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Bits of News From Here & There: 2005 - 2007
Orphan Train Report for 2006-2007 Rotary Year This was a good year for the Orphan Train. One of the highlights, as is usually the case, was the visit of orphanage personnel. This year the two participants came from Tanzania. They were from the Mgolole Orphanage, in Tanzania, for whom St. Thomas Aquinas Parish of Madison serves as Orphan Train conductor. Sisters Felista Mchilo Mwinuka and Mamertha Zongomela Didie made up the Tanzanian team. The team spent two weeks at Mooseheart, the famed ‘child city,’ at Mooseheart, Illinois. There they took two weeks of classes, which consisted of many courses about the positive model of care shared by Mooseheart and Boys Town/Girls Town. It is the same course of study taken by new family teacher hires. Mooseheart provides training, room and board each year for no cost. In the evenings, the Sisters ate their meals with various family groupings on the Mooseheart campus. Mooseheart reports that it is always a great experience for their children to be exposed to other cultures. After spending two weeks at Mooseheart, the team came to Wisconsin for another week of activities. The team was hosted by members of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. In all, more than 30 people participated in hosting, transporting, and otherwise caring for this unique cultural and educational experience. This year four themes were developed that organizers felt would be beneficial. They were child care models, educational models, health care and agriculture. Some of the places visited included Considine farm, St. Ambrose Academy, Edgewood Campus School, Boys and Girls Club, Goodwill Industries, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Hospice, UW Children’s Hospital, Schoenstatt Sisters Convent and Motherhouse, Olbrich Gardens, the Capitol, Farmers Market and more. In addition, several Rotarians and parishioners hosted the visitors for meals, with others providing housing. The biggest challenge for all of those involved was learning that the Sisters spoke very little English. Rotarians, who had visited Mgolole last fall, were confident we had an English speaker in Sister Mamertha. What no one expected was the arrival of a different Sister Mamertha than the one known to our team. With a bit of scrambling, Mooseheart was able to find a Swahili speaker on their campus. We found six Swahili speakers in Madison, thanks to the African Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin, Edgewood College and a St. Thomas parishioner that knew someone. As a result, the experience was a good one for all concerned, and we found new friends in the very delightful people that served as our translators. When it was learned that Mooseheart’s training budget was being depleted by the need to get a substitute family teacher for the Swahili speaker, St. Thomas Aquinas graciously offered to pay the $1000 in additional expenses incurred by Mooseheart, while also spending another $450 in stipends for translators and other expenses.
Gregorio Arratea Castro, director of the Santa Teresita Orphanage in Tingo Maria, Peru, arrived at Mooseheart as a guest of Mooseheart and the Madison West Towne- Middleton Rotary Foundation’s Orphan Train Project on July 23, 2006. His experience was similar to the nuns’ this year. We mention his visit in this report because it was in the same Rotary year.
Last fall Rotarians Jeannine Desautels (Madison West Towne-Middleton) and Cora Holloway (Middleton Area Sunrise and St. Thomas Aquinas Parishioner) along with Jeannine’s husband Ed traveled to Tanzania, where the team spent one month working at the Moglole Orphanage, while staying at the Tanzanian Institute (a college-seminary), where our intermediary Father Bernard Witek is the rector. This was not easy work. The women, in particular, spent many hours changing diapers and feeding children. They came back with many ideas and suggestions on improving conditions, all of which are being worked on by St. Thomas Aquinas. Since the Rotary-St. Thomas team has been there, the parish has provided mosquito netting for all the babies (saving them from Malaria), paid for AIDS testing (finding two children with the problem), purchased many books, paid for a regular supply of milk and other food items, hired two seminarians to work at the orphanage, etc., etc. One of the difficulties, our team observed, is that the Sisters who operate the orphanage, in many cases, don’t have the educational background that orphanage leaders in other countries have shown.
The Rotary Club of Pittsburgh East (PA), with the help of Fox Chapel Presbyterian forwarded $22,400 to the The Love of Christ (TLC) Orphanage in South Africa during the past Rotary year, $6000 of which came from Fox Chapel. This same club donated $750 to their other orphanage in Elhovo, Bulgaria. St. Maria Goretti School of Madison, Wisconsin sent $4,042 to the Santa Maria de Jesus Orphanage in Mazatenango, Guatemala. Since St. Maria Goretti started as an Orphan Train Conductor, close to ten years ago, they have raised approximately $25,000 through various fundraising activities. St. Thomas Aquinas Parish spent $6599.51 on various items in the months of March, April and May of this year at Mgolole. They spent an additional $1450 to pay for translators and other special needs of the nuns who visited this summer. They currently have $5050 on deposit with the Salvatorian intermediaries in Milwaukee, and an additional $5279.79 with the Salvatorians in Tanzania. Recently, the parish announced they would be allocating another $6000 toward the work at the Mogole Orphanage for calendar year 2007. Still further, another team is expected to go in the fall, led by Rotarians and parishioners Cora and Ray Holloway. Virgie Schulte of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton donated $5000 to various Orphan Train orphanages just before Christmas. Santa Teresita, Pillco Mozo and Don Bosco Orphanages, three Peruvian orphanages, each received $1000. Sister Mary Ann Leininger, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and an Orphan Train Intermediary in Peru, will administer the funds. $1500 was given through the Light the Way Foundation, Inc. to benefit a new orphanage in Guatemala known as Hogar Para Senoritas Luis Amigo. Already, Orphan Train intermediary Dana Mannen has purchased bunk beds with some of the money. Receiving Orphan Train donations for the first time was the Niranjana Orphanage in India, where we are assisted by Tim Grubbs of the Divine Life Renewal Center. Our hope was that the director would be able to bring another child in off the street with this donation, keeping a promise he made to street children to help more of them as funds became available. Virgie’s dollars were matched by the Divine Life Renewal Center, and two children were brought into the orphanage as a result, forever changing their lives. Virgie Schulte has helped the Orphan Train Project over the years by making donations, hosting events for visiting Orphan Train guests and allowing the use of her home as a temporary residence for orphanage directors and intermediaries. Virgie has set an example of care for all of us! The Rotary Club of Middleton Area Sunrise Foundation, Inc. (Wisconsin) accepted a $500 donation from Arizona resident Mary Beth Barnett and used it to assist “their” orphanage at Yakoruda, Bulgaria, at Christmas time 2006. Ms. Barnett has been generous to several orphanages over the years of the Orphan Train existence. The Rotary Club of Oregon recently donated $500 to build a mini recreation center at the dormitory of the Ovcha Mogila Orphanage in Bulgaria. Rotarians Susan and Robert Titus of Lodi, Wisconsin, donated $500 to construct a chicken coop for the Santa Teresita Orphanage in Peru The Rotary Club of Marshfield Sunrise has given many donations over the years to the Ivan Kiulev Orphanage in Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria. Included this year was one for $250 to meet an emergency need for food. One of their unique gifts to the children is personal involvement with the children by having club members send gift boxes and cards from individual Rotarians to specific children at the orphanage. Rotary Club of Viroqua reported in June, 2006, the Viroqua Area Rotary Club sent $1,000 to Sister Mary Ann Leininger to help repair the leaking roof at the Pillco Mozo orphanage (in Peru Later that month the VARC approved an additional $1,000 for the Pillco Mozo orphanage. The money will be used for three items. 1. A sewing machine to replace a non-operating and much needed sewing machine for sewing the children’s clothes. At present the woman who does the wash takes the clothes to her house and sews on her own machine.--- $300. 2. An oven for the kitchen to assist with meals and bake some desserts for the children. $300. 3. Low chairs and low tables for the little children to use in the dinning room. -- $400.” Hannah Pickett was among the first donors from Madison, Wisconsin, who contributed $100 to a new orphanage being established in Guatemala. Ms. Pickett has donated to Orphan Train related orphanages in Guatemala over several years. A gift of $500 was sent by Wisconsinite Tracey Anton to the intermediary for Hogar Para Senoritas Luis Amigo, a new Guatemalan orphanage in Salcaja. This new home, served by Orphan Train Intermediary, Dana Mannen is just getting started and will use the money to buy necessary equipment and furnishings for its residents. The Barbara and Pat Glaeser Family of Albany (WI) for the past four years have made donations to assist the Mgolole Orphanage in Tanzania. This year’s donation, made through the Salvatorians in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was for $350.00. The following is an excerpt from a letter written to Fr. Scott Wallenfelsz of the Salvatorians by Ms. Glaeser: “…….My family is a “conductor” on the Orphan Train Project and has been donating to the Mgoloe for four years now. We do not purchase Christmas gifts for family members; instead we let them know we are supporting the orphanage on their behalf. Thanks to this project we can get back to the true meaning of Christmas. I do not know what the orphanage needs currently are, so I will trust that this money will be used in the best way possible and to benefit as many as possible. Michael Simons, an attorney from Austin, Texas, was influenced to help Romanian orphans because of a special interest of his parents. He learned about Heart of a Child, the Romanian non-government organization and their Forget Me Not House from the Orphan Train web site. In January, Mr. Simons sent a check for $3000 to the Rotary Club of Viroqua, Wisconsin, the Orphan Train conductor for the Romanian orphanage, with the suggestion the money be used to help the children at Forget Me Not House. The Club and the Orphan Train are most grateful to Mr. Simons. Madison West Kiwanis is sending $500 to Pillco Mozo Orphanage in Peru through our intermediaries Sister Mary Ann Leininger of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. St. Jerome School of Columbus, Wisconsin is known to have raised several hundred dollars for their orphanage at Kosovo, Bulgaria. However, they haven’t sent in their final report. St. Jerome and the Rotary Club of Columbus have been long time conductors for the Kosovo Orphanage. Rachelle Richardson and the Rotaract Club of the University of Wisconsin are believed to have raised as much as $2000 through a wine sale to benefit the Mashambanzou Trust in Zimbabwe. We don’t have confirmation as to the amount and are relying on memory, an unreliable source at best. There may have been other donations made which were not reported to us. The Rotary Club of Madison East-Monona talked about donating to their orphanage in Peru, as did the Rotary Club of Fitchburg-Verona with their Bulgarian orphanage. We have not received word as to what they accomplished this year, if anything. Concerns: The need to get our message out and find conductors is our biggest need. This year Jeannine Desautels, Mary Van Hout and Ed Fink all gave presentations to various organizations. We also need to do a better job of continually motivating organizations whose leadership changes each year. In addition, our web site is in need of a fresh face. This is being undertaken by volunteer Michael Vellucci. We also should create some new brochures. Accolades: Mary Van Hout should be thanked profusely for her organizational skills, once again being the chief scheduler for our visitors from abroad. Mary also has done a wonderful job of representing the Committee to the Board of Directors. Jeannine Desautels, Cora Holloway and Ed Desautels are to be admired for their work at the Mgolole Orphanage. This was hard work, which was both backbreaking and heartbreaking. Lastly, I would like to thank the members of the Committee and the many Rotarians who contributed to the success of the Orphan Train. Respectfully submitted, Edward J. Fink Orphan Train Project-Chairman June 22, 2007
TRACEY ANTON AND GUATEMALAN ORPHANAGE A gift of $500 was sent by Wisconsinite Tracey Anton to the intermediary for Hogar Para Senoritas Luis Amigo, a new Guatemalan orphanage in Salcaja. This new home, served by Orphan Train Intermediary, Dana Mannen is just getting started and will use the money to buy necessary equipment and furnishings for its residents. 2/15/07
TEXAS ATTORNEY HELPS ROMANIAN CHILDREN Michael Simons, an attorney from Austin, Texas, was influenced to help Romanian orphans because of a special interest of his parents. He learned about Heart of a Child, the Romanian non-government organization and their Forget Me Not House from the Orphan Train web site. In January, Mr. Simons sent a check for $3000 to the Rotary Club of Viroqua, Wisconsin, the Orphan Train conductor for the Romanian orphanage, with the suggestion the money be used to help the children at Forget Me Not House. The Club and the Orphan Train are most grateful to Mr. Simons. The Rotary Club of Viroqua is currently arranging for the proper expenditure of this generous gift. 1/4/07
The Rotary Club of Pittsburgh East has lots to report this month. They recently sent $387.00 to Bulgaria for their orphanage at Elhovo. Every first Saturday of November, the Pittsburgh East Rotarians hold a pancake breakfast (the club's annual fundraiser). The money raised is then distributed to groups they support, including the orphanage at Elhovo. Bulgarian Attorney Nina Minkova, the Orphan Train intermediary, and her NGO Happy Child, received the funds and will send back a status report and pictures, showing how the money was used. According to Pittsburgh East spokesperson Cecilia Wandiga, Pittsburgh East’s sponsored Interact Club is planning to hold a fundraising dinner in support of TLC Orphanage in South Africa, the club’s other sponsored home. According to Ms. Wandiga, club members were very surprised at the decision of the high school students who make up the Interact Club. “We shared various club activities with them, and they decided this is what they want to help with.” At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club, a couple members expressed an eagerness to put together a club trip to one of the orphanages they support. The Orphan Train Project appreciates the enthusiastic support of Elhovo and TLC by the Rotarians and Interact Club members. We look forward to future updates! 12/29/06
For the past four years the Barbara and Patrick Glaeser Family of Albany, Wisconsin made donations to assist the Mgolole Orphanage in Tanzania. This year’s donation, made through the Salvatorians in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was for $350.00. The following is an excerpt from a letter written to Fr. Scott Wallenfelsz of the Salvatorians by Ms. Glaeser: “…….My family is a “conductor” on the Orphan Train Project and has been donating to the Mgoloe for four years now. We do not purchase Christmas gifts for family members, instead we let them know we are supporting the orphanage on their behalf. Thanks to this project we can get back to the true meaning of Christmas. I do not know what the orphanage needs currently are, so I will trust that this money will be used in the best way possible and to benefit as many as possible. ……” 12/28/06
VIRGIE SCHULTE HAS CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Virgie Schulte of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton donated $5000 to various Orphan Train orphanages just before Christmas. Santa Teresita, Pillco Mozo and Don Bosco Orphanages, three Peruvian orphanages, each received $1000. Sister Mary Ann Leininger, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and an Orphan Train Intermediary in Peru, will administer the funds. $1500 was given through the Light the Way Foundation, Inc. to benefit a new orphanage in Guatemala known as Hogar Para Senoritas Luis Amigo. Already, Orphan Train intermediary Dana Mannen has purchased bunk beds with some of the money. Receiving Orphan Train donations for the first time was the Niranjana Orphanage in India, where we are assisted by Tim Grubbs of the Divine Life Renewal Center. It is our hope that the director will be able to bring another child in off the street with this donation, keeping a promise he made to street children to help more of them as funds became available. Virgie Schulte has helped the Orphan Train Project over the years by making donations, hosting events for visiting Orphan Train guests and allowing the use of her home as a temporary residence for orphanage directors and intermediaries. Virgie has set an example of care for all of us! 12/19/06
YAKORUDA ORPHANAGE IN BULGARIA The Rotary Club of Middleton Area Sunrise Foundation, Inc. (Wisconsin) accepted a $500 donation from Arizona resident Mary Beth Barnett and used it to assist “their” orphanage at Yakoruda, Bulgaria. Ms. Barnett has been generous to several orphanages over the years of the Orphan Train existence. 12/18/06
HOGAR PARA SANTA TERESITA IN GUATEMALA Hogar Para Santa Teresita, a new orphanage has been established in Guatemala. Many of the children formerly living at La Divina Providencia have moved to the new facility. Orphan Train Intermediary Dana Mannen is one of a group of people raising money for this new home through her 501 ( c ) (3) foundation known as Light the Way Foundation, Inc. Among the first donors was Hannah Pickett of Madison, Wisconsin, who contributed $100. Ms. Pickett has donated to Orphan Train related orphanages in Guatemala over several years. 12/17/06
SANTA TERESITA ORPHANAGE IN PERU Rotarians Susan and Robert Titus of Lodi, Wisconsin, donated $500 to construct a chicken coop for the Santa Teresita Orphanage in Peru. This past summer Dr. and Mrs. Titus had the opportunity to host a party for Gregorio Castro, the orphanage director for that facility, where they learned about his desire to build a chicken coop. As has happened many times in the past, Dr. and Mrs. Titus readily offered to help. 12/15/06
ROTARY CLUB OF OREGON DONATES TO OVCHA MOGILA HOME The Rotary Club of Oregon recently donated $500 to build a mini recreation center at the dormitory of the Ovcha Mogila Orphanage in Bulgaria. The following letter was received by the club from orphanage director Sonya Encheva and translated by Orphan Train intermediary Mitko Nenkov: To the President of Rotary Club Oregon Wisconsin, USA Dear Mr. President, Let me describe the latest picture of the orphanage as it appears nowadays: Vocational School “St. Kliment Ohridski” Ovcha Mogila village is home to live in and school to acquire professional qualification for 87 children and youths between 14 and 20 years – orphans, half orphans and light mental deficiency. The term of training is 3 years. The young people are getting acquainted with various sectors of economy, agricultural and food processing industry. The training is conducted within following specialties: Stocksmith’s trade, women’s clothing, cooking, cattle breeding and hospital attendants. The organization of training and living is conducted by the following structure entities: Two floor school with central heating, a department for business activity – subsidiary farm with laboratories of cattle breeding; a department of social and public services – a dormitory of three floors which has 60 beds. It is equipped with local heating system. Our purpose is to support orphans in the process of socializing within the community, to support them in the process of reintegration, while improving their social and utilities conditions, as giving care for their life and health We want to say our hearty thank you for the systematic support and care to our children. The money you kindly donated will be used to create a mini recreational social and public services – a dormitory of three floors which has 60 beds. It is equipped with local heating system. Our purpose is to support orphans in the process of socializing within the community, to support them in the process of reintegration, while improving their social and utilities conditions, as giving care for their life and health We want to say our hearty thank you for the systematic support and care to our children. The money you kindly donated will be used to create a mini recreational center to be used by the students during the summer. The mini recreation centre will be created at the dormitory and will resemble an environment of home exterior and interior purposed to give the orphans a family style coziness. Thank you for the support of this project. We wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007. With best regards, Sonya Encheva.
ROTARY CLUB OF MARSHFIELD SUNRISE AND GOTSE DELCHEV (Editor’s note: The Rotary Club of Marshfield Sunrise has given many donations over the years to the Ivan Kiulev Orphanage in Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria. One of their unique gifts to the children is personal involvement with the children by having club members send gift boxes and cards from individual Rotarians to specific children at the orphanage. Laurel Peterson is the spokesperson for the club effort, while Daniela Kostova is the Orphan Train intermediary in Bulgaria. Ed Fink is the chairman of the Orphan Train Project. What follows is recent correspondence about the happenings with the orphanage). Dear Laurel and Ed, I have received a letter from the Principal of Ivan Kiulev
Orphanage in Gotse Delchev, I've met Mr. Endrev, the Prinicpal this morning and would
like to pass his warm regards Delchev. Hope this letter finds you in good health and I expect to hear from you soon. Best wishes, To: Mr. Laurel Peterson Rotary Club of Marshfield Sunrise Translated by Daniela Kostova AUBG, Blagoevgrad Dear Mrs. Peterson and friends from Marshfield, It is a sunny but cool autumn day today. The situation in the Orphanage is placid and I have enough time to write you. The school year began on September 15th, all the kids visit school this year. The Bulgarian Accreditation Committee visited the Orphanage in October for evaluation purposes. The Committee examined the living and material conditions, and representatives met with the staff and conducted individual discussions with the kids about how they feel here. The Committee was satisfied with the results and accredited the Orphanage in Gotse Delchev with a grade of VERY GOOD. November 1st is the Day of Bulgarian National Revival. The kids were prepared by the supervisors and performed a nice celebration. The local electronic and printed media covered the performance. Bulgarian National Television made a film named “The life, destiny and dreams of the kids in the Orphanage”. The main characters are the kids from the Orphanage; the film will be broadcasted on Dec. 3, 2006. A part of the nice conditions in the Orphanage we owe to your generosity and I would like to once again thank you for all your efforts. During this summer we continued to receive your letters and parcels – individual and group ones. The children always opened them with great excitement and joy. I am not sure how many of them will keep a continuing contact with you. Considering the current needs of the Orphanage and the money recently spend with the starting of the new school year:
Nov. 9, 2006 Gotse Delchev Principal: Konstantin Endrev
ROTARY CLUB OF VIROQUA AREA, WISCONSIN AND PILLCO MOZO Rotarian Ken Childs of Viroqua reported as follows: “In June, 2006, the Viroqua Area Rotary Club sent $1,000 to Sister Mary Ann Leininger to help repair the leaking roof at the Pillco Mozo orphanage (in Peru). I received an E-mail in July saying the roof was repaired. That was some small amount of money from another source required to complete the job. I don't think that I received any more photos after the job was complete. This month the VARC approved an additional $1,000 for the Pillco Mozo orphanage. The money will be used for three items. 1. A sewing machine to replace a non operating and very needed sewing machine for sewing the childen's clothes. At present the woman who does the wash takes the clothes to her house and sews on her own machine.--- $300. 2. An oven for the kitchen to assist with meals and and bake some desserts for the children. $300. 3. Low chairs and low tables for the little children to use in the dinning room. -- $400.” 8/21/06
ROTARY CLUB OF MARSHFIELD SUNRISE AND IVAN KJULEV HOME Rotarians from the Marshfield Sunrise Club of Wisconsin responded to a food shortage at their Ivan Kjulev Orphanage in the municipality of Gotze Delchev, Bulgaria. The orphanage reported finishing the food supplies purchased with small donations and money from the government. They needed help. With a $250 donation, Marshfield Sunrise addressed an immediate need. Earlier in the year, and In order to bring a little joy to the lives of the children at Kvan Kjulev, the Rotarians sent each child a “friendship box” containing special gifts, including a toothbrush and toothpaste. 7/20/06
ST. MARIA GORETTI SCHOOL RECEIVES REPORT St. Maria Goretti School received an accounting for $3016.40 of the dollars forwarded at the end of the 2005-2006 school-year to their friends at Hogar Santa Maria de Jesus in Guatemala. Items purchased included blouses for the girls, a used motor for the van, telephones, motor, labor, new tires, yearly papers for the school bus, kitchen utensils, tires, battery, repair of the washing machine, table cloth, towels, brooms, pots, pans, liquefier, electric iron and percolator. Board member Mario Hernandez wrote the following, which accompanied a detailed accounting and pictures: We realize that after a year of fundraising, the children of Saint Maria Goretti School like to know and “see” the result of their efforts. In some cases the investment here shows something big and showy like the painting of all the buildings of the Home, the new cooking stove and the before and after of the facilities to handle the chickens. Some items like the kitchen utensils and the papers after the motor of the van was changed do not have impact. However, all of these are of great help and come to solve great needs. The motor of the van solves an urgent necessity since it is something of every day use for the girls to go to school. On behalf of the girls of the Home, convey their gratitude to the Children of Saint Maria Goretti for their donation to cover such needed necessities.
ST. MARIA GORETTI SCHOOL DONATES TO GUATEMALAN KIDS Children attending St. Maria Goretti School in Madison, Wisconsin donated $4633.48 to help their friends at Hogar Santa Teresita in Guatemala. The donation was presented to Orphan Train representative Jeanine Desautels at the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Over the years, the school has donated over $15,000 in assistance. The most recent donation culminated a year of fundraising. Student events included selling St. Maria Goretti bracelets and hot cocoa during Catholic Schools Week, PJ day (pay $1.00), Candy Hug Sale for Valentine’s Day, a carnation sale and a coin collection. 5/30/06
ROTARY CLUB OF OREGON, WISCONSIN AND OVCHA MOGILA The Rotary Club of Oregon, Wisconsin , a long time supportor of the Orphan Train Project, donated $500 to their orphanage at Ovcha Mogila, Bulgaria. Intermediary Mitko Nenkov of the Rotary Club of Svishtov acts as Orphan Train intermediary and reported the money was used for a safeguard video monitoring system for the hostel, which includes a personal computer. The system was chosen from three projects proposed by the director of the orphanage. Mitko Nenkov reported his Rotary Club would assist in the delivery of the system. 4/18/06
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS OF MADISON AND MGOLOLE ORPHANAGE St. Thomas Aquinas Parish of Madison, Wisconsin raised over $14,000 for education, playground equipment and agricultural endeavors for the children of the Mgolole Orphanage in Tanzania. Several non-parishioners also contributed generously to the effort. The Parish hosted an evening event, in celebration of the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, where Orphan Train Intermediaries Br. Albin Laga and Dr. Eric Boos shared their experiences working with the orphanage. 1/28/06
ROTARY CLUB OF PITTSBURGH EAST AND FOX CHAPEL The Rotary Club of Pittsburgh East and Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh combined to send the Love of Christ Orphanage in South Africa donations amounting to $5300. Pittsburgh East and Fox Presbyterian have been generous donors to TLC, a refuge for children whose lives have been impacted by the AIDS virus. 1/12/06
CIMCo and PELLEY FAMILY RAISE MONEY FOR MAKUMBI It was reported to us that the CIMCo organization, as represented by the Kathleen and Chris Pelley Family of Colorado raised more than $20,000 to assist the children of the Makumbi Orphanage in Zimbabwe. 12/30/05
MGOLOLE IN TANZANIA REMEMBERED BY GLAESERS The Barbara and Pat Glaeser Family of Wisconsin gave up Christmas gifts to each other, donating $500 to help the children of Mogole in Tanzania. 12/30/05
HANNAH PICKETT REMEMBERS CHILDREN OF QUETZALTENANGO Retired teacher Hannah Pickett has once again favored the children of Guatemala, with a $100 gift to the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Foundation, Inc. La Divina Providencia Home in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala is to be the recipient of the funds. Ms. Pickett, who continues to tutor school children in her retirement, has made gifts to help Guatemalan children in the past. Guatemala is special to Ms. Pickett because her grandchildren were born there. 12/29/05
SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING GROUP, LLC DONATES TO MASHAMBANZOU The children of Mashambanzou, Zimbabwe will receive $200, made possible by the gift of Sustainable Engineering Group, LLC of Madison, Wisconsin. The gift was made known by Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotarian Svein Morner, one of the corporate owners. The corporation also made gifts to two other charities. 12/29/05
TDS Telecom recently donated $500 to the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Foundation, Inc. This will make possible the continued presence of the Orphan Train website. The Orphan Train Project is extremely grateful to TDS for making possible the worldwide communications on the plight of the world’s orphans. 12/5/05
MGOLOLE IN TANZANIA REMEMBERED AT CHRISTMAS Almost one year later, we learned that the Barb and Pat Glaeser Family went without the usual array of Christmas presents last year, so as to help the orphans of Mgolole in Tanzania. The Glaeser Family, of Albany, Wisconsin, donated $500 in December 2004. They obviously understand the true meaning of Christmas. 12/4/05
ROTARIANS OF MARSHFIELD SUNRISE HAVE IDEAS The Rotary Club of Marshfield Sunrise (Wisconsin) announced the following plan for further interaction with the children of “their” orphanage at Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria: “As Rotarians, we are each asked to “adopt” one of the 46 children in the Ivan Kiulev Orphanage in Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria. Adoption means that we are going to send the child a HOLDIAY card ASAP. In the future, we will send birthday cards, postcards from vacations, etc. We are not sending gifts at this time. In January/February, I will announce details for a “Shoe Box” project that will be fun and easy for each of us and our families, and hopefully delightful to the children.” Rotarian Laurel Peterson is coordinating the effort. The Marshfield Sunrise Club has been an active Orphan Train participant for several years. This is a great idea for other conductor groups to try! 12/4/05
ROTARY CLUB OF HORSHAM EAST AND LITTLE LILAC The Rotary Club of Horsham East, Australia recently announced a gift of $1075 for the children of Little Lilac Orphanage in Leshniza, Bulgaria. The late Rotarian Rob Marshall introduced the orphanage to the Horsham East Club. Rotarian Wendy James and Orphan Train Intermediary Nina Minkova are coordinating the gift. A letter sent by Ms. Minkova follows: Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 11:23:59 +0200 Dear
Wendy, Nina
MASHAMBANZOU IN ZIMBABWE HELPED BY MADISONIANS Rotarians from Madison West Towne-Middleton, Wisconsin and other generous Madisonians sent $491 to be used by the caregivers of more than 4000 children at Mashambanzou Care Trust in Zimbabwe. 12/4/05
MOOSE MAGAZINE FEATURES STORY ON ORPHAN TRAIN The current issue of Moose Magazine features a story on the The Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton’s Orphan Train Project and how it works with Mooseheart, operated by the Moose fraternal organization, to train orphanage directors from foreign countries, both on and off Mooseheart’s Illinois campus. The article, written by Michael McCulloh, highlights the recent experiences of Bulgarians Sylvia Marinova, Dimiter Buchov and Stanislav Shikov. Check out the article by going to www.mooseheart.org. Click on “Moose Magazine Online.” Click on the quarterly publication dated November-December 2005 and January 2006. ” Lastly, click on the article entitled: Mooseheart Model of Care Spreads Around the Globe.” 11/23/05
DEBUT OF RACHELLE RICHARDSON FILM ON MASHAMBANZOU Orphan Train Committee Member Rachelle Richardson recently presented her new film entitled “Dawn of a New Day,” a story of Mashambanzou Care Trust and HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe, Africa to her fellow Rotarians of Madison West Towne-Middleton, Wisconsin. The documentary details the struggles of the afflicted and their caregivers. Ms. Richardson traveled to Zimbabwe to make the film, and presented it for the first time this fall. The audience and friends of Mashambanzou presented Ms. Richardson with $491 to be used to help the victims of this pandemic. Other presentations are planned. If an organization or group is interested in seeing this film, they may contact Rachelle at (608) 255-8868. One of those who saw the film called it “haunting and inspirational.” 11/23/05
MOOSEHEART’S RON AHRENS CONDUCTS SEMINAR IN ROMANIA Ron Ahrens, of Mooseheart’s famed child city, operated by Moose International, recently returned from a trip to Romania, where he conducted seminars on the positive methods of care used on the Mooseheart campus in Illinois. The Heart of a Child Foundation and key staffers Daniella Ariton and Dr. Anna Burtea hosted Ron’s visit. In three days of classes, Ron had 20-25 students in each session. While there, Ahrens also visited facilities operated by Heart of a Child, group homes and State operated orphanages. Ron returned to Mooseheart with personal learning experiences he can share with students and staff at Mooseheart. In 2003 Ms. Ariton and Dr. Burtea trained for two weeks at Mooseheart, in the Family Teacher Training Program, and then traveled to Wisconsin for two additional weeks of child-related experiences. They were the guests of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton (Wisconsin) and Mooseheart. Daniella and Anna expressed an interest in bringing a Mooseheart instructor to Romania. The trip by Ahrens was a response to that request. Ron Ahrens visit to Romania was made possible by a $1288.50 contribution from the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Foundation and a $900 donation from James and Jacque Schutz of Madison, long-time Orphan Train supporters. The Orphan Train Project is appreciative of all who were involved in making this cultural exchange happen. 11/23/05
ROTARY CLUB OF BOULDER-FLATIRONS (CO) SENDS GIFT TO PILLCO MOZO
MASHAMBANZOU BENEFITS FROM RUMMAGE SALE AND OTHER FUNDRAISING
MAKUMBI, CIMCo AND THE PELLEYS RECEIVE UPDATE FROM FR. NIDDA
PILLCO MOZO, PERU TO BE HELPED BY MADISON WEST (WI) KIWANIS CLUB
SANTA MARIA DE JESUS HOME REPORTS TO ST. MARIA GORETTI SCHOOL
for bus and van
for 2 wood stoves to help the cooking in the kitchen
TOTAL……………………………………….Q23,401.09 (Quetzales) Note: Dollar Exchange: $1.00 = Q7.94 8/30/05
ROTARY CLUBS OF BOULDER-FLATIRONS (CO) AND PRAIRIE DU CHIEN (WI)
LOS ANGELITOS DE POTARANCH CHILDREN AND VIROQUA AREA FRIENDS
BULGARIAN INTERMEDIARY WRITES TO BRAUN FAMILY CHARITIES
TANZANIAN HOME TO GROW CROPS WITH HELP FROM ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
GLENN KOEPP MEMORIALS USED AT FOURTEEN ORPHANAGES
CHILDREN OF SAN JUAN BOSCO, PERU RECEIVE HELP FROM ARIZONA
PILLCO MOZO IN PERU TO RECEIVE BOOKS FROM CHICAGO FAMILY
CIMCo RAISES LARGE SUM FOR MAKUMBI IN ZIMBABWE
FOX CHAPEL PRESBYTERIAN, PITTSBURGH EAST AND TLC
DOGANOVA HELPED BY MADISON COUPLE AND FITCHBURG-VERONA
ROTARY CLUB OF SVISHTOV – A HELPER FOR MANY YEARS
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