* We are back from our spring break trip to Dallas Texas. If you missed out, you missed lots of hard work, but also fun (North Texas Irish Festival, a tour and trip to Fort Worth), good food, and most importantly meeting some great new friends while helping people recover from a disaster. A huge thank you to everyone who helped and went on the trip! Hundreds of pictures available here and here.
* A Thank you to Jim Cochran in Buffalo! Not only did he distribute 30+ @WarmSnugglyblankets, but he also arranged to have them given to those getting chemo at CCS oncology. In one move, Jim solved many of our distribution problems for WSB! (remember, if you know of someone with cancer, let us know and we can send a blanket in your name!) (look for thank-yous for those who have been making blankets in the coming week!)
* As mentioned before the Dallas trip, we aim to help plant 3000 trees in Haiti. Have been in contact with @TreeAngelsforHaiti and Onel in the past week. We will be back in touch on this shortly. Stay tuned.
* Let there be sun! Thanks to Rob Granger, Pierce Steel, and Mike Ellman we now have solar electric (to charge cordless drills etc) and lights in our trailer! This will allow us to see! Improves safety, efficiency, and MAYBE even neatness!
* Our first online #BonasandBeyond program starts this week. It is a 6-week course in economic foundations. It is free. If you have not signed up, please do so! http://goo.gl/forms/WnjZXxi871 we have about 20 people signed up so far. It is set to go live on Tues March 8. So sign up today!
* We are getting the first of the updates from the money we sent to the winners in the #BonasandBeyond program’s presentations for capital to help Haiti. Heard from Djemson that the harvest has started of beans that will be sold to help fund orphanage and school for the 17 children under his care. Also, the Little Garden program is going well! We look forward to hearing from the others soon.
* In response to the movie Poverty.Inc, I was asked about our solar program in Haiti. Yes, we buy the solar units from Haitian suppliers. So we are helping in a way that does not hurt their economy. If we can raise $1500 by International Service Day (April 9-10) we will be able to install solar electric in another school!
* Wesley is starting a BonaResponds program at his school in Leogane Haiti. I am THRILLED by this. It will work like this (I think): once a month school children will work (on a Saturday) on a project that makes Haiti better. We will be partially funding it and providing lunch for the volunteers. It is a great win:win:win program. The students learn the importance of giving back and they learn new skills. Those that are helped are made better off. And the local Haitian economy is helped by the purchase of food etc for the program.
* Onel is looking to buy/make BonaResponds t-shirts in Haiti for a large tree planting day there. Stay tuned. Not sure how much we can economically justify but we will be doing something for the volunteers there.
* Soccer in Les Cayes is starting up again this month after a break. Look for pictures soon from Rochelin. We are still looking to buy a lawnmower in Haiti for them. Proving to be 1000 times more difficult than I expected.
* On March 19 we are working with CYC on a local wheelchair ramp. It should go VERY fast with the two groups working together. On March 13 we will be prepping for it. Plan on coming out to help on both days! (Saturday we are off this weekend due to Open house on campus and interviewing Business Dean Candidates).
* Remember, April 9-10 is International Service Weekend. PLAN AN EVENT in your country, city, neighborhood. http://bonaresponds.org/isd.html
* We are back from our spring break trip to Dallas Texas. If you missed out, you missed lots of hard work, but also fun (North Texas Irish Festival, a tour and trip to Fort Worth), good food, and most importantly meeting some great new friends while helping people recover from a disaster. A huge thank you to everyone who helped and went on the trip! Hundreds of pictures available here and here. 
* Let there be sun! Thanks to Rob Granger, Pierce Steel, and Mike Ellman we now have solar electric (to charge cordless drills etc) and lights in our trailer! This will allow us to see! Improves safety, efficiency, and MAYBE even neatness! 
