Sign up for fall break trip

We will be leaving late on Friday (Oct 11) and returning VERY late on Monday/Tuesday AM.

Happy to announce a new program whereby BonaResponds will be helping in the Phillipines

I do not know where does randomness end and "this was meant to be" starts.

This summer I hired Jen as an assistant from Odesk.  She lives in the Phillipines and was a great worker.  In our almost daily emails, a friendship was formed and she learned of BonaResponds (BR) (usually first thing I explain to anyone).  Conversations soon turned to how could BR help make things better in the Philippines. 

Well it is now 5 months later and I am happy to announce it to the public.  Well sort of. :) 

Let me start by saying, I do not know how we can help.  It is not our job to know exactly what we are going to do.  Instead we are going to support Jen and her friend Shamae in their efforts to make the world a little bit better.  Maybe through education, maybe through a reading program, or who knows.  But they are committed to helping and we are willing to help.  So if you want to get involved, let us know.

Want to see how much of need there is?  Watch this BBC documentary on the slums where millions live:

 

THIS WEEKEND

We will be working with CYC (Christian Youth Corps) in Delevan NY.  There are two ramp projects as well as a new door installation and more!

We will be leaving SBU at 10 on Saturday and 10:30 on Sunday.  Please come with us :)

No really, please come.  We are up against a few events on campus (notably the notorious Keg Clash) which always hurt our turnout.  So please come out to help.  Open to all.

Great weekend of helping in Salamanca

It was a great weekend of helping in Salamanca.  We built a ramp for Jen who has been unable to get out of her house due to MS.  Thanks to a donation from the MS society we were able to build a ramp that now allows her to leave the house!  BIG BIG win!!! :)

Saturday:  Volunteers moved concrete steps, cut out bushes, built a deck and framed ramp to the ground.   Weather was not very fun as it poured and then got pretty cold.  (a wet cold that caught some unprepared.  Sorry!)
 

Sunday:  smaller crew listened to the Bills lose to the Patriots and finished the ramp!  We still have to build new steps for the family and install two metal plates inside to smooth out the thresholds.  Great day as the neighbors helped and the family fed us. 



For many more pictures, check out our new shared FB album.

PS when there a neighbor who lost a leg in a motorcycle asked us to install handrails on his steps.  We will do that next weekend (if we get enough volunteers!--so it is up to you).

Related articles

• BonaResponds update

Hurricane Katrina - NOLA.com

Hurricane Katrina making its second landfall in Louisiana, as seen by NWS New Orleans radar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hard to believe it has been 8 years.  I could guess it was 20 years or 20 days.  The anniversary brings so many memories.  about the best I can say for it is this is how BonaResponds got its start.  But it came at such a high cost.

Please take a few minutes and go through the reports on Katrina then and how the region has come back. 

Hurricane Katrina - NOLA.com:

"August 29, 2005. New Orleans will forever exist as two cities: The one that existed before that date, and the one after. From this page, access the latest news of the recovery effort. Browse through the extraordinary archive of The Times-Picayune's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage. And join the thousands of voices by sharing your Katrina story."

 I remember scouring Nola.com for any and all news, looking for lost pets, dreading the news updates but addicted to hearing what was happening.  And then going.  People said it would be a life changing trip.  I laughed, but they were right.

Related articles

• Hurricane Katrina plus eight: Glimpsing the new normal
• Katrina Victims Honored in the Lower Ninth Ward
• Remembering New Orleans' Heroes
• Looking Back: Katrina through the photographer's lens

Pictures from this weekend

Great weekend of helping others!  Here are many more pictures.

1. 13 barrels of school supplies filled
2. Our truck body storage trailer was painted
3. A first layer of paint was put on the observation deck on the Bonaventure campus near the "Observatory"
4. The trails through Bob's Woods were mowed and clipped.
5. Drywall was hung on the ceiling at Ed and Donna's in Friendship.  
6. Brother Ed's group made 20 blankets for WarmSnugglyBlanket

Remember to "Like us" on Facebook!  and Follow us on Twitter! 

Helping in Haiti

School Supplies for Haiti (Photo credit: Bona_Responds)

Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned we needed to refocus our efforts in Haiti as they were becoming forgotten in the Post Sandy, Post Oklahoma general business.  So, we did.  Here is a fast update.

* We are having a supply backing event on August 24 to mail barrels of school supplies and a pallet of shoes.  So if you have school supplies or lightly used shoes, please bring them in!

* We are happy to announce that CMJ will be getting a solar power system.  We'd LOVE to be able to do more, so we have also announced a fund raising effort along with HaitiScholarships.  It is our first time using GoFundMe.com so let us know what you think.  (You can also give via HaitiScholarships or to BonaResponds for shipping of supplies).

 

 *  Haiti was also the theme of the BonaResponds Moment this week on WGWE.  (THANKS TO AKT Combative Academy for their sponsorship of the weekly interview!)



* This school year we really really want to start a pen pal program with classes in Haiti.  I spoke with the post office this week and there is now regular mail to and from Haiti.  So let's do this.  Want to write letters to students/classes?  It sounds fun!  Email me (Jimmahar@yahoo.com) to be part of this program.  Once we get the solar system up, we will likely be looking for tutors and English teachers as well. 

Weekend recap

What a great BR weekend!  Thank you to those who came and helped!



On Saturday we worked in Angelica.  We had volunteers who did plumbing, painting, and built this handrail to help Dave get around his house.  Dave is a 79 year old Korean War Vet who has had very very limited water in his house for several years. It was a really fun day with the family and neighbors lending a hand (and food) and making a big impact.  We hope to go back when the students are back to do some more: Painting, roofing the garage, and fixing some broken windows.  More pictures of it are here.

On Sunday, as Ed continued plumbing in Angelica, others of us went to Arcade and built a deck for Ken (a Vietnam Vet with MS who can not longer safely get around on the grass.  The deck (off of the existing ramp the VA paid for) will allow him and Denise (who helped immensely with the construction) have a place to sit and a BBQ.





After the Arcade deck job we picked up barrels in Buffalo that will be used for our next packing event for Haiti on August 24.  Be sure to donate school supplies in advance so they can be shipped in time for schools in Haiti to get before their start of class in Late Sept/Early October.

This weekend

Saturday:   BonaResponds in Angelica

BonaResponds will be working in Angelica, N.Y., at the home of a 79 year old Korean War veteran who has had almost no interior plumbing for years. We will be replumbing the house, installing hand rails and grab bars, fixing the siding, repairing windows, and painting. We'd love your help. We are leaving at 10:30 a.m. Saturday from the truck body behind the SBU maintenance building.   

Also with back to school sales starting, it's a great time pick up some supplies for Haiti. Pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, backpacks, calculators, crayons, scissors, and more all in high demand.  

Sunday: to be determined.   We expect to be in Arcade, but the trailer park owner has yet to approve the plans. 

Marines on Deck to Welcome Devil Dog Displaced Since Sandy Back into Home | the Ocean Signal

Hey, I recognize that ramp!  We built it back over "spring" break in late February.  VERY glad to see they made it back into their house!



Marines on Deck to Welcome Devil Dog Displaced Since Sandy Back into Home | the Ocean Signal:

"Some of the many volunteer groups involved in the effort included Bona Responds, Calvary Chapel Relief, Calvary Chapel Teens, Habitat for Humanity, Portlight Strategies, Sandy Weekend Warriors, and Seton Hall Prep.

“My parents are grateful to Paying It Forward and the more than one hundred volunteers that helped rebuild their home and clean up after the storm,” said Denise Gavala, the couple’s daughter. “These volunteers gave of themselves to give back to my parents a home that they loved and thought they would never see again.”"

Want a picture of the day?

BonaResponds' upcoming jobs

Have a few work requests that we need some help with:

1. In Angelica NY: "My father is 79 years old and has a fixed income.....found out that the only running water he has in the kitchen is from his sprayer,he flushes his toilet with a bucket and the only way he can fill his bathtub is by running a hose from his bathroom sink-which doesn't have a drain except for a bucket!My father is way to proud to ask for any kind of help from anybody but I really think he deserves help from somewhere" Any people with Plumbing skills available? WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS THIS WEEKEND!!

2. In Olean: a woman needs some help moving. (From Community Action: "I have a woman who lives in Olean who has been evicted from her apartment. She has three grandchildren that she has custody of. ...I was wondering if you would have any volunteers to assist her in moving this weekend? She is willing to rent a budget truck". and later "She has four beds and a kitchen table" THIS SATURDAY

3. Jo Ann's mother recently died. Not only did they list BonaResponds as a charity to donate to, but now they are donating her ramp to us so that we can use it elsewhere. But it is sort of heavy and Jim is really weak. So if anyone (with a flat bed truck even better) wants to help with that, it would be GREATLY appreciated. And a BIG THANK YOU to Jo Ann! THIS SATURDAY

4. In Arcade we will be teaming up with CYC soon to make a walkway/removable deck for Ken a Vietnam era vet who has MS. Could definitely use a hand there too!

5. In Salamanca we will be joining forces w Team Depot (from Olean's Home Depot) to build a ramp for a woman with MS. Waiting on permits there, but otherwise ready to go! (Thanks Joe and Craig!)

BonaResponds update

• This past week we built a ramp for Roy and Virginia near Delevan NY.   It turned out very well. Great job Jerry, Jen, Christina, and Raliegh!

 

• As back to school specials start, we'd love you to pick up some extra school supplies that we will ship to schools in Haiti.  We'll also donate some domestically (especially the larger items).
• We will be getting our new office space in the brand new Swan Business Building on the SBU campus.  Look for pictures soon!
• This coming week we will be working on ramp sections for a job we will be working on with Team Depot (Home Depot) in Salamanca.  Plus a patio in Arcade for a Veteran who has trouble walking on uneven ground.
• Working hard to get solar power to a school and internet cafe in Haiti.  It is taking MUCH more time than expected.  
• We need a short presentation put together for the incoming students (i.e. Freshmen in the language we are not supposed to use).  Any takers?
• Jen P is investigating ways that BonaResponds could help in the Philippines.  Stay tuned!

John's Wheelchair ramp: Great timing! Great Story! How it ends depends on you.

There are so many jobs.  Too many jobs.  Trying to determine what job to do is often the hardest part of leading BonaResponds.  Doing job A often means we can not do job B.  It is an impossibly difficult choice: NYC or Herkimer?  Haiti or Texas?  Olean or Oklahoma?  A ramp job or a tree job?

So one day last week after dinner I was writing down all the jobs we wanted to get done before leaving NYC.  There were 6-7 jobs.  We were only in the area for two more days.  Clearly something had to give.

But I kept thinking I was forgetting a job.  We get requests in many formats: from our website submisison form, from many different organizations, from friends, by phone, by text, by facebook message, and sometimes by dumb luck.  I remembered a Facebook message, but could not remember the exact job.  So late that night I checked FB and lo and behold found it!  But what was strange was that the address was already on my list-Two groups had each requested we do the same house.

So I took it as a sign we better bump up its priority.  When we get to the house, there already is a ramp, but it is WAY too steep.  John is sitting in a car trying to figure out how he can get in the house.  Here is the video interview with him:



We built him a temporary ramp to allow him in and out of the house, but the story is not done!  We are teaming up with Portlight Strategies, Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County, RespondandRebuild, and others to get him a permanent wheelchair lift that will allow him to a degree of independence that is absent today.  If you want to help (write a grant, make a donation, help install, etc), PLEASE let us know!

An unusual appeal to save a dog...it is 100% legit and in Olean.

UPDATE:  the surgery was a success!  THE LEG WAS SAVED!  The below was edited at the request of the University.

Hi everyone,

Ok, so I try VERY hard to not ask for money but this one is pretty pressing and a bit unusual.  The other day I got a call from a friend in Olean who had reported a dog to the SPCA (and the owner to the local police).   The dog is named Kimmie and is a 2 year old Shiatsu with a broken leg.  The leg has been broken for about a week. The owner had neglected the dog and now when injured was ready to euthanize it.  (a fate that seems very harsh for a broken leg!).

For a myriad of reasons there was little the SPCA or police could do.  Thus BonaResponds entered into the discussion and the then owner gave us a health care proxy for the dog.  We then took Kimmie to local vet (Haskell Valley) where it was determined that the dog did indeed have a broken leg (a displaced transverse fracture of the femur) and needed surgery. Upon hearing this the owner surrendered all rights to the animal and lobbied to "put it down".  For a broken leg mind you.   
We will not let the dog be killed for a broken leg.  Thus, there are two options but we need your help to pull them off.

   Options

1. A surgery to repair the leg. This will cost about $3000-$4000.  (Yes it seems high, but it can only be done by certain vets--we were recommended to take it to Orchard Park).  

2. Amputation.  This can be done in Olean for about $1000.

  First let me say that no matter what we do the dog will be much better off than had we let it continue down the path to euthanasia.  Moreover,dogs can do very well with three legs.  HOWEVER, when asked, the vet said that the leg is likely saveable and only a lack money should result in the dog losing the leg.

WE WERE ASKED TO TAKE THE LINK DOWN TO DONATE VIA BONARESPONDS.org

 

DONATIONS WERE DEEMED BY THE UNIVERSITY TO BE NOT DEDUCTIBLE. 

 

IF YOU WANT YOUR MONEY BACK PLEASE CONTACT Jim Mahar with the amount that you want to donate.  (I can be reached at jimmahar@yahoo.com)

THANKS everyone.  With your help Kimmie will be a healthy dog for years and years to come!

S. Tier native helps Moore, Okla., recover - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader

S. Tier native helps Moore, Okla., recover - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader:

"Metcalfe and other members of a volunteer organization associated with the university, known as “BonaResponds,” worked 10-hour plus days, doing various jobs to aid in the recovery. Their efforts included much clearing of fallen trees and debris to make way for rebuilding, as well as building a ramp at the home of a disabled veteran".

WAY TO GO SARAH! (and everyone else too!)