Meet Jennifer East, Lynn Carol, Mary Brotherton bUneke Co-founders | Founders of the charity bUneke.org

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer East, Lynn Carol, Mary Brotherton bUneke Co-founders and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer East, Lynn Carol, Mary Brotherton, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Jennifer East and Mary Brotherton had been friends and work colleagues for years, then Jennifer introduce Lynn Carol to Mary and a third instant friend had been created. Though a long way from retirement, the three women felt they had reached a point in life where they needed to take control. They’d all worked in creative fields, and each brought a unique skill-set and valuable traits that supported the others. For instance. Lynn had been an event coordinator, entertainer, and instinctive mentor to younger co-workers. Jennifer has also been in the entertainment field for many years as an artist, graphic artist, and natural networker, in addition to creating her own magazines and working on both ends of the camera as a film maker and talented actor. Mary is a gifted writer, editor, and administrator.

They often discussed dissatisfaction with their jobs and how they wanted to do something more meaningful with the rest of their lives. Several conversations led to the point of creation, until, one day over lunch, as they were brainstorming, they decided to create a digital magazine. Jennifer and Mary both stopped eating and, in a moment of serendipity, said, “Whatever we do, it has to be unique!” The trio knew they had the name for their new endeavor, but they also knew it couldn’t be spelled conventionally, so after a little more discussion, they came up with the name bUneke.

Lynn immediately said, “The big U is because it’s all about you, it’s about us, it’s about the universe!”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Jennifer brings the visual appeal to everything that is bUneke. Mary makes sure the words convey our intention. Lynn provides the enthusiasm and energy to keep us going, even when things aren’t working out the way we want them to. We are three professional women who have been freelancers and worked in the corporate world. We’re all creatives. We’ve learned to work together as a cohesive unit and as individuals. We can work remotely, and in fact much of bUneke’s work is done through email, shared files, and virtual meetings. But we shine when the three of us are together. People tell us they can feel the unconditional love and the special energy we share. bUneke is like the glue that binds our friendship and our nonprofit career. With a zero-dollar budget, we sold family heirlooms and jewelry to scrabble together enough to incorporate and file all the necessary forms that allowed us to solicit donations. While the money didn’t pour in, we’ve steadily received enough grants and individual donations to sustain us. Barely.

In October, we presented MetaFest, a new kind of fundraiser that has been attracting attention. It was held at a local mall and brought bUneke to life for those familiar with our brand and was a fun way to introduce the charity to newcomers.

What sets bUneke apart from others is that while we are a 501c3 charity, we are also a content provider. We’ve grown organically from an idea to a nonprofit that highlights other nonprofits as well as individuals and businesses with philanthropy at the heart of their foundations. Plans to be a simple digital magazine quickly grew into two unique publications, award-winning films, and more than a dozen podcasts under the bUneke Radio banner. Although October’s MetaFest was the first such event, we are already working on another to be held in January, near Cocoa Beach, Florida. We have a waiting list to add to the amazing vendors who helped kick off our inaugural event. Lynn is planning to fly from Tennessee to Florida to be a part of the excitement.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

With our founders living in three cities in two states, our best friends will have some amazing choices! Mary will definitely include a visit to Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex, and this could include witnessing a rocket launch or two, depending on the schedules at NASA and SpaceX. She’d also be sure tours of some of the area’s historical sites are included, places like the Moore Cultural Center, Sams’ House, Field Manor, Green Gables, Lawndale, The Pritchard House; and if time permits, she’d want to stop at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, The Astronaut Walk of Fame and Space Museum, Liberty Bell Museum, and the Veterans’ Center. White Sands’ Buddhist Center offers some of the country’s largest white granite statues and other mouth-dropping sights are nearby, too. Merritt Island is filled with opportunities for birders and wildlife lovers, so she’d be sure to walk or drive through Black Point Wildlife Drive, Cruickshank Sanctuary, and Viera Wetlands. If the visit happens to fall on the last weekend of the month, she’s going to include the local Food Truck Festival. A walking tour of Cocoa Village and the Eau Gallie Arts District are also on Mary’s list of places to take guests.

In Orlando, Jennifer will introduce her guests to the Enzian Theater, Fuzzy Tacos, and quite naturally, Disney World. She’ll also take them to the Winter Park Farmer’s Market and walk around Lake Eola, where they can visit the phenomenal sculptures, including The Muse, a huge earth sculpture featured on the cover of bUneke Magazine in 2021. Rollins College and Crealde School of Art will also be on tap for touring, in addition to a tour of the Orlando Postcard Mural Greetings. Orlando has no shortage of historical homes, so Jennifer and her guests can choose from The Jack Kerouac House, Dr. Phillips House, or the Casa Feliz Historic Home. Jennifer will show her guests the Harry P. Leu Gardens, Mead Botanical Gardens, and some of the more notable community gardens, like Parramore, Audobon Park, and Laureate. Being vegan, Jennifer will introduce her guests to the many vegan flavors of Orlando, including Hungry Pants, Veg’n Out, Ethos, Greenbeat, and of course the Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar. Since Orlando always has something going on, Jennifer and her guests will always find entertainment that doesn’t include a theme park.

As a Tennessean, Lynn lives close enough to Nashville to hit all the hot spots there, but she’d likely want to show off the local attractions like the Frierson-Coble House, Maple Dean Farm, Grassland Farm, and the Winston Evans House. Lynn will definitely take her friends to Hug a Cow at the Gentle Barn and likely a picnic at Normandy Lake and maybe a short stop to visit the grave of Beautiful Jim Key, the only horse known to read, write, spell his name, make change, and solve simple math problems. No visit to Lynn’s city would be complete without a day at The Fly Arts Center, because of her love of performing arts and long career as an entertainer. This theatre, museum, art gallery, event hall, and educational center has a little something for every corner of Lynn’s heart. After a tour of Shelbyville’s Courthouse Square Historic District, Lynn will want to stop at the Coffee Break for more than just coffee. Capri Theater and the Antiques, Art & Collectibles Mall will certainly entertain her guests for a whole day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Individually and collectively, we owe so much to so many. First, we each owe the others a shoutout for having each other’s backs. bUneke couldn’t exist if the three of us didn’t contribute and donate as much time as we do. Our fabulous volunteers help us create award-winning films, magazines, and podcasts that touch the hearts of a global audience. They help us with fundraisers, creations, and simply by believing in us. Our advertisers, sponsors, and donors also deserve a shoutout! Probably our biggest shoutout needs to go to our mothers. We all know that our mothers helped shape us into the caring humans we are. They taught us to be philanthropists and to show kindness to others.

Website: https://buneke.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunekemagazine/

Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/bunekemagazine/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bunekemagazine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bUnekemagazine/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/buneke-magazine-merritt-island

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/bUnekeMagazine

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user102259074

Image Credits
Bob East, Lynn Carol, Jennifer East, Mary Brotherton