1. The virus has definitely limited our efforts but not eliminated them! We have done 6 ramps this semester, had 3 "can and bottle" drives, loaded 2 pallets and 3 more pallets
waiting to pack for schools, and have done 4-5 trail clearing days so far this semester.
waiting to pack for schools, and have done 4-5 trail clearing days so far this semester.
2. Last two days to donate to http://PositiveRipples.org # to buy books for local (and Queens NY where Mark was from) libraries and schools. Focus of books: black lives. In memory of Mark Stewart a volunteer who died this summer in a hit-and-run accident in NYC. We have raised almost $2000 through can and bottle drives so far for this.
4. We have a tree-planting program ALMOST ready to launch in Haiti! It is so close. We had hoped to be started by the start of October, but well, things happened. (there is a pandemic happening and well school and about 1million other things). How it will work: we raise money to allow businesses (or individuals) to go 'Carbon neutral" (win 1) which will create jobs through our partners in Haiti plant trees (win 2). The trees lower run-off which will reduce flooding (win 3), lower erosion (win 4), and provide shade (it is hot in Haiti!) (win 5). Many of the trees will also provide food (citrus, moringa, coconut, avocado) (win 6). In a few years, once the trees are established, we can grow coffee under the shade (win 7). Yeah, donate! great program! BTW we hope to also do this tree program in the Bahamas where we have discussed it with schools and a member of parliament. (donate at PositiveRipples.org (mention trees) 🌳 🌲
5. We'd love to expand the microloan programs in Haiti. We did start a new one in Leogane with the help of Lamarre (it is taking some time as his mom is in danger of losing her leg at the knee to diabetes and he has obviously been tied up trying to help her!
6. We are playing an integral role is the starting of BrothersandSistersall.org a website for social justice in conjunction with the St. Bonaventure University School of Business and their new Black Student Enterprise program, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and Associates, Bonaventure Franciscan Center for Social Concern, and of course PositiveRipples! If you don't follow us, please do! Bonas for Social Justice! (also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBU4SOCJustice)
7. This weekend we are building a ramp for a Vietnam war veteran, scouting and dropping off material for a ramp for a woman with cancer, and Hopefully getting some blankets made by a few local church groups as we are pretty much out of WarmSnugglyBlankets.
8. We also won a great honor from the Character Council of WNY as we were selected to represent character and honesty in action. A poster they made will be hung in high schools across WNY!
9. We'd love to have someone write up a newsletter :). and we still have many thank-you notes to write! We really need to get more first-year students involved. Also, one of our leaders will be graduating and one is transferring closer to home as a result of covid, so we REALLY need more leaders :) .
10. We were asked to share this "how Covid is affecting us" survey from the Buffalo United Way. (@Jennifer Owen is running the survey and is a former student who was a great student and I would love you to help her out with the survey!) She stressed it is for all of NYS and not just Erie county!
