Skip to main content

Feel Good Friday – Givedon

We were overthinking the name of the new shirting line, Givedon until we asked the owners for an explanation:

GIVE = “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we GIVE.” – Winston Churchill

Recommended Videos

DON = A title in the Spanish language used to address a man worthy of respect and honor.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Founded in Miami in September (this line is brand spankin’ new!) by Willy Moeller and Felipe Perez-Anda; Both were born in Ecuador and raised in Miami. The boys wanted to create a brand that was good looking as well as having a philanthropic angle. After a trip to a clothing trade show, they knew that a shirting line was the route they wanted to go. The product is made of 100% cotton; the duo started with eight shirts and more are rolling out on a steady basis.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Willy and Felipe are not just writing a check to some organization in another country; they have people on the ground in Latin America who are always searching for new people to work with. Their partner organization, ‘Fundación Verdad y Vida Ava’, has been helping people and communities in Ecuador for over seven years. Together they are able to ensure the delivery of gifts and that their customer’s contributions are donated. You can see some great images of happy kids with new toys here.

In addition to helping the company deliver toys to little ones, Fundación Verdad y Vida Ava also organizes events for the children, where they are provided with food, clothes, and school supplies. They also provide emotional support seminars for the children’s parents.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Givedon also works with two other foundations: Henry Davis and Casa Victoria.

Henry Davis is a foundation located near the Andes mountain range in Ecuador, South America. It is the home of more than 100 Ecuadorian orphans. These big-hearted kids need lots of love and attention, so their commitment with them is to provide all the support they can offer.

Casa Victoria is another wonderful organization dedicated to helping the community of San Roque, a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Old Town Quito.

This is only the beginning for this new company. As Givedon grows, so will their ability to better the lives of the children all over Latin America. They are starting out with toys, but continuing with building schools, help centers, parks, and houses in the future.

Cator Sparks
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…
Learn how to smoke a pipe the proper way with our guide for beginners
Let us show you the classy way to smoke a pipe
Packing a pipe

Pipe smoking is the most aesthetically distinguished way to enjoy tobacco, but you lose the classy effect if you don’t know how to smoke a pipe properly. Smoking a pipe has become a lost art, and these days, most people who engage in pipe smoking do so to achieve a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps your grandfather enjoyed a puff now and again paired with a good stiff whiskey, or maybe your goal is to emulate a pipe-smoking artist.

I know that I enjoy a good puff on a pipe now and then, and knowing the right way to enjoy a pipe has made the experience much more pleasurable for for me. Whatever the case, if you intend to take up the time-honored tradition of unwinding with a pipe like me, you should learn how to smoke a pipe the right way. And smoking a pipe is very different than smoking a cigar (except you shouldn't be inhaling either).

Read more
Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor
Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use
faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Read more
The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar
A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate
Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Read more