Becca Brandt celebrated her birthday July 14th with 1,020 children at the Mbiriizi Advanced Primary School in Uganda, Africa.
She will never forget it!
Friday, July 22, 2011
More Birthday Celebrations at Mbiriizi School
Becca Brandt celebrated her birthday July 14th with 1,020 children at the Mbiriizi Advanced Primary School in Uganda, Africa.
She will never forget it!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Birthday Party at Mbiriizi School
It's time for our annual birthday party for all the orphans. Along with the children, this year Becca Brant celebrated her birthday with us at Mbiriizi; this is what it looks like when you serve 1,025 children lunch!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
I hope you all went out and celebrated the 235th anniversary of our freedom yesterday on the 4th of July. We were in Long Branch for Oceanfest 2011 and it was AWESOME ... best fireworks on the Jersey Shore. And, how wonderful to have 250,000 gathering to enjoy our country's freedom. Now, the update.
1. We leave Thursday for the summer trip ... Becca Brandt, Melissa Kinsella, Melissa Pine, Michele, Tony and me. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers ... much work to do!
2. Many wonderful people have been doing fundraising for us ... Mary Aruffo at the Thomas E. Bowe Elementary School, Noelle Magrino @ Holmdel High School, Shawn Boehmke @ Indian Hill School in Holmdel, Lisa Lenn @ St. John Vianney in Holmdel ... everyone has chipped in and raised money or collected clothes (as part of our clothing drive which generates money as well). Thank you ALL!
3. Special thanks to the Joseph J. Catena School in Holmdel who raised $3,500 for our chicken farm! Now our children can get at least two eggs a week which will help them have some protein. Through Stacy Krauss of Cisco the J.J. Catena School also arranged for a webcast the day after Memorial Day where the kids from their school and our school could talk to each other. It was wonderful for both sides to hear similarities as well as differences.
4. Starbucks has been a wonderful partner for the clothing drive. For the 14 months that we have been doing this in 11 stores we have generated 37½TONS which represents $11,250 for the school. Thanks, Starbucks! The next one starts September 6 and runs into November. If you, your business or your local Starbucks wants to participate we can arrange to have a box set up there and have a driver pick up when filled. In addition to Starbucks, Indian Hill School, St. John Vianney, and St. Benedict's had collection boxes so all helps!
5. Special thanks to Hank Bauer, Beth Ruda, Dan Webster and Christian Cross - they were drivers who picked up all those clothes. And, of course, Brenda Thane who started all this. (Special thanks to PODS of Central Jersey for this wonderful POD that contains the clothes!)
6. Congratulations to Dr. Trish Gilbert who received the MDA Vision of Hope award for her work with our school and her tireless efforts to help us make a difference in their health care. Congrats, Dr. Gilbert ... thanks for being such a wonderful member of our team.
7. This is Christmas in July time. We have to start our fundraising now so we can buy each girl a new dress and each boy a new shirt as well as giving them lots of fun stuff in a "goody" bag and a Christmas party. You can go to the website to donate (www.sylviaschildren.org and hit the donate button on the top right).
8. We still need musical instruments ... rummage through your attic and closets ... with musical instruments we could have a band at the school and generate revenue by performing at weddings and other social functions.
9. And, for those who donated knickers, thank you so much. We are set for a while. Also, thanks to all who donated file folders ... it is just amazing to me that you can't buy a file folder at a stationery store in Masaka, Uganda.
10. Joan Nakidde, with the crutches, still needs to come to the United States for surgery. This trip we will get her a passport and a new Xray which I will bring back to the U.S. to the doctor that has offered to do the work. I will have him write a medical necessity letter which should help us get a Visa.
11. We have a church in Kansas that has offered to raise the money for our clinic, thanks to Main Street-er Jeanne Stinson. Thanks, Jeanne!
12. Working with the Lakewood Blue Claws we put on a Wine Festival that generated over $6,000 for Sylvia's Children. Next year's dates are June 2-3 ... plan on coming!
13. On Monday, August 1, the Southern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce is putting on a golf tournament to benefit Sylvia's Children. It will be held at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune ... if you are a golfer, come on out and play!
14. Lastly, a Facebook savior has arrived in the guise of Bayley Pendergrist! She is going to get us to 10,000 friends by year end. Will you help her? Can you get YOUR friends to join Sylvia's Children Facebook page?
If I have forgotten to thank someone, please forgive me. So many of you are so generous with your time, your talents and your donations I may have missed you ... it doesn't mean I don't appreciate you ... it just means I forgot to check my list!
Thank you all for everything that you do.
Last, but not least, would you share this newsletter wtih just one more person? We need to share this wonderful experience and get more people involved as we continue to grow the school!
Thank you!
4. Starbucks has been a wonderful partner for the clothing drive. For the 14 months that we have been doing this in 11 stores we have generated 37½TONS which represents $11,250 for the school. Thanks, Starbucks! The next one starts September 6 and runs into November. If you, your business or your local Starbucks wants to participate we can arrange to have a box set up there and have a driver pick up when filled. In addition to Starbucks, Indian Hill School, St. John Vianney, and St. Benedict's had collection boxes so all helps!
5. Special thanks to Hank Bauer, Beth Ruda, Dan Webster and Christian Cross - they were drivers who picked up all those clothes. And, of course, Brenda Thane who started all this. (Special thanks to PODS of Central Jersey for this wonderful POD that contains the clothes!)
6. Congratulations to Dr. Trish Gilbert who received the MDA Vision of Hope award for her work with our school and her tireless efforts to help us make a difference in their health care. Congrats, Dr. Gilbert ... thanks for being such a wonderful member of our team.
7. This is Christmas in July time. We have to start our fundraising now so we can buy each girl a new dress and each boy a new shirt as well as giving them lots of fun stuff in a "goody" bag and a Christmas party. You can go to the website to donate (www.sylviaschildren.org and hit the donate button on the top right).
8. We still need musical instruments ... rummage through your attic and closets ... with musical instruments we could have a band at the school and generate revenue by performing at weddings and other social functions.
9. And, for those who donated knickers, thank you so much. We are set for a while. Also, thanks to all who donated file folders ... it is just amazing to me that you can't buy a file folder at a stationery store in Masaka, Uganda.
10. Joan Nakidde, with the crutches, still needs to come to the United States for surgery. This trip we will get her a passport and a new Xray which I will bring back to the U.S. to the doctor that has offered to do the work. I will have him write a medical necessity letter which should help us get a Visa.
11. We have a church in Kansas that has offered to raise the money for our clinic, thanks to Main Street-er Jeanne Stinson. Thanks, Jeanne!
12. Working with the Lakewood Blue Claws we put on a Wine Festival that generated over $6,000 for Sylvia's Children. Next year's dates are June 2-3 ... plan on coming!
13. On Monday, August 1, the Southern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce is putting on a golf tournament to benefit Sylvia's Children. It will be held at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune ... if you are a golfer, come on out and play!
14. Lastly, a Facebook savior has arrived in the guise of Bayley Pendergrist! She is going to get us to 10,000 friends by year end. Will you help her? Can you get YOUR friends to join Sylvia's Children Facebook page?
If I have forgotten to thank someone, please forgive me. So many of you are so generous with your time, your talents and your donations I may have missed you ... it doesn't mean I don't appreciate you ... it just means I forgot to check my list!
Thank you all for everything that you do.
Thank you!
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