Connecticut College Fundraiser

Michael Meade, a student at Connecticut College, combined his artistic abilities with his passion for ending hunger and poverty. Michael cast molds of Santas and leaves and created a "Giving Forest". He raised funds for Heifer and had, as he put it, "some very profound and important discussions about world hunger and social injustices as well as the importance of giving as a means of healing these injustices."

F.R.E.S.H. New London Meeting

On December 8th, Cliff and Sue Moon (AVCs for NE CT), Bill Wernau (AVC for SE CT) , Kate Sheehan (Community Volunteer Coordinator) and Aley Kent (Senior Field Coordinator for the Northern USA Program) met with Arthur Lerner, Co-Director of F.R.E.S.H. New London, an urban agriculture and education project. This program provides fresh vegetables to families in New London, education to elementary school children, and employment and training for teens. About 60 community garden plots and approximately 2 acres of land at Waterford Country School are used for farming. Heifer volunteers are welcome to get involved in any aspect of this program. The program is partially funded through a grant from Heifer. If you would like to get involved, please contact either the Moon's (sue@racespot.com) or Bill Wernau (wernau@ct.metrocast.net).

Heifer on Public Access Channel

This Thursday, Nov. 5th from 7-8 pm, Bill Wernau and Ross Krasner will appear on "Thinking Green" on Public Access channel 25 in the Metrocast Cable viewing area. Ross is a middle school student who decided to raise an ark for his Bar Mitvah. Besides soliciting donations from family and friends, Ross went to his previous elementary school and addressed an assembly there, encouraging donations. The relatively new video, "Everyday Heroes" will also be shown. Bonnie-Jean Connal and her daughter, Sharon, volunteers from Branford, are featured in this video. The message we hope to deliver is that young people can make a difference.

Southeastern CT Calendar

Call me for opportunities to volunteer this quarter. The calendar has several openings where volunteers are needed. Bill Wernau (860) 739-4212.

Southeastern CT Heifer Volunteers Potluck Dinner

Volunteers from Southeastern CT are gathering at Bill and Anne Wernau's house for a potluck dinner and planning meeting on October 6th at 6pm. For more information, please contact Platt Arnold at (860) 691-1125.

Open House to meet Steve Stirling, Heifer’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Resource Development

Join us at Overlook Farm on Friday, October 2, 4 – 5:30 p.m. for an Open House to meet Steve Stirling, Heifer’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Resource Development. The community volunteer program is in Steve’s department. This special gathering will be a wonderful opportunity for you to share with him your outreach to congregations and schools.
Steve is very supportive of our volunteer program so we would like him to meet our awesome volunteers!

If you aren’t able to join us on Friday afternoon, you’ll be able to meet Steve at the farm’s Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 3. He’ll be participating in the farm’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Join us for any amount of time on Friday. Please let me know if you plan to drop by.
Kate Sheehan
Community Volunteer Coordinator
508-886-5048

Heifer activities - Harvest Festival / Dreaming Cows

Harvest Festival at Overlook Farm is October 3 and 4, 11 AM - 4 PM

For more information visit www.heifer.org/overlook

Dreaming Cows by Betty LaDuke art exhibit runs from November 5 - December 30 at the Boston Childrens museum. Sunday, November 8th from 2 - 4 will be The Heifer Celibration event.

Heifer-U gathering for AVC's - photos

September 11-13, 2009, Heifer-U for AVC's took place at HOLMES Camp and Conference Center, located in northern Putnam County/southern Dutchess County in the lower Hudson River Valley in New York.

We gathered to share volunteer successes and discuss management. Resources and tools were reviewed and updated. Fellowship and fun were shared by all.

UCC Connecticut Annual Meeting - Heifer Display

The United Church of Christ Connecticut Annual Meeting will be held in Middletown High School October 23 and 24. We have a couple of volunteers for Friday evening but can use some help on Saturday to staff a Heifer display table. If you can put in a few hours that day, please Email me at wernau@ct.metrocast.net with your availability. The event on Saturday runs from 8:30am until 4:00 pm.

Flats Mentor Farm - a visit to a local Heifer project

The Flats Mentor Farm is located on 70 acres of land in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Beginning immigrant farmers have been farming at this location since the early 80's. In 2005, this group of farmers officially established themselves as the Flats Mentor Farm with the support of Heifer International and other organizations. During the 2009 season farmers have planned to sell their crops at 40 farmers markets in Massachusetts.

We started the day with a relaxing drive thru the countryside from Woodstock, CT to Overlook Farms in Rutland, MA. We met with Volunteer Coordinator Pat Keay and took a look at the global village and livestock. We learned that our idea of seeing a local Heifer project in person had grown to a presentation from Heifer Northeast United States project coordinator Aley Kent for over 40 participants. Aley discussed the importance of maintaining and supporting a local food system. She detailed many of the successes that Heifer is having in the Northeastern United States.




Following the presentation, the group caravanned to The Flats where we were met by Maria Moreira, landowner and project motivator. Maria reviewed the history and goal of the Flats Mentor Farm to assist immigrant farmers to create and sustain successful farming enterprises. Currently, 9 families (about 40 people) are commercially farming. These are the farmers participating in the Heifer projects and passing on the gift. Another 50 farmers are micro-farming.





Disaster stuck the farm 2 weeks before our visit. Floods covered the already planted fields with up to 3 feet of water. The destruction was evident throughout the farm. Dead and dying vegetation, recently plowed under crops and the complete destruction of the micro-farm plots were seen. Many of the remaining crops were maturing slowly and not ready for market. The perseverance of the farmers could be observed as they tried to save what remained. They have 40 farmers markets to supply in addition to a wholesale coop.

A farmer tends her field at The Flats

Song Vang Yang talked about her involvement in The Flats. She was one of the first Hmong immigrants to begin gardening on Maria Moreira’s land in the 1980’s. She transitioned from micro-farmer to commercial farmer five years ago.

With Heifer support, the farm added plastic and drip irrigation this year. Each commercial farmer has one row in the test area.

Song gave the group a tour of her farm.

Maria Moreira, landowner and project motivator


More photos and information can be found in the next post.

The Flats Mentor Farm visit - Part 2

Aley Kent (right) listens to Song Vang Yang (left) talk about her commercial farm.



Song Vang Yang shows her basil grown under protective cloth.



Maria Moreira leads the tour of The Flats

Heifer International funds helped build this green house. The earlier planting and increased growing season may lead to more profitability.

The test garden with plastic to reduce weeds and drip irrigation - conserving water and reducing time spent weeding thanks to Heifer International funding.

Passing on the gift is an important part of any Heifer project. Farmers' market supplies are passed by the participating farmers. Tents, tables, display totes, signs and scales of equal value to the original are passed on within 2 years.

The Flats Mentor Farm promotes economically viable agricultural production that protects the environment through the practice of sustainable farming methods. This program offers infrastructure, resources, hands-on experiential training and technical assistance on soil fertility, irrigation (Heifer supplied well), pest and weed management and marketing.

West Side Middle School in Groton does it again!

Under the faithful tutelage of Dr. Marian Galbraith, 8th grade teacher at West Side Middle School in Groton CT, students raised a total of approximately $1250 for Heifer. Year after year, the 8th grade students have demonstrated their compassion for those in need, raising thousands of dollars through a variety of activities including: Read to Feed, Chores for Change and Cornucopia (a variation on the Ark Calendar fundraiser created by Dr. Galbraith and available on-line. Just Email me at wernau@ct.metrocast.net if you would like to have a copy).

Passing on the Gift at Pomfret Community School

During the month of April, students at the Pomfret Community School in Pomfret, CT raised enough money to purchase 3 llamas for Heifer International!!
Every year, the entire school studies a different country and learns all about the people, economy and culture of that particular society. This year their studies took them to Bolivia. Under the guidance of teacher Susan Boland, the National Junior Honor Society decided they wanted to buy a llama.
Susan’s daughter, Micaela, a Heifer volunteer, did a presentation to the group. Their fund raiser was so successful, they were able to buy 3 llamas.

West Side Middle School Fundraiser

Once again, Dr. Marian Galbriath, an 8th grade teacher at West Side Middle School in Groton and previously recognized as Teacher of the Year, has decided to educate her students about poverty and hunger while raising funds for Heifer. Marian has been a big supporter of Heifer and has used the video, "A Legacy for Ephrain" to raise awareness in her students. Several years ago, Marian was responsible for converting the "Ark Calendar" into the "Cornucopia" project. Copies of the latter can be obtained on-line by writing to me at wernau@ct.metrocast.net. The students at West Side are truly amazing in terms of enthusiasm and commitment, having raised thousands of dollars in support through "Read to Feed," "Chores for Change" and "Cornucopia," some deciding to pursue more than one of these options!

Southeastern CT Activities/Tanzania

In April, Platt Arnold and Bill Wernau made presentations at Fitch Middle School in Groton. Bill came down with a kidney stone attack during the initial class and Platt and the classroom teacher, Tricia Hird, completed the remainder of the classes. Platt had done the "basket presentation" at an earlier date at Wheeler Middle School in North Stonington. Thanks Platt!

Edna Gilstad of Niantic Community Church gave me some photos from a trip made by one of her friends, Nancy Levine, to Tanzania. The tour took them to a village on a mountain where they saw many women anxiously engaged in a variety of enterprises. All of this began with a woman, Mama Anna, receiving a cow from Heifer. She grew the business, got more cows, sold the milk, learned to make and sell cheeses and honey. Now the women's cooperative that she leads makes skirts, grinds and roasts coffee and markets cheeses and honey. Edna had tears in her eyes when she told me about this. Niantic Community Church has donated many "Arks" to Heifer.

2009 International Fair June 27 and 28 — Overlook Farm - Rutland MA.

Fun for the whole family. A walk through the Heifer Global Village representing various areas of the world will immerse fair attendees in the sights, sounds and smells of these cultures and Heifer's global development efforts. Enjoy Dale Perkins' Horse Show; music from local groups; horse-drawn hayrides and more. Purchase organic foods or bring your own picnic. (11 a.m. - 4 p.m) Admission: $5.00 per person / Children 12 and under are free! Download Flyer.

Successful Bar Mitzvah Fundraiser

My neighbor, Ross Krasner, wanted to raise an ARK for his Bar Mitzvah by approaching his former elementary school. He did a great job of organizing, providing incentives and teacher packets, speaking to the classes, etc. As a result of his efforts at the school and gifts he received from relatives and friends, he raised $1500 for Heifer. He still wants to get the ARK, so he intends to repeat the process next year. We are very excited to have such a great young man working to make a difference!

ING Green Market Fair

The "Orange Goes Green" environmental committee at ING, Inc. of Windsor, CT is planning an event (Green Market Fair) on April 22 in honor of Earth Day. Heifer has been invited to participate and we should have more details early next week. Please check your calendar to see if you might be available that day. Watch this space!

Putnam CT Pass on the Gift gathering

April is Pass on the Gift Month!!

Come and learn how Heifer International is ending hunger and poverty.
April 20, 2009 at 7:00PM
Curves in Putnam
175 School St, Putnam, CT - (860) 928-1000
Bring a healthy snack to share!
For more info contact Sue Moon 860 974-1398

Earth Day at Connecticut College

Would anyone want to contact Connecticut College to see if they would like to have Heifer represented at their Earth Day celebration? We were there last year.

Cows in Times Square - More Photos - Click Here

Cows in Times Square

Welcome

The Heifer Connecticut Community Volunteer blog is a place for communicating with fellow volunteers. Blog about upcoming activities, ideas you have to promote Heifer, Etc...

Please share upcoming activities that are happening in your community.