NEWS UPDATE  September 2008
Sylvia’s Heading To Africa After Thanksgiving 
Laying Ground Work for 2009 Annual Trip 

	It’s always so wonderful to put together this newsletter because it allows me to see that we are making progress!  "We believe that all children should receive an education, because education is the best means of achieving stability and safeguarding against extremist ideologies.  Education is also a source of joy and inspiration and an end unto itself.  Education is a source of social and economic advancement as well as a vehicle for teaching children to be good citizens."
October 5-11, 2008 is WORLD ORPHAN WEEK …  Help me by suggesting what can we do- together -  to capitalize on this! E-Mail Sylvia
Here’s what has happened since the last newsletter:  1.     Samaritan’s Feet has encountered a problem getting shoes for November; however, I am working with one of the executives and it is our sincere hope that we can have the shoes for the December trip.  (We still need socks!)  2.     Five of us will be going in December for the school’s Christmas party … my daughter, Michele Costa (her chemo treatments are over!); Frank Dalotto and his wife, Elly (who is a nurse); Eileen Turcotte from Boston and me.  I am so glad to have an expert with us who can give us advice on how to help the children that need health problems corrected.  We leave the day after Thanksgiving and return December 4.
	3.     And, speaking of Christmas here’s the VERY good news.  The Jersey Coast Red Cross is going to do a fund drive for us with the goal of raising $10,000 so we can take 1,000 blankets and 1,000 shirts (that say Sylvia’s Children and Jersey Coast Red Cross) for Christmas.  It is such a wonderful, heartwarming experience to work with people who care.  4.     Eileen has undertaken a fundraising effort to purchase at least four – and up to eight – solar powered, motion sensitive spotlights.  Although we have not heard any more about the burning of schools in Kampala these lights could certainly deter someone from coming into the school.

5.     As always, thanks to Joe Corpina for helping me with the IRS “stuff”.  The amount of paperwork exceeds the amount of money we raise!  Anyway, Joe, thanks for keeping us on course.

6.     Thanks to Bettsy Szabocsik for getting the Back to School mailing out.  I will have the Christmas one written by end of September and Michele has volunteered to fold, label and seal.  We have 3,000 names in our database and it is quite a project as it has to be sorted by carrier route.

7.     Our church is having a bazaar October 11 and we will have a booth there.

8.     October 19 is Children’s Sunday in our church and I have been asked to do a 3 to 5 minute moment for mission.  I hope to use some of the video.  It is very emotional.

9.     Met with Liz Giacobbe who is the Principal of the Village Elementary School here in Holmdel (around 1,000 students) who will be planning a school-wide fund-raiser.  I am going to try and get the entire Holmdel School system involved but … one step at a time.

10.       Thanks to Leslie Segrete who set me up with an appointment with Nancy Costo, an executive at DHL at JFK.  We are working on a way to transport everything without it costing a fortune!  Stay tuned!

11.      Michele is “shepherding” a new brochure that has the new needs for the school.  Hopefully we will have it by early October and you will all get a copy, if you wish.

12.      Our next trip will be June 26 to July 7.  We will spend four days at the school, one day in Kampala and at the equator, and then three days at Murchison Falls to see giraffes, etc.  h

      And, although this is nine months away I would like to get an idea of who wishes to join this trip.  If you have gone before … the good news?  You don’t have to get another yellow fever shot!  Just FYI … Michele, Eileen and I have applied for multiple entry visas.  If you think you will go more than once this is a more cost-effective way to get your visa.

More in November!  Thanks to all of your for your interest in, and love for, these children at the Mbiriizi Advanc

Sylvia’s Children, Inc., 89 Middletown Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733 is a 501(c)3 charity where 100% of the donations go to the school.  Administration costs are absorbed by Allen Consulting so your donation is 100% tax deductible.  If you wish to help, just go to  www.sylviaschildren.org.