Greensburg, KS

On May 4, 2007, the small Midwestern town of Greensburg, Kansas, was ravaged by a fierce tornado, resulting in a tragic loss of life and displacing more than 1,500 people. Almost every home, business, hospital, and school was decimated in the process, leaving the once-vibrant farming community shattered and in ruins. But Mayor John Janssen, who inherited the office three weeks after the tornado struck, sees one glimmer of hope amid the destruction: a clean slate for a fresh start.

Greensburg City Council has approved a resolution that all city building projects will be built to LEED Platinum level standards. This makes them the first city in the United States to do this and it shows the world "how green we are."

One of the leading firms in the Midwest and a pioneer in sustainable design, BNIM has become a national leader in design, constantly implementing the delivery of strong design-driven solutions that are respectful of context and the environment. Their main focus is on sustainability with an emphasis on heritage of place. Two of its youngest members, Stephen Hardy and Rachel Wedel are working with John Picard to help Greensburg realize their dream for rebuilding.

Tune in to Planet Green in June to watch more about Greensburg, and the town's incredible efforts to rebuild green.

The South Central Community Foundation, which covers seven counties, including Kiowa County (of which Greensburg is the county seat), has established the Greensburg Future Fund to collect donations for rebuilding the town. While the board of the SCCF has designated a committee to make specific decisions about where the money can be best spent, every dollar you contribute is earmarked only for Greensburg projects.

WiLD Women Change Communities!

Please watch the video about Mona Shrestna, a 2003 WiLD campaign participant in Nepal. Mona is part of the Narayani Mahila Bachat Samuha, which translates as "Women's saving group." In a village where the men had owned everything, her group received two goats, which produced offspring to sell. Eventually, her group saved enough to open a shop and send children to school. The group is now in its fourth generation of offspring, and continuing to enrich the community.

"Before Heifer my life was filled with darkness. We were like slaves in our own homes." — Mona Shrestna

What a WONDERFUL way to support and empower women!

KIVA

Wow... I got an email from Kiva that a local news channel in OKC is doing a story on them and asking if we (as lenders) would like to participate in the interview! I just emailed them back about it. I thought that was really awesome.

Jenn and I are both a little camera shy, but I told them if no one else in the area was willing/able to do it, that we would. I do want to spread the word about Kiva. It is an amazing organization and we are huge supporters.

Our first loan helped a woman who runs a medical clinic in Kenya buy an ultra sound machine for the clinic. Wow! It feels good to know that we helped do that. And the great thing about it is that they pay back their loans and then you can re-loan the money out to others looking for help with their businesses.

I will update as I know something.

Type 1 Diabetes

My son was diagnosed September 1, 2006 with Type 1 Diabetes. We have been doing very good getting on a routine and he doesn't complain too much about all the finger pricks and the shots (but he only gets 1-2 shots a day right now).

Last night we were at the chinese restaurant we like to go to (his favorite) and he put a coin in the buddah and rubbed it's belly and said "I wish I didn't have diabetes". *sob*

I really want to get more involved with the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I believe one of them is having a walk here in Oklahoma City soon that we could participate in. And really, I would love to start some kind of parent/kid group of families affected by Type 1, because E would really benefit from knowing other kids in the same boat as he is.

Got Groceries?

I was just thinking that I hadn't said anything on my blog at all about Angel Food Ministries. Now, I am not a church goer and you don't have to be either if you want to participate. You just go to their website and find a location by you. They have a grocery drop off once a month. The menus are posted on the website. They always have a lot of good, quality things and it is very inexpensive. There have been months that were very lean for us and it was a blessing to know that we were getting Angel Food at the end of the month.

Angel Food's groceries are sold in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $25 per unit. Each month's menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $50. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

A sample menu:

1 package chicken nuggets

4 8-oz hamburger steaks

4 6-oz pork chops

1.5 lb. thick bacon

1 dozen eggs

2-lb bag of frozen French fries

5 bagels

2-lb bag of onions

4 Delicious Apples

5 Bananas

1 Gourmet Pie

If you or someone you know is having trouble making ends meet, this is a great way to help cut some grocery costs. Click here for a list of sites where you can order.

Heifer International

Remember the movie Pay It Forward from 2000? Staring Kevin Spacy, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment. The idea was to make the world a better place by doing something nice for someone as a way of “paying back” the something nice done for you by someone else. In other words “pay it forward, not back.” Pay It Forward’s idea about making the word a better place isn’t a whole lot different from Heifer International’s Passing on the Gift cornerstone principle. Each family that receives a Heifer animal and training “passes on” offspring to another family. This passing on can continue for generations, and change the lives of entire villages. Click to see a video “Passing on the Gift”The best gift is one that can keep on giving and one that really makes an impact on those receiving it.

Make a donation today! Give the life-changing gift of a Heifer International animal.

"Nothing Can Defeat Me"

Help me in giving to Heifer International.

Philister Randiki and her family were in a situation so hopeless that Heifer made an exception by giving them two animals, but when she was asked if there was anything too painful to talk about, Philister said with a smile, "There is nothing that can defeat me."

At 72, Philister was the first of four wives to a husband who died of AIDS. The other wives also died of AIDS, leaving 10 sons, six of whom have died of AIDS along with their wives and three of their children.

Philister was left to care for the 18 surviving children.

"All the orphans, even the ones who left, are coming back to me," Philister said. "Love and the force of love is so strong."

But before Heifer appeared, Philister admitted that she was scared and confused about caring for so many children.

"We were starving and could barely manage to put one meal on the table," she said. "We gave the children porridge, but it was dry and had no nutrients."

With the gift of their dairy cows, Philister's family began receiving up to 20 liters of milk a day. They consume half and sell the other half to buy food."I would not be alive today without this gift," she said. "Before Heifer I was sick and worn out from trying to care for my family alone. Now there is food and money and my sons and daughters have returned."

Philister recently died of recurrent malaria, still the number one killer in sub-Saharan Africa. But her family is still together. Those who have survived are caring for each other. They are learning how to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and are sharing their story with others.

Give to Heifer International and you are giving a gift that continues on throughout the years, affecting not only one person, but so many. Heifer International does so much more than put food in the mouths of hungry people. Heifer helps people feed themselves.

The goal of every Heifer project is sustainability – project partners achieving self-reliance.
And year after year, as partner families “pass on the gift” of knowledge and one or more of their animals’ offspring to others in need, they become links in a network of hope, dignity and self-reliance that helps hundreds of others care for themselves.