Mission Work in Kenya

Below is a message from my friend Dr. Bob Mendonsa (formerly a leading orthopedic surgeon here in Flower Mound), and his mission work in Kenya.

Dear All,
There are exciting things happening with Naomi's Village, the orphanage we're building in Maai Mahiu, Kenya. Please check out the news on our website to see the latest news, to see pictures of children who will steal your heart, and to see how you can get involved!
With hope,
Bob, Julie, Emily and Will

Our home group put on a garage sale last weekend to help raise funds for the construction of the orphanage, and we raised $1300 that we will be sending to them. But they need ALL the help they can get. In addition to building an orphanage, the Mendonsas also orchestrate a weekly feeding plan for the Kenyan children. Children walk for miles once a week to get to them so that they can be given basic food staples which they then take back to their families.

In addition to both these efforts, Bob works as an orthopedic surgeon in the CURE INTERNATIONAL Hospital there in Kijabe Kenya, where they are stationed.

Thank you,
Sandra O. x5358

The Wales Community Halloween Party

A family friend recently brought The Wales Community Group to my attention.

"...many of our 63 residents are older people, with physical or mental
disabilities. Each has been or could easily become homeless. These are people who are
struggling to maintain the dignity and life this home provides them." - Glenda

It’s a community living program in which clients live in apartments or community homes that are for persons not yet ready to live in the community independently. These homes provide a transition for people recently leaving a psychiatric facility or for persons who need intensive structure on a temporary basis. The goal is to promote a self-sufficient and satisfying life.

Glenda is throwing these clients a Halloween Lunch Party on Halloween and I am participating with my family and friends, but there are some needs that I'm hoping Ivie associates can help with.

There are 61 clients now: 31 men & 30 women…here is a list of things Glenda has mentioned she wanted to give to help the clients at the Halloween Party:

• Walmart or Target gift cards
• 4 oz bars of soap
• Toothpaste (They have plenty of toothbrushes presently)
• Shampoo (full size)
• Hair products for black clients’
• Feminine hygiene products
• Socks for men or women
• Umbrellas- (Bus stops are hard to get to in the rain)
• Paper towels
• Bingo Prizes

If you can contribute please email or call me. I need all donations by Friday, October 30th.

Thank you,

Jennifer Pressly, x5024

jennifer.pressly@ivieinc.com

$756 for the Breast Cancer 3-Day!

Our Jeans for Charity fundraiser for September raised a total of $756.80 for the Breast Cancer 3Day event benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This is the most money we've raised in a month so far. Thank you so much to everyone who donated!

For the next couple of months we are going to change things up a little bit. Rather than just accepting $2 donation to wear jeans, we will also be accepting in-kind donations for our charity each month.

For October, the charity to benefit from these donations will be the Princess Alexa Foundation. This organization was created in memory of Alexa Aigner, a beautiful little 4-year old little girl who fought neuroblastoma, a childhood form of cancer, for most of her short life. Alexa passed away in June 2008. She LOVED playing dressing up so her family and friends started the Foundation to provide other critically ill children the opportunity to celebrate childhood through dress up and play. We will accept $2 donations and/or new costumes and accessories for boys and girls 2 to 10 years old. Please visit the website to learn more about this incredible organization.

Let us know if anyone has any questions.

~Becky P.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary

I have the Ivie Cares program at Ivie and Associates to thank for getting me involved with the wonderful Serenity Springs Sanctuary here in North Texas. I spend most of my Sundays at the sanctuary helping feed the pigs and work with the horses.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary is truly an animal heaven on earth. There are about 98 pigs, mostly Vietnamese Potbelly Pigs. There are 6 horses, two of them are totally blind. There are 3 miniature horses with two of those that are special needs animals. There are 3 mules, a miniature donkey, 2 cows, 1 goat, peacocks, chickens and 6 dogs and 12 cats. It is a great place to hang out and get some good ol' country peace and quiet.

Serenity Springs Sanctuary has stumbled on some very difficult times. Donations have dwindled and the veterinary bill has shot up due to 3 of the horses needing some critical care recently. The horses are fine now, even though little Cody, one of the miniature horses had to have one of his eyes removed.

If you would like to learn more about Serenity Springs Sanctuary, TV channel 11 just ran a news story about the sanctuary on September 11, 2009. You can view it by going to this link: http://cbs11tv.com/local/Terry.DeGaw.Serenity.2.1179091.html.

You can also go directly to Serenity Springs Sanctuary's web site to see the news clip or look at the photos of the many wonderful animals there. The web site also has a PayPal link if you would like to make a donation or if you are interested in sponsoring one of the animals there at the sanctuary.

If you want to visit the sanctuary and spend a lovely day in the country, just e-mail Terry at serenitysprings@wisewb.com for directions on how to get there. The web site address is: http://www.serenityspringssanctuary.org/.

The photo above is of Sundown, the blind Appaloosa mare, and Cody, the little miniature horse that recently lost one of his eyes.

~Bonnie L. (Prepress in Flower Mound)

Create Footprints Lyme Disease Walk

This is the first ever Lyme Disease walk in our area! Many people suffer from this horrible disease and go untreated for months and years. Lyme is often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, MS, and Lupus.

Turn the Corner Foundation was started in 2003 and it has quickly become one of the country's leading organizations in the fight against Lyme disease. Its mission is to raise donations to support of research, education, awareness and innovative treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in order to find a cure.


Walk Details:
Sep 27, 2009 at 10am
Libertyville, IL
Registration - 10:00 am - Walk begins at 11:00 am
Walk - 2.5K or 5K
Families Welcome - Kids of All Ages
Family Entertainment and Raffles


Can't attend but would still like to help out?
Donate on-line at: http://www.firstgiving.com/marydagostino1
Register at: http://www.firstgiving.com/createfootprintsttc


Thank you.

Mary D. (USSCO office)