ANNOUNCEMENTS

2008 Elections

..........are past due! Since no member has come forward expressing an interest in holding elections, the current "administration" remains in office. Kris and BJ are entering their fourth years as President and Vice President for Volunteer Opportunites respectively. Kris also serves as Social Chairman, a responsibility she has shouldered for longer than four years. BJ also maintains our website. She is willing to continue in that capacity, but would appreciate being relieved of the VP chores. If anyone is interested in an office, contact BJ or Kris.

Each year, Homefront asks MCSV to help by sponsoring a child, or children, in their Back to School drive. Each year , MCSV has been able to help. This year, we are supplying 3 children with clothing and school supplies. Below is a list of child and their clothing size. The name "Forman" after the pants it to let you know you can purchase the pants at Forman Mills. Trenton elementary schools now require uniforms to be worn.

If you can help, please contact Elena Strout with what item you can supply.

Elena Strout: esteach1@verizon.net

Items are due by our meeting on August 19. You can start bringing them to the July 15 meeting.

If you do not want to shop, but want to help, monetary donations will be accepted and some of us will do the shopping. (Contact Elena to make a monetary donation)

This is the list of children and what supplies are needed:

Katrina age 6 female

Andrew age 5 male

Michael age 16 male




School Supplies needed:
Colored Pencils
Erasers
Lunch box/bag
Loose Leaf Notebook
Ruler
Markers
Folders
Notebooks
Protractor

Ann Darlington
70 Park St. 2-11
Bordentown, NJ 08505

Dear Friends,

As some of you know, I will be joining a team from my church on a two week mission trip to Malawi, Africa to provide assistance to poor and needy people in that country. I am reaching out to my friends, co-workers and family to see if you would be willing to help support our efforts.

Malawi is located in the southeast quadrant of Africa, and is a country of breath-taking beauty, and heart-breaking poverty. Malawi is considered to be one of the four poorest countries in the world, with unemployment estimated at 60% or more nearly half the population surviving on less than $1/day, and more than 65% living below the poverty line, 40% of that being children under the age of 15. The statistics about medical conditions are hard to fathom: the average life expectancy in Malawi is less than 40 years old, more than 13% of the children do not make it to the age of 5, with HIV/AIDS rampant, there are staggering number of orphans and child-led households. These severe medical issues combined with the malnutrition and food insecurity caused by the severe economic conditions make it extremely difficult for Malawians to pull themselves out of poverty on their own.

Our goals are to provide a variety of forms of aid, including 1. constructing a simple building that will serve as a pre-school/ feeding center for the youngest most vulnerable orphans in the community. 2. Purchasing and distributing mosquito nets to help prevent the spread of malaria, which is rampant in this regent. 3. purchasing needed supplies for orphanages and the preschool. 4. establishing programs for providing sustainable sources of food, such as the construction of fish ponds.

If you feel moved to sponsor our efforts you can give me the funds or a check ( made out to "Allentown Presbyterian Church" with the notation" Africa mission"), or you can send it to my home (70 Park St, 2-11 Bordentown NJ 08505). Thank you in advance for your kind consideration. Any support you provide - even if it's your thoughts and prayers for a safe and fruitful trip - will be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or want to learn more about our vision, please don't hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Ann Darlington