A Philosophy of Service
“The true heroes of the new millennium will be servant leaders, quietly working out of the spotlight to transform our world.” Ann McGee-Cooper
Cardano is like a large metropolis - from the outside it must look like one big homogenous group. But, just like a big city, it's made up of smaller communities. It's human nature to find a smaller, more intimate community. The primary reason to hold the What's Cooking Twitter Space is to promote and discuss all of the things going on with stake pools. However, community building is a close second. Whatever your passions or interests, there is a group in the larger Cardano community that shares them. This week we wanted to focus on pools that are operated by military veterans. We were joined by Armando from ADA180, Dr Konneh from VETS pool, and Josh Miller from IOHK.
There are a lot of veterans in the Cardano community. Perhaps it's because of the fast-moving pace of Cardano. Military people are trained to adapt and overcome, so the constant changes in Cardano must seem familiar. Perhaps it's because of the sense of community here that attracts veterans to the space. Or maybe it's the drive to become part of something larger that is a force for good. Whatever the motivation, military veterans are a large part of the Cardano community, and we are grateful for their presence.
One point that was made repeatedly, is that all of these groups and project teams welcome everyone - veterans and civilians alike who want to help build Cardano. Even more importantly, they are aware that the military experience transcends borders. This isn’t just for US veterans. The military experience is as global in nature as Cardano itself.
Everyone is welcome here - which brings me to CAMO - the Cardano Alliance for Military Outreach. This is an organization that is interested in building community. It was created by a group of Cardano veterans to “onboard, educate and support veterans, military friendly organizations and individuals”. The founders understand that many veterans struggle to reintegrate as they transition out of active military service. CAMO intends to assist in that process both by offering support and creating a network that finds opportunities and purpose for veterans within the Cardano ecosystem. It is worth mentioning again that this organization is open to everyone, regardless of nationality or branch of military service. Although this is a relatively new organization, they are moving quickly to create infrastructure and resources for members. Their discord is a library of resources - everything from Cardano connections to anonymous helplines are available.
Another interesting and busy project team (if you hang around these guys for any length of time you notice they are full of energy and ideas) is Hope Warriors. This is a team that has created an NFT in order to raise awareness of the gaps in services to our veterans and to raise funds for charity projects. Notice I didn’t refer to this as simply an NFT project because it is much larger in scope. This group seems to be hardwired into all things military and veteran related. Their twitter feed is a must follow if you are interested in resources, support systems, charity events and so much more. Their NFT artwork is amazing and 20% goes to charity projects. They have also recently conducted a series of NFT auctions with 100% of the proceeds going to charity.
VETS pool operator Dr Nyakeh Konneh is also very busy and active in the community. (Does anyone in this space ever sit still? I don’t think so.) He is currently a full-time pharmacist, who, in addition to operating VETS pool, is also mining ERGO and learning Haskell. Dr Konneh immigrated to the United States from Africa and served in the US military from 2002 - 2007. He initially started staking with SWAG pool but felt like he could do more, so he started his own pool in September of this year. He feels strongly about stake pools creating a sense of community and enjoys working with some of his core delegators, who are also friends.
Like many in this community, he uses his rewards to give back. While working in VA medical centers, he has encountered many veterans who struggle reintegrating into society and therefore donates a portion of his rewards to Alpha Omega Veterans Services, a charity that helps veterans transition out of the military. Dr Konneh is also in the process of creating a podcast about Vets pool and the Cardano ecosystem in general.
ADA180 stake pool is a team of three: A Marine Corps veteran, an Army veteran and a nonprofit manager. They are founding members of CAMO - Cardano Alliance for Military Outreach and affiliated with Hope Warriors NFT project. Amando, Liam and Eugene are all active in the community and dedicated to Cardano and its promise for our veterans. These guys always have something going on. They consistently pop up in twitter spaces or in other community forums often hosting giveaways of some sort. All of their efforts have the same goal - to reach out and make the community aware of resources and connections that are available to veterans and active-duty folks within the Cardano ecosystem. ADA180 offers extra rewards for delegators, and they donate to Veterans charities. They provide Hosky and Resi tokens to delegators too.
What a space this was! I am truly inspired by this amazing group, their knowledge of Cardano and their willingness to use their own experiences to benefit others. Please take the opportunity to explore these pools and projects.
By Traveler Jo | CardanoArmy.io
You can find Traveler Jo somewhere close to the sea. She loves Cardano, kayaking and food - not necessarily in that order. She's busy exploring the world, always in the company of her husband, tired dog and indignant felines.