MOE 2006
Spring 2006
For our Spring project, we teamed together with a local grassroots organization called Wellspring Africa. They promote
water procurement in rural Africa by training villagers to make and use their own percussion drilling systems to enable them to become self-sufficient in creating their own water sources. The technology used dates back to 1100 BC and has been successfully used throughout history in China, Europe and the Americas. Through funds earned through our ink cartridge recycling program and private donations we were able to contribute $1000 which was enough to build four percussion drills.
Summer 2006
In Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked former soviet state, children are not allowed to attend school without wearing shoes. For many Kyrgyz families, this can pose a problem. Sometimes families with siblings will own one pair of shoes, and the children will be forced to trade off going to school. In light of this tragedy, we decided to hold a shoe drive for the people of Kyrgyzstan. Having a bin for collections in various churches and spreading the word to friends, we collected shoes for Kyrgyz children and shipped them through the Orphan Grain Train, which is a volunteer group started in 1992 by a Lutheran pastor. Since 1992, Orphan Grain Train's 18 regional divisions have delivered nearly 30 million pounds of humanitarian aid to needy people in more than 40 countries on five continents.
August 2006
We participated in the First Christian Church Blood Drive.
Participation in this event was limited to providing cookies and lemonade to the donors. Though willing, most of us were not yet old enough to give blood.. None the less, we managed to make ourselves useful handing out cookies and making fresh lemonade as frequently as needed. It was a great project to be involved with. According to the blood center, four million people in the US receive blood every year, someone needs blood every 2 seconds, and one out of five people entering the hospital will need blood.
September 2006
On Labor Day we set up a bake sale at a flea market sponsored by Uptown Bills. The sale raised $186. This money was combined with money we raised by recycling ink cartridges and $500 was sent to Doctors Without Borders. The money will be used to help Darfur. The Sudanese government has been ordering violence against it's civilian population, because it accuses civilians of supporting the rebellion against the Sudanese government. The army that carries out these attacks, called the janjaweed, has assaulted Fur, Massalit, and Zaghawa. Nearly 2 million people were forced to flee to neighboring Chad, or government controlled cities. Even after the signing of a piece treaty, violence has continued to escalate. Doctors Without Borders is the main help agency in Darfur, treating the vast medical needs of the city.
October 2006
MOE decided to adopt Upper City Park. This involves picking up trash every few weeks. Armed with giant trash bags, and rubber gloves, we scour the park for remnants of candy wrappers and old plastic bags. We have done this twice, and will resume in the spring of next year. Cleaning up the park, a job that might take a single person an eternity, was a quick job for the MOE masses.
October 2006
MOE decided to contribute to a local Winter Clothing Drive by donating 50 pairs of gloves and mittens. We raised money for the clothing by recycling ink cartridges, then went to a local discount store and filled a large cart with the items. The winter clothing is going to less fortunate elementary school children in the community. Hopefully our contribution will go a long way toward keeping children warmer this winter.
November 2006
As a service project for the community, MOE offered to rake lawns for anyone who needed a little extra help. On November 4, 2006, four people took us up on our offer and we raked leaves from 9:30 to well into the afternoon; we raked away, stopping only for lunch and hot cocoa.
December 2006
MOE volunteered to assist the Overflow Homeless Shelter by unloading the cots, blankets, and other supplies that rotate from one temporary site to another. The Overflow Shelter Project is an amazing coordination of effort by people of all ages and abilities.
Decembe
r 2006
We combined money received in a grant from the Rotary Club with money we raised in our Candy and Craft Sale to send $1600 to fund the Love Milk Truck, a program that provides a daily cup of soy milk to undernourished Korean Children and employs 20 local Koreans in the manufacturing and delivery of the milk. Here we are making candy for candy sale.