October 2002 NEWSLETTER
Coordinator Nancy M. Mendenhall
P.O. box 1141ÝÝ Nome, Alaska 99762
(907) 443-2455
nfnmm@yahoo.com
If you would like to be on our list to receive this newsletter by e-mail, send a message to e-mail address above.
For specific information about our direct mailing network and how to mail gifts: www.uuff.org/chukotka
Nancy Mendenhall will be away until Nov. 21.Ý You may contact Michele at her new email address: markmichele@gci.net
Thanks to all of you who have stayed faithfully with this project, and
especially to those who helped with the fall fund drive for postage money!
We have been
able to send out a batch of 2-5 boxes every week. Also several travelers from
Chukotka have stopped by and picked up things they needed.
Thanks to all who took part in the school box mailings this year. We assigned
out schools in 26 sites and we think almost all of those have been mailed
by now.
Several places reported getting thank you letters back, some with fine sets
of kids' drawings. Thanks especially to St. John's Methodist of Anchorage
and the Vacation Bible School team to Nome who donated a large amount of materials,
and to Oakland Iowa UMC who sent to seven schools direct.
We made up two traveling exhibits of the kids' drawings and they are traveling on circuit now to the sites in our network who wanted to display them. If you did not put your name in and you still wish to, let us know. These are interesting colored pencil drawings of animals, village life, and subsistence activities. They show also the strength of the art instruction there.
We submitted a proposal to continue a youth project sponsored by the Kaira Club of AnadyrÝ and the RFETF for the last four years, a combination of environmental science, culture and arts.Ý We plan to organize an exchange of portfolios with one or more school groups on this side.
The yarn project continues to go great.Ý Many of the letters thank us especially for that and sewing supplies.Ý We have gotten some great boxes of yarn in -- again, thanks so much. That is a lot of warm sox. Also sent needlecraft, yarn and art supplies to two of the new recreation centers that have been started in villages. These are pilot projects by the Chukotka gov. funded in part through Red Cross and through our UAA American Russian Center.Ý The centers have the space and the coordinators but were out looking for supplies.Ý Hard to run a rec program with nothing but imagination!
Our fish net project also continues.Ý We received a grant of $500 each
from two sources -- one private, one the American Friends Service Committee
-- which allowed us to buy nets and other fish gear for 20 families --it's
all been mailed, along with other supplies.Ý They use nets both winter and
summer. the need for
subsistence supplies is most urgent.Ý I got a letter today from a man who
has needed pistons for his Suzuki outboard for two years. He can't get them
-- he can't
hunt.Ý We will do something.
Finally, our clothing shipments continue to go from many different sites in this network.Ý The thank you letters are similar in that they still report the same shortages, especially in kids' clothing and footwear for everyone.Ý We don't know why this is such a problem .Ý The same villages may also have a new school being built or at least repaired, or in a few villages new homes going in, i.e.Ý the distribution of needed supplies is uneven. One place with a new school underway had no sugar or tea in the store for months and no kids' shoes.
News from the Russian Far East Task Force is that their volunteer group to Providenia last summer renovated two homes for elders and had a very interesting and heartwarming time. Providenia contacts told us it went very well. They have adopted families to send Christmas packages to from one of the villages they visited. Unfortunately, the RFETF is now writing proposals and looking for groups to pick up their many good projects since their funding is expiring. This includes funding for relief assistance, alcohol programs, elder home care, youth projects, and clothing distribution. They also have arranged medical assistance for difficult cases through Anchorage hospitals and physician volunteering. We hope to see a grant funded to continue the youth project. For the rest,Ý new network is needed, much beyond what AFOC can do. If you know a group that would like to help, contact Jim Campbell at russia@gci.net.
Right now what we need most is postage money -- thank you Athens TN UMC!! We are short of sewing and leather needles, size 6,7,8, if you want to stick some in an envelope and mail to us it would be great. Use the address above.
Once more, a huge thank you to all of you who have contributed time, equipment
and supplies to keep this friendship and neighborly assistance going to the
families of Chukotka.Ý Please let us know when you receive a letter so we
can keep track of our mailing success. By the way, the mail is going much
faster now.
Ý
Nancy Mendenhall
AFOC September 2001 Newsletter
(If you browse these other newsletters, come back to this page by using the "Back" button on your browser)