KIDS HELPING KIDS IN HAITI

The Professor

Today's post features a guest blogger of sorts -- my son, known here as The Professor.  His school's French classes are endeavoring to help kids in Haiti who are victims of a form of child slavery, known as restavek, through the Jean-Robert Cadet Restavek Organization, started by a local resident and former child slave.  The classes are sponsoring a group of children who will get the opportunity to attend school for the first time.  To do so, they need to raise $5,000 to $6,000 to cover the academic fees.  In addition to monetary donations, the kids are also collecting school supplies, clothing, shoes, and other essentials that the kids will need.  My son is very passionate about this project, just as he was when he attempted to raise money for Invisible Children last year.  He's going to tell you a little about this project and then I have some details on how you can help if you'd like.

From The Professor:

The purpose of this project is to raise money for children in Haiti so they'll be able to go to school and buy the many things that we have but they do not.  In other words, it's all about helping those less fortunate.  I feel that this project is important because it's helping kids who really need it and it can have a positive impact because the children in Haiti will have a chance to go to school, get nutritious food, and have a future.

I care about this project because I think that children in Haiti deserve a better lifestyle than they currently have.  The life of these children right now is dreadful, they are forced to work like animals and are treated like slaves.  Kids in restavek are pretty much servants to a family.  They get up before everyone else, do the cooking, the cleaning, they're often hungry because they don't get good food, and it's not unusual for them to be abused.  They don't have a fraction of the stuff we have and without an education they don't have a chance to make their lives better.  Please make a donation so that we can help provide these kids with clothing, blankets, school supplies, shoes, and, most important, an education.  Thank you!


The Professor's French teacher has created the From Loveland to Haiti:  French Students Providing Hope blog.  There you'll find information on the community service project, as well as regular updates.  If you'd like to help with a monetary donation, you can do so through me (contact me at josherpoodle @gmail.com for my address) or a check can be made payable to Loveland City Schools with LMS French Class for Haiti in the memo line and mailed to:

Loveland Middle School

Attn:  French Class for Haiti Fundraiser

801 South Lebanon Road

Loveland, Ohio  45140

All the kids are working very hard doing extra chores for money, organizing bake and craft sales, and many have plans for taking a donation box around on Halloween to solicit donations while trick-or-treating.  It melts my cold, cynical heart to see kids helping kids in this way.  If you're interested in just who the Professor's school is helping, you can view their pictures here.  Seeing these sweet kids, so much like my own but living such different lives, makes me all the more determined to help my son help them to succeed.  

Even if you don't wish to donate, please check out the links below for more information on the kids of Haiti.  Thank you!

 * From Loveland to Haiti:  French Students Providing Hope blog

* The Jean R. Cadet Restavek Organization

* "Painful Plight of Haiti's 'Restavec' Children" - Article by CNN.

*  "Haiti Restavek Tradition Called Child Slavery - Article by Reuters.

* "Loveland Students to Help Peers in Haiti" - Article in the local newspaper, The Loveland Herald.

A KIDS CONSIGNMENT STORE SALE FOR CINCINNATI AREA RESIDENTS

A quick heads-up for all the locals.  I have previously professed my love of consignment stores for kids' shopping and while Once Upon a Child is nice, I have to say my favorite is Truly Blest in Loveland.  They are a charity shop, so all items are donated.  The con to this is it's a little more hit-or-miss on the merchandise.  I've found wonderful, big name items and I've also found much cheaper merchandise.  The pro?  The prices are excellent.  And they have frequent sales.  When I'm looking for something in particular, such as Foghorn's white Easter shoes last spring, Truly Blest is my first stop.  It's a relatively small store, but they pack quite a lot in there, the merchandise is well organized by size, and there are always a couple of 50% off racks.

Now, about that sale...  I got an e-mail this morning that read:

Indoor Sidewalk Sale

Saturday, September 3, 2011

9:30 - 4:00

Hundreds of Summer and Winter items all

25 Cents!

 
 And because they are a charity shop, they have a seasonal need to get rid of the old to make way for the new.  I've done really well in the past at similar sales, getting huge bags of future-sized clothing for $10 or so.  Obviously, there's never a guarantee what they'll have or the sizes, but if you're within a decent driving distance of Loveland you have a shot at some bargains.

Truly Blest is located at 910 Loveland-Madeira Road, a couple miles from the Loveland-Madeira Road exit off 275.

** Please note that I have no affiliation with the actual charity involved.  I simply shop at the store. 

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH DOGS

And my apologies to Mr. Stephen Sondheim.  Sundays around here are usually pretty laid back.  I take the Inmates to Grandma's for lunch, ensuring I get at least one home-cooked meal a week.  Kinda pathetic that the only sure way to get one is to have my mommy make it for me.

Grandma and Rusty

Today the weather in the Cincinnati area was absolutely gorgeous.  Those blue skies, that low humidity, and that 80 degree temperature.  A little slice of heaven before the 90 degree heat comes back later this week.  We took advantage of the day to take the dogs for a nice, woodsy walk.  One of their favorite trails is at the Meade Property on Lebanon Road in Symmes Township.

Frank

Life was simpler when we only had Frank, our lab mix who showed up in the backyard eight years ago and has been loved by us ever since.  When we adopted St. Jimmi from Recycled Doggies in March, we suddenly found ourselves with two fairly large dogs who absolutely can not be walked together by one person.  They're both strong and can pull a person off her feet.  Believe me, it's happened.  Now that The Professor is twelve, though, I figure it's about time he learn to control a dog and I put him in charge of Frank, the least unruly of the two.

Foghorn, The Professor, and Frank

The biggest problem The Professor has is that his mind is usually anywhere but on the task at hand.  That means he's wandering along, holding the leash, and thinking about Pokemon.  Or Doctor Who.  Or getting back to Grandma's for some Rolos.  Then a rabbit darts from the bushes and Frank makes a lunge and the boy is completely unprepared.  I keep a careful eye on the two of them, as I don't want damage done to my son or my dog. 

Today, all was smooth.  Well, as smooth as an outing with The Inmates ever can be.  Foghorn had emerged from the basement last night with her ancient Dora the Explorer princess carriage and horse.  She then decided to ride it around the house.  Understand, this girl is 4-1/2' tall, with legs that reach up to her armpits, and the carriage is meant for a 2" tall Dora.  It's preposterous, to say the least.  Nonetheless, she insisted on bringing it to the park and riding it along the trail.  It worked fine until, despite my warnings, she attempted to ride it on the unpaved part of the trail and quickly flipped onto her behind.  Carrying seemed the best option after that...

All the dogs had a lovely time, although they seemed fairly hot and thirsty and tired by the end.  St. Jimmi especially seemed to have been tuckered out by the experience.  Twenty feet from the van she plunked her massive backside onto the ground and made it clear she had no intention of moving.

And I leave you with a dog walker's question:  Why does the dog always decide to squat two minutes after you get on the trail, ensuring you have to go the rest of the mile carrying a smelly bag?





You might also be interested in:

* The Loveland Bike Trail.