Bits of News From Here & There: 2000
Past Whistle Stops: 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
NEW CONDUCTOR FROM NEENAH-MENASHA, WISCONSIN
The Congregational United Church of Christ of Neenah-Menasha (serving both Wisconsin communities) has come on board as the second conductor for the orphanage at Gomotartzi, Bulgaria. They join the Rotary Club of Menasha in their efforts to help these mentally handicapped children. This year's special donation from the church is $500 sent for Christmas gifts. The Church has supported the Rotary effort in the past, but has now joined them as a conductor. Jack Fry will serve as principal contact for both organizations. 12/17/00
COLORADO COMES THROUGH FOR MAKUMBI
An additional $1475 in donations has been gathered by CIMCo of Colorado for the Makumbi Orphanage in Zimbabwe. We are grateful to Meghan, Chris and Kathleen Pelley, and the good people of Colorado, for their wonderful work. 12/17/00
COMPUTER LAB DEDICATED AT STRAZHITSA
Thanks to the donations of the children of St. Maria Goretti School in Madison, Wisconsin, recent Orphan Train Project travelers were able to dedicate a new computer lab at the orphanage in Strazhitsa, Bulgaria. It was a big occasion. The children at the orphanage sang songs. A brass plaque was presented setting forth in English and Bulgarian that the lab was a gift of the children of St. Maria Goretti School, and with our own Orphan Train logo. It will remain as a permanent reminder that the children of St. Maria Goretti reached out to other children in love and concern. A reporter covered the event. 11/30/00
How about those Madison Jaycees? They just keep giving and giving! After donating their first $500, the Jaycees have donated another $600, which includes $100 from one of their members to their orphanage at Quetzaltenango, i.e. Hogar para Senoritas La Divina Providencia in Guatemala. The Jaycees have purchased books and video tapes for the their children's home and helped with the purchase of a freezer. In addition, donations will be used to prepare a special Christmas feast with gifts for all the girls. Well done Jaycees! It will be a much anticipated Christmas for the girls at Quetzaltenango. Of course, none of it would be possible without the assistance of Intermediary Polly Reyna. 11/30/00
MOOSEHEART STUDENTS DONATE TO KATIA VANCHEVA
Recently, the Orphan Train team was in Bulgaria and brought with them $125 plus other funds for the orphanage called Katia Vancheva. The $125 had been raised by students living at Mooseheart, a child care facility in Mooseheart, Illinois. The timing couldn't have been better. When the team arrived, they found that Katia Vancheva was low on food and fuel. The donation will bring some comfort to these children, whose breakfast the morning of our arrival consisted of a piece of bread and tea. Needless to say, everyone was grateful to Mooseheart. 11/29/00
INDIVIDUALS & CLUB FOUNDATIONS IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS
In the past couple months, the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton, the facilitator club for the Orphan Train Project, received five gifts totaling $3500 from its own members. These gifts were made to the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Foundation, Inc. [a 501 ( c ) (3) organization] for use at orphanages in Bulgaria. Some of the larger gifts made possible purchases of mattresses for the orphanage at Ilakov Rut, Bulgaria, food and fuel for Katia Vancheva Orphanage in Bulgaria, and various items including toothpaste, underwear, socks and soccer balls for the orphanage at Stob, Bulgaria. During the holiday season, it is good for clubs with foundations to remind their members of the tax benefit of gifts to benefit their particular orphanage. Clubs without their own foundation should consider starting one. Many of you have sent your money for your orphanage through the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Foundation, Inc, and we are happy to accommodate you. 11/29/00
ROTARY CLUB OF OSHKOSH SOUTHWEST FIRST TO PERU
The Rotary Club of Oshkosh Southwest, Wisconsin, became the conductor for Children's City, a children's facility in Peru, that houses 320 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18. The Oskosh Rotarians specifically asked for a Peruvian orphanage.Fortunately, the Orphan Train Project had been contacted a couple years ago by Peruvian Rotarians, who asked that Children's City be linked to an American club. Kent Mosebach will lead the efforts in Oshkosh. Club members hope to travel to the home next year. 11/29/00
ROTARY CLUB OF DEFOREST TO WORK WITH STOB
The Rotary Club of DeForest, Wisconsin, has agreed to become the conductor for an orphanage at Stob, Bulgaria, known as the Orphanage for Children Without Parent Care ("Republican Youth"). 72 boys and girls, ages 3 to 15 years, live at the facility. The orphanage is about 15kms. from the larger City of Blagoevgrad. When first observed by Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotarian, Jeannine Desautels, at the invitation of provisional Rotarians in Blagoevgrad, the orphanage was without a furnace. That has since been acquired. DeForest Rotarians will begin fund raising for other needs, those efforts to be led by President-elect Jane Showers.
CIMCO RAISES ANOTHER $2190 FOR MAKUMBI
Colorado based CIMCo, in a November fund raising effort, obtained $2190 in donations for their orphanage in Zimbabwe. Donations were the result of a special meeting of potential donors and other activities. In all, 18 individuals and a school donated to the cause. 11/29/00
MAKUMBI CHILDREN'S HOME IN ZIMBABWE
CIMCo, a Colorado based financial services company, is the conductor for the Makumbi Children's Home in Harare, Zimbabwe. AIDS in this part of the world is pandemic, leaving many orphaned children. Look for the Makumbi story in a future Roundhouse feature. 9/15/00
QUETZALTENANGO & MADISON JAYCEES-COOKIES AND CASH
The Madison Jaycees reported that they just sent their first donation of $500 to the children's home they share with Ridgeway Elementary School and the Dodgeville Kiwanis in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. In addition to financial help, Jaycee President Tracey Anton sent the girls at their children's home a recipe for the "world's greatest sugar cookies." Intermediary Polly Reyna says she will instruct the kids on how to make Tracey's favorite treat. 9/15/00
ROTARY CLUB OF PORTAGE TO HELP LILAC
The Rotary Club of Portage, Wisconsin, climbed aboard the Orphan Train Project by accepting a match with Lilac Orphanage in Leshnitza, Bulgaria. Helping the new conductor will be Nancy Fingerhood, a Peace Corps Volunteer from New Jersey. Nancy reports that Lilac has 36 little residents, ages 3-6. Needs include medicine, food, clothes, shoes and building repair. Portage made an initial contribution of $500. 9/15/00
JEANNINE AND ED DESAUTELS AT WORK ON THE TRAIN
Jeannine Desautels, a member of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton, will be the Orphan Train's Roving Ambassador in Bulgaria during the next year. Jeannine, a surgical nurse, who has been on medical missions to Nicaragua and Mexico, is a great addition to the team. She is a former president of the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, has been associated with Healing the Children, and been part of many civic activities over the years. Ed Desautels, Jeannine's husband, will teach computer science at the American University in Bulgaria, having just completed a distinguished career at the University of Wisconsin. Ed has agreed to keep our web site up-to-date. You can contact Jeannine or Ed at ed@cs.wisc.edu. Jeannine looks forward to assisting conductors, orphanages and intermediaries.
Bob Wopat (Rotary Club of Sun Prairie), David Wright and Russ Fredrick (both of the Rotary Club of Columbus) have just about completed the editing of the film they made while traveling to their orphanages at Kosova and Kula, Bulgaria respectively. Opening night has not been announced! Thanks for helping put together a great promotional piece.
The newest conductor on the Orphan Train Project is the Madison Jaycees. The Jaycees have been donors in the past, but now have chosen to become a "conductor, something which signifies an ongoing relationship with a children's home. The Jaycees will work with Hogar Para Senoritas La Divina Providencia-Fundaninas, located in Quetzaltenango, Guetemala. They will be the third conductor for this particular facility, a home for girls who have been abused. Welcome aboard Madison Jaycees!
MONEY SENT TO QUETZALTENANGO, GUATEMALA
Two Orphan Train conductors, i.e. the children of Ridgeway Elementary School and the Dodgeville Kiwanis joined forces to purchase a convection oven and a large mixer for Hogar Para Senoritas La Divina Providencia-Fundaninas, located in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. This orphanage replaces the Bebrovo orphanage, recently closed in Bulgaria. American Intermediary, Polly Reyan, a volunteer at the Quetzaltenango facility wrote: "What a wonderful surprise when the elecricity came back on here…The conductors at Ridgeway Elementary School and Kiwanis Club of Dodgeville, Wisconsin can be sure they are helping a great group of young ladies….I will be meeting with the girls …and tell them of their good fortune and ask that they pray that the children from the orphanage of Bebrovo, Bulgaria are in better conditions than before…Unfortunately, we lost our large cookie contract, but have a few small ones that help out. The mixer and oven are actually for the kitchen at the home. The girls at the home are divided into groups of 5. Every six weeks, each group has the responsibility of preparing the food for everyone in the home for a week. Because food is very expensive for so many, the home must use a lot of simple staple ingredients, such as soy protein, rice, beans, noodles, etc. I and a nutritionist from Holland volunteer and teach cooking and nutrition classes on Tuesdays to the girls…The mixer and oven will allow the girls to cook a variety of foods more efficiently and with less fuel consumption. French bread (Guatemalan style) is the national bread in Guatemala and a staple of the diet. However, with inflation, the home can no longer afford to buy bread for the girls. I have taught them to make bread, but they need the oven and mixer to really be able to be efficient When they have the mixer and oven, they will be able to make bread for the home….We volunteers are hoping that with the new oven and mixer, the girls can make different favorite cookies and we volunteers will go to the schools and sell them to the students to earn money to buy food or other necessities for the girls at the home…". 8/22/00
The Rotary Club of Madison West donated $500 to purchase shoes for the children at their orphanage in Rabisha, Bulgaria. 8/22/00
LETTER OF GRATIDUDE TO ST. MARIA GORETTI
Just before the closing of the orphanage called the Hostel for Children and Teenagers, the director wrote a thank you letter to St. Maria Goretti School thanking them for making possible the showers installed the year before: "Let me on behalf of the Hostel for Children and Teeenagers, Alekovo Village express our gratitude of your former donation and for the present efforts. Your care gave the girls their first "calm and warm" winter here. They had possibility during the cold winter days to take showers and in the same way stay inside the building, while they never had such convenience before. They were compelled before and after taking shower to go along a kilometer to their own dormitory bearing the cold and wind of the freezy weather. It is truth that this winter they remember their US counterparts-pupils from St. Maria Goretti School and their efforts to invent a broad range of ways to earn money for the donation: bake sales, popcorn sales, donations to guess the number of candy pieces in a jar and a Beanie Baby raffle. We were impressed of the gesture of donating their own incomes from shoveling snow, raking leaves, babysitting etc. Thus, this gesture give our children the feeling they are not lost in the world without parents, but they have real friends in the distant, but friendly Wisconsin. Your Michael Tsvetkov, Hostel for Children and Teenagers Director" 6/18/00
EDGEWOOD ELEM. SCHOOL HELPS MOTHER AND CHILD
A recent donation of $2465.50 was forwarded to Mother and Child Orphanage in Vidin, Bulgaria, to assist in equipping a day center for the infants and toddlers living there and in the surrounding area, all because of the generosity and continuing efforts of the Edgewood (Madison) community of children, faculty and parents. 7/23/00
ROTARY CLUB OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS SUNRISE
The Rotary Club of Wisconsin Rapids (WI) Sunrise recently sent $1000 to Bulgaria to be used for their orphanage at Belgradschik. Over the past few years, the Rotarians of Wisconsin Rapids Sunrise have sent several thousand dollars for projects at Belgradschik. 7/23/00
NEW CONDUCTORS CLIMB ABOARD THE ORPHAN TRAIN
Recent additions to the Orphan Train Project include the Knights of Columbus Council # 4549 of Middleton, Wisconsin, conductor for Our Lady of Asuncion Children's Home in Guatemala; the Cross Plains Optimist Club, conductor for Maika I Dete, a home for infants, in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria; and Rogan's Shoes, Special Conductor for Footwear. The Knight's first donation was for closets for a new facility, while the Optimists donation will most likely be used for cleaning supplies or play equipment. Rogan's Shoes has donated many, many shoes to children in Guatemala, and is just now being given the designation "special conductor." 7/23/00
ORPHANAGES CLOSE, CONDUCTORS ADAPT ROTARY CLUB OF PITTSBURGH EAST NOW MATCHED TO ELHOVO
The Rotary Club of Pittsburgh East, having contributed to the welfare of the children of Osmar's orphanage, learned the Bulgarian Ministry of Education has closed the facility, moving the children elsewhere. The Rotarians of Pittsburgh East have decided to accept a new match with the orphanage at Elhovo. The intermediaries helping the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh East in the past were Peace Corps Volunteers Karen and Al Goodman and, more recently, Casey Fitch. Acting as intermediary for the orphanage at Elhovo will be PCV Terence Milstead. $1000 previously designated for Osmar will now meet some of the needs of the children at Elhovo. The Orphan Train Project is grateful to all concerned.
ST. MARIA GORETTI AND HOSTEL FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
Since nearly the beginning of the Orphan Train Project, the children of St. Maria Goretti School in Madison, Wisconsin, have been assisting the children of the Hostel for Children and Teenagers, located in Veliko Alekovo, near Svishtov. {See Roundhouse page article}. Recently, it was learned that the children of the Hostel have been moved to Strazhitsa, in the Veliko Tirnovo Area to a home called the Hostel for Bringing Up Children Without Parents Care, a name we are told will be commonly used for facilities caring for parentless children. The name of the city will follow this new designation. The new home will have better accommodations, with two to three children sharing a room. The OT Project was concerned that St. Maria Goretti had installed shower facilities at the Hostel for Children just last year. We were happy to learn that during the coming year the old building will be used by ten children making the transition from the orphanage to adult society. Honorary Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotarian Mitko Nenkov is making an effort to learn the needs of the children in their new surroundings, in order that the recent donation of $1951.24 will be properly spent. The Orphan Train Project appreciates the sacrifices of the Children of St. Maria Goretti for their counterparts in Bulgaria. 7/23/00
RIDGEWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND DODGEVILLE KIWANIS CLUB
The children of Ridgeway Elementary School of Ridgeway, Wisconsin, and the Kiwanis Club of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, have assisted the orphanage at Bebrovo, Bulgaria, with past purchases of hot water heaters and books. Recently, the Ministry of Education announced the closing of Bebrovo and the reassignment of the children. Information on the needs of these children has been requested, so that proper expenditure of this year's funds can be made. The children of Ridgeway earned $385.84 for their friends in Bebrovo, while the Dodgeville Kiwanians donated $400. The Orphan Train Project appreciates the care and concern for the children of Bulgaria.7/23/00
THE ROTARY CLUB OF MADISON SOUTH NOW MATCHED TO GABROVO
Under the leadership of Louise Googins, the Rotary Club of Madison South has contributed to the Hristo Botev Orphanage at Novo Selo in the Vidin Area of Bulgaria. Recently, the orphanage was closed. The Rotary Club of Madison South is now matched to the orphanage at Gabrovo. Madison South recently voted to spend $500 to assist the children at Gabrovo. While working with the orphanage at Novo Selo, the Madison South Rotarians were assisted by Intermediary Mariela Valkova, an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton. In Gabrovo, the Rotary Club of Madison South will be helped by Peace Corps Volunteer Michelle Alexander. Madison South, Louise Googins and Mariela Valkova continue to make an important difference in the lives of the children they assist.7/23/00
LETTERS OF THANKS BULGARIA-ILAKOV RUT TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF MWTM
The following letter was sent by the Director of the orphanage for the mentally handicapped at Ilakov Rut, Bulgaria. It was sent in response to a second donation made to Ilakov Rut for badly needed medicine by the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton.. "I start my letter in the state of excitement and in the same time being very happy for that you, being a long distance friends of ours continue your noble mission. We will get medicines with the money sent for our children. The ordinary supply of medicines is on behalf of the Elena town municipality, but they are not capable to ensure money even for everyday expenditures for the children. After receiving the medicines we will send you another letter with a copy of the invoice attached covering the sum. You are extraordinary people, keping in touch with us nearly three years and I want personally to declare tht this fact will be not fogotten to the end of my life. We are looking to the forthcoming fall when your visits to Bulgaria take place and we will be very glad if this year you come again to our place. Thank you by our hearts, We are waiting on you! D. Stefanova, Director Ilakov Rut Social Home for Children" 7/23/00
BULGARIA-SHIROKA LUKA TO MOOSEHEART AND AURORA ROTARIANS
What follows are excerpts from letters to representatives of Mooseheart and the Rotary Club of Aurora, Illinois, by Peace Corps Volunteer, and Intermediary, Barry Feno, who reported on his purchases, on their behalf, for Katia Vancheva Orphanage, in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria. The money ($660) was spent on textbooks, food and medicine: "Yesterday I picked up some more textbooks for the children. It looks like there will be one more load, probably in about 2-3 weeks. The money that was spent to buy food for the children is having a noticeable impact on the children's attitude about mealtime. They are now much more excited when the cook starts yelling for them to go into the cafeteria and to start eating because they know that something tasty awaits them. The only problem is, and I have noticed this before, is that the cooks still "ration" out the food because they can never really be sure about when the next large shipment of a good variety of foods will come in…. The medicine that we have been using to help the problem of bed-wetting continues to be showing good effects. The kids and the teacher who has really been participating in this effort, are very pleased overall. As I said before the kids involved are feeling much better about themselves now that this problem is occurring with less frequency.,," Barry Feno 7/23/00
GUATEMALA- RE: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FOR OUR LADY OF ASUNCION
Isabel Bosch responded to the purchase of closets by Knights of Columbus Council #4549, conductor for the children living at Our Lady of Asunscion Children's Home, when she wrote: Oh!!…, how we can say the great thanks to you and to Orphan Train Project. The money arrived safe …, and the closets we already ordered and on Monday 3 July are going to install. We'll take a picture and will send to you. We already moved to the new home, last Monday, was so experiences, the girls were crying when they left the old home, was there the neighbors and they said they love the girls, don't move and then when they arrived at the new one, was crying again. Oh!! God, and now what happen??? They said the home is so exquisite and large. When they arrived we already have the beds done with the name of each girl in a beautiful card. Now, we have to go every day to fix and install all the stoves. I will send to you by mail the invoice and a picture. 7/23/00
BULGARIA- MAIKA I DETE -THANKS TO CROSS PLAINS (WI) OPTIMISTS
The Cross Plains Optimists have adopted Dom Maika I Dete in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria, a home for infants. A recent contribution brought forth the following comments from Orphan Train Intermediary and Peace Corps Volunteer Barry Feno: Today was a great day for the kids at the orphanage "Maika I Dete." After arranging transport for the items, we went to the city of Smolian (about 1 hour away) and found the stores where they sell the goods at a discount. The car soon became stuffed with boxes filled with vegetable puree, meat puree, and washing detergent. The next stop was the government office where we purchased the cleaning disinfectants. Then when we arrived in Shiroka Luka, at the steps of the orphanage, where we were greeted with big smiles from the staff who said THANK YOU a million times. They even said, "You guys are like angels. What would we have done without you!" All in all, the orphanage really benefited from your donation and care. One more time, thank you very much, all of you, for your support and for thinking about this tiny, but beautiful country, which is so far away from our own! Next week (because I will not be here for a week) the staff will give me some official documents showing that the goods have been properly received and inventoried. Then I will send them, along with all other receipts, to you. I hope you are having a great day!
Past Whistle Stops: 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
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Orphan Train Project
P.O. Box 620312
Middleton, WI 53562-0312
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