Update and Newsletter link.

Sorry it is so long. Have been too busy to post regular updates these past few weeks (10 weeks of our Weekend MBA program MAY end up killing me yet!)

Theme (and my main mantra as I limp into the end of the semester):

We can't do everything, but we can do some things.

Here are a few of the things going on at BonaResponds this week!

1. Sat: 2pm, Sunday 11:30: Ramp build!! Come out. PLEASE :)

2. We have been totally slammed on job requests. I started telling people it will likely be March-April at earliest for local jobs. :(

3. The Solar electric system in our trailer took another step closer to reality as the switches and conduit were installed :) Very excited about this! Thanks Rob for arranging it and everyone involved!

4. The shipment (cost $3000 to ship) of donated items is set to arrive at the orphanage in Liberia tomorrow (Saturday). We look forward to hearing from Bishop Nelson on it.

5. We want to create a council/board of Haitian volunteers (thinking 9 people?, at least 3 female, 3 male at any point) to help oversee and decide on projects we will be working on in Haiti. terms would be staggered at one and two years. If you are interested in joining this project, please let us know. MUST be able to meet and respond online in a timely fashion.

6. The #BonasandBeyond online economics class has been a failure.. Few signed up and fewer still are doing it. It is a great idea but we need to rethink the "how".

7. Be sure to follow our new Instagram account (@BonaResponds).

8. We HOPE to ship the next shipment to Haiti this coming week (hope does not equate to a guarantee). It is much smaller than most of our shipments, but getting the boxes of soccer equipment out of my office will be GREATLY appreciated LOL.) Anyone who wants to help pack this, please speak up :)

9. Our collection of Children's books for local schools is winding down. It turned out to be smaller than last year. I think because it is so difficult to get the word out to people given the decline in FB views and so few shares. (blame me!)

10. We took advantage of Black Friday specials and amazingly generous donations from the Coates (Joe and Pat) and Zimmers (John and Anne) (also a huge thank you to Exxon-Mobil) to buy two new impact drivers and batteries.

11. I know I said it last weekend, but last Saturday's work day (we finished steps and an elevated deck in pitch darkness) will be long remembered as one of the most "BonaRespondsy" days we have ever had.

12. Online shopping? Support BR at the same time: Go to Goodshop.com and pick BonaResponds as your charity!

13. Thank you again to Carolyn and Yvonne for our Nov Newsletter: You can see it and much more at out blog or at our main web page:

http://BonaResponds.org or at http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=cc72d36e7733458e7a3095069&id=e2fa4263e7

14. Thank you also to anyone who donated on Giving Tuesday. I will get the names of donors this weekend. THANK YOU in advance! Without you BonaResponds is just a good idea.

15. Looked back on goals for 2015. Successes: make a positive difference in all that we do. Help people cope with difficult times. Make the world better. Failures: get more volunteers involved. Get more SBU faculty and staff involved, get solar electric to two more schools in Haiti, start English tutoring program in Haiti. (I guess I better get busy in December!!!)

16. Look for a story on the #BonasandBeyond program inthe SBU Bonaventure magazine (I think it comes out next week)

17. As the world turns its attention on preventing global warming, let me suggest a donation of trees to your family and friends at Christmas time. a $50 donation will allow 25 trees to be planted in Haiti. This will help the Haitian economy, reforest the land (lessening erosion and flooding), AND help reduce co2 in the atmosphere).

18. Make Christmas special for those less fortunate! Two specific opportunities: December 12: in Dallas TX and in Newalla OK.

19. A couple more blankets went out this week. I KNOW a better system can be designed for it. I KNOW it. Also thank you to Kim Palmer for sewing on more patches!

20. Did you see our "wishlist"? Look below on FB or on our blog. You can see where your donations will go.

21. On the horizon: a microloan program ($20-$30 loans) in Les Cayes Haiti and a larger one ($40-$50) in Gonaives Haiti. VERY exciting!

22. As the world seems so violent and kilers and terrorists dominate the news, my only advice: Love all, serve all. We all have tough battles. We can all use a hand from time to time. Be that helping hand. Don't look at the color of skin, the religion of the recipient. Just help.

Newsletter  : http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=cc72d36e7733458e7a3095069&id=e2fa4263e7


<!-- NAME: FALLING LEAVES

November Newsletter View this email in your browser Look at how much we've been up to this semester! This Fall semester has been busy for our BonaResponds volunteers. We have built three set of steps, took down and cleaned up two garages,  and five ramps for local homes in need. BonaResponds also helped to renovate a home in Allegany by insulating, drywalling, installing a new door, and giving the exterior a fresh painting.  Haiti Students This semester, Bonas and Beyond hosted 13 students from Haiti to experience St. Bonaventure. They attended class, participated in campus events, and took trips around Western New York including seeing Niagara Falls. The students resided in Fourth Loughlen and exchanged their culture with ours. These few weeks were a great success and we hope that this Bonas and Beyond program will continue in years to come! #BonasandBeyond Our new friends experience one of the Wonders of the World! Collecting school supplies, clothing, and books is  an on going project for BonaResponds. The semester women's business clothes that were donated to us by a local fire department were distributed in Olean, Buffalo, Newalla Oklahoma, and Dallas Texas.  Additionally toys and books were given out locally and to children in Newalla OK where we worked with groups that we worked with after the floods this summer (and 2013 tornado) Internationally, our biggest shipment this semester went to many groups across Haiti.  But our international assistance also included  over a dozen boxes of  school supplies and shoes arrived this past week in Costa Rica and a larger shipment to the orphanage in Monrovia Liberia that we have been working with since the midst of last year's Ebola Crisis when the number of orphans they were helping grew from 26 to 118. Locally, this year will mark our second annual book giveaway to local school children to help those less fortunate have access to books in their own homes. We are always accepting donations to help others in need. Things such as school supplies, books, clothing, shoes, and sports equipment are always appreciated!   St. Bonaventure's Students in Money Management (SIMM) awarded BonaResponds $3,000 at the Home Opening Men.s Basketball game during halftime.  We earned the money by getting over 26,000 votes in the SIMM online voting contest.  This money will be used towards funding a number of our future projects in Haiti that grew our of the Bonas and Beyond program.  A big thank you to St. Bonaventure's SIMM club.  From Jim's messy Desk: I promised I would keep my part short, so here goes: THANK YOU to all who continue to donate to allow all of these good programs to be realities.  Without you, BonaResponds is just a good idea and the thousands of people we have helped do not receive our assistance.  From us, and them, THANK YOU! Please remember BonaResponds on #GivingTuesday!  Also, if you are doing online shopping, please go through GoodShop.org and select us as your charity.  So far we have earned about $450 (roughly half of a ramp) :)  This semester marked the 10th anniversary of our founding after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  Time sure flies!  We are thinking of doing a spring break reunion trip (spring break is Feb 27-March 6.)  Please reply and let us know if you are interested in attending (not sure where yet). The Bonas and Beyond program may be the highlight of the semester.  Look for an extended article (even with my first "photo shoot" in the upcoming Bonaventure Magazine.  (I think it is out December 10th).  We have been very short on volunteers on most weekends.  While we got a great deal done, 3 or 4 more volunteers a weekend would make a HUGE difference.  How about volunteering once a month?  Another idea: get your business, team, club, family, church, class involved! Thank you to the SBU Business School's Pacioli Scholars Program for their generous donations to help sponsor the Bonas and Beyond program as well as to fund Yvonne's and Carolyn's jobs (without whom this newsletter would not have gotten done!)  Thank you everyone! The semester has been good.  With your help the next semester can be great! Jim BonaResponds International SERVICE DAY! We are bringing the popular International Service Day back!  (ok it is a weekend)  Mark your calendar for April 9th and 10th.  Plan your projects now!  Wherever you are and whoever you are.  Everyone can help make the world a better place!

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A price list for how you can make an immediate difference

It's Giving Tuesday and I had someone ask how they could help, so here are a few ways your donations can make an immediate impact:

$10000 pays for a new/used van for BonaResponds trips

$2000 pays for an average year of vehicle repairs
$1500 pays for solar electricity to be installed in a Haitian School

$1000 pays for an average ramp in the local area

$500 pays for a new garden in Haiti

$500 pays for composting toilet program in Haiti

$360 pays 125 reforestation booklets to be printed in Creole

$200 pays a month's rent and helps feed 110 Liberian Orphans

$125 pays to ship a barrel of supplies to Haiti

$100 pays for a new impact driver that is used every week

$90 pays for a new battery for our Rigid Tools

$75 pays for partial scholarship for 3 Haitians for a month

$60 plants 30 trees in Haiti

$50 pays for a gas fill up for one of our 2 vehicles.

$40 pays for food for 5 volunteers on an overnight trip

$30 pays for a box of screws (we use about 2 boxes per ramp)

$20 pays for a foot of wheelchair ramp

$10 pays for an irrigation kit for garden programs in Haiti

$5 pays for a young children's book

You can make a difference! Donate at http://bonaresponds.org/donate.html

THANK YOU!

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• Bonas and Beyond! It's about to get real!

Some good news from Haiti and Liberia!

From our FB wall:

Yesterday we got the great news on the composting toilets being installed in Lascahobas Haiti. That will play a great role in reducing disease and more (see the picture I added to comments below). Just thrilled by it! Great job Occeant Jean and Cherline Noel Oc!!!

In Cherline's words: we will teach children how to make compost........ they will help themselves in the future

It will have a GREAT IMPACT IN CANNOT 'S COMMUNITY
COMPOST CAN CHANGE OUR CHILDREN LIFE
CHILDREN IN CANNOT WILL BE ABLE TO BENEFIt:
1. DIGNIFIED SANITATION
2. TRANSFORM WASTE
3. GROWING AGRICULTURE

Then jumping over to Liberia, Bishop Nelson Sampson Boegbah sent his great news! The solar unit we purchased for their orphanage is now up and running!

BonaResponds would LOVE to get a few more of these projects off the ground and can with your help! Some of this will happen once the Bona Simm give away of $6,000 occurs n November 13 (we are currently in second place) and the money ($2000 for 2nd place) we get will be devoted to projects presented during ‪#‎BonasandBeyond‬.

But we also want to help some of the groups and schools who could not come to SBU earlier this month.

Rough costs (they vary):

1. Cost of a large solar electric system $3000USD
2. Cost of smaller solar electric system $1000-$1500
3. Cost of a three stall composting toilet $450
4. Cost of a student's partial scholarship in Haiti $200 per year
5. Cost of shipping a barrel of supplies to Haiti $140
6. Cost of planting 50 trees to combat deforestation $50
7. Cost of 2 soccer balls $25
8. Cost of an irrigation kit that last 7 years and a few packages of seeds $15

Let's make there be many more Good news days in the future! You can donate at http://BonaResponds.org as well as at @Haitischolarships.org(for #4)

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• Rural Improved Sanitation Facilities of Population by Country

Bona and Beyond day 1

Well yesterday was an adventure. Two missed flights in Atlanta, one missed flight in Port au Prince, bags that went to Denver and another that was seemingly lost to a seat mate made for an "interesting" day. And by interesting you can use words like stressful as well as enlightening, and eye-opening.

Travel with no cell phones, in a foreign land, can be rather stressful (at least for those of us picking up the travelers!). NY time and speed is a little different than #Haiti time :) We learned the difference repeatedly yesterday, but by the end things were going well.

A HUGE HUGE thank you to everyone who stepped in and ran the Welcome Program as I was relegated to waiting (and hoping the wait was not in vain!) for the late arrivals. IT SIMPLY COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU! (I will assuredly miss some, but here are a few: Jen, Jovani, Diana, Carol, Naudia, Reed, Logan, and of course Todd for driving). Simply can not thank you enough. MESI!

I have much more to write, but out of time for now. Here is the audio from last night's presentation where everyone introduced themselves. 

http://media.zencast.fm/bonas-and-beyond/3.m4a

my intro (I was trying to whisper as afraid to wake others (not yet used to dorm life!)

http://media.zencast.fm/bonas-and-beyond/2.mp3

On tap: Today: 

9:45 campus tour

11:30 in Swan: Official SBU WELCOME. Come on out!

1:00 Special Olympic discussion (How we can help expand Special Olympics in Haiti)

2:00 Boating trip (Closed to Public for lack of space)

9:00 "All Hands" meeting.

WEEKEND: COME VOLUNTEER AND MEET EVERYONE!

Bonas and Beyond! It's about to get real!

This is going to be a huge event for BoanResponds and the Haitians who are coming. As a learning and cultural exchange event, it is definitely the biggest thing we have attempted. (it dwarfs food packing events in scope, work, and impact).

While we did not get everyone here due to VISA issues (will try earlier next year), we have a good group of 14(maybe 13--just heard today one may not be coming) Haitians who will be coming to SBU for almost 3 weeks.

The program/schedule is below. As you will see, the idea is to learn while doing. And we will be doing a great deal! Indeed, sleep is one thing we may not have much of!

We have classes (economics, finance, Environmental Science, Marketing, leadership, and political science), Seminars (Educational goals, science packs (TBD), International Law, Childhood nutrition, irrigation usage, water filters, a talk on Francis, and a few others WE HOPE), Fun trips (Niagara Falls, Allegany State Park, Chautauqua Lake), learning trips (Olean Wholesale, Park and Shop, Napoleon Engineering, SolePoxy, and Canticle Farms),BonaResponds work days (Bonagany Bonagany, Warming House, a car wash for HaitiScholarships, a wheelchair ramp, painting, trail work at minimum), and fun/fitness activities (Soccer, Yoga, hiking). Oh and if the weather allows, we hope to view the lunar eclipse too smile emoticon

In any downtime, we hope to be picking up some Creole too! (You will soon start to see flyers around campus with come Creole words that may be useful). Please make our friends feel welcome and say hi!

You can get involved and come to most of the activities as you can (trips are problematic as we still need drivers--so get approval before planning on jumping in the van for Niagara Falls). And if anyone (or any group) wants to help pay for a dinner etc, we'd love to do so! If nothing else you should plan on coming to the welcomes (7:00 pm on Thursday, 11:30 on Friday, the event at the Olean Public Library, and the October 8th "party and wrap up" in Francis Hall's San Damiano room. (but please come to other events too!)

Still also trying to get some school visits scheduled and would love a solar power seminar, but they are not definite yet.

Two issues (the main one is a lack of drivers) and also we have fewer people than we had expected, so breaking up to go to various schools is more of a problem. But we do hope to get to some local schools.

A huge thank you to the SBU Events planning, Housing, and all of the volunteers who have agreed to teach, host, and lead the students and overall make this great event possible.

Much of the material will be available online for those who could not get VISAs as well as the many who could not afford to come, so we also need people to record and video events.

https://bonasandbeyond2015.sched.org/

From FB. 

Updates on Bonas and Beyond

Haitian hurrah | The Bona Venture | St. Bonaventure's student-run newspaper since 1926:



"The Haitian group will be at the university from Sept. 23 until Oct. 12. The students are staying for three weeks as a new branch of BonaResponds, called “Bonas and Beyond.” This program, “Bonas and Beyond: Haiti,” aims to create a cultural experience for students from Haiti, according to the program’s pamphlet. The students will participate in a variety of non-credit courses, including classes in accounting, political science, computers and leadership, environmental science, economics and marketing and finance. "





Also

Here is a pamphlet explaining what we are doing at Bonas and Beyond: http://www.bonaresponds.org/BBH.Pamphlet.pdf

Here is a short BV article: http://www.thebvnewspaper.com/2015/09/10/haitian-hurrah/

Here is a longer article (press release) that appeared in the Olean and Bradford papers: http://www.sbu.edu/about-sbu/news-events/latest-news/news-release/2015/09/02/st.-bonaventure-to-host-20-haitian-students-for-three-weeks-this-fall

Here is a clip from SBU TV  https://youtu.be/hXP5SxLPaGM?t=25s

Bonas and Beyond schedule is taking shape!

Our schedule for Bonas and Beyond is taking shape!  Really filling up.  Going to be a busy 3 weeks!  Things you definitely want to come out for:

Thursday Sept 24, 7pm Welcome to WNY!  An overview and introduction to everything that is to come and a quick immersion into Haiti.   Swan (tentative location)

Friday Sept 25, 11:30 Bonaventure Welcome!  (somewhat a repeat of the 24th, but with official welcomes from School of Business Dean Carol Fischer and SBU President Sister Margaret Carney) Free Pizza. Swan.

Wednesday Sept 30, 7pm Olean Public Library: A talk on Haiti and how we can help.

Thursday Oct 8 Presentations on Haiti and discussion of next steps (MAYBE with a dinner)  Stay tuned for times and places.

We also have many classes (from Accounting to Environmental Science, Political Science to Legal Environment and even finance :) )

Weekends will largely be BonaResponds workdays.  We also have trips planned to Chautauqua Lake, Niagara Falls, Allegany State Park (we hope), the Olean Park and Shop, Olean Wholesale Group, Canticle Farms, and Napolean Engineering.  (Have other ideas?  Let us know in comments).

Many other tentatives but getting everything in is proving to be difficult.

1. We still really need drivers!  for all times.  BIGGEST NEED!
2. We would love some people groups to sponsor dinners. They do not need to be fancy.  Potlucks, BBQ, or if you want let the Haitians experience a US restaurant!
3. We are trying to get people to schools to speak, but we lost a driver during the day so it is proving more difficult.
4. Also we are looking for "adults" to RA for a night or two and be available if any problems arise (stay in dorms).
5. We hope to run a car wash fund raiser for HaitiScholarships when they are here (ideally Sept 26th---REALLY NEED SOMEONE to take ownership of it!)
6. We also want to get local soccer teams involved to have a a collection of used soccer equipment for programs in Haiti.  (if you know of anyone who plays soccer--or played soccer and might have some old equipment laying around, let us know!)

Today is the second big day for interviews with the Ambassade des États-Unis, Port-au-Prince (Haïti) .  We have written letters etc and we really hope that all participants are given an OK to come to campus!

Bonas and Beyond Press release from SBU :)

St. Bonaventure to host 20 Haitian

students this fall; volunteers needed

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., Sept. 2, 2015 — St. Bonaventure University will be hosting 20 students from Haiti over three weeks this fall for cultural and educational exchange.

Volunteers from the campus and community are being sought to serve as drivers, campus hosts, tour guides and translators. Donors are also being sought to pay for a meal on campus or at a local restaurant, or for local church groups or community organizations to host a potluck supper.

Jim Mahar, associate professor of finance and founder of the student relief group BonaResponds, is coordinating the program, called “Bona’s and Beyond: Haiti.”

People interested in helping can contact Mahar at BonaResponds@gmail.com or by calling him at 585-376-0231.

“This will be the kickoff of ‘Bona’s and Beyond,’” Mahar said. “The first step will be a series of classes and seminars when the Haitians are here.”  The classes will include a range of business disciplines, as well as environmental science, computer science, political science and leadership as well as seminars on composting toilets, solar power, and other topics that will have an immediate impact in Haiti. 

This is more than just a one-way classroom experience, he said. Haitian students will also be presenting seminars about their own work, from their experiences working in orphanages and schools to their efforts in reforestation and gardening.

“We really want to stress it is a cultural exchange.  This is not just us teaching them, it is a two-way cultural exchange that fits perfectly with our Franciscan heritage and mission of respect,” said Dr. Carol Fischer, dean of the School of Business.

“It is a learning exchange that will also take place outside of the classroom. Haitian participants will go to local businesses and farms, tourist sites, and museums,” she said. “‘Bona’s and Beyond’ will also be making presentations at local schools and to community groups.”

St. Bonaventure student groups are active in many countries.

“BonaResponds works in Liberia and Haiti, Embrace it Africa works in Uganda, and ENACTUS has a long-running business and education program in the Bahamas,” said Dr. Todd Palmer, associate professor of management and adviser for ENACTUS. “What we want to do is to use these ties to bring our model of two-way learning and cultural exchange to more people.”

After the program this semester with Haitian students, Mahar said, “We will be launching an online, not-for-credit learning program to help educate people while also making friends and associates from around the globe.”

“This will be a great way for Bonaventure students to develop a better understanding of the issues facing people in developing nations and also to drive home that Olean is not in the middle of nowhere, but it is the center of everywhere,” he said.

The classes will be taught on a volunteer basis by professors, students, and experts from the Bonaventure community. The classes will be in English and available online for free with a November start date expected.

Haitian students participating are responsible for the costs of travel to and from Western New York, but funding from the Pacioli Scholars program, SBU School of Business and BonaResponds will finance the program when they’re here.

______________

About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things.  St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #3 best college value in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition. Our students are becoming extraordinary.    

A huge thank you to Tom Missel for this!!