Rick Feldman wrote this morning with pictures of the container being loaded at Church of the Mediator in the Bronx last month. Students from Ms K. Newton's Class 702 helped out. Thanks everybody!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Good Samaritan Rebuilding Fund Blog Is Back
After five weeks of recovery from my knee replacement surgery, it's time to reactivate the Good Samaritan Rebuilding Fund Blog. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Rather than making numerous entries, below is a recapitulation of the major things that have happened in the past month.
# Jean-Elie Millien and I had a long conversation recently. Perhaps the most exciting news is that we now have 131 students enrolled. They are in classrooms under a tent and in alley-ways covered by tarps. In addition, Centre d'apui Pédagogique has brought food for lunches.
# Jean-Elie also confirmed that the old School building has been demolished. Tearing it down was a hard and sad decision, but necessary to moving forward with a completely new, safe building. The Rebuilding Fund which so many of you have so generously supported has paid $8,000 for the demolition.
# The Vestry at Old St. Andrew's, which is overseeing the management of the Rebuilding Fund, voted to send $20,000, plus $1,800 for legal fees, to purchase the land on which the School resides. In the past, École le Bon Samaritain has leased the property for $50 a year. Now, the property is owned by the School.
# This brings up another important item. A concern many have had is that of succession. Who takes over after Jean-Elie and Mona retire? The School now has a Board of Directors to oversee administration and management in the future.
# In addition, a not-for-profit (501.c.3) corporation--École le Bon Samaritain - Haiti--is being formed in the U.S. In the future, this organization will raise money in support of École le Bon Samaritain and the education of Haitian children.
A grant of $7,500 to be used for teachers' salaries and the lunch program is being made to the Rebuilding Fund by the Diocese of Connecticut's Millennium Fund.
St. John's, Bristol has decided to adopt École le Bon Samaritain for their outreach in the coming year.
The Global Ideas Festival at the Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield sent in a check for $2,375.69, in addition to a contribution over $1,200 earlier in the year.
Trinity Church, Newtown's youth have raise $1,240 for the Rebuilding Fund
Common Cents (we met them at C.S. 211 this spring) has sent $8,000.
# The Greenwich Citizen had an excellent article about Jean-Elie and École le Bon Samaritain on Friday, May 28th. Click the link to read the whole article.
# The Good Samaritan Rebuilding Fund purchased two 20' X 30' pole tents with sides. Unfortunately, there was a snafu is getting the tents to the shipping container in the Bronx last month and so only the sides were shipped to Haiti. We are now making arrangements to ship the tents and poles directly to a warehouse in Port-au-Prince for pick-up by Jean-Elie. These large tents should serve the students, teachers and staff well until a new school building is built.
What's Next? We are now actively seeking an architect to design the new building according to the needs outlined by Jean-Elie and the Board of Directors. The design and engineering of the new School must take into consideration the new building codes of Haiti's government. Our great hope and expectation is to find an architect who will work pro bono. If you are an architect or know of somebody who might take on this project, please contact me immediately (puckpurnell@mac.com).
Fund Raising... Once our architect presents his/her design, we will spec the cost of construction. With good renderings of the new School building in hand and a clear idea of the costs, our fund raising will swing into high gear. We will not build until we have all of the necessary funds.
Many of you have already been extremely generous in supporting the emergency relief effort and helping École le Bon Samaritain survive and recover since January. Please know how important you have already been. Thank you! But also, remember that your continued financial and moral support will be needed to rebuild the School.
Old St. Andrew's will host a big picnic for all who participated in any way or anybody interested in helping to rebuild École le bon Samaritain. Please save the date and make plans to join others who have been involved.
OSA will provide hamburgers & hot dogs, chips, and lemonade. We ask you to bring a side dish or salad and your beer or wine. We will set up under the large maple where the playscape is. COME ONE, COME ALL RSVP to: osa@OldStAndrews.net.
After five weeks of recovery from my knee replacement surgery, it's time to reactivate the Good Samaritan Rebuilding Fund Blog. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Rather than making numerous entries, below is a recapitulation of the major things that have happened in the past month.
# The Vestry at Old St. Andrew's, which is overseeing the management of the Rebuilding Fund, voted to send $20,000, plus $1,800 for legal fees, to purchase the land on which the School resides. In the past, École le Bon Samaritain has leased the property for $50 a year. Now, the property is owned by the School.
# In addition, a not-for-profit (501.c.3) corporation--École le Bon Samaritain - Haiti--is being formed in the U.S. In the future, this organization will raise money in support of École le Bon Samaritain and the education of Haitian children.
Contributions continue to be received.
We just received $5,000 from Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich.A grant of $7,500 to be used for teachers' salaries and the lunch program is being made to the Rebuilding Fund by the Diocese of Connecticut's Millennium Fund.
St. John's, Bristol has decided to adopt École le Bon Samaritain for their outreach in the coming year.
The Global Ideas Festival at the Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield sent in a check for $2,375.69, in addition to a contribution over $1,200 earlier in the year.
Trinity Church, Newtown's youth have raise $1,240 for the Rebuilding Fund
Common Cents (we met them at C.S. 211 this spring) has sent $8,000.
# The Greenwich Citizen had an excellent article about Jean-Elie and École le Bon Samaritain on Friday, May 28th. Click the link to read the whole article.
What's Next? We are now actively seeking an architect to design the new building according to the needs outlined by Jean-Elie and the Board of Directors. The design and engineering of the new School must take into consideration the new building codes of Haiti's government. Our great hope and expectation is to find an architect who will work pro bono. If you are an architect or know of somebody who might take on this project, please contact me immediately (puckpurnell@mac.com).
Fund Raising... Once our architect presents his/her design, we will spec the cost of construction. With good renderings of the new School building in hand and a clear idea of the costs, our fund raising will swing into high gear. We will not build until we have all of the necessary funds.
Many of you have already been extremely generous in supporting the emergency relief effort and helping École le Bon Samaritain survive and recover since January. Please know how important you have already been. Thank you! But also, remember that your continued financial and moral support will be needed to rebuild the School.
Big Picnic for Haiti - Saturday, July 31st , 4 - 7 p.m.
OSA will provide hamburgers & hot dogs, chips, and lemonade. We ask you to bring a side dish or salad and your beer or wine. We will set up under the large maple where the playscape is. COME ONE, COME ALL RSVP to: osa@OldStAndrews.net.
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