Update 2

Lots to report, but first a fun pic:

Alicia & I are very much missing the company of our new family

I have been very busy editing (a labour of love) and sending images to Leonard Lies of Dream Catchers Films in Pittsburgh.  He is putting the finishing touches on his documentary film about BKU, and he may be able to use some of my pics.  Very exciting.  I have replaced many of the unedited photos on the blog with updated (some funky) edited ones so, if you haven't reviewed the old posts in awhile, you might want to go back and breeze through the images.

Guys & Dolls

Sue & I booked a bed & breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake in April and spent a weekend in the delightful company of Pauline Greenlick and Louis Picard who traveled up from Pittsburgh.  We were also joined by Martin & Marie Pinto who live in nearby St. Catherines.   We became fast and true friends, bonded by our mutual love for Uganda and its' people.

Louis worked with the Peace Corps in the 1960's and taught at a school in East Africa, where he met Manuel Pinto, another teacher who lived in Uganda.  They continued their friendship and regular contact through Lou's frequent return visits to Africa as he went on to become a professor of International affairs & African studies.  Manuel met Victoria through work and together they founded what became the Bright Kids home in Uganda.  Tragically, Manuel died in an accident several years ago.

Pauline works tirelessly for the Bright Kids Foundation in the USA, for whom she serves as treasurer.  She enjoys accompanying Lou on his trips to Africa.

Martin Pinto is the son of Manuel.  He trained in medicine, worked as a family physician in Florida where he met Marie, the love of his life, married and accompanied her to Canada where he is finalizing arrangements for his Ontario medical license.  Marie's family is from Haiti, but she grew up in Montreal and works caring for nursing home patients.

Martin (behind) then Pauline, Marie, Lou and me.  Sue in front.

The six of us talked for hours, enjoyed some entertainment and meals, teased our delightful B&B hosts, and brainstormed plans to advance the cause of BKU.  It was truly enlightening and harrowing to hear what Martin and his family endured, and what Lou witnessed during the dark days of the Idi Amin regime in Uganda, and the more recent butchery in neighbouring Rwanda.

Lindsay Fundraising

Sue & I collaborated with Leslie & Maurice to sketch out some fundraising plans, the centrepiece being a gala dinner with entertainment, live & silent auctions, and speakers.  We booked the Moose Lodge Hall in Lindsay for the evening of Friday, September 13, and printed tickets for sale for $30 each, which will include a full buffet meal and door prizes.  Friends and new acquaintances came to our home one evening to hear about the plans and take tickets to sell to friends and contacts.  We are also soliciting donation items for the auctions.

Gathering in our back garden

 I am absolutely overwhelmed by the generous and enthusiastic response of our local community.  We estimate we can seat  170 souls comfortably for the gala, and tickets are already becoming scarce!  Auction item donations are coming in, and we are excited to announce that the volunteer musical entertainment will include our good friend and very talented entertainer John Turner, young country singer Crystal Lewis-Yaworski, and (hot off the press) the wildly popular Lindsay band, Montana Sky has just confirmed!

We had very supportive articles published in our community newspapers, The Lindsay Post and Kawartha Lakes This Week.

Several friends have indicated they wish to sponsor a Bright Kid.  My mother just wrote a cheque to sponsor Hassan Wasswa.  Various folks have expressed serious intentions  to accompany Sue and I when we visit BKU next winter!

We are not a registered charity under Canada Revenue Agency rules (tons of paperwork, legals & accounting to make that happen), so we cannot issue tax receipts for deductions.  Rest assured that all monies collected will go directly to BKU, net of the cost of renting the hall and the catering.  No money is going to administration or to subsidize anyone's travel.

Alicia's flight to Uganda is booked for late July, and she is thrilled at the prospect of spending a month with her new family and some of the Florida interns who will be there.

Many thanks to everyone who has expressed love and support.  I'll leave you with a little more eye candy: