FVSO
Friends
of
Vinh Son
All operating expenses paid by the Board of Directors so 100% of your donation goes
to the children.
Our November Newsletter tells the how the sisters and the children are adapting to the new school year. There have been several changes, often reversals of rules that have kept the Sisters on their toes. We also continue our story with the Happy Baker, Y Thuan. VS3 has a new chapel and multi purpose building, Sr Gabrille is most happy.
We are closing in on the end of another challenging year. In early October the kids and the nuns celebrated their version of Thanksgiving called The Moon Festival. Your generosity helped make it a joyful event despite COVID. In late October, with kids worldwide, they celebrated Halloween although limited by tight COVID lockdown restrictions. Of course December is a big month with the Christmas celebration coming soon. Through all of the ups and downs of the last 19 months the kids and nuns have shown amazing resilience. The children have kept up with their studies despite constant distractions and have maintained their farms and livestock. Your support has made the impossible possible. The children and the nuns are most thankful. They keep you in their daily prayers
Fund Raising 2021
As of the end of October we have reached almost 47% of our goal of $150,000. 2021 was a real budget stretch for FVSO. The kids stayed "home" and were home schooled for much of the last 20 months. The shortage of proper buildings and food resources became acute. This year we sent over $120,000 just for capital improvements.
Your generosity in November and December of previous years gives us confidence we will reach our 2021 goal
Don't forget to use Smile.Amazon for your holiday shopping !
Born in Sacramento, CA I came home to the family farm in rural Auburn which remains in the family and begs for attention during my free time. I graduated from Oregon State University in forest management and served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1971-72 where I was a Section Chief of the 505 Counter Mortar š Counter Battery Radar unit attached to the 3/82 Field Artillery, 196th Light Infantry Brigade.
Military service changed my life forever, so much so that in February 2007 I made a return trip to Vietnam in search of emotional peace which I have achieved to some degree. It was my good fortune to travel with VSO Officers and Board Members Chaix, Coyne, Keegan, McKee, Gonzales, Mary Waterfield, and Lewandowski and I was privileged to see first hand the work of the Friends of Vinh Son Orphanage. The accomplishments of the Friends of VSO and the childrens' caregivers resonated with me, in part, because I had contributed to the support of an orphanage during my tour of duty decades ago.
Recently retired, I worked nearly 33 years at Sierra College, first as a Professor with the Forestry Department and later as a Counselor in the Student Services Division. I‰ve never married but found my life work fulfilling because I understand how educators help change the world and make it a better place. I also understand how students return many lessons in kind and in reality help their own professors grow.
If I have found success in life, it may be due to my work ethic and zest for life. My days logging in the national forests of California, Oregon and Alaska to finance my education, my military service, a decade of seasonal employment as a contractual wildland firefighter with the US Forest Service, teaching and counseling, volunteerism in Mexico with fellow Rotarians, and travels to Russia, Argentina, western Europe, Vietnam and around the United States have given me an appreciation for mankind that has helped me grow spiritually and in character.
Special interests include helping combat veterans of the global war on terrorism reintegrate and normalize, volunteerism in my community, skiing, bicycling, community activism and the children housed in both Mexican and Vietnamese orphanages. Humanitarianism is at once an interest and a reward, and I am honored to have to privilege to assist with the work undertaken by the Friends of VSO.