Letter from READ

Click on the image to read the letter.

Letter from Friends of Yimbo

October 1st, 2008
Sacramento Valley Peace Corp Association
Dear Friends of Yimbo:
We wanted to extend our thanks for letting us be a part of your annual gathering and giving us the pleasure of outlining the goals of our non profit organization, Friends of Yimbo (FOY). We particularly thank you for your generous contribution of $250 toward the multipurpose project.
The response from friends has been great and humbling at the same time. This has been a very personal endeavor for us because of what it meant to our community but also shows us how much we all have in common. We all know and appreciate how education transforms lives and we get to give someone else that chance in a small way.
Our goal is aimed at making an impact, especially, the orphans, youth and women by empowering them with opportunities in education and healthcare. FOY is mainly sponsored by individuals who desire to bring relief to the people of Yimbo, and who share the belief that by changing one life at a time in specific communities, we can in turn empower them to change the world. Additionally, FOY is mobilizing a network of compassionate individuals interested in humanitarian work, cultural exchange and travel expeditions. Please visit the website at http://www.zoomindesign.net/foy for the 2009 humanitarian travel update.

Project Update
Our first project with the community was to help build the local primary school a multipurpose center that can serve as a library for the school/community, a teacher’s room and future computer lab. We broke ground July 2008 and the library is already half way completed. The look on the faces of the kids was priceless. One little girl said, “I have never seen a library or had text books.” The library will give them a chance to compete for quality high school education and possibly college. FOY believe in educating and empowering local populations in order to achieve long-term positive change.
We really appreciate your contribution and look forward to future partnerships.
Warm Regards,
Charles Odipo
Ben Odipo
Co-Founders
Charles Odipo
Ben Odipo
Co-Founders
Kaye Ekstrand
Treasurer/Secretary

What You Can Do
There are several ways to get involved in FOY activities:
• Host a fund raising event in your home,
• Tell your friends and colleagues about our work in Yimbo; forward them our e-mail and direct them to our website.
• Keep us in mind when you hear about funding opportunities that might be relevant o our work in Yimbo, Kenya.
• Help Sponsor a child by paying a semester of tuition for secondary/High school ducation, not currently subsidized by the Kenyan government
• Donate a solar Flashlight. You can purchase one at www.bogolight.com
Make a donation! FOY is a 501(c)(3), your donation is tax deductible! Go to the “Contribute” page on our website: http://zoomindesign.net\foy To be updated soon!!!
Or mail a check to our treasurer at the address below: Kaye Ekstrand, 802 Groveton Ave Glendora, CA 91740

Adventures in Dining at Taste of Brazil

We had a good turnout. Most of the people ordered the barbecue, which involved waiters constantly bringing skewers of meat from which they would carve you a piece. The waitress gave you a disk that said YES (more meat, please) on one side and NO (I'm stuffed) on the other. You put it next to your plate to tell the waiter what to do.

The campout

Although I hope to have more photos uploaded in the future, I’ve uploaded this year’s group pic.

The same campground site has been reserved for our 13^th annual rerun for four days/three nights starting 18 June, 2009.

We foothill folks are having our breakfast this coming Saturday morning at Trolley Junction in Nevada City at 9:00AM should there be anyone who wishes to join us. Also, mark your calendars for 17 August for our annual Picnic in the Foothills at Foresthill.

See you in August, if not this Saturday,

Howard

Adventures in Dining 6/20/08 - Mehran

Kiva update on your loan to Shazia M.yahya's Group

From: Kiva <contactus@kiva.org>

To: sacrpcv@gmail.com
Date: Jun 19 2008 - 2:06am

Dear Sacramento RPCVS,

This is an update on your loan to Shazia M.yahya's Group.

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to the group, consisting
of Shazia M.yahya, Bashiran Baji, Ghulam Baji, Rukhsana Baji, Rani
Baji, Nusrat Baji by Asasah in Pakistan. We are excited to watch this
business grow. Over the next 12 months, Asasah will be collecting
repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the
Kiva website.

Kiva very much appreciates your responses online. You can read and
respond to this journal online at:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=50278&ent=59355

Returning Peace Corps Volunteer Mentor Program

If you just returned from overseas, you may be finding it hard to readjust to life in the US. The Returning Peace Corps Volunteer Mentor Program can help.

Letter from Kiva.org

Dear Sacramento RPCVS,

This is an update on your loan to flor de ventiila Group.

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to the flor de ventiila group, consisting of Claudia Flores, Fidelia Condori, Celestina Mamani, Sofia Mamani, Lucia Posto, Adolfo Escalante, Maritza Morales, Rosa Carvajal, Elga Mamani, Veronica Pinaya, Dilma Mamani, Luisa Carvajal, Bacilia Carvajal, Virginia Gutierrez, Orfa Ramos by Pro Mujer Bolivia in Bolivia. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 6 months, Pro Mujer Bolivia will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

RPCVs needed for panel

We are looking for RPCVs to represent Peace Corps at a Community, National & Global Service Panel Thursday, June 26^th from 6:30-8:00pm at the Arden-Dimick library in Sacramento. Interested RPCVs will have the opportunity to share for approximately 15-20 minutes about their Peace Corps experience and how it has shaped their life in service.

Please contact me if you can make it.

Arden-Dimick Library
891 Watt Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95864

Nicole Voorhees

Peace Corps Regional Recruiter

San Francisco Regional Office

RPCV Eastern Caribbean 05-07

nvoorhees@peacecorps.gov

(510)-452-8451
1301 Clay St., Suite 620N

Oakland, CA 94612

Shannon Coe in Cuba

Shannon Coe in Cuba Click on the picture to see the whole album

Dear Sacramento Valley Return Peace Corps Volunteers,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank SVRPCV for allowing me to sell raffle tickets at one of the adventures in dining and the Goat Roast 2007 events to fundraise money for my work in Cuba. I went with a team of professionals to donate 400 wheelchairs and about 100 walkers to people with disabilities in Santa Clara, Cuba. I am attaching some photos for the group to see. If anyone from the group would like to discuss with me about my experience in Cuba, please contact me at (530) 750-0629. Thank you so much for your support.


Regards,
Shannon Coe
Ms. Wheelchair California 2008
http://www.mswheelchairca08.blogspot.com/

Adventures in Dining 5-16-08

Apartment available

Mark:

If there was some way to forward this Craigslist ad on your Sacramento Peace Corps list, I would be much appreciative.

I am leaving Memorial Day and am still trying to find a reliable tenant for the 27 months I will be gone.

Thanks for whatever you can do.............someone may have a friend that is going through one of those "life transitions" (divorce, losing their home, etc) and could use a quiet place to move into for the immediate future.........

Jack Garvey (916) 601-6631 cell

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/apa/666042087.html (apts/housing for rent)

Goat Roast

Once again, Howard Koons created a great event in his capacious backyard, featuring tons of food, live music, fascinating people, and horseshoes.

Nom party

We had a tremendous turnout for this year's Nom Party. It almost burst out of the room we had rented.

Waffles of the Andes

March's Adventures in Dining was at the Waffle King, a Peruvian-American restaurant. Many of those present had never had Peruvian food before. Fortunately, we had an RPCV on hand who had served in Peru and helped to explain the dishes to everyone. Really unusual and delicious. Many of the dishes featured potatoes.

Adventures in Dining January 18, 2007 — Greek Village

Midwinter Dinner 2008

The Sacramento City College World Music Ensemble played at the Midwinter Dinner. We had an incredible turnout. So many people came that we ran out of chairs and people had to sit on the floor.
As always, one of the highlights was when we passed the wireless microphone around and had everyone introduce themselves. A couple of the older RPCVs claimed that they had met Sargent Shriver. Someone else said, "I never met Shriver, but I knew a guy who slept with Lillian Carter."