New York City
(The Big Apple lived up to its name in my book!)
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| HEART Logo in Times Square! |
In March Steve told me he was applying for an award with Invest In Others Charitable Foundation, and asked me to write a reference letter for his work with us in FFG and that he wanted to use HEART as his chosen Charity to receive the award if he won. See their Mission Statement and a photo gallery of the event at www.investinothers.org.
Steve was chosen out of 300
applicants to be a finalist! He invited me, as the President of HEART to
share the evening and honor. Everything about the event was
remarkable; from the limo ride, to downtown Manhattan, to photo shoot
at the end of the evening!
I was staying near the airport at a hotel which Steve and Pat paid for. They also paid for limo services and I was picked by Mohamed, originally from Pakistan; it was really nice – my first such ride! On my way I shared with Mohamed the story of our work and what HEART and Steve Werner were doing together. As I explained the power of a dollar and how for $5 a school girl can get a year supply of feminine products, to help ensure she can stay in school. He asked about the drought in Kenya, so I told him about the greenhouses we were doing with Lift Up Africa and the help this had been to the people.
When we arrived to meet Steve, he escorted me to the front door and gave me a hug and a kiss on each cheek. As I was giving him a tip he said, "You explained what $5 dollars can do in Africa, use this money to help the girls, it is my small part to help”. I thought to myself, this is going to be a great evening!
The event was hosted at the
“Cipriani” directly across from Steve’s hotel, the Grand Hyatt. It was
elaborately decorated and very elegant . I felt like Alice in Wonderland
as I tried to act like “oh yes, I
come to such events all the time!” It was definitely “by invitation
only” event and had security men in dark suits at the door and
everywhere. I wish I could share each of the wonderful four hours with
you but let me try to hit the highlights.
The keynote speaker was “Chef Jeff” Henderson; “Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove” the power of change. He is
an award winning chef, food network television personality and New York
Times bestselling author. He has an amazing story of beginning his
cooking career in prison and now helping other “at risk” kids learn his
trade.
The award ceremony began,
and whereas Steve did not win the Global Community Service award, his
being a finalist won a $5,000 award to HEART for his work. Our table of
ten consisted of his financial associates from Cetera Financial Group,
including their Chief Executive Officer, Valerie Brown. They
came to support Steve as a surprise to him. One of these gentlemen,
Steve Richman, told a very interesting story of his longtime
relationship with Mohamed Ali. He
said he wanted to do something special to help HEART and right at our
table he auctioned off an original signed picture of Mohamed Ali! Valerie left as the winner of this picture, with others donating on top till he had raised $5,600 at our table! Like I said this was a great evening!
After dinner there was a photo session for the finalists and I
was asked if I wanted a picture of me taken alone. As I was getting my
picture taken, Chef Jeff jumped into the spot light and said, “I must
have a picture with Vickie.” (we had talked earlier and I had invited
him to Africa HEART – which he has promised to come) After the picture
had been taken he said, “this week this picture will be hung in my ‘mother-land’”. The photographer was great, Sasha Gitin, I also invited him to come to Kenya … click his link to see pictures of Steve, Pat, Chef Jeff and me! http://www.sashagitin.com/sg/review/invest-in-others/invest%20in%20others/
It was truly a night to
remember! On my way back to the hotel, a song of thanksgiving arose in
my heart unto the Lord Jesus Christ for making this night possible. Have
you heard the song, “Give thanks with a grateful heart”?
Well just
when I thought it could not get better , Steve called me, he was at
Times Square where the “Invest in Others” had been the openers of the
New York Stock Exchange that morning. See the video clip and the
attached picture of HEART logo on this NASDAQ screen, which is seven stories tall in Times Square New York! http://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/marketsite_events.stm
Steve wrote to his friends, "We were honored by Invest In Others for the work done for Freedom For
Girls. HEART was awarded $5,000.00 USD to help continue their work”!
Many are asking me, “how was your trip to the US”? What can I say?
Many are asking me, “how was your trip to the US”? What can I say?
Awesome, exciting, rewarding, fun, encouraging, strengthening …thank you Lord!
I traveled to Northern CA, where my family and our US Board of Directors reside (had three Board meetings – 2 of them at 6 AM in the morning!) Talk about a committed Board! Also traveled to Southern CA to visit and speak at Pastors Gary and Debbie Hornsby church, then to CO to speak at three Rotary Clubs and had a HEART Friends event at Matt Vansistein’s “loft”. Reacquainting myself with friends and squeezing out time for family.
Charles Obes, our Lodge
Manager, was with me on this trip and had the chance to see so many
people that have stayed at HEART … Now he saw them in the USA! Our Board
was so gracious to Charles and took him to see sights and experience
America! He will write about his journey in another letter.
So many stories to share; all the teams that visited Kenya this year and built homes for grandmothers in our Kids for School project.
Through Lift Up Africa’s
donation and the help of friends and Rotary clubs we now have 12
greenhouses throughout Kenya helping with the hunger situation due to
the current draught . In 2008 when we had a severe draught and got the
vision for the greenhouses, we delivered food relief to six areas. This
year, we continue to raise money for relief food and deliver to only
two areas because the others have green houses. These two areas we
cannot have greenhouses YET because there is no water. I am talking to other NGO’s and Rotary clubs helping
with digging wells and believe we will have our first solar powered
well dug and functioning by the end of the year in a drought infested
area where we serve orphans in the Kids for School project!
Back in Kenya
Back in Kenya
We have already had an amazing three days … hard to share all the news! I do not want to bomb bard you with news but honestly this journey is so exciting.
Alice
Litton is here and attended a lovely Hindu function yesterday, 19th
September 2011 where my Rotary friend Sudesh presented HEART with a
check for 75,000 Kshs ( $834) for Freedom for Girls! It will go to
Namelok, a Maasai village where we have 600 girls awaiting this year’s
supply of sanitary towels. The amount donated will help provide sanitary
towels for 188 of these girls!
Dave Lowe is also here and helping us with plans for a new addition on the HEART Lodge. We turned away 976 people from mid-May – mid-August to other guest houses just because we did not have rooms to accommodate them! Without the USAID funding this year, our Lodge has become one of our major source of continuing our work and becoming more self sustainable. We are praying for people to “invest in the HEART of Kenya” and help us build this addition.
Dave Lowe is also here and helping us with plans for a new addition on the HEART Lodge. We turned away 976 people from mid-May – mid-August to other guest houses just because we did not have rooms to accommodate them! Without the USAID funding this year, our Lodge has become one of our major source of continuing our work and becoming more self sustainable. We are praying for people to “invest in the HEART of Kenya” and help us build this addition.
Another Mission staff member
Katherine Ruben arrives tonight. She has been to HEART once and retired
from 26 years of working in an HIV clinic in Chico, CA to come and
dedicate herself to work here at HEART!
The second Bayside Granite
Bay Church team arrives on Thursday 28th September, 13 women that will
wind up their 8 days here helping us with our WEEP graduation – 33
ladies will graduate and be launched into their own businesses.
HEART still needs your support to ensure that more people are reached by our programs. Any support is highly appreciated.
If life got any more exciting I could not contain it!!
My love and gratefulness for your friendship!
