Our volunteer crew included our selves, Kathy and Peter Wood, son Jeremy, his girlfriend Sarah, our friends The Evans-Lucy family (Don, Jan, Omar and Vincent) along with our friend Russ Van der Jagt.
This past weekend we were given the opportunity to raise funds for The Ronnie Fund by helping to clear tables at the Snyder/Montgomery wedding in Bracebridge, Ontario. In exchange for helping at the reception the Montgomery family made a donation to The Ronnie Fund. Without the assistance of our friends we could not have undertaken the job and raised these much needed funds. It is the value of volunteers that we treasure. Our friends were happy to be able to assist us in this way. Sarah and Omar were able to get 4 hours of volunteer hours they need for their high school diploma, so it was a win-win-win situation. And as Omar told his mom, "Hey, I'm actually have a good time."
With that donation, we have purchased an overlocking treadle sewing machine for our new project in Wongonyi Village, Kenya. The girls in the sewing class at the local Polytechnic are making Mama Pads, resuable sanitary napkins which they will sell as a micro business. They have already received training in sewing the pads and in business skills but needed an over locking sewing machine to make a quality product. Ronnie has purchased the sewing machine and it is on its way to the village now. Ronnie will present it to the Polytechnic class when he gets there this weekend. The Polytechnic instructors will be so surprised as they had told Ronnie that they did not have funds to purchase a machine at this time. We can just see their faces when Ronnie shows up with the gift.
The availability and use of sanitary napkins is a big issue not only in Wongonyi Village but in most parts of rural Africa. Disposable sanitary napkins are very expensive to purchase and as a result most girls and women use rags. The girls are very self-conscious and do not go to school during their period, losing valuable education time. Last year the Bracebridge Pathfinder group made some Mama Pads for the girls of our Sere Girls Club and they were well received. We have no doubt that our Mama Pad project will be a great success for the Polytechnic Institute and bring self-confidence to the girls and women of Wongonyi.
We all have special gifts and talents. For some, they have a gift of funds to give charities in need and for others, it is the gift of their time to volunteer during a special event. We thank all our donors and volunteers for their special gifts for together we are making a difference in the lives of those in Kenya.
