Alpine Initiatives' trip to Africa to build a community home in rural Kenya is over. JP & co are on their way home after spending the last month over there where they worked on the extremely amazing and giving project. We expect to have a full report on the trip from JP in the coming weeks right here on NS, so please keep your eyes open for it, as it'll be a must read.

Just before the guys left, NS teamed up with Alpine Initiatives to help obtain donations for the project which were used to buy materials to build the home. We decided to take any and all purchases of contributor status in the NS store and donate that money to Alpine Initiatives. To go along with that, we set up a silent auction of sorts in coordination with JP who generously put together a prize pack of product (which included a brand new pair of 08/09 Armada AR6's (signed by JP), an Orage JP Auclair Pro Model jacket and pants, a pair of Oakley JP Auclair Pro Model Crowbar goggles, a pair of Level gloves...and the ultimate Kendama) which would go to the highest single donation over the course of the month.

After the first two weeks, we managed raised to $500 through the silent auction which we promptly donated to Alpine Initiatives while they were still in Africa. However we had hoped to raise more, so after speaking to the extremely gracious member (Holte) that had made the highest donation ($200) who shared our view that more money should be raised, we decided to announce what the highest bid was and then agreed to auction off the product publicly for the last week in an effort to raise as much money as possible to help with the project.

"The idea of making the auction public seemed great to me, because with the original auction, I was probably going to end up with a $500 pair of signed skis for donating $200. To me that's not charity, that's just a lowball steal on skis. Alpine Initiatives is a great company working for a good cause and deserves more than that. Jason and I agreed that the more money NS can raise for Alpine Initiatives, the better. Thanks to everybody who has donated to Alpine Initiatives." - Holte

So after a week-long public auction where the products were individually bid on, we're proud to announce the winners of each item, one of which (the skis) ended up being won by Holte after all as he decided to go even further in his generosity by raising his bid to $500 (thanks Holte...you are truly the man).

08/09 Armada AR6's (signed by JP Auclair) - $500 - Holte
Orage JP Auclair Jacket - $175 - youvegotsmail
Orage JP Auclair Pants - $145 - AndrewZ
Oakley JP Auclair Crowbars - $120 - Hubsta
Level 1 Gloves - $80 - Jwenz
The best damn Kendama known to man - $80 - dexha2

Including the initial donations via the silent auction and then the ones made during the public one, we managed to raise and donate a total of $1400 for Alpine Initiatives.

On behalf of everyone here at NS, JP Auclair and Alpine Initiatives, we would like to take the time to give an infinite amount of thanks to everyone who supported, contributed and donated time and money to this project. As we're sure JP will reiterate in his report, it more likely than not couldn't have been done without you, so thanks again, and give yourself a pat on the back for doing something to help the less fortunate. Without a doubt they appreciate it more than any of us could ever imagine.