August 2002 NEWSLETTER
Coordinator Nancy M. Mendenhall
P.O. box 1141 Nome, Alaska 99762
(907) 443-2455
nfnmm@yahoo.com
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For specific information about our direct mailing network and how to mail gifts: www.uuff.org/chukotka.htm
To all our supporters from Alaskan Friends of Chukotka:
This will be a short message as it is about one topic: fundraising for postage and fishing supplies for our fall shipments which we expect to begin next week. We have no problem with knowing what families really need for we have received over one hundred thank you letters since January 1, 2002. Many of them answer our questions about specific needs. These are things which are still not available in their village stores, or are too expensive to buy. Some people also include the local prices, and what their pensions or salaries amount to, and these too can be compared across villages. There is strong consistency.
The items which we have been sending since 2001 continue to be the needs
unemployed families and pensioners can't afford, or simply may not be available.
Those mentioned most are:
1. kids' clothing-- especially footwear, pants and jackets
2. Certain kinds of outdoor gear for work and subsistence: boots and
jackets, warm gloves, hip boots for summer, etc.
3. yarn for knitting warm sox etc. and other sewing supplies
4. fishing supplies, especially net webs
5. basic school supplies.
We have enough in material donations to handle our fall shipments to these families, and also to lists of elders in need which we get, except for the postage and the fishing supplies (including hip boots) and skin sewing needles. We never have enough boots on hand but we send them out as we get them. This week we got donations to cover 12 nets and 60 lures which we have ordered
Almost all of the 42 village schools received a box from AFOC this year as well, from our members who specifically chose to do this.
Our current fundraising, therefore, is mainly for the parcel post to
families, which continues to run between $40 and $50 per box, and the few
items which
were not donated. If you are able to send funds, it will help us send
sooner.
You, the members of this network, are the ones who have funded this project --for four years! Thank you for continuing to support Chukotkans as you can, as they struggle to rebuild their region, and thanks to those who have already sent their fall contribution. If you need a tax deductible receipt, make the check out to Nome Community Center, where we have a special account, and they will mail it to you.
ATTENTION AFOC MAILERS: Recently one of the people in our
network was mailing many boxes to Chukotka and the PO clerk charged
him for "air parcel post" instead of "economy parcel post" even though
he had asked for the cheapest rate. The clerk then did not put the
air parcel post sticker on the boxes so they were going economy class anyway.
Fortunately he realized what had happened after a time--that the recent
raise in rates could not have caused the big increase he saw.
(The internet posts the correct current rates and I see little if any
change.) The PO supervisor argued heatedly about it but he stuck
to his guns and she finally admitted it was the clerk's error and agreed
to refund his money. So be sure that you ask for economy
parcel post and then check your receipt to see that this is how it was
listed and charged. There should be no huge upswing in rates.
You should be able to stop any error that way. I don't think this
is the only time it has happened
to people, but such a big shipment made it noticeable.
Thank you all!! Nancy Mendenhall, Coordinator, AFOC
AFOC September 2001 Newsletter
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