Where Do We Go From Here?

"So, did you accomplish anything interesting last week?" I asked Beth when I got to Easy Street -- it's a music store/diner in our neighborhood where the PwP crew was meeting for breakfast. "You mean like building a school?" she responded. 

We are giddy with our success, overjoyed. Thanks are in order.

• We're so grateful for the support of our sponsors -- Virtuoso, Got Passport: Will Travel, We'll Serve, HomeAway, Raveable, Travelfish, TravellersPoint Travel Community and Uptake -- their generosity gave us an incredible head start. 
• We're overwhelmed by the participation of the blogging community -- from the particpating bloggers who lined up such great giveaways to the folks who have helped spread the word about our efforts.
  
• Our support crew helped make things happen -- we have Meg Paynor drivng PR, Cillian Murphy and Peyman Oreizy solving our techical problems. Matt Knannlein made our passport stamp inspired graphics, and UnderSolen Media is expanding our social media reach.
  
• Finally, we'd be nowhere without the people who have taken the time to give. We know that there's great stuff to be had, but we also know that the donations are from the heart. 

We know a little bit more about our school this morning. It will be built in Preah Vihear and yes, geography experts, that's the region that's under dispute with Thailand. We also know that it will open in about six months -- June of 2010 is our current best guess.

We have two weeks to go. And we want our school -- YOUR school -- to have the best possible facilities. There are a series of additional items we can fund, but over coffee this morning, Beth, Debbie, Michelle and I opted to go for those that support health.  We can fund clean water, healthy meals, and medical care. From the AAfC site: 

Health: Many students in rural villages suffer from a lack of health care, unsafe drinking water and lack of nutritious food. Donors may add two water filters to the school to allow access to clean water at the school. A "Victory" vegetable garden in which students receive one free, nutritious meal each day, includes building materials, seeds, one gardener, one cook, and a garden well when needed. Finally, a school nurse recruited from a local clinic promotes health education and gives students regular health check-ups. These features combine reduce student malnutrition, increase attentiveness, and raise attendance.

School improvements:

• Hagar water filter: $300 one-time cost
• 1 "Victory" vegetable garden,: $7,500 funds first two years, $2,000 each additional year
• School nurse: $5400/year

We need to raise an additional 13,000 to meet provide this package of services for the kids.  And you know it, we need your help to do it. This doubles our goal to 26000, but we believe that with your support, the reach of this community, and the big hearts of our donors, we can get there.

Prove us right. Spread the word and GIVE. Thank you.