Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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photography by Christopher Kent (festival) the last four years. I had just wandered around the world by myself. The city just turned on, and it felt like a warm embrace." Barker rooted himself in the local music scene, but something else was calling as well. He remembered the school at which he taught in Costa Rica, for which he had helped raise money to build a classroom for the kids, who had previously been taught in a shabby house with little more than a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. He began putting his plan for Project Schoolhouse in motion. It was a tall order, but Barker felt "well-suited" to work on such a project. Settled in Austin, he began liv- ing a minimalist lifestyle so that his philanthropic dream could take effect. He bought a home in an eclectic East Austin neighborhood, where he rents out all but the one room he uses as his office. The rent from tenants offsets his monthly living expenses while he sleeps in his teepee. He opened a bookstore, Books Beyond Borders (which he closed in 2011), in an effort to donate tomes to schools in developing countries and, about the same time, his vision for what would become Project Schoolhouse began to take shape. "I always figured I would go to Nicaragua," Barker says. "It was the poorest country in the region, and it was near Costa Rica, which was my reference point. In my life, when I've made decisions, many of them are just made. If it feels right, I just go with it. Somehow doing work in Nicaragua was the obvious thing to do." Since starting Project Schoolhouse in 2004, Barker has built water systems and six schools (he's working on his seventh), helping the small commu- nity of Rio Lindo. On his most recent monthlong trip to the region, Barker went back to Sector Zamora de Cuatro Esquinas, where the rural community inau- gurated Escuela Sofia Mendoza, the schoolhouse he completed last year. The hard-to-reach village is only about 150 miles from Managua, but requires a 10-hour journey that includes taking a bus, hiking, and riding a horse to cross an overf lowing river. According to Barker, he typically budgets $33,000 for the school and another $25,000 for the water sys- tem, while the rest of the $70,000 budget accounts for transportation, materials, and other costs. Project Schoolhouse is a slim operation, raising money in low-key ways such as with private dinners and dona- tions through its website. It also organizes volunteers for building trips each year. The key to a successful project is teaching the community to mobilize itself. The water systems installed at four of the seven schools have the capac- ity to supply water to every home in the community. Barker and his team require the family of each home to provide the project with 40 days' worth of labor— "they'll work because they want water"—for the right to tap into the system. Although Project Schoolhouse has dominated Barker's life, he says he gets more out of it than he puts in. "It gives me something in my life that there's no other way to get. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but I feel it every time I see a new school." For ways to help, visit projectschoolhouse.org. AW from left: Barker with two students at Escuela Santa Edubijes in Manceras, Nicaragua, in 2009; the first-ever Sod Farm Festival in Sheridan, Wyoming, raised more than $20,000 for Project Schoolhouse in 2011. Charity register Opportunities to give. Ben, Willie, and darrell Present links & lyrics What: Country musician and vocalist Vince Gill joins forces with pro golfer Ben Crenshaw and country music legend Willie Nelson for Links & Lyrics, a songwriters' showcase, performance, and golf tournament; all proceeds will be donated to the Darrell K. Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer's Disease. When: September 5; 8 pm Where: Barton Creek Country Club, 8212 Barton Club Dr. and ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. Contact: Table sponsorships start at $5,000. 866-946-3606; dkrfund.org Ballet austin Presents Fête 2014 What: A black-tie-optional evening of dining, dancing, and a live auction will beneft arts education and access for the Central Texas community. This year's event is inspired by Ballet Austin's production of Belle Redux/A Tale of Beauty & the Beast, debuting in February. When: September 20, 6 pm-12 am Where: W Austin, 200 Lavaca St. Contact: Individual tickets start at $750. 512-476-9151; balletaustin.org Beauty oF liFe What: Support Hospice Austin at the annual Beauty of Life event, which includes shopping, a silent auction, raffe, brunch, and a keynote address by author and journalist Mitch Albom. When: October 9, 9:30 am Where: Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs Road Contact: Tickets/sponsorships start at $150. hospiceaustin.org andy roddick Foundation Gala What: The ninth annual Andy Roddick Foundation Gala will feature a performance by Darius Rucker. Proceeds will beneft the foundation, whose mission is to expand opportunities for local children in low- income communities. When: October 17 Where: ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. Contact: Tickets: $59–$220; Table sponsorships: $10,000–$30,000. 512-298-1960; acl-live.com/calendar/ darius-rucker "If It feels rIght, I just go wIth It. somehow doIng work In nIcaragua was the obvIous thIng to do." —tab barker continued From page 80 82 AUSTINWAY.COM PeOPLe spirit of generosity