Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Where have all the BEC's gone

It’s September, the children are back to school and things are picking up again for B4H. Bikes were sent to Namibia, bikes are being collected, fundraising initiatives are underway in many communities and thought I would take a moment and share with everyone some of the things going on.

The Humanity Painting

We are continually getting inquiries about the “Humanity Prints” by Liz Woodside. The original acrylic painting of "Bicycles for Humanity" (40" X 66") was moved August 21 / 2007 from where it was hanging at Kelowna's Rotary Centre for the Arts to the Kelowna Art Gallery, where it will be in a show (August 31 - November 11 2007) displaying work of artist who teach art classes at the gallery. Liz Woodside has been teaching water colour and calligraphy classes there for the past 3 years.

Ottawa

This Friday, September 14th in Ottawa, Seb, Sandra and the team are organizing a Humanity Rocks Concert, please pass this email on to all of your friends in the Ottawa area, it will be a terrific event and all monies go towards sending the Ottawa BEC to Namibia, details can be found at http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org/Ottawa/HR_Benefit_Concert.php

Cambridge

Bob, Bronwyn and the team in Cambridge have done a terrific job pulling together a B4H team and the collection of bikes will be at Southwood School, October 19th and 20th.

Whistler

The container has arrived, fundraising is underway and all is underway for a mid October collection. Kelly and the team have done an outstanding job, fundraising is never easy, but they like Bob, Seb and all the other members of the B4H family are having fun, being very creative and making it happen

Thunder Bay and St Bartholomews

Earlier this year, Steve and the great team in Thunder Bay and Rev. Maureen, Terry and the team at St Barts collected 5 containers of bikes. They have been shipped, many have arrived in Namibia and Michael and the team at BEN have been working long hours to organize and move the BEC’s to their homes.

Namibia

I received an email from Michael this morning and it got me thinking. Everyone here in North America and the UK are working hard to raise the funds, collect the bikes and get them moving to Namibia. Michael and Clarisse are expecting their first child this month and with all that is going on, they continue to train and move bikes to their new homes to help many in communities across Namibia. The small acts of kindness shown by all in every community here will have a long lasting impact on many globally.

A brief run down of what has happened and is happening.


The first BEC’s shipped were delivered to Windhoek and the village of Okathitu in Northern Namibia, run by Anglican HIV/AIDS home based care group.

The BEC collected by Scott, Phil and the students of Rockcreek and Rockridge Schools was delivered to the town of Tsumeb, run by TOV, orphan and vulnerable children support group. The Whistler BEC is going to the same community. Kelly and 10 members of our community visited Tsumeb in may of this year.

The Thunder Bay first BEC is in Windhoek, where Michael and BEN are trying to fund two projects to get them to Katima Mulilo and one to get them to HIV/AIDS home based care volunteers with the Mapilelo project.

St Barts BEC 1: in Windhoek. To be delivered to TKMOAMS a HIV/AIDS home based care organisation with 700 volunteers across 3 northern regions. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.

St Barts BEC 2: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to the Disability Economic Empowerment Project (DEEP), a group of people with disabilities who will be providing bikes to volunteers providing bikes to home based care volunteers. Small business/project management training starts next week, and mechanic training the week after.

St Barts BEC 3: Arrives Windhoek around 17 Sept. To be delivered to
Family Hope Sanctuary, a children's support group that builds the
capacity of extended families to care for orphans and vulnerable
children, runs a kindergarten, after school support, food garden and feeding program. Two training programs are currently under way inWindhoek for this group: one in bicycle mechanics and one in small business/project management (stock control, marketing, book keeping etc).

Rotary Bramhall/Woodford (David Dewhurst) will be shipping their
container in November, and it will be delivered to the village of
Okalongo, to be run by volunteers from Catholic Aids Action.

The Cambridge BEC will be loaded later this year and delivered to Lifeline Childline in the town of Ondangwa. This group trains volunteer counsellors who support orphans and adults in coming to terms with the effects of HIV/AIDS, and encourages people to have HIV tests.

The Ottawa BEC will be delivered to House of Love for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Rundu.

I know this is a very long update and I apologize, but I thought I would take a moment and share this with everyone. The efforts of all in every community will forever change the lives of many in Namibia and hopefully soon other African Countries. It’s a simple old bike, but mobility is one of the keys to a better life and to help with healthcare.

Humanity, Rocks


Pat

"A bicycle is the best tool for fighting aids and poverty in Africa"
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org

Monday, September 10, 2007

Sept 9. 2007 Update

Hi All

It's been a hectic summer and I'm finally back in Whistler. things are going very well at Bicycles for Humanity. Our grassroots initiative is gaining traction and growing globally. Many people and individuals are very interested, primarily due to the high degree of accountability here and in Africa.

This fall is very busy with Ottawa, Cambridge and Whistler organizing collection in late September and early October. Please support these initiatives.

thanks


Pat