Horst Kamps 1932 – 2011

Mein Vater Horst Kamps kam aus einfachen Verhältnissen. Er wuchs am Stadtrand von Rostock an der Ostseeküste auf und kam später nach Berlin, wo er lange Jahre als Fliesen- und Mosaikleger arbeitete. Er trat mit 29 Jahren dem bekannten Arbeiterkunstverein „Studio Otto Nagel“ in Berlin bei. Dort beschäftigte er sich in seiner Freizeit mit der Malerei, er probierte sich in verschiedenen Maltechniken aus und schuf im Laufe der Jahre eine Reihe von schönen Bildern, Aquarellen, Ölbildern, Pastellen, mit denen er viele Verwandte und Freunde beschenkte. Am liebsten malte er Blumen und Landschaften. 

1983 stand sein Leben auf des Messers Schneide: Seine schwere Herzkrankheit brachte ihn im Alter von 51 Jahren dem Tode sehr nahe, und nur durch eine Operation und zwei neue Herzklappen konnte er gerettet werden. Nun wurden ihm gewissermaßen 28 Jahre Leben geschenkt, Zeit, für die seine Familie sehr dankbar ist.

Es war ihm immer ein Bedürfnis, Menschen in Not zu helfen, so wie er es in seiner Familie erlebt hatte. Obwohl in seiner Kindheit, während der Zeit des Zweiten Weltkrieges, der Familie an allen Ecken und Enden fehlte, sie mit vielen Kindern nur in einem winzig kleinen Häuschen wohnten, halfen sie denen, die noch weniger hatten. Später spendete er bei Naturkatastrophen wie Erdbeben und Überschwemmungen, um die Not zu lindern. Deshalb ist es in seinem Sinne, wenn wir mit Tabitha Cambodia einer Familie in Kambodscha mit dem Bau eines Brunnens helfen und die Kinder gesund aufwachsen können. Anstelle von Blumen bitten wir um eine Spende für einen Brunnen. (siehe Beispiel)

(by Marina Scholz, Horst's Daughter)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

My father Horst Kamps was came from humble circumstances. He grew up on the outskirts of Rostock along the shore of the Ostsee (East Sea) and came later to Berlin, where he worked many years laying tile. At the age of 29 he joined the well known blue collar art club “Studio Otto Nagel” in Berlin. There he spent his free time with painting. He experimented with several painting techniques and created during the course of his life many beautiful pictures, watercolors, oil paintings, pastels. He passed them on as presents to many relatives and friends. His favorite was painting flowers and landscapes.

In 1983 his life was in danger. Severe heart disease at the age of 51 brought him close to death. He was saved through surgery which provided him with two new heart valves. His family was grateful for the additional 28 years of life this surgery provided him. He always wanted to help people in their difficulties, such as he experienced with his own family. As a child, when his own family had not enough and his parents lived with many children in a tiny home, they always helped those that had even less. Later he always donated to victims of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, to lessen the needs.

Thus it would be his wish, to donate a water well to a family in Cambodia through Tabitha Cambodia to assure their children will grow up healthy through having a clean water source.

In place of flowers, the family asks for donations toward a water well which will carry a plaque in memory of Horst Kamps. In the US, you may donate online with a visa card drawn from US Banks, in Germany please contact his daughter Marina Scholz. Upon completion of the water well in memory of Host Kamps, we will post a picture on his website. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a well. (see example)

(by Marina Scholz, Horst's Daughter)

St. Vincent Hospital Mural Wrap-up

by Kamie Robinson

NAZARETH, Israel — The forPEACE mural in the Irwin Green Child Development Center at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Nazareth, Israel, was completed August 21. From start to finish, it was a four-and-a-half month collaborative project involving St. Vincent Hospital management and staff, forPEACE volunteers from Israel and the United States, and a team of dedicated artists from Idaho and Utah.

A walk through of the mural painted in the French Hospital of Nazareth. Contributors: Bethanne Andersen, Boston Madsen, Adam Borgia, Simini Blocker, Jake Wyatt, and Chase Andersen. A special thanks to Margaret Ellwanger and the forPeace organization.

The director of St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Dr. Salim Nakhleh, proposed the mural to forPEACE director Margret Ellwanger in October 2010. forPEACE had an established long-standing relationship with the hospital. The relations were based on St. Vincent's cooperation across cultures and faiths with medical programs serving all constituents of the greater Nazareth area and medical outreach into the West Bank, when possible.

For similar reason, Dr. Nakhleh and his team previously received generous financial support from Jewish donor, the Irwin Green family, to build the Child Development Center. The stunning Center was ideal for a mural welcoming children entering treatment areas.

St. Vincent de Paul Hospital — Nazareth, Israel

Dr. Nakhleh showing the selected 3-wall stairwell for the mural in the Irwin Green Child Development Center

In the United States, art student and forPEACE volunteer Brygn Ellwanger presented the mural concept to University art professor and children’s book illustrator Bethanne Andersen. Andersen immediately embraced the idea. “I had been wanting to do a humanitarian art project for months and this came at the perfect time,” she said. Following the introduction, Margret Ellwanger and Andersen began making arrangements and pursuing funding options.

Margret Ellwanger flew to Utah in January 2011 to meet with the artists and provide background information on cultural and site-specific topics.

In April 2011, with the project outline in place and subsidized private funding secured, the mural was announced to the public. Andersen began meeting once a week with four selected exceptional illustrators: Adam Borgia, Boston Madsen, Simini Blocker, and Jake Wyatt. Together they brainstormed, designed, and prepared concepts, colors, and content.

Designing artwork for the three-wall stairwell Dr. Nakhleh selected for the mural was a challenging task. None of the artists had visited Israel and tasted of its culture prior to installing the mural. Their concept of Israel centered on ancient history and mainstream media. Early in the design phase, Margret Ellwanger attended a couple of the brainstorming meetings and answered questions about St. Vincent Hospital and modern Israel.

Hours of collaborative thought went into selecting subject matter and the best way to depict it. Madsen commented, “We wanted to appeal to the widest range of children possible in a sensitive but imaginative manner. We looked for themes that we thought would be cross-cultural such as animals, flowers, and bright colors.”

Each artist was given a specific area to focus on, allowing his or her creative vibes to flow. Wyatt designed the overall framework and setting for the illustrators to use as a reference. Blocker enhanced character features, gestures, and placement. Madsen focused on visually bringing fish to life using color combinations and shapes to create perceived motion. Andersen oversaw visual cohesion in addition to studying the contours of exotic plants, zeroing in on the lotus. Borgia, having worked in a University art gallery for over two years, oversaw all practical installation aspects.

The artists' color study of the mural.

Initially the mural was scheduled to be a two-week installation but was extended to allow adequate time for preparation.

Borgia arrived in Israel a week before the others to survey the walls and find necessary paints and tools. Doing so allowed him time to work through minimal surprises. “You couldn’t tell by the photos that there were two different types of paint on the wall,” Borgia said. “We did a lot of back and forth on which paint to purchase that would coat both surfaces equally well.”

Borgia planned on having a full week to paint, but slowly realized the task was more than he could take on by himself. Everything came together with the help of eager local volunteers. Margret Ellwanger drove to various stores for necessary items. Nadera Tannous, director of the Na’amat Technological High School in Nazareth, translated English to Arabic to ensure proper paint bases and colors were mixed and purchased. Hospital secretaries and staff redirected pedestrian traffic. Grounds crew aided with sanding and taping. A handful of local community members, Mario and Maha Haddad, Christina Nseir, as well as volunteers from as far as Tel Aviv, Mariette Zaionce and Evgeny Bekker, became honorary artists helping apply base coats and block shapes in preparation for detail work.

Day 4

Day 8

“They saved me and the mural,” Borgia said. “It was an incredible experience to work with each of them. I wasn’t able to express my appreciation to them enough.”

Bethanne Andersen arrived next with volunteers Tyler and Chase Andersen. She was impressed with the progress Borgia and local volunteers made. A few days later Madsen and Blocker, both interns at Avalanche Software, SLC Disney Interactive, arrived to begin detail work.

The artists painted each weekday morning and afternoon, getting lost in their creative zone until their stomachs or hospital staff reminded them that it was time to break for lunch or lockup for the evening. Breakfast and Lunch was provided by St. Vincent Hospital in their quaint cafeteria. “I looked forward to each and every meal at the hospital,” Borgia said. Madsen added, “The kitchen staff made us feel like royalty. They always served us kingly portions at lunch and every one we met would give us a welcoming smile and a wave."

St. Vincent Hospital also provided lodging for the artists in the wing of a building unoccupied by patients. The artists described the experience as unique and one they will never forget. Sleeping in hospital beds didn’t provide them their most restful slumber, but they were grateful for the opportunity to be close and take in the culture and personalities at the hospital.

Day 13

The Artists with Dr. Nakhleh and Mother Superior Dorita Alcalde

The mural was a success for all involved. Through conversations with hospital staff, mural volunteers, local storeowners, and various others at cultural destinations throughout Israel, the artists’ notions about Israel and its heterogeneous population slid from apprehension to understanding. 

“I'm not the sort of person that believes a stereotype as truth,” Blocker said. “But I think there's a tendency in everyone to think of people in a different circumstance/culture/country as an "other." Different. This trip really broke those assumptions for me.”

Bethanne Andersen added, “This changed my life, I saw people working for the benefit of others in a new way that was inspirational.”

On the flipside, locals were appreciative of the artists’ contribution to the hospital. “I think its wonderful that people from outside of Nazareth decided to come and help do such a beautiful thing at the children’s hospital,” volunteer Mario Haddad stated. “I was glad to help and be a part of something that gives to my city. The artists came from miles away. I think it’s a beautiful thing that they decided to do such a thing.”

As the project came to a close Dorita Alcalde, Mother Superior at St. Vincent Hospital expressed appreciation saying, “This mural is something wonderful for the children. It will bring life and joy and stimulate lots of thought and questions as they see the joy of animals, sea creatures, the ocean and young children with fish and flowers. It shows a beautiful harmony between things that will stimulate the imagination.“

Sidreh at the International Folk Art Market

by Kamie Robinson

SANTA FE, USA — The deserts and heat of Santa Fe, New Mexico felt at home to the Bedouin women who traveled over 7,000 miles from the Negev to the International Folk Art Market to showcase their traditional weaving products and techniques.

As they embarked, the delegation felt a mix of anticipation and apprehension about what lay ahead. Their feelings were replaced by quiet confidence as they attended training meetings and pre-market events, met with Market management and Hebrew speaking volunteers, and mingled with market participants and attendees. The Market’s Executive Director, Charlene Cerny commented on first-time attendees, “As the fear leaves their eyes, and they begin to experience success, the change in their demeanor is profound.”

Hala Abu-Shareb, Director of Marketing for Sidreh, said that the Market was better than she imagined it would be. The number of people and variety of cultures in attendance surprised her. “It was like the whole world was in one place.”

Over 140 artists and artist organizations from fifty countries ranging from Rwanda to Bhutan and Laos to Bolivia participated in the Market. Conversing with artists returned compelling stories of their motivation, hardship, hope, and vision for themselves and their communities.

Sidreh’s delegation connected with Bedouin weavers from Sultanate of Oman and Muslims from Pakistan, and met many other artists from across the globe. Abu-Shareb said, “We are very different but so similar at the same time. We are all doing something from our culture and are dedicated to it because we believe in it.”

The estimated 22,235 attendees at this year’s market produced record-breaking sales of $2,314,065 during the three-day event, with 90% of sales revenue going home with artists. According to Abu-Shareb, sales at Sidreh’s booth were good, but the delegation’s most valuable take-away was the opportunity to network with potential buyers and feel connected to people around the world. “It was empowering for the women (in our delegation) to be there — to learn from others and show the world that we exist and are proud of who we are.”

Their positive experience motivated them to begin preparing to apply to attend the Market again next July. Given the opportunity, they plan to use their newly acquired insight and take more small bags, pillows and rugs in warm tones, and ask for a booth location that will allow them to set up a ground loom nearby.

On the return trip, Sidreh General Manager Khadera El Sanneh flew to Washington D.C. for a meeting in the White House while the rest of the delegation proceeded to New York where they spent a few days meeting with designers, educators, and journalists. While there they also delivered a presentation to the UN. Abu-Shareb is optimistic and believes the meetings and presentations went well. Time will tell how well as the ensuing days unfold.

Sidreh would once again like to thank all those who made this trip possible, especially Israeli industrialist Stef Wertheimer and Israeli high tech company Tower Semiconductor for sponsoring their travel expenses and Lynn Holstien and Margret Ellwanger for their contributions. They would also like to thank International Folk Art Market management and volunteers, those who took time to meet with them, and forPEACE for covering the event.

Reflecting on the forPEACE/Global Outreach Foundation House Building Team Expedition 2011

by Sallie Poet, forPEACE Volunteer

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Riding across the countryside of Cambodia I was refreshed by the patchworks of greens—the yellow greens of new rice shoots against pale shining waters, swaths of palm greens like large brushstrokes, and blue greens growing grayer as the checkerboard fields receded back and back. Our air conditioned Mercedes minibuses shared the road with three wheel carts led by sinewy white cows and uniformed school girls doubled up on bikes riding home for lunch as well as the ubiquitous motor bikes freighted with baskets, pigs, branches and families.

As we turned off to the country roads of Battambang, we began to see small rectangular houses on stilts in villages. Constructed of green corrugated metal siding, each house boasted individualized “home improvements”—a thatched awning here or a brick porch there. Families clung to the posts and stared at us. As we debarked, we were met by a village of mothers, fathers, elders and beautiful children with their hands peaked together bowing and smiling to welcome us.

Ten framed structures waited for us. We went to work right away, first pounding nails to secure the floorboards. “Let’s race to see who can drive the nail in faster,” I said to my daughter. She put in three nails by the time I had finished one. All of us wore plaid krama scarves, the traditional Cambodian cloths used like bandanas, which we drenched with water to keep us cool.

Some of the 6’5 college boys were under the direction of the 5’2 Cambodian master builder, Mr. Luong, who taught them how to drive a nail through metal. A representative from Tabitha Cambodia did quality control, and though we did not speak the same tongue, we knew she insisted that we take off the siding and realign it correctly and straighter. We ate lunch under the palms with French bread, peanut butter, mangosteeens, bananas, salty chips and icy water, and by the end of the day we had completed all 10 structures.

Fathers were nailing the TABITHA plaques on the outside and children were hanging out the square windows before we left. We returned the next day to dedicate the houses, and took pictures in front of the houses we worked on with the family who was to reside there. Then we went to see the wells.

We walked on muddy berms and causeways to see the field wells. Fresh water pumped into partitioned fields and flooded the patties. The skilled farmers could control the flow and location of the water, literally giving them power over life and death as the water gushed out of the wells. The family wells also brought life.

We visited one woman in another village who had received her Tabitha house a couple of years ago. She showed us the thatched shack where she had lived before, and then proudly showed us her new green stilted home and its improvements. Because she had this fine edifice, she was able to start a noodle business, feed her family of 7 and take in 2 kids that would have been orphans. I was so moved that the effects of these houses and wells are so far reaching.

Our accommodations were much nicer—we stayed in old hotels with beautiful dark wooden stairs. We crooned to Karaoke at night and ate omelettes made to order for breakfast. We made new friends from Australia and neighboring communities. We rode the tuk-tuks and ate amazing salads of lemongrass, cilantro, fruits and glazed chicken, fish, noodles, rice—and a few brave ones among us even ate fire-ants, tarantulas and crickets!

We went to the UNESCO World Heritage sight—the giant temple structure of Ankgor Wat. We marveled at the amazing hydrolics, the concentric structures, and a spirit of sacred space pervaded the whole huge complex.

Back in Phnom Phen we marveled at the Buddhist temples a and the Royal Palace and bought beautiful silk souvenirs at the night markets. We toured silk farms and breakfasted every morning under a shaded green canopy courtyard. Our final activity was one last morning with the amazing children at the CIFO Orphanage. Sharing music, Red Rover, dancing, games and sports made us love the kids even more.

Returning to the hotel we planned our reunion, made pledges to Facebook and each set off for different adventures. Several stayed to research microlending in Cambodia, some went off to shop the silk tailors of Vietnam, some planned to stay longer and work at the CIFO orphange, some went back to schools, families and jobs. All of us were changed by the profound exchange of love and service: we had given them new houses to live in, they had given us a new way to understand living.

In Memory of Gavin Link

He felt their deep goodness and he understood that they blessed him far more than he could ever hope to be able to bless them. But he wanted to try.

During the year before he died, Gavin worked to help provide home care for a young mentally and physically handicapped boy. The little boy lived with his mom and grandma, and because there was no dad or grandpa in the picture, they’d sometimes ask Gav to help out with various ‘guy jobs’ around the place. He was always happy to be able to pitch in, and as the boy's mom told me in a note she sent after she learned that Gavin had passed away, he’d never let them pay him for this extra work. This didn’t surprise me. It was just Gavin. Whether it was scooping up the homeless guys on the beach and helping them get a meal or to a church service, or racing home through the pouring rain to grab someone else an umbrella, or simply taking the time to stop and sit with someone who needed an ear, he was always searching for a chance to serve in whatever way he could find. So, when this little boy's mom asked Gav if he’d clean some junk out of a corner of their garage, I’m sure he was happy to be able to do it. Only this time, after he finished up, he wondered if they might be willing to ‘pay’ him. He’d found something he hoped they’d let him keep. It was a dog-eared, smudged little card that held the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive . . .

And it is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.

From that day on, Gavin carried that little card with him everywhere. Other than his Scriptures, I think it was his most loved possession.

One afternoon in the heat and bustle of the chaotic streets of Seam Reap (Angkor Wat), he and I got separated while searching for a place to eat lunch. I tried not to get too frantic and traced my way back through the string of restaurants we’d walked past. I laughed with relief when I finally spotted him. There he sat at a linen covered restaurant table, with a ragged little tuk-tuk driver he’d found and brought in from the street. The two of them were laughing and talking as easily as if they’d been friends for a hundred years. He’d bought the man lunch and was sitting with him while he ate (he’d only had enough to pay for one meal), trying to give the driver ideas for how he might be able to attract more tourists than the other tuk-tuk drivers. I still smile when I think of that beautiful sight. Gav’s face was literally shining with joy.

Gavin loved Cambodia. He loved the Khmer people from every corner of his beautiful heart. He felt their deep goodness and he understood that they blessed him far more than he could ever hope to be able to bless them. But he wanted to try. He worked and saved and the following summer, returned to Phnom Penn to build homes with Margret and the Tabitha team. He dreamed of going back to serve again and again, but by the time the next building team left for Cambodia, he was already gone.

Every time a new ‘Tabitha’ home rises up in one of those Khmer villages, I’m sure Gavin watches and helps—in whatever ways angels can. I can only imagine he weeps to think that we would even consider doing such loving service in his memory.

And I am certain, with each donation, each new home raised, each Khmer life touched for good, he gratefully whispers, “Thank you, my friends.” And so do I.

(by Annie Link, Gavin's Mother)

The Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS) in Israel Hosted a Graduation Party for Na'amat School Nazareth

by Kamie Robinson

EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — In October 2010, WBAIS Superintendent John Gates was invited to attend the closing banquet of the Peace Through Teacher Dialogue (PTTD) held at Na’amat Nazareth. While there, forPEACE Director Margret Ellwanger introduced Gates to Na'amat Nazareth Director Nadera Tannous. Their conversation led to an invitation from Gates to host a graduation pool party at WBAIS honoring the 2011 Na’amat Nazareth graduates.

Students that attend Na’amat come from low socio-economic backgrounds with little exposure to the world beyond their hometown. forPEACE, WBAIS and Na’amat leadership organized this event to reward those students who persevered to finish high school despite pressure to drop out, and to honor their achievements and let them know that their efforts are valued beyond their local community.

Both schools expectations were exceeded through this pilot joint event. The Na’amat girls as well as their teachers were touched by AIS’s warm welcome from faculty, staff, student volunteers, and members of the general public who support outreach initiatives within Israel.

AIS administration and volunteers were surprised by how easily they made new friends. WBAIS science teacher Nili Sadovnik already made plans to involve her honor society students in joint science activities with Na’amat Nazareth next school year.

A Sidreh Delegation is Headed to Santa Fe

by Nicole Hod, Sidreh's Resource Development Manager, and Kamie Robinson

LAKIYA, Israel — This July Sidreh is participating in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, an annual event in its eighth year that showcases handmade goods inspired by the culture and traditions of various communities around the world. The Festival is the largest of its kind. Last year, over 22,000 people attended in addition to 132 artists from 50 countries. Visitors, artists, locals, dignitaries, and representatives from various organizations and foundations mingle, shop, and learn from and about each other during this three-day event.

Sidreh’s leadership first heard about the festival about two years ago. At the time, participating in such a prestigious gathering so far away seemed like a distant reality. Last year, the Santa Fe Museum contacted Sidreh and urged them to apply because they were impressed with Sidreh’s community work and high quality handmade products.

Out of nearly 400 applicants this year, Sidreh was one of the 150 participants selected to participate. In addition to the cultural tradition that Sidreh’s goods help keep alive in the Bedouin community, the Fair’s committee selected Sidreh because of its high quality standards and community impact. Sidreh provides women in one of the most underprivileged communities in Israel with sustainable employment opportunities and takes an active role in the improvement of the community as a whole.

Women’s literacy education coupled with social entrepreneurship creates the perfect combination for Sidreh’s products to be showcased in a festival where the communities behind the goods are as much the stars as the products themselves. Stories of women in developing communities who can overcome the numerous challenges of desert life in a very grassroots manner is the message that Sidreh hopes to share.

Sidreh is grateful that they will be able to send six delegates--all of whom are weavers and employees who have deeply benefited from Sidreh’s entrepreneurship and educational programs. For many of the women, this is not only their first visit to the United States, but their first trip on an airplane. Many Bedouin women in the Negev find that leaving home and their village is an achievement to be proud of! Needless to say, the participation of weavers in such an event is monumental for the organization and speaks to Sidreh’s increasing success in affecting change in their community. Equally significant is the gesture of Israeli industrialist Stef Wertheimer and Israeli high tech company Tower Semiconductor, among other Sidreh supporters that have enabled sending the delegation to Santa Fe by sponsoring their travel expenses.

By participating in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Festival, Sidreh hopes to share the message of hope and empowerment with women and artisans around the world. An outlet such as this festival allows Sidreh to reach a whole new audience that can help further their goals of empowering women in a smart, socially responsible way.

The opportunity to network with similar organizations from around the globe is a privilege and a potential watershed moment for global inter-community cooperation to achieve shared goals in various parts of the world affected by similar problems. Sidreh hopes to use this festival to raise awareness of their programs (Women’s employment, literacy programs, health education, and the first feminist Arabic newspaper in a Bedouin community).

Following the festival in Santa Fe, Sidreh’s delegation of weavers and managers will travel to New York City and Washington D.C. to meet with women’s organization leaders and network with community leaders to increase mutual benefit and to promote Sidreh.

For more information on Sidreh and the trip to the US, please contact Hala Abu-Shareb, Sidreh’s Marketing Director. She can be reached at lakiyaweavinghala@gmail.com and by phone at 011-972-8-651-9883 from the US, or 08-651-9883 within Israel. More information can be found on the web at www.lakiya.org or on Sidreh's Twitter feed @SidrehWeave.

You can also contact kamie@forpeace.us who will be providing press coverage and other volunteer services for Sidreh in Santa Fe.

For more information about the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market July 8–10, 2011, visit www.folkartmarket.org.

forPEACE and Global Outreach Foundation are Raising Money for CICFO through Bracelet Sales

by Kamie Robinson

SALT LAKE CITY, USA — With the help of forPEACE and Global Outreach Foundation (GOF), bracelet making at CICFO has grown into a little business that helps support CICFO's group home.

GOF Director Steven Dee Wrigley visited CICFO in June of 2010. During his visit his talked with CICFO management and spent time getting the know the 26 children living there. Seeing their love for crafts and desire to learn, Wrigley asked if he could purchase a few bracelets for GOF to test the market in and around Salt Lake City.

GOF's endeavor has been a success. Over the last year, GOF volunteers have sold over 200 bracelets raising over $1,000 for CICFO. GOF donates 100% of the proceeds back to CICFO.

CICFO uses the money to purchase rice, noodles, and other food, help pay utilities, replenish bracelet making materials, and provide children with money to spend or save.

GOF's approach to helping CICFO has been well received. "I want to teach the children at CICFO how to earn money," says CICFO Director Botevy. "I don't want to give them money without doing anything. I want them to learn and gain skills and experience that will prepare them for life."

With permission of CICFO, GOF created individualized tags for the children to attach to the bracelets they make. Each tag has a photo and a few lines about the child's goals and ambitions.

GOF sells CICFO bracelets for $5. If you are interested in purchasing CICFO handmade bracelets, email bracelets@theglobaloutreach.org.

GAIA Partners with TowerJazz Semiconductor

by Dr. Stuart Fleischer – GAIA Israel Director

EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — The Global Awareness Investigation and Action (GAIA) program sponsored and directed by WBAIS Students received its first Corporate Donation last week. Russell Ellwanger, CEO of TowerJazz Semiconductor, presented Dr. Stuart Fleischer with a check for $5,000 for their commitment to the GAIA ‐ Israel Project. The funding will sponsor the Kfar Galim Foster Care School near Haifa on the Carmel Coast. Kfar Galim is one of the six participating GAIA Schools in Israel.

Students from Kfar Galim are jointly researching Biological Pest Controls with our students at WBAIS. TowerJazz has committed another $5,000 for 2012‐13. They will also send their top engineers and other personnel to Kfar Galim to set up a mentor program with students.

Russell Ellwanger’s approach is not to just send funding but to establish a relationship with the Kfar Galim’s teachers and students and provide opportunities for growth and integration into the high tech work force here in Israel.

So if the funding is going directly to Kfar Galim, how do WBAIS students benefit? Our GAIA team benefits because we have a sharing partnership with each of the GAIA schools. At Kfar Galim, they have some top facilities that our students can visit and participate; such as the student’s GOFt dairy farm, aquaculture, agriculture, food and biotechnology center, robotics, astronomy and more.

The WBAIS Board and Administration have been very supportive of the GAIA Project. WBAIS has enabled GAIA to flourish and become a serious project among grass root, environmental initiatives.

If your company would like to become a GAIA Corporate Donor and sponsor a GAIA local school, support the purchase of equipment or joint field trips, please contact Dr. Stuart Fleischer: sfleischer@wbais.net.

GAIA – Israel continues to open avenues of opportunity for our students through our unique partnerships with universities, environmental agencies, technology and engineering companies.

In Memory of Rick Persson

by Cathy Persson

Rick grew up with the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound as his backyard, spending his childhood “messing about in boats” along the back creeks and shoreline. A third generation shipwright, he learned the craft of wooden boat building from his father, Seth Persson, who was internationally known for his building of legendary boats. Rick spent many years playing and working in his father’s boatyard learning from the best craftsmen in the industry.

Rick life’s work was as a shipwright, restoring wooden yachts and manufacturing small boats. With his brother Jon, he designed and built traditional boats whose designs are as functional as they are beautiful. Rick’s craftsmanship was highly respected in the world of wooden yachts. Workboats, kayaks, rowboats, powerboats and sailboats -- Rick built them all.

Rick’s wife Cathy had the opportunity to visit and work with Tabitha Cambodia, a non-profit organization whose GOFl is to assist residents of small villages throughout Cambodia to reach economic self-sufficiency. Rick understood the economic potential of boats for those who live on a river.

Contributions through forPEACE to Tabitha in Rick’s name will be directed to villages where houses, wells, small boats, and fishing nets are needed to help local families improve their economic situations.

GAIA Gala

by Kamie Robinson

EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — GAIA Gala is an annual Global Awareness Investigation and Action (GAIA) Israel event that brings together students, parents, community leaders, and representatives from supporting organizations.

This year's event was hosted by Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS). Keynote speakers were world renowned bird researcher Dr. Yossi Leshem, and Israel's Czech Ambassador Tomas Pojar. Following their speaches, students from each GAIA school presented project summaries of their previous year's research and outlined their newly formulated research projects.