My last blog post for awhile

Hello everyone!

I'm hoping I can "re-train" your internet browsing habits to visit my NEW WEB SITE: http://volunteerwithrenee.com

I know I'll be using my blog again to communicate important information and stories to you about my volunteer experiences. However, as I continue my efforts with OneKid OneWorld, it is much easier to effectively communicate through a web site rather than a blog.

This blog has become a GREAT archive for journaling all of my experiences while I lived in Kenya. I encourage anyone that has not read my story to start from December 2006.

I promise you that when I go back in November, 2008, to build the girls dormitory, I'll be sure to tell many more stories on this blog. But for the time being, please check my web site for updates!

Much love you all!
Renee

Building a girl's dormitory

GOAL: To raise $15,000 for Terry's Orphanage - Girl's Dormitory

Sunday, July 20th @ 3pm -8pm
Harmony Bar & Grill
Madison, WI

Live Music

- A Catapult Western (ACW)
- Brown Derby
- Dear August

Raffle Ticket Prizes (including beautiful spa package worth over $500).

Come help us raise money for a girl's dormitory at Terry's Orphanage in Machakos Kenya.
Visit http://volunteerwithrenee.com

See Renee for a ticket to this event!
Email: MachakosProject@gmail.com
Donate online: http://onekidoneworld.org/donate.htm

Please, help us reach our goal!

Summer Schedule & Your Help!

If you haven't read my blog lately, there's been some really exciting news! With the help of my friend Cynthia Sweet & OneKid OneWorld (OKOW) it's possible for us to donate money to a non-profit organization (OKOW) AND raise money for Leah and Terry's Orphanage. There are some big projects I'd like to go back to Machakos to work on!




GOAL #1:
Raising money for school fees for 2009;
COST: $500/per child x 10 children for 1 year = $5000
x 4 years = $20,000

I will also take this opportunity to once again introduce my great partner JESSE KECA from Canada who is helping with this effort of helping to raise money for school fees!

GOAL #2:
Re-building (expanding and fixing) the girl's dormitory (which is in desperate need of repairs).
COST: $7000

GOAL #3:
This goal is BIG & far-out, but very do-able! I'd like to help Terry's build a school right on the property! Of course this goal would be a very long-term goal, but I do believe it could be achievable. Do you remember reading my posts about how difficult it is for the kids to go to school. They would get such great care and education if it could be housed AT Terry's. I don't have cost projections for this...yet! I'll work with my first two goals before I launch into this last one!


There are a lot of exciting things planned for this summer to help achieve these goals. Please read on for details and how YOU can help!

KICK-OFF Machakos Project
Date & Time: Sunday, July 20, 2008, 3-8 p.m.

Place: Harmony Bar & Grill, Madison WI
Goal: Announce OKOW, Machakos Project and fund-raising event to raise money for SCHOOL FEES for Machakos children (Terry's Orphanage).
Details: $10 ticket/donation charge with ticket sales starting in June thru July 20th; We'll be selling $5.00 raffle tickets for final drawing in October (so far grand prize includes a day at the spa and diamond jewelry - we're working on adding to it); This event will host three local bands and include a few door prizes (donations given by the local community); We'll also have a table at which we'd like to have information and photographs on OKOW and Terry's Orphanage and a slide show running in the background of the photos and most importantly an opportunity to make additional donations.


WINE & GOLD Machakos Project
Date: August 2008 (date tba by the sponsor although this may be a kick off event followed by a month long promotion in the stores)

Goal: Continuation of raising money for school fees (although IF we meet our goal on July 20th, we'll begin our goal of raising money for the girls dormitory)
Details: Sponsor (most likely The Diamond Center) will buy back unwanted gold jewelry and other items to be melted down; The event is shaping up to be a marketing promotion for the jewelry company and possibly a high-end wine boutique will be the site host - so a wine tasting will most likely be included as part of this; proceeds will be donated to OKOW Machakos Project; tba end of the month gathering; door prizes included


GOLF Machakos Project
Date & Time: September 13, 2008, 8 a.m.

Place: Bridges Golf Course, Madison WI
Goal: Continuation of raising money for school fees (although IF we meet our goal on July 20th or August's Wine & Gold, we'll begin our goal of raising money for the girls dormitory)
Details: Standard 18-hole shotgun scramble; $75/ticket ($25 per golfer goes to OKOW-Machakos Project); door prizes included


TAILGATE PARTY (Save the date!)
Date: Oct 3 or 4, 2008
Place: TBA
Goal: Announce our door prize winner/s, celebrate our summer fundraising efforts!
Details: TBA


HOW YOU CAN HELP!
All proceeds are tax deductible! 95% of your donation will go to Terry's Orphanage. I'll be working with OKOW to use our donations in January 2009 when I go back to the orphanage!

1. Donate: Make checks payable to OneKid OneWorld (Write MACHAKOS PROJECT) on the subject line of the check
Send to:
Renee Schuh
2538 Chamberlain Ave.
Madison, WI 53705

OR send directly to OKOW

OneKid OneWorld
1109 S. Clark Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

2. Go to OneKid OneWorld's web site and donate
http://onekidoneworld.org/donate.htm
You may want to send me an email once you donate in case there is not a place on the online donation form to put MACHAKOS PROJECT

3. Show up! Come to one some or all of these events if your schedule allows for it! It would mean the world to me to have your support!

I'm pretty excited about all this news and I look forward to hearing from all of you!
Love,
Renee

KenyaKids2School!

Greetings!

I have so much exciting news to share! First of all, please view the logo above. Thanks to Jesse Keca, my seventh grade friend from Canada, we have a nice promotional logo for our fundraising efforts!

Second, I must announce that I feel blessed to have a GREAT friend and AWESOME fundraising partner! Cynthia Sweet is helping to organize the newest events for our fundraising efforts! THANK YOU CYN! Get ready to be bombarded with promotions for our scheduled event on SUNDAY, JULY 20th. KenyanKids2School is a promotion to pay for Terry's Orphange kids to go to secondary school. Stay tuned for details. We'll have bands, door prizes, food and lots of fun! Please put this date on your calendar!

I've saved the best news for last! I'd like to announce that Cynthia and I have joined forces with OneKid OneWorld http://onekidoneworld.org/home.htm. We met with the founder Josh Bycel who is completely excited about our mission to help children in Machakos. He is so excited that he's agreed to help us to raise money for our children at Terry's Orphanage. Of course, when I told Leah, she was elated! Read her words,

"This is the most exciting news i have recieved this year. Am truly humbled to hear that you are working endlessly to support your sisters and brothers at Terry's. May the almight God bless you greatly. Every opportunity and avenue for raising funds is just as important and we can not afford to loose on it... My darling, my house is your house and you know that too well, so feel free to come home anytime you feel like being here... About your July fundrasing, please feel free to continue, I will work on detailed case histories for the children and send you the same... Our minds work at the same speed, Just yesterday, I was mourning over the girls dorm, It has a big gapping crack and am so afraid the children are not safe at all in that house. I am so depressed, something bad could happen to the kids, please pray for me and the kids, that the Lord may touch someones heart to assist us. You are my baby and l love you..."

What this means is that OneKid One World will help us to make sure that our money is tax deductible and that the majority of it will go directly to the kids. If our July fundraiser is a success, our next effort will be to raise enough money to build that girls dormitory that is so badly needed for Terry's children.

I ask two favors of you:
1. Please plan on helping July 20th. I'll have plenty of details on how you can either donate towards this effort and/or come to this event.
2. Please tell everyone you know! I am so excited and we all know that connections matter. Spread the word! And as a side note, I'm on facebook, please add me as your friend to spread the word!

Much love to you all! And once again, thank you for taking the time to read this!

Renee