Slide Show in Seattle and Other Stuff

I just did a slide show the other night at Feathered Friends. I told the story of Heidi's & my climbing relationship and how that led us to create Girls Education International. Despite some technical difficulties, the show went well. It was fun, and people were laughing. I look forward to doing my next show at the New River Rendezvous this May. Now I just have to figure out how to get people to donate more money!

Our next big fund raiser is just one week away. Heid's organized a fantastic masquerave. It'll be an all-niter (maybe not for me). I hope to see hundreds of people there! I'm going to go ahead and post the ad again.

In other news. We've just sent our first batch of money over to Liberia. $780 to be exact. The $60 it cost to send it via Western Union was an unpleasant surprise. However, because Liberia has no infrastructure due to the destruction of their ten-year civil war, we can't send the money any other way. The banking systems are unreliable. Western Union, it seems, is the only consistent, trustworthy business around the world. I am impressed. So, anyway, that $720 (minus the $60) will be used for the assessment process.

Emily Sherman-Davis, the program director for Common Ground Society, is traveling to two different mountainous regions of Liberia. She will visit with a variety of schools and during assemblies will announce the details of the scholarship program to the students. Students will then spend a few days writing up their application forms while Emily works out the scholarship program details with the principals of the school. She will have to make a quick decision about the recipients this year because each trip she takes will cost hundreds of dollars. Rather than spend those hundreds paying for her to travel around Liberia, she and GEI decided it was most imporant to get some girls educated. She will visit the schools again two times each year to check on the progress of the girls, and she will communicate with principals throughout the year as well.

Our Pakistan project is moving forward, but maddeningly slowly. I am in regularly communication with Areej from the CARE Foundation, Pakistan. We are trying to figure out via sporadic emails when Heidi can go over there to do the assessment with CARE. CARE must assess the village Khane before the renovations can take place. We are still not 100% sure that the project will happen, but I have high hopes for CARE's ability to build and/or renovate schools. I'll keep you posted.


Spring Masquerave Dance Party!!!

April 12th @ Cafe Babu
1335 Broadway in BOULDER
on the corner of University and Broadway, next to the Boulder Mountaineering shop!

10pm-6am! Yep all night! So bring your comfy dancing shoes!
Suggested donation $20

Music by:
Jantsen= myspace.com/jantsenmusic
Spindler
Future Simple Project= myspace.com/futuresimpleproject
Alala One= myspace.com/alalaone
Jayce
and special guests!!!!