Minor Fundraising Opportunities - What to Send?
August 17, 2002
Of course, I LOVE getting packages from you. But I admit to huge pangs of guilt when I see the cost of postage to get stuff over here. I would love it if you would rather contribute that money to a project to further my work. I have a few project ideas that would be fun to do, but they aren't big enough to warrant searching for funding and writing grants. If you or a group you belong to would like to fund part of one of the projects listed below, I would appreciate it. I can promise photos of the event and a little write-up of the project too! Keep in mind, Taabo Library contributions (coming soon!!!) are tax deductible. These aren't.
To find out where to send your checks, click here: 
Neighborhood Cleanup
Now that we're consistently collecting trash in Taabo, I'd like to have people clean up the erosion channels and other places where trash had been gathering. There are 70 apartment blocks in the "Cite Ouvriere." I'd go around educating people about the health benefits of a clean up, then hold a "best block" contest. What I need is money for prizes -
 | First Prize: "Taabo - Belle Ville" t-shirts, one for each family in the block. Cost = 150 dollars. |
| Second Prize: Bug spray, one for each family in the block. Cost = 75 dollars. |
| Third Prize: An assortment of soap for each family in the block. Cost = 40 dollars. |
Total cost of project = 265 dollars.
Benefits - a cleaner neighborhood and education about the effects of trash on resident health.
Baoule Pagnes
A pagne (pahn'-ya) is a two meter piece of cloth used to make clothing. Each tribe or ethnic group has a unique design. A school teacher in Taabo wants to teach his class how to make Baoule (Bah'-oh-lay) pagnes, since this area is part of the Baoule group. We have sewing machines available; the only cost is fabric and thread.
Estimate = 200 dollars.
Benefits - teaching school children about their ethnic heritage.
Girls' Camp
I'd like to start a camp for girls age 10-12 to talk about self-esteem and health topics. The camp will be once a week, timed so they will be home in time to help with dinner and chores. As an incentive to attend, I'm planning to have hygiene-related prizes: a bar of soap for attending five meetings, a toothbrush and toothpaste for attending ten, and nail file and polish for attending 15 meetings.
Estimated costs -
| 50 bars soap - 25 dollars. |
| 30 toothbrush/toothpaste sets - 40 dollars. |
| 20 nail file/polish sets - 40 dollars. |
Total cost of project = 105 dollars.
Benefits - health and self-esteem knowledge for area girls.
Essay Contest
Having a library gives me the opportunity to run some essay contests. I'd like to open the library with a contest. For younger elementary kids, the topic will be "Why stay in school?" For older elementary kids, the topic will be "What good is a library?" For junior high kids, the topic will be "My favorite African hero." Prizes will be school supplies and t-shirts.
Estimated budget -
| 1st prize (three prizes) = 25 dollars |
| 2nd prize (three prizes) = 20 dollars |
| 3rd prize (three prizes) = 15 dollars |
Total cost of project = 60 dollars.
Benefits - education on selected topics and writing practice.
Please
send your donations to my mom, Marty Whitmore.
She
will deposit the checks into my account, from which I can withdraw in Cote
d'Ivoire. Thank you again for your generosity!
Marty Whitmore
1776 Upper Chelsea Road
Columbus, OH 43212
Please make the check out to Kate Whitmore. Also, keep in mind these are not tax-deductible donations.