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Published: September 18th 2009
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We WIN the Contest
Our winning entry-a friend's work area in T'bilisi, Georgia. Our 15 seconds of Fame
Anyone who's been following Dudley Dawson's Worlds' Worst Cubicle Contest in the San Francisco Examiner (or read my previous blog on this subject) knows that we submitted two entries (#22 and #23) and that #22 was in the lead. I got the news that we WON the contest (was there any doubt?) and we've been awarded a gift card. If you want to see all the entries and results, go to:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3040-Life-in-the-Cubicle-Examiner~y2009m8d30-Connie-Finch-wins-the-2009-Worst-Cubicle-in-the-World-award
(copy and paste into any browser). You'll die laughing!
But that's not the end of the story! When Dudley asked me what I was going to do with the winnings, I mentioned my charity work and that I would be buying toys for the orphanages in Romania, Moldova and The Republic of Georgia. He asked me more questions and then published a column with my answers! He also increased the gift card to $150 from the original prize of $50. Wow, I didn't expect all that...
Here's the address to read the article online, I even get to mention my church, Communities of Hope.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3040-Life-in-the-Cubicle-Examiner~y2009m9d17-Worst-Cubicle-in-the-World-winner-to-use-money-for-good-cause-and-inspire-others
(copy and paste into any browser).
Since I've returned from
Our biggest shipment ever
Nelson's entire large panel truck was packed! my trip, I've been busy. I was able to send my largest shipment ever, 49 boxes weighing 3, 755 lbs and costing $5,215 to ship. Many thanks to the Episcopal Church Women of St. Andrew's, Saratoga, who graciously gave me a grant of $1,000 to help with the shipping costs, and to my podiatrist, Dr. Michael Amirkiai of Sunnyvale, CA who donated $50. The balance came from us.
In addition, we've started on the following projects:
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A Christmas toy drive: to collect toys for the orphans and poor children in Romania and Georgia.
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Text book lending libraries: In my Blog "Working together for Good", I wrote about the hardships students face in getting an education. In Georgia, as in many other countries, all parents have to buy school books for their children. If they cannot afford them, children go without. In my opinion, NO CHILD should be without the minimum educational tool-textbooks. Education is THE WAY out of poverty. In partnership with public school teachers and directors, we are establishing text book libraries within public schools. Poor students will be selected and loaned text books for their school year. Each set of books will be continually reused,
A few of the boxes
containing hundreds of toys, shoes, coats, blankets. On their way to Romania and Moldova. benefiting hundreds of students and establishing an ongoing legacy of education and facilitating an upward spiral out of poverty.
Each of our projects has excellent fiscal and operational controls (hey, I'm an accountant and MBA, and budgets/accountability are important to me). Each potential project must have a budget and accomplishment milestones, which are reviewed and approved before any funds are sent. Furthermore, we have a local Liaison, Irakli's cousin Ilya Bezhasvili. Ilya meets with the requestor, helps them create and submit the budget to us, then follows up throughout the project. Funds are not sent directly to the recipient, nor even to Ilya, but rather to Irakli's brother, Achi Natsvlishvili. Achi releases funds to Ilya to distribute only at our directive and in accordance with the budgets and as milestones are reached. As books are purchased and distributed to students, Ilya then forwards back to us the supporting invoices, updates (field reports) and of course, pictures of the students receiving and using the books.
We already have 2 fully funded projects:
->In Public School #87, T'bilisi, Director David Cheishvili, a library for grades 2,3,4 & 6. Initially, 3 students in each grade will receive a complete set
Betty Holmes
Our friend and a very generous donor of books, at an average cost of 56 Gel (Georgian Lari) or $33 USD per student for the year. This is Phase I only. We'll shortly be funding Phase II which will cover grades 7-12.
->In Sighnaghi Public School, Vice Principal Nana Bezhashvili, we're establishing a text book lending library for grades 2-12. Initially, 29 students will receive a complete set of books for their grade, at an average cost of 76 Gel or $45 per student for the year. Total project budget: 2057 Gel or $1220 USD. Project funded by a very generous lady, Mrs. Betty Holmes.
and we've been approached via Ilya, about starting another lending library in the town of Tianeti, about 20 miles outside of T'bilisi. We've even heard of schools where there are only 6 sets of textbooks for all the students, grades 1-12. And schools closing for lack of $180 per month to pay teachers' salaries. We would love to fix these tragic situations, but need donors. We can't do it alone, and these problems can be solved with your help.
Considering that it only costs about $30-$50 per student to supply textbooks for an entire grade/year, and considering that this
Connie, Ilya & Director David
We agree to work together to start the text book lending library. gift will keep on giving as the books are re-used year after year, we consider this an EXCELLENT INVESTMENT with unlimited ROI. Just think, for the price of one restaurant dinner, or one month's worth of Starbuck's coffee, many children can get a better education. Will you even remember your dinner out a year from now? But your gift to such a cause could last a lifetime and create ripples of positive impact, spreading outward to impact many lives. Who knows what kind of legacy you could create? Just drop me an email at constancefinch@yahoo.com and let's get started!
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