Orangeville Ontario


Hello Everyone!

As I count down the days until I return to Haiti, I've been very busy making arrangements and speaking to groups around southern Ontario. Last week, Pat [board chair Pat Materiuk] and I visited King's College, University of Western Ontario in London, where Pat and I spoke to two first year classes (90 in each) and one third year class. David [board youth liaison, Dave Materiuk] helped with the final presentation. We talked to them about travelling to Cap-Haitien next summer to fulfill their credit placement requirement. These students can receive a full credit toward degree following a placement of one month. Anyone interested in more information about a placement with Starthrower Foundation will contact Pat. She will then meet with them and do all the preparation work.

As these classes were in the evening, Pat had scheduled daytime meetings at John Paul II High School to speak to groups from various grade levels. And a big Thank You to Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School students, chaplain Brenda Holtkamp, and teachers Jane Finney and Hannah Burza. Last Friday, after the final of four presentations, I was presented with a cheque from the Assisi Society.

Mme CIndy In Pennsylvania is making two presentations at local organizations, and showing the video, which was made this past summer in Haiti. Cindy is putting the video on DVD and refining to 15 minutes. (Thanks, Cindy! Editing video is a huge task!)

Last Sunday, I showed the video to a gathering at the home of Ann, in Caledon. It was a very enjoyable afternoon with many new faces asking questions about Haiti and our work there. And on November 23rd, Harmony Natural Health Clinic, in Orangeville, will hold an open house. Bev [board secretary-treasurer Bev Fleming] will be there with the Starthrower Foundation display, and will answer questions about our work in Haiti. Dr. Wendy, the owner of Harmony Natural Health Clinic, will be enlisting sponsors for her marathon run in January.

Terri Holden, a personal trainer at Fit for Your Life, in Orangeville, is holding a Christmas get-together fund raiser for Starthrower (date to be announced). Terri will be showing either the video or the shortened DVD, which Cindy will be sending to us here.

Thanks to those who purchased some of the art works [catalogue list has been amended to show those works still available]. I know that Fritz, the artist, will be very pleased to receive payment for his works, which will help make this Christmas a very special one for him and his young family. Thanks, too, to those who visited Abel at Lakay Fondasyon last week, and dropped off protein powder and vitamins.

Bev and I have also been busy trying to arrange shipment to Haiti of the donations sitting here in Orangeville. Last Saturday, four students from Robert Hall Secondary School, two students from Orangeville District Secondary School, and our amazing accountant, Nancy Pratt, and her daughters, Samantha and Jennifer, arrived at my place at 9 a.m., and we packed donations until 3 p.m. Approximately two-thirds of donations are now packed, labelled and ready to go. It will not be possible to pack the remaining donations before I leave. We have been offered space to ship half a pallette (28 cu.ft/12 banana boxes) and three boxes of ring notebooks, on a shipment leaving Canada for Cap-Haitien this weekend. This very generous offer comes from another NGO working in Cap-Haitien. It allows us to send backpacks, vitamins, pencil cases, T-shirts, socks and some toothbrushes. We still have roughly two palettes to be shipped. Bev is looking into other arrangements for these boxes. We believe the best route would be to send the remaining 40 banana boxes by either truck or air to Ft. Lauderdale, then ship by sea to Cap Haitien. We have found a reliable, and not too expensive shipping company in Ft. Lauderdale. Bev is currently searching for a trucking company to donate the cost of transport from Orangeville to Ft. Lauderdale, as well as a preferred rate from an air carrier.

I leave Orangeville on Monday, November 20th, and arrive in Cap-Haitien on Wednesday, November 22. Thanks to generous donations received to date, we currently have funds to keep all programs going until March 2007. Donations made between now and February, which are needed to keep operating beyond March 1, will be transferred to me in Haiti.

The Starthrower Foundation annual general meeting will take place early in the new year. Those of you (or someone you know) in southern Ontario, who would like to be considered for a position on the Starthrower Foundation board of directors, please contact Bev for details using the email form.

Until next time, kenbe red,kenbe pa lage

Sharon

Orangeville, Ontario


Hello Everyone!

Two fundraisers took place in the past few weeks, and we are grateful for the monies raised. In the United Kingdom, Francilien completed his second marathon this year, with proceeds to go to sponsoring student(s). Here in Orangeville, Janice, the owner of As We Grow, did a wonderful job on the (Loonies* for Haiti Day (*loonies are slang for Canadian $1 coins featuring the loon). Janice was totally organized, worked steadily all day, and encouraged every customer to donate. As well, she is donating a percentage of sales for the day. Fundraisers are doubly valuable, as they also serve to raise awareness for our efforts and for the extreme poverty in Haiti. A big Thank You! to all who worked so hard.

As many of you know, a partial list of students on the waiting list has been posted. We have only paid first trimeste fees for this year. The students will need help at Christmas in order to continue and be eligible to write exams, then pick up reports needed for 2nd and 3rd trimeste. Currently, we have no money for them. Only those in Lycee or apprenticeship are paid for the entire year.

Marlene D. was not accepted into nursing at Justinien [local hospital], and she needs a sponsor to complete her education at inivesite prive (private nursing schools). She has secured information from 2 schools. The tuition for each is $9000 Haitian ($1,300 US) per year for 4 years. Since the practicum takes place in Port-au-Prince, she needs another $300-$500 US for travel and living expenses. If she doesn't find a sponsor, everything stops for her. Why have we supported her the last 6 years if not to make a difference? If you know someone who could see her through 4 years of nursing achool, it would be wonderful. Another donor has come forward for both Elorge and Frandy starting next year, and will see them through medical school in Cuba for as long as it takes.

We have not yet found the resources to ship our donated supplies from here to Cap-Haitien, though we continue to look for someone who is able to help us with the shipment. Receipt of Bev's letter to the Governor General of Canada's office asking for help with shipping was acknowledged, with the comment to 'allow 6 weeks minimum for a response'.

In part, Bev said:

"After much research, we have found a shipping company in Fort Lauderdale which can ship safely to Cap-Haitien and through customs. The cost is $8.00 US per cubic foot. We estimate our supplies are about 80 cubic feet. The challenge is to truck the supplies from Ontario to Fort Lauderdale, and to pay for both the land trucking and the ocean shipping. We can use student volunteers to pack the shipment here."

It's now 5 months and counting, and there's been no further word. As well, Bev continues to send letters of enquiry to organizations and individuals who might be able to help.

Abel (in Cap-Haitien) tells me that we have a problem with the beans we have been distributing. Because we purchase in quantity before I leave, they are now full of ti bet yo (little bugs).

I plan to return to Haiti on November 20, and then stay for 4 or 5 months (March, April 2007). With the funds currently available, I will keep the house open for December, and keep the food program going as long as possible. As well, I will take Fritz the proceeds from all his paintings that have been sold by that time. {See paintings catalog).

Kenbe, Blessings,

Sharon

Orangeville, Ontario, Canada


Hello, Everyone!

I thought you all would be interested in the communication system we've set up from Haiti for when I have to return to Canada. I leave enough money for Abel to email me once a week, if there's satellite/electricity. In addition, he has money for emergencies, as does Jack. Here is the latest news from Abel. It also provides an opportunity to see Kreyol.

In this email Abel tells me that Brother James (from the Azile) came to visit with 3 Americans and 2 Haitians. Other news is: Charlie (Tchale) the cat has stopped vomiting (pa noze anko); Marlene Dejoie was NOT successful in her application to nursing training at the hospital (Justinien) and is seeking information about private training schools; however they are extremely expensive (Yo tre che anpil).

Modeline Joseph travelled to the hospital in Milot for consultation. She has either a vaginal tumor or cyst (timeur ou quiste) and needs 1800 gourdes (about $50USD ) for an operation, plus travel expenses and post-op meds. Dieugrand asked if I could bring him back a flashlight which does not require batteries.

Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:53:26 +0200 (CEST)

bonjou Madam

Nou kontan pran nouvèl ou. Nou tout byen.

frè Jimps te vizite lakay nou jedi 13 oktob 2006 ak 3 vizitè etranje e 2 ayisyen men mwen pa konnen non y. li te mande'm kilè w'ap vini.

chat byen yo byen, tchali pa noze ankò.

Dejoie Marlène pa bon nan egzamen pou li antre nan lekòl enfimyè - a. Li di lot lekol enfimyè ki genyen yo, yo trè chè anpil. Li pa konnen kisa ou ap deside.

Joseph Modeline li te ale nan lopital Milo Doktè- a di li gen ( timeur ou quiste) nan vant. Doktè a di se operasyon pou li fè. men li pa gen kob la. Se 1800 goud pou operasyon -an.

Dieugrand di silvouplè si ou trouve ti flach ki pa sèvi ak batri pote yonn pou li. paske lè li leve lannwit pou li wè kote l'ap mete pye-l. mèsi davans.

Nou kontan paske ou pa pimal, n'ap priye pou ou retounen paske nou anvi wè ou..

God bless you!!!

Mèsi a la prochèn

Abel

Pi ta

Sharon

Cap-Haitien


Hello, Everyone!

Thanks to donors in England , the U.S. and Canada, we've sponsored 71 young people. I think (going from memory) there are 12 in trades (metiye-yo) and the rest are in high school. This leaves 79 students whom we sponsored last year still unregistered, as well as hundreds of other hopefuls on our second wait list.

The largest segment of those still not sponsored is in Sen Rafayel. I have not been able to travel to Sen Rafayel for the past 2 years as we have no vehicle, and public transit along that route is very unsafe. Unfortunately, some of the money and supplies we sent did not arrive at the intended destination. If we concentrate on Cap-Haitien, we are able to make home visits as well as make certain very little (hopefully nothing) goes astray.

Djohn came down the mountain on Friday with Claudy to pick up back packs and text books for Sen Rafayel. He was very happy to hear that Mme Cindy in Pennsylvania is sending a carpenter's scraper (gratwa) for him. I saw that he was very ill, so I took a chance and sent him with one of the girls to the corner clinic as I was certain he had malaria. Unfortunately, I was right, but fortunately, the nurse was able to make this diagnosis, and we sent him home with the necessary meds.

Dieumane is very ill with a parasite infection. Jhennie has an eye infection and needs glasses. She had a prescription which she lost and the doctor who prescribed it has since left Haiti. We will try to find another. Everyone here needs sunglasses and hats. The dust is very hard on the eyes and carries everything. Our neighbours continue to burn tires (couatchou). I think the smell is part of my genetic code now.

Elorge's kompoze was pa bon, meaning he will have to repeat the year. Unfortunately every one who had to kompoze anko was pa bon. Also unfortunately, we now need to find a new school for Elorge as his school in Sen Rafayel will not offer Philo this year due to decreased enrolment. Many who must repeat the year do not have the means to pay for a second try.

I was able to change my flight back to Toronto. I leave Wednesday, September 13, and arrive in Toronto on Friday night. Depending on how fast I can recuperate, I hope I can return to Cap-Haitien earlier than planned, perhaps by mid November. Because I am leaving early, our Day of Reflection (Sept. 17) has been cancelled as the house will be closed. Food distribution will continue on a weekly basis while I am gone. Jud is taking Abel to the market on Monday morning to purchase enough supplies for 10 weeks. He and Dieugrand will package on Saturdays and distribute on Sundays.

This past Friday was the last day for work for most of the summer staff. Rosenie will work on Monday and Tuesday with Abel to finish purchasing and processing the few text books we still need. Mme Carmene cooked diri ak pwa et legim (rice, beans and veggies) on Friday, and we had an end-of-summer meal together. Mme Marjorie is visiting from Sarnia, Ontario, and she joined us for the afternoon.

Kenbe, Sharon

Orangeville, Ontario, Canada


Hello Everyone,

As you may know, I am back in Ontario to attend to health concerns as well as to work on fundraising and Starthrower Foundation's year end (September 30).

I would like to thank the Patton Township Lions Club at State College, Pennsylvania, and Don and Sharon H. Together, they purchased a Perkin's Brailler for Guilene M. in Sen Rafayel. Also thanks to Cindy W. for finding a manual typewriter for Guilene (and also, I believe, a battery operated cassette recorder). When Guilene gets these items, she will be able to keep up with class work even though she's not in a specially equipped school. She is entering 2eme secondaire, the 5th year of high school. It is likely she will stay in Sen Rafayel to complete high school as the area of Port au Prince in which her previous school is located is in the middle of much of the action. The challenge now is to transport these items safely from Pennsylvania to Haiti.

Thanks to all our Marathoners for their past and future fundraising efforts. We all wish them success. Francilien ran a marathon in the United Kingdom on October 1. Orangeville, Ontario, naturopath Dr. Wendy Davis plans to run a marathon at Disneyworld in January 2007 for Starthrower, and one of her friends will run a half-marathon for us.

As We Grow, a clothing store in Orangeville, Ontario, owned by Janice Gooding, is sponsoring a Starthrower Foundation Information day on Saturday, Oct 28. I will be set up in a tent to show the video that was shot in Cap-Haitien this past summer. If you will be in the area, please come by to show your support. Janice Gooding is challenging the community of Orangeville to line Broadway (our main street) with loonies ($1 coins) for Starthrower. Brownies and Girl Guides will facilitate collection. (More information: As We Grow - The Cardwell Collection, 113 Broadway, Orangeville, ON Phone (519) 941-8733) (See also Fundraisers)

Our treasurer, Bev, reports that Starthrower Foundations's annual general meeting is tentatively set for November 5, 2006, in London, Ontario. Bev adds that 'Our financial health is nil', including the monies needed for the annual (mandatory) audit. Bev says that Starthrower is still waiting for responses on our proposals for grants.

This weekend, in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving. Every one of us has much to be thankful for. Let's truly appreciate all that we have been given, and re-dedicate ourselves to helping those those less fortunate.

Blessings,

Sharon