ALASKAN FRIENDS OF CHUKOTKA
September 2003 NEWSLETTER
Coordinator Nancy M. Mendenhall
P.O. box 1141 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 general information about Chukotka: www.chukotka-ethnography.org
For specific information about our direct mailing network and how to
mail
gifts: www.uuff.org/chukotka
SEPTEMBER 2003
The problems in Chukotka shifted to the political last
month as the governor was named many times in a
controversy over what to do about the oligarchs who
made their millions by scooping up privatized state
oil companies on the cheap in 1994. I have not heard
if the federal prosecutor wants to do anything in a
big way or just confine the investigation to certain
individuals close to Gov. Abramovich. His company
Sibneft was/is on th verge of a merger with Yukos, the
largest oil company. I wonder if it went through. The
Governor made the news meanwhile by buying an English
soccer team (Chelsea). Elections are in just 15 months, and
there can be no doubt that Chukotka will miss his
largesse. Much of the money he made in the oil deals
went into uplifting Chukotka. We have received more letters from
families telling
of their new modern houses (real cabinet work in the
kitchens!) and new schools under construction.
Unemployment is still high and consumer goods scarce,
but you can imagine that their spirits are uplifted by
having a leader who cares for them. What is coming
when he leaves?
In other news a Canadian company
doing oil exploration in Chukotka announced the
largest gold find ever. Will any of the profits get
into the villages? Chukotkans here are skeptical; it
depends on whom Abramovich passes the reins to.
The letters of request we received this summer
indicated the same shortages coupled with high prices
impossible for poorer families: fishing gear,
footwear, outdoor wear and yarn still the big items. Maybe because they
have learned that is what we have
to send!! We did respond to the shortages of supplies in the
kindergartens. Have managed to mail several boxes to 4
of them. This week we received commitment of funds
from American Friends Service Committee and the Bering
Sea Lions Club which allowed us to order a supply of
fish net web etc for fall-winter mailing. These two
groups have been faithful in their support to our
neighbors. We (meaning the whole network) have also sent many
boxes to five of the Red Cross recreation centers and this
summer received a nice gift in return of handcrafts
created with some of the materials we sent. Our entire network is now
sending their gifts direct instead of sending to Nome to be resent and
that
is a great advance for speed and cost. Thanks to all
of you who took on the chore of learning to do the
mailings!
This time I am including a special request for aid
to an infant who needs heart surgery. This is from
Jim Helms of Anchorage, who has spent over ten years
working with Chukotkan Native orphans, making 30 trips
to the RFE, with some great success. He needs to raise
$1800 more for this child's trip to Moscow clinic and
if any of you would like to contribute, can you e-mail
him at ruhelms @ hotmail.com and ask
him
how he wants
this taken care of? I can personally speak of the
high regard Chukotkan school administrators have for
Jim Helms' work with thir kids.
In other news, Arlene Wood has
taken over for Alaskan Methodist efforts in Chukotka
after Jim Campbell's retirement. She will perform a
coordinating function similar to mine, specifically
for the UMC, encouraging mailing of clothing and
school supplies dirct to families, among other aid
projects they hope to find funds to continue. The first installment of
funds from the NPS Beringia
project came thru for our youth program in five sites.
(You may have seen the kids' art calendars from
previous years.) This is partnered with the Kaira
Club of Anadyr and Nome Community Center. We hear
they are working on another calendar now. Get your
orders to me!
We like to recognize a few people of our network
each newsletter for unusual effort--well, you are all
unusual! This time, big cheer for: Henry of the
Barrow Arctic Science Consortium who coordinated the
shipment of 14 boxes to Providenski families, Joanne
of Paullina Iowa for her own 6 boxes to Providenski
families, Donna and Epworth, Iowa UMC- 16 boxes to
Egvekinot Rec Center, Athens TN UMC and Jim for 8
boxes to Lorino kindergarten, and finally our own Nome
UMW for $800 for fishing supplies, and I already
mentioned just this week Nome's Lions Club and the
AFSC of SF for fishing supplies. A special thanks also
to Everett of Cincinnati, who sends a box or more
every month of things too expensive to buy in Nome
that families have asked for. Many thanks to all the
yarn donors, too, and every one of you. Every postage
contribution turns into a box mailed.!!! Warm
regards, Nancy
AFOC October 2002 Newsletter
AFOC August 2002 Newsletter
AFOC June 2002 Newsletter
AFOC March 2002 Newsletter
AFOC January 2002 Newsletter
AFOC October 2001 Newsletter
AFOC September 2001 Newsletter
AFOC July 2001 Newsletter
AFOC April 2001 Update
AFOC February 2001 Newsletter
AFOC January 2001 Newsletter
AFOC December 2000 Newsletter
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