SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST 2009 GETS MUSHY
Global Hug Tour
Sends Lucky Winner, Sugar Jones to SWSW as Hug Ambassador
AUSTIN - (MARCH 13, 2009) - There
are Good Will ambassadors, ambassadors to the United Nations, political
ambassadors from and for every country in the world... but, few can be
HUG AMBASSADORS.
Sugar Jones, the world's first Hug
Ambassador, will be representing the Global Hug Tour at South by Southwest
Interactive 2009, a festival of events for entertainment and related
media industry professionals that kicks off today in Austin.
The Global Hug Tour, the inspiration
of Inspire Me Today founder, Gail Lynne Goodwin and her husband Darryl,
is an international mission aimed at spreading joy, hope, understanding,
connectivity and trust around the world.
Jones, a San Diego native, was one
of the hundreds of applicants who sent in a 250-word essay on why she
deserved to be GHT's Hug Ambassador. Jones' prize was a much-coveted
ticket to SXSW. Jones is a twitter celebrity with almost 6,000 followers
and over 13,000 updates.
In her winning essay, Jones wrote about
how "hugging has a language all its own," and that "hugging celebrates
life". According to the Southern California Global Hug team, "Jones
created quite a storm on Twitter when we conducted a second contest
among the three finalists Tuesday night. Jones had fans from all over
the world sending twitter messages stating emphatically that she was
the only choice for a winner. Additionally, her Facebook friends uploaded
pictures of her hugging them to our Facebook fan page. It was really
amazing!"
When GHT announced the winner, Jones
twitted her community," Okay... and now come the tears. So thankful
and humbled to represent @GlobalHugTour @ #SxSW. Look out Austin...
Shoog's comin'!"
"I couldn't believe I won! I wanted
to go to SXSW so badly, but tickets are expensive," Jones said. "The
contest was perfect for me; I love hugs, especially family hugs. I am
so excited to go, and I am thrilled to represent the Global Hug Tour."
"Everyone's talking about gloom
and doom; it seems the whole world is struggling and that people are
feeling disconnected," said Gail Goodwin, creator of the GHT. "The
Global Hug Tour chose to change that focus by inspiring humanity to
trust in what is good and what is possible."
"The Global Hug Tour is about bringing
a message of hope, change, responsibility, and commitment to people
everywhere," Goodwin added. "Sugar Jones and her wonderful and funny
essay really touched my heart and represent what we're all about.
Having her spread that optimism and joy in Austin is going to be great!"
Jones is the Co-Host of Chicks Who Chat, is a well-known blogger (http://blog.sugarjones.tv/) , photographer, writer, mom, and a wife.
Follow Jones on twitter at @sugarjones
and see her all her hugging activities @globalhugtour. You can also
become a fan of the Global Hug Tour. on Facebook at http://www.globalhugtour.com/
About Global Hug Tour
The Global Hug Tour, the inspiration of Inspire Me Today founder, Gail Goodwin and her husband Darryl, is an international event aimed at spreading joy, hope, understanding, connectivity and trust around the world.
In September 2009, the Goodwins will take off in a small prop plane from Colorado to circumnavigate the globe and literally hug the world. The tour will stop in 50 locations over a period of five months and hopes to raise $1,000,000 for important causes through grassroots contributions from sponsors. As many as 2,000 hugs will be given in each location.
For a $10 contribution, sponsors will have the opportunity to become official Hug Ambassadors, sponsor the delivery of a hug and to choose the city and cause where the donation will make a difference: just one hug will feed three homeless people in Chicago; two hugs will help educate a child in Cambodia; 100 hugs will pay for heart surgery to save the life of a child in India.
By connecting Hug Sponsors with the exact hug recipients, the GHT is creating opportunities to connect people from all walks of life, from different religions, cultures, ethnicities, and creating friendships that extend from one continent to another.
Visit www.globalhugtour.com for more information.