I received my passport in 2 weeks, without a rush...I think my mother is jealous since she doesnt have one yet! I am very excited to start my travels, with the countdown is 140 days from TODAY!!
In our last meeting we discussed England and King Henry VIII. We discussed political insites concerning a major turning point in British history.
Next meeting...we are on to the history and culture of France and the Netherlands!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Operation International Children
One of my requirements with the People to People program is to participate in community service. We will be helping Operation International Children purchase supplies so that the children of Iraq and beyond can get an education. We will be collecting supply kits and bringing those items to our next meeting on Feb 6th. If you would like to help out, ask me how. We need the following supplies:
One pair of blunt end scissors
One 12 inch ruler with metric markings
12 new pencils with erasers
One small pencil sharpner
One large eraser
One box of colored pencils
One package of notebook paper
One composition book
Three folders with inside pockets
One zippered pencil bag.
One pair of blunt end scissors
One 12 inch ruler with metric markings
12 new pencils with erasers
One small pencil sharpner
One large eraser
One box of colored pencils
One package of notebook paper
One composition book
Three folders with inside pockets
One zippered pencil bag.
Getting to meet a WWII Veteran
So I'm now into the month of January and our last meeting we got to hear from WWII veteran, Captian Jack Nemerov who was in Normandy. Here are a couple of clips I found online which he spoke about at our meeting:
4. Captain Jack Nemerov (1)
U.S. Army
Jack Nemerov landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944…D-Day
“Now each one of us going in had a heavy pack on our back because we had to carry an extra three-day supply of ammunition in our pack and an extra three-day supply of food—K rations. And we were all wearing our winter combat clothes because it was cold and wet and our winter combat clothes were wool, primarily. So when we hit the water our clothes would soak up another 8, 9, 10, 12 pounds of water. With our heavy packs and our armaments, conceivably each one of us weighed over 200 pounds in dead weight. In the first 15 minutes, we had 5000 casualties. Now, this is not shown; most of those casualties drown. They weren’t hit, they just drown.”
Video clip of storming the beach
At the age of 91, Jack Nemerov is still an imposing guy. Originally from Minnesota, he went into the U.S. army a private and came out a captain, he says. In between going in and coming out, he was part of the initial assault force on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He also helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp.
"I survived World War II," he says, shaking his head. "How I got through, I don't know."
Video clip regarding the concentration camp
He was apart of the unit that posted the sign that reads, "500 poor unknown souls buried here".
Save the World Once; Still Saving It.
As a man in his 20s, Jack Nemerov was among the soldiers who stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day in June, 1944. Just about a year later he was among those who liberated the concentration camp at Dachau.
Like so many other veterans of his day, he returned home after the war, settled down, got into business and raised a family. And after many productive, happy decades, he decided 17 years ago to retire in Arizona.
It was going well, too.
Then, in 1997, when Nemerov was 81 years old, comfortable, settled and secure, something unexpected and life-changing occurred to him.
“I was really, really bored,” he said. “I just couldn't see myself sitting around all day playing bridge. I needed to get out in the world.”
And so that is what he did.
He wanted to work somehow with school kids, and having lived through tumultous times, Nemerov contacted the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, to find out about its “teaching tolerance” program.
“If you were to go into a place like Dachau, as I did in 1945, you'd see how important the notion of tolerance is,” he said, “and what the lack of it can do to people.”
He approached a few local school districts about the program and found that they were interested. Then, one day, Nemerov was asked if he knew anyone who had been in World War II and would speak to students about it.
“I know someone,” he said. “Me.”
And so Nemerov began visiting classrooms (and clubs, and business gatherings, and more).
“You wonder in the beginning how you will speak about the terrible things you have witnessed?” Nemerov told me. “I run into that situation all the time with people from my generation. We were civilians in uniform. My parents came from Russia, and like a lot of guys, I felt that I had to to the best I could to protect what they came here for. And we did. But how do you talk about aiming a gun at another human being and pulling the trigger? How do you talk about what you saw and did? It's very difficult. That's why so many of the stories from World War II have never been told.”
One of the teachers who has invited Nemerov to his classroom is Chris O'Brien of Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale. He brought Nemerov to his history class.
“Jack Nemerov and people like him should be elevated above the rest as true American Heroes not just because of their past contributions, but because of their ongoing positive impacts on the youth of today and the future of our country,” O'Brien told me.
When Nemerov speaks to kids and then answers their questions, he doesn't play up the notion of his being a part of what has been called “The Greatest Generation.”
“What I try to do is to draw a parallel between our generation and the current generation,” he said. “I try to tell them how alike we are. What makes America a special place is that there is one good generation after another.”
At a ceremony in Phoenix on Friday, Nemerov and 19 others will be inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, an honor afforded over the years to fewer than 200 of Arizona 600,000 estimated veterans.
“That's a nice thing,” he said. “And I'm honored. But what I do with kids, with people, it keeps me alive. It's better than medicine.”
Nemerov entered the army as a private and left a captain. He also saw war as a parent, having watched a son go off to Vietnam.
But when we call people like Nemerov members of “the greatest generation,” it isn't because they set out as young people to save the world. It's because they've never stopped trying.
E.J. Montini's Columns & Blog
4. Captain Jack Nemerov (1)
U.S. Army
Jack Nemerov landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944…D-Day
“Now each one of us going in had a heavy pack on our back because we had to carry an extra three-day supply of ammunition in our pack and an extra three-day supply of food—K rations. And we were all wearing our winter combat clothes because it was cold and wet and our winter combat clothes were wool, primarily. So when we hit the water our clothes would soak up another 8, 9, 10, 12 pounds of water. With our heavy packs and our armaments, conceivably each one of us weighed over 200 pounds in dead weight. In the first 15 minutes, we had 5000 casualties. Now, this is not shown; most of those casualties drown. They weren’t hit, they just drown.”
Video clip of storming the beach
At the age of 91, Jack Nemerov is still an imposing guy. Originally from Minnesota, he went into the U.S. army a private and came out a captain, he says. In between going in and coming out, he was part of the initial assault force on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He also helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp.
"I survived World War II," he says, shaking his head. "How I got through, I don't know."
Video clip regarding the concentration camp
He was apart of the unit that posted the sign that reads, "500 poor unknown souls buried here".
Save the World Once; Still Saving It.
As a man in his 20s, Jack Nemerov was among the soldiers who stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day in June, 1944. Just about a year later he was among those who liberated the concentration camp at Dachau.
Like so many other veterans of his day, he returned home after the war, settled down, got into business and raised a family. And after many productive, happy decades, he decided 17 years ago to retire in Arizona.
It was going well, too.
Then, in 1997, when Nemerov was 81 years old, comfortable, settled and secure, something unexpected and life-changing occurred to him.
“I was really, really bored,” he said. “I just couldn't see myself sitting around all day playing bridge. I needed to get out in the world.”
And so that is what he did.
He wanted to work somehow with school kids, and having lived through tumultous times, Nemerov contacted the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, to find out about its “teaching tolerance” program.
“If you were to go into a place like Dachau, as I did in 1945, you'd see how important the notion of tolerance is,” he said, “and what the lack of it can do to people.”
He approached a few local school districts about the program and found that they were interested. Then, one day, Nemerov was asked if he knew anyone who had been in World War II and would speak to students about it.
“I know someone,” he said. “Me.”
And so Nemerov began visiting classrooms (and clubs, and business gatherings, and more).
“You wonder in the beginning how you will speak about the terrible things you have witnessed?” Nemerov told me. “I run into that situation all the time with people from my generation. We were civilians in uniform. My parents came from Russia, and like a lot of guys, I felt that I had to to the best I could to protect what they came here for. And we did. But how do you talk about aiming a gun at another human being and pulling the trigger? How do you talk about what you saw and did? It's very difficult. That's why so many of the stories from World War II have never been told.”
One of the teachers who has invited Nemerov to his classroom is Chris O'Brien of Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale. He brought Nemerov to his history class.
“Jack Nemerov and people like him should be elevated above the rest as true American Heroes not just because of their past contributions, but because of their ongoing positive impacts on the youth of today and the future of our country,” O'Brien told me.
When Nemerov speaks to kids and then answers their questions, he doesn't play up the notion of his being a part of what has been called “The Greatest Generation.”
“What I try to do is to draw a parallel between our generation and the current generation,” he said. “I try to tell them how alike we are. What makes America a special place is that there is one good generation after another.”
At a ceremony in Phoenix on Friday, Nemerov and 19 others will be inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, an honor afforded over the years to fewer than 200 of Arizona 600,000 estimated veterans.
“That's a nice thing,” he said. “And I'm honored. But what I do with kids, with people, it keeps me alive. It's better than medicine.”
Nemerov entered the army as a private and left a captain. He also saw war as a parent, having watched a son go off to Vietnam.
But when we call people like Nemerov members of “the greatest generation,” it isn't because they set out as young people to save the world. It's because they've never stopped trying.
E.J. Montini's Columns & Blog
Saturday, October 24, 2009
1st Meeting and more
Today is the first offical get together for the group that Jaysen will travel with next summer.
Offical departure date is June 14th.
Cash Raffle tickets are still available...and will be extended into November since we havent had a lot of purchased...sure would like to see someone win $375!
Offical departure date is June 14th.
Cash Raffle tickets are still available...and will be extended into November since we havent had a lot of purchased...sure would like to see someone win $375!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Cash Raffle Tickets
Hey everyone...the cash raffle is well on its way...for you to win the grand prize I need to sell all 250 tickets...so please if you can, buy one, or see if a friend would like to get in on this great opportunity...you can will up to $375! Not bad for a $10 donation! Remember, all proceeds will go to supporting the European trip that Jaysen will be taking in the summer of 2010.
* Also, our first offical fundraising event will be held on Oct 27th, so be on the lookout for other opportunities to help if your not able to buy tickets! Thank you for all of your support!
* Also, our first offical fundraising event will be held on Oct 27th, so be on the lookout for other opportunities to help if your not able to buy tickets! Thank you for all of your support!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Its Official!
Today was Jaysen's formal interview and he was accepted into the program on the spot! We are really excited for him to begin this journey! Jaysen will need to attend 5 Orientation meetings between now and the departure and also will have monthly tests on the countries that he will be visiting.
I will continue to Fundraise until May when the final payment is due, so if you are not in the position to help now, but can in the future, just know that even then, anything will be appreicated.
I have a fundraising meeting on October 27th where I will get some more ideas...so watch for out for that!
Thanks again to everyone that has helped us along the way with donations, purchases, writing recommendations, or just your positive thoughts!
I will continue to Fundraise until May when the final payment is due, so if you are not in the position to help now, but can in the future, just know that even then, anything will be appreicated.
I have a fundraising meeting on October 27th where I will get some more ideas...so watch for out for that!
Thanks again to everyone that has helped us along the way with donations, purchases, writing recommendations, or just your positive thoughts!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Cash Raffle Tickets
Today is the first day of the Cash Raffle ticket sale! Thanks to everyone that has bought their tickets already. I only have 100 tickets for sale on line, so be the first one to get yours! The drawing will be on October 30th, and you need not be present to win! Those of you out-of-towners that have bought your tickets, if your a winner, I will send your funds to you certified mail!
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Monday, September 14, 2009
First day up and running...
Thanks everyone for the feedback on the Blog! If you have any other fundraising suggestions...feel free to let me know. I think the 50/50 raffle will be a hit! Dont forget, if you want a 2010 Entertainment book, just click on the button to order the book and it will send me a message...dont forget this is for the Metro Phoenix area only! Thank you so much for all of your support!
Day 1 of the Journey
Orientation and application to the People to People Ambassador program was held at Hamilton High School in Chandler on Sept. 8th, 2009. I was able to see what the program had to offer, how it changed the lives of the students that were now "alumni" and view videos of the program. Next step is to fill out the application, obtain my recommendations and go to an interview. Wish me luck!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Where we are with Fundraising?
So many of you may know the fundraising started a few weeks ago when my mom started selling candles...to date we are at $1200 in candle sales!
I anticipate the next batch of candles being available right before the holidays, so dont forget to get some then, they make great gifts for the holidays! (candles are only sold locally)
And to date $150 in donations!
I anticipate the next batch of candles being available right before the holidays, so dont forget to get some then, they make great gifts for the holidays! (candles are only sold locally)
And to date $150 in donations!
2010 Entertainment Book
To help earn money for my trip, I am also selling the 2010 Entertainment book for $36.99 if I can hand deliver them, and 41.99 if you want me to mail it to you. Most of the proceeds go to the Lions Club ( A club dedicated to promoting responsible citizenship,good government, community and national & international welfare). Just respond to the post to order for now. (Phoenix area only).
http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml (click on the link to buy a book outside of Phoenix, no proceeds will go to us).
http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml (click on the link to buy a book outside of Phoenix, no proceeds will go to us).
Donate and Buy Raffle Tickets
Since this life changing experience is a lot of money, my mom has come up with a 50/50 Raffle (thanks Ranae for the suggestion). My intention is to run the raffle for 30 days, but if its popular, then I might cut it shorter. Basically if I raise $500, $250 goes to the raffle winner! Everyone loves money, and its like playing the lottery...but your chances are better here! Proceeds will go towards travel expenses...so if you want, you can pay through the blog (on the left hand side of the page) or if you see me in person, let me know. Anyone can play as I can send the money certified funds to where ever you are! (US only)
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