevas Taking MINI Charlie to his first scary movie tonight. We're at Chinook Mall watching Paranormal Activity 2. He is right outside the theaters.

RE:
Ivy Tristan Hint hint hahaha im going to find him
Carlos Cuevas Good luck... He's easy to spot...

*Must be 18 years or older to win.

This is my idea of how your picture should look... it doesn't have to, but it would be nice... :)

Topless!

Oh, man! It seems like almost yesterday when we got all the donations to our adopted family from the McMan foster care program, and it seems like making people happy is what MINI does best! Weather you are the proud (and happy) owner of a MINI or if you are the one receiving a small gesture of gratitude from a MINI owner, we are always trying to make people happy.

Lately I’ve been driving into downtown with MINI Charlie and I can’t help drive with the top down. Yes, the temperature outside marks 3.5ºC but if you drive a MINI Convertible you want to take advantage of the littlest ray of sun you can find in the sky. My wife is not a big fan of driving around with the top down because it messes up her hair. So, I got her a small portable hair brush for her to carry around in her purse. I thought that would allow me to take advantage of the MINI convertible, but it didn’t quite worked out the way I planed.

So if you see MINI Charlie & I driving around the city quickly reach for your cell phone and snap a picture email it to Charlie@adoptamini.ca or loaded up to our website www.adoptamini.ca with the day, time and location you saw us. You could win a MINI experience for a weekend.