March 27, 2011

Progress of our project looks like this: This picture was taken when our friend Abraham was in Malawi in Dec. and Jan. We are now working on the roof of this building!!

So, I guess I'm not much of a blogger...this is how my journals get written; every couple month I write a page or 2. I hope to increase writing as the Big ride gets closer!

We have updated the website with a whole new look, so if you haven't seen it, check it out! Here's the link to my Big Ride page: www.educate-malawi.org/karens_ride_for_malawi .

Winter is nearing an end, I have retired from my full time job, and have begun training for the Big ride! We (Stephen and I) ran our first 10k road race on my 46th birthday this month! We have run on a regular basis for this past month and a little in February. My bike is at the shop now for a tune up and I will soon start riding outside in addition to running.

Shannon, Stephen and I are planning to participate in a triathalon in June, and are all training for that. I will start swimming this week and try to work that in at least one day a week!

We have begun to get riders signing up for our annual bike-a-thon and as the weather improves we really hope to have a boom in registrants for that ride!

Anyone who might be interested, and wants to gather your own donations for the ride, to to http://www.firstgiving.com/ and you can create your own page for the ride! I plan to create one for myself as another means of gathering donations....even though we have donate buttons on the website it seems like there are other ways to get the word out...thought I could post that on Facebook or something.

So...the babble continues...I am planning my next trip, to be in August. It looks like I will be traveling alone this time which is a first. There are many people who have done it and I don't have any doubt it will be just fine!!

Big bike ride goal

It is almost the 1st of February and I am transitioning in my life in a BIG way! I am closing the door on a 20 year career in the CT. correctional department, not a small achievement!! I have started working on my Master's Degree, in counseling, and will continue working to raise money and find different ways to help educate malawi...I have many ideas and many people who I look up to in order to achieve this goal.

SO, with that being said...I am sending out a new plea/request. This bike ride is intended to assist us in completing the project we have been working on for about 2 years...I would really, really like to complete it by the end of this year and I believe we can do it!!!

I am looking for about 466 people to donate $20 each...that's it, that would reach our goal!!!!

Visit the website for information on how to donate via paypal, or checks can be made out and sent to:
Educate Malawi, Inc.
86 Connecticut Avenue
West Springfield, MA 01089

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

January 22, 2011

Not an original title for a post, I know, but I am not the most creative person there is...plus, don't know how many peope will be reading this so...this is it.
I feel like this is a new year and will be a much different year than last....last year was the first full year since my father died, things shifted in me and my world, it was my last year at a job I have been at for 20 years now, and that has been interesting. Educate Malawi has been in my mind and heart always through this time and moving into 2011 and new jobs and with our big fundraising event toward the end of the year, I am hopeful for an exciting and challenging year!

We hope to continue all of our exciting projects through this year and connect children between the U.S. and Malawi as well as enable a few students to remain in school toward a teaching job in Malawi through our new scholarship program.

I am continuing training and will get on my bike shortly to ride for a bit inside. I am thinking March may be my time to begin getting back outside and ride out there in the real world...I am very much looking forward to that!! Well, I will return to this blog when I feel inspired to do so and when I feel there is something to share worth sharing...

Thank you to the generous supporters who have made the thermometer move!! We are ever appreciative and grateful!!