Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tallahassee Democrat / TLH
Sunday, December 26, 2010 / PAGE 1
PAGE 10 / Sunday, December 26, 2010
Where there is a need, couple seek a way
COVER STORY
y’ Herz Payne and her
, have formed Aid Still
reach people in need
aster is forgotten
e on the Nile in Sudan. She got interested in
Tsunami hit friends in Southeast Asia.
from Leon
n the late
TLH / Tallahassee Democrat
can, at the University of
Colorado in Boulder. In
1949, the Herzes would
gh school
come to Tallahassee durperience
ing Florida State Univera said. “No sity’s boom period, during
as going
its transition from an ally interestwoman college to a co-ed
My mom and university.
cial people
“At the time, I was very
ys had visi- active in plant chemisround the
try,” Herz said. “All my
ed to makchildren went by nickle comfort- names.”
He named Andrea
Werner
“compositae,” the Latin
ed organfamily name for many
rofesspecies of flowers, include came to
ing the sunflower. It
Germabecame “Posy” for short.
d met Herz
The nickname stuck with
r Marcia,
her, even as she went off
Amerito study theater at Bryn
Where th
dation.
“We deeply value this
project,” the letter of support from Clinton’s office
read. “Not only will it
raise much needed capital … it will serve to sustain public awareness of
the ongoing need for aid
in the area.”
With that kind of
resounding endorsement,
the couple’s project was
off to the races.
gotten,” he said. “I think
people relate to that.”
The couple has crisscrossed the globe to help
those in direst need, from
the northern tip of Indonesia for Asian tsunami
relief to northern Sudan,
as part of their efforts to
raise awareness about
the government-run genocide in Darfur. Closer to
home, they’ve visited New
Orleans to aid continued
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
rebuilding and cleanup of
days later, the family of
the Gulf Coast. The couPersistence pays
hen
George
Payne’s
friends sent out
ple is also planning a trip
a mass e-mail to everySoon, they culled donat- to Haiti after its recent
Clooney
one on its contact list
tumultuous elections
ed licensing rights for
accepted
with what little Internet
songs from Paul McCart- and the anniversary of
access
they could find.
the earthquake that left
ney, Eric Clapton, James
the
Bob
Everyone was OK. In
thousands injured and
Taylor and Bonnie Raitt,
Hope Humanitarian
fact, their friends were
homeless.
to name a few on the
helpingyear’s
out, delivering
To further its efforts
star-studded compilation.
Award at this
essential supplies to devinvolving Darfur and
Raitt took a personEmmy Awards
astated cerresidents.
Haiti, the Paynes have
al interest in the proj“We were so moved by
branched out into the
ect, giving the Paynes a
emony, he ended
her e-mail
and (the) stoworld of sports celebriparticularly enthusiastic
with a clarion
call
ries coming out of there,”
ties, drafting basketball
thumbs-up.
for long-term
aid
Andrea
Herz Payne said.
stars Kobe Bryant, Steve
“We’ve all seen it,” her
were
figuring out
Nash and LeBron James,
statement reads. “Money
to some of“We
the
most
whatever way we could to pours in when a disaster
among other top players,
dire conflicts
help. and
You know, what can first occurs. But then the into recording public serwe do an ocean
vice announcements and
world’s attention turns
disasters around
the away?”
That’s when Hunter, a
spearheading Sudanese
to other matters and the
Andrea Herz
Payne
Nile in Sudan.divestment
She got interested
in
globe.
singer-songwriter with
campaigns.
real
workonofthe
rebuilding
helping
when
the
Tsunami
hit
friends
in
Southeast
Asia. it may
a power-player
Rolodex
All together,
goes underfunded. I’m
“Here’s hoping
that
from his
diverse careers
involved with this project seem like a huge, even
some very bright
person
as a media
because it will help thou- daunting task, but
… can help find
a waypersonality,
to
Transcendental Meditafor it.
sands restore their lives
keep the spotlight
burnShe graduated
from Leon
can,they’re
at“Because
theup
University
of
tion teacher
and stock
it’s not here
in a sustainable
manner.”
ing on these broker,
heartbreakin athe
in Boulder.
In
decided he High
wantedSchool
at home,
you can comAfter
longlate
process Colorado
ing situations
’70s.
the Herzes it,”
would
to that
makecona benefit CD.
In
partmentalize
Huntand many more urgent 1949,
fact, he wanted to throw
Payne
said. “Someone
calamities
worldwide, the
tinue to be heartbreaking
“Overall,
high school
comeerto
Tallahassee
dura Hail
Mary and get
big-a great
who doesn’t
want
to go to
CD was
released in June.
Andrea Herz Payne and Hunter Payne, who live in Santa Monica, Calif., pose with one of the celebrity supporters of Aid Still Required, NBA basketball player Grant
of the
longHIll
after
cameras
was
experience
ing Florida
State
Univerthe Phoenix Suns.
name
artists
to
contribIndonesia
or
Darfur
can
But
the
couple
is
far
from
go away,” Clooney said.
for me,” Andrea said. “No sity’s boom period, during
ute.
get involved — that’s why
through. They fancy
“That’d be an
impressive
matter
what
was
going
its
transition
from
an
allHe got some help from
we founded this organizathemselves as “second
accomplishment.”
on, I wasresponders,”
really interestwas planted six years ago sia, Thailand and Sri
the Paynes were
deeply
his pick-up basketball
tion.”college to a co-ed
not neces- woman
Mawr outside Philadelthat.”
the Holed in people.
momwhile
and theuniversity.
when the a 9.3-magniLanka.
worried for theirApparently,
friends’
buddy,
a former ambas“You just have to keep
sarilyMy
striking
phia.
tude earthquake in the
Friends of Hunter and
lives.
sador to Finland under
being
persistent,”
iron social
and publicity
“She was a very active
lywood humanitarian
dad weren’t
peopleis hot, “Atonthe
time,
I was very
‘An ocean away’
Indian Ocean formed a
Andrea Payne lived seaIn the coming
days, the hasn’t
President
Bill Clinton,
Andrea
HerzchemisPayne said.
and sweet child,” he said.
heartthrob
heard
but theyHunter
alwayssaid.
had visi- active
in plant
The seed that would
tsunami that would devsonally in Phuket, a tour- estimated death
toll rose
and, subsequently, tors
fromfrom all
me,
it’s a“All
lesson
“One
of the things
“She went to a school
of Aid
Still Required.
around
the that
try,”“For
Herz
said.
myto
astate much of Southeast ist mecca island off the
and, with it, their worthe office of the former
speak up, speak out and
gets people is the idea of
famous for various causes sprout into the flower
But iffour
the Santa
Monica
got used
to makwent by nickAndrea He
that is Aid Still Required Asia, including Indonecoast of Thailand, and
ry. An excruciating
president’s
Clintonworld.
Foun- I being
take action.”
left behind
or for-children
and she was infected by
FIND OUT MORE
Leon grad Andrea ‘Posy’ Herz Payne and her
husband, Hunter Payne, have formed Aid Still
Required as a way to reach people in need
long after the disaster is forgotten
Find out more about
Aid Still Required’s special projects and order
the ASR CD, which features songs by Paul
McCartney, Eric Clapton, Norah Jones,
Bonnie Raitt, Sarah
McLachlan, The Blind
Boys of Alabama and
others, at www.aidstillBy Paul de Revere
required.com.
W
philanthropist couple of
Hunter Payne and Tallahassee native Andrea
Herz Payne have anything to say about it, he
will very soon.
Herz Payne grew up
the youngest of four siblings on the north side of
town on Lakeshore Drive.
ing other people comfortable.”
Her father, Werner
Herz, is a retired organic chemistry professor at FSU. He came to
America from Germany in 1937 and met Herz
Payne’s mother Marcia,
a French-born Ameri-
names.”
He named Andrea
“compositae,” the Latin
family name for many
species of flowers, including the sunflower. It
became “Posy” for short.
The nickname stuck with
her, even as she went off
to study theater at Bryn
the Phoeni
Mawr ou
phia.
“She w
and swee
“She wen
famous f
and she
Tallahassee Democrat / TLH
TLH / Tallahassee Democrat
Sunday, December 26, 2010 / P
re there is a need, couple seek a way
er
till
d
FIND OUT MORE
Find out more about
Aid Still Required’s special projects and order
the ASR CD, which features songs by Paul
McCartney, Eric Clapton, Norah Jones,
Bonnie Raitt, Sarah
McLachlan, The Blind
Boys of Alabama and
others, at www.aidstillrequired.com.
n
y of
In
uld
duriveruring
n allo-ed
very
smy
k-
in
y
lud-
ort.
with
off
ryn
Andrea Herz Payne and Hunter Payne, who live in Santa Monica, Calif., pose with one of the celebrity supporters of Aid Still Required, NBA basketball player Grant HIll of
the Phoenix Suns.
Mawr outside Philadelphia.
“She was a very active
and sweet child,” he said.
“She went to a school
famous for various causes
and she was infected by
that.”
‘An ocean away’
The seed that would
sprout into the flower
that is Aid Still Required
was planted six years ago
when the a 9.3-magnitude earthquake in the
Indian Ocean formed a
tsunami that would devastate much of Southeast
Asia, including Indone-
sia, Thailand and Sri
Lanka.
Friends of Hunter and
Andrea Payne lived seasonally in Phuket, a tourist mecca island off the
coast of Thailand, and
the Paynes were deeply
worried for their friends’
lives.
In the coming days, the
estimated death toll rose
and, with it, their worry. An excruciating four
days later, the family of
Payne’s friends sent out
a mass e-mail to everyone on its contact list
with what little Internet
access they could find.
Everyone was OK. In
fact, their friends were
helping out, delivering
essential supplies to devastated residents.
“We were so moved by
her e-mail and (the) stories coming out of there,”
Andrea Herz Payne said.
“We were figuring out
whatever way we could to
help. You know, what can
we do an ocean away?”
That’s when Hunter, a
singer-songwriter with
a power-player Rolodex
from his diverse careers
as a media personality,
Transcendental Meditation teacher and stock
broker, decided he wanted
to make a benefit CD. In
fact, he wanted to throw
a Hail Mary and get bigname artists to contribute.
He got some help from
his pick-up basketball
buddy, a former ambassador to Finland under
President Bill Clinton,
and, subsequently, from
the office of the former
president’s Clinton Foun-
dation.
“We deeply value this
project,” the letter of support from Clinton’s office
read. “Not only will it
raise much needed capital … it will serve to sustain public awareness of
the ongoing need for aid
in the area.”
With that kind of
resounding endorsement,
the couple’s project was
off to the races.
Persistence pays
Soon, they culled donated licensing rights for
songs from Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, James
Taylor and Bonnie Raitt,
to name a few on the
star-studded compilation.
Raitt took a personal interest in the project, giving the Paynes a
particularly enthusiastic
thumbs-up.
“We’ve all seen it,” her
statement reads. “Money
pours in when a disaster
first occurs. But then the
world’s attention turns
to other matters and the
real work of rebuilding
goes underfunded. I’m
involved with this project
because it will help thousands restore their lives
in a sustainable manner.”
After a long process
and many more urgent
calamities worldwide, the
CD was released in June.
But the couple is far from
through. They fancy
themselves as “second
responders,” not necessarily striking while the
iron and publicity is hot,
Hunter said.
“One of the things that
gets people is the idea of
being left behind or for-
gotten,” he said. “I think
people relate to that.”
The couple has crisscrossed the globe to help
those in direst need, from
the northern tip of Indonesia for Asian tsunami
relief to northern Sudan,
as part of their efforts to
raise awareness about
the government-run genocide in Darfur. Closer to
home, they’ve visited New
Orleans to aid continued
rebuilding and cleanup of
the Gulf Coast. The couple is also planning a trip
to Haiti after its recent
tumultuous elections
and the anniversary of
the earthquake that left
thousands injured and
homeless.
To further its efforts
involving Darfur and
Haiti, the Paynes have
branched out into the
world of sports celebrities, drafting basketball
stars Kobe Bryant, Steve
Nash and LeBron James,
among other top players,
into recording public service announcements and
spearheading Sudanese
divestment campaigns.
All together, it may
seem like a huge, even
daunting task, but
they’re up for it.
“Because it’s not here
at home, you can compartmentalize it,” Hunter Payne said. “Someone
who doesn’t want to go to
Indonesia or Darfur can
get involved — that’s why
we founded this organization.”
“You just have to keep
on being persistent,”
Andrea Herz Payne said.
“For me, it’s a lesson to
speak up, speak out and
take action.”