March 2009 Newsletter

How time flies and so much is happening!

Since our last issue here is the news (some good, some not so good) … read on!

1. First and foremost, we have a new nurse at the school. Special thanks to Bridget Daley who is just, in my opinion, a saint!

2. We currently have 13 people going on the June trip and still could take two more. I had reserved 15 rooms in case we get more and can cancel them if need be. In addition, the air fare has held steady. If you want to go the dates are June 24 to July 7 and, based on our conference call this week with everyone going, it should be wonderful.

3. Good news on this trip is we have a nurse coming with us again.

4. Thanks to the efforts of Jeannie MacDonald we are doing a shoe drive at the Village School in Holmdel and will be able to provide every child with a new pair of shoes. (The young girls at Ranney cut out 1,000 little feet so people can just pick them from a shoe “tree”).

5. And, thanks to Carmine and Phyllis Visone of Home Away From Home Academy we will be able to give every child a new pair of socks to go with the shoes! In addition they are providing all the new students with the wonderful Home Away From Home shirts that we took over two years ago. When we visit, Wednesday is Home Away From Home day.

6. I was the featured speaker at Glassboro Middle School’s Black History Month celebration on February 27. What a wonderful experience … 600+ fourth, fifth and sixth graders and you could have heard a pin drop. They are undertaking a fund raising effort with book plates ($5.00 per plate) so we can begin to accrue money for textbooks.

7. And, speaking of textbooks, Doug Brown has been interning with Sylvia’s Children and has written a grant application to the Weyerhauser Foundation in Minnesota for $43,000+ for textbooks. Keep your fingers crossed that the combination of his writing talent and my Minnesota roots will help us get this! While we are at it, he has done a tremendous job at finding grants, writing them and unearthing volunteers. Thanks, Doug.

8. Ryan Dolan, a sophomore at Red Bank Catholic, is producing 14 Battles of the Bands through Monmouth County with a final battle to be held some time late summer. His goal is to raise enough money to buy the sewing machines and build the building to house them. He is an amazing young man and we are so lucky to have him helping us.

9. Michelle Drappi and some of her friends at Ranney School (15 also!) are organizing a five mile walk for October to raise money for Sylvia’s Children.

10. Don Pope and Howard Kradjel, who are members of my church choir, are organizing a Century of Hope bike ride for September 19 to raise money for Sylvia’s Children. We will have a four mile route (for families), a 25 mile route for people a little more experienced and then a 100 mile route (that’s where the Century comes in) for the real pros. Our goal is to have 100 riders … let us know if you want to participate!

11. The Gates Foundation turned us down; however, we may go back in with a revised approach based on some of their criteria. Stay tuned!

12. We currently have 1,002 children in the school and 18 more new orphans. We need orphan sponsors since some people have dropped out. It’s only $1.00 a day.

13. Finally have an entrée into Starbucks for the coffee … keep your fingers crossed!

June will be the culmination of six years of work and wonderful progress. Thanks to all of you for your interest and support.