I Got Mail!!!

[Erika]

Hi all!

A lot of you know that I sponsor children overseas. Today I got my annual report on Laho (Nepal) and I can't believe all the things they accomplished this year! I am just so happy I could explode. I put it all up on my site, so if you're curious, or bored, check it out! The first thing I noticed were his clothes! Last year he had on 2 different shoes and frayed clothing, and now he is wearing a school uniform! **sigh** I wish I could just kiss him!

:kiss: Don't see myself traveling to Nepal anytime soon though...sigh.

 

[SteveUK]

Nice site, thats great work you do for those kids. I can't really afford to support every month but I used the link to make a donation.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Erika]

Originally posted by SteveUK
Nice site, thats great work you do for those kids. I can't really afford to support every month but I used the link to make a donation.

Keep up the good work.

Steve, did you really???

You have no idea how much that means to me. They have really been having difficulty lately, and it's so sad when a good organization hits hard times.

Thank you x 100,000,000,000!!!!!

:kiss: :wave:

 

[SteveUK]

Of course I did, it's a great cause. I'm the chairman of a charity in the UK and I know how hard it is to get support. Everybody says what a worthy cause it is and how much they would like to help but its a different matter to get them to put their hands in their pockets.

I really hope you get the support you need to continue.

 

[Erika]

Really! Tell me more! What kind of organization is it?

Did you know PLAN has offices in the UK? I correspond with a sponsor out there who made my day a few weeks ago with a packet of postcards she picked up in Nepal while on "holiday" I don't remember offhand how many kids she sponsors but some of these people I have met have 10, 20, even more! I do my 2 and that's about all I can handle for now

 

[SteveUK]

We are a fairly small group who are affiliated to a national charity which supports local industry and agriculture. Each small group or club (ours has about 15 members) chooses a cause each year, usually something that means a lot to one of our members and we raise money in loads of fun ways throughout the year. In the past couple of years we have raised £1500 (about $2100) to send the 3 year old disabled son of one our ex-members to the US for treatment. We have also recently been raising money for a blind/deaf charity.
We make sure the things we do are fun but also make money. We get ourselves sponsored to do things like abseiling, bungee jumping and parachuting, we are even doing a sponsored brewery tour later this year, 11 in one day!

I admire the sort of work your organisation does, travelling to those countries to work and see people living in such conditions must be really hard, (but very rewarding) It must take a lot of dedication. We do the things we do because they are fun.

 

[Erika]

Originally posted by SteveUK

I admire the sort of work your organisation does, travelling to those countries to work and see people living in such conditions must be really hard, (but very rewarding) It must take a lot of dedication. We do the things we do because they are fun.

Pthbbb, you won't see me travelling to any of those places any time soon. I have never been out of the US. Maybe some day!

There are field offices all around the world, and while many of the people do travel from the "donor countries" (UK, US, Germany, France, Canada...etc) many more are volunteers who actually live in the program countries (Indonesia, Equador, Ethiopia, Albania, etc) and many MORE are the people who actually are members of the communities that need the help. So it is very easy for someone like me to throw them a few bucks a month and some gifts and letters for the kids. They are doing the hard work.

Like you, I am doing the fun stuff!

But fun stuff can be great! Look at the results! Your charity sounds like a very good one. It will certainly keep people around, and that's what you need.

I really like the fact that you can focus on one major cause at a time. How is the little boy? I hope his treatment went well.

NEED THE INFO :drevil:

 

[SteveUK]

Little Jack is doing great. His parents were told he would never walk and probably never be able to communicate fully but the last time I saw him he was running around and is talking really well. Its great seeing results and knowing you helped even in just a small way.
I try to point out to people that what we do is fun, we have a great social life. Its just takes a little bit of thought and that social life and those fun things can easily be used to make money for a really worthwhile cause.

 

[mej]

It's great to hear good news like that. In my area, there is a little girl called Phoebe, who was injured in a hit and run car accident while on holiday in Spain. She has been left paralysed from the neck down - the same type of injury as Christopher Reeve. Her parents are now desperately trying to raise money to allow her to come out of hospital. She needs two people with her at all times, as well as the adaptations to the house. She has been in hospital for over a year now. I hope that soon we will have been able to achieve something positive for Phoebe and her family.

 

[SteveUK]

Good luck, I hope you raise enough money. It's surprising how generous people can be when you take the time to explain fully to them what it is you are trying to acheive.