Projects and Acknowledgments

THANK YOU • THANK YOU

Rotary International and their worldwide clubs extend hands to help others.  While I was a member of the Board of Director in the Winchester (MA) Rotary Club, my club provided me with funds to assist in the education of girls at Endulen Mission, Ngorongoro Region; to give financial assistance for the construction of latrines at the busy Tengeru marketplace; to provide food for Mkombozi Home for Street Children; and, to distribute 500 soccer uniforms to Tanzanian youths. Through these service projects, I became intrigued by water filtration systems and started the foundation LifeWaterAfrica.org that provides biosand water filters to villages.  Rotary International funded my flight and shots under their volunteer service program.  The Rotary Club of Arusha and The Rotary Club of Moshi have championed my causes, most notably through the tireless and generous Faye Cran, and dedicated Peter and Lucy Renju.  I have been able to help others, because these organizations and people of Rotary have supported me.


Book Ends, Winchester, MA
Each month, Book Ends' owner Judy Manzo, has donated a children's book to accompany a polartec jacket that I send to Fr. Ned Marchessault at Endulen Mission. The children at Endulen are thrilled to have a warm jacket and a book to add to their new Book Ends library. 

Dakini Clothing. During our summer months it is chilly in the lowlands of Ngorongoro and the youngsters living at Fr. Ned's mission have few clothes. The lightweight but incredibly soft and warm jackets were given to me by Katlyn Schultz from Dakini.  Each month one child receives a prized jacket.  There is much excitement when the jacket arrives. Splenda sugar substitute stuffed into the pockets by me, provides sweetness to the chai the diabetic children drink.

Green Bag Company.  Long before reusable shopping bags were in vogue, Green Bag was making strong fiber bags.  I contacted Green Bag and they eagerly provided 175 free bags that they delivered to my doorstep.  The compact bags were easy to pack in my luggage and on arrival in Tanzania, I filled the bags with toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap, and gave hygiene lessons to children along my travel route.  If you go to the Green Bag Company online site, look in the section marked Community - How Far Has Your Bag Traveled and you will see the bag carried by our cook/warrior and the women coming home from the marketplace.

Lexington Dental.  Dental care in Tanzania is sparse.  Dr. Ann Demeranville, Lexington Dental, who has traveled to Africa and volunteered on dental missions to South America, donated a stack of packaged toothbrushes to add to our Green Bag hygiene bags.  Children are aware of the importance of brushing and are faithful about caring for their teeth.  Note:  Thanks to Steve Demeranville, Rotarian, Boston Rotary Club, for his inspiration, graphically and as a service minded Rotarian working on his own water project.

The assistance of others is valuable: 

•  The women in my aerobics classes at WinchesterAerobics.com were the first to go through their jewelry boxes followed by the women of the Methodist Church Annual Fair and the EnKa fair jewelry table who supplied me with jewelry which you can see these girls at Endulen adored.  There was modeling of these treasures - and alot of sharing.

• Father Ned Marchessault of Endulen Mission, Tanzania who shared his home, stories and the wonderful Maasai children of Endulen who fire my desire to return again and again.


•  A number of women offered new polartec jackets:  Chris Sommers, Sylvia Frazer, Joyce Cummings

•  Judy Whitney, my aerobics partner, has contributed to LifeWaterAfrica.org and covered for me while I was in Africa

• Dr. Michael Freed, cardiologist, Boston Children's Hospital, provided funds for medical supplies at Mkombozi Centre for Street Children

• Donna Marie D'Agostino encouraged me throughout my Winchester Rotary experience, grant writing and travels to Tanzania.  She expected alot but always complemented her words with compassion

• Dr. Ann Demeranville, DMD, an adventurer and humanitarian, who provides eternal friendship and direction

• Linda Doucette, Rotarian and vigilant friend, who chronicled my progress while in Africa

• My boys, Bobby and Joey, who let me go and welcomed me home

• Mom and Dad who undoubtedly shook their heads but have wished me well

• My sisters Debbie and Cathy who made the excursions fun and listened to my numerous tales

• Gary Balfour, my constant contact in Tanzania, who put me up and put up with me and organizes extraordinary safari experiences through his US based company: www.africasbestsafaris.com

• To ALL THOSE SCHOOLS and ORGANIZATIONS who have opened their doors to me and my lecture and invigorated me to share my passion for the people and wildlife of Tanzania

• To my dear friends, Ed Govostes and Meredith Canavan, who encouraged me in this life and are now diligently watching over me from another post. My friend Leo Saltman as his life was waning, promised to protect me from the lions of the Serengeti.  Good job, Leo!