Church News Archive
WATER FOR PEOPLE AWARDS $24,000 AT WATER & SANITATION
CONFERENCE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Children fetching water was described by many Teaching village members how to build a system
was typical of sustainable systems
April 21, 2009, Brooklyn, New York- Water For People an international, nonprofit development organization dedicated to addressing global water, sanitation and hygiene challenges, awarded $24,000 to organizations addressing the needs for water and sanitation in the Dominican Republic. The awards were made at a conference in Santo Domingo that they hosted. The conference brought together over 15 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that presented some of the water and sanitation needs in the Dominican Republic and how Water For People and others can help address them. The awards were presented to eight NGOs for their sustainable programs. The conference was the first step in Water For People’s plan to work in the Dominican Republic.
The conference included presentations by key sector role players, regional breakouts and discussions which lead to recommendations for assistance in the future. Raising awareness, providing technical assistance, additional networking and communication were identified as needs by those in attendance. A “meet and greet” reception was held on Tuesday evening. Participants include Water For People’s Ned Breslin, Acting CEO, Diana Betancourt, Latin American Program Coordinator and Robert Adamski, UN Representative and Water For People’s Team lead in the Dominican Republic. Ned Breslin commented, “This conference was an important first step in Water For People’s new program. We were glad to have the opportunity to meet those working to better the water and sanitation access for the residents of the Dominican Republic. We consider the awards to be down payments on future work.” Over 40 participants representing over 15 NGOs attended, with 12 making presentations.
Water For People, which began a partnership with the Engineers Without Borders Chapter at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU in Brooklyn, NY, was assisted with the conference by three of their members and one from Stevens Institute of New Jersey. The new Chapter will be learning program management skills and began by obtaining data about the water and sanitation programs of the NGOs and plotting them on Google Earth. Their work will be included in a report of the conference to be produced and posted on Water For People’s website: www.waterforpeople.org
The conference was a follow-up to the scoping study completed by Water For People’s World Water Corps in 2007. The World Water Corps is Water For People’s volunteer arm that strategically utilizes the technical skills of the North American water and wastewater industry to fill identified gaps in Water For People’s programming. A World Water Corps team visited the Dominican Republic in 2007 and found there was need for Water For People’s involvement and recommended adding the country under Water For People’s Strategic Plan. The Board agreed and added the Dominican Republic along with Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Rwanda and Uganda.
BAY RIDGE UNITED CHURCH: ONE REPLY
Pastor Jane, Bob and Janet Adamski traveled to Trenton, NJ to join in the celebration of Westminster Presbyterian Church's 110th Anniversary and its rebirth as a multi-cultural, multi-racial congregation. Tu Puedes was also celebrating its 10th Anniversary and reminded everyone how they sent out 185 letters to churches for donations and Bay Ridge United was the only one that replied.
Another check for $1,000 was presented at the celebration to Ruben and Debra Damiani and Pastor Karen Hernandez-Granzen who grew up in Sunset Park and graduated from Fort Hamilton High School.
BAY RIDGE UNITED CHURCH MEETS ON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SCHOOL
The Bay Ridge United Church recently hosted the youth group LNG (Leaders of the Next Generation) from Fort George Presbyterian Church in Washington Heights. The purpose of the meeting was to hear of LNG"s mission trip to the Dominican Republic which included a visit to Tu Puedes a school being built near San Cristobel. Bay Ridge United has also visited Tu Puedes.
Angel Cuevas, Glendaly Santos, Digna Carvajal, Oscar Medina and Patricia Hilario spend two and one half hours traveling around the City-Wide Five Boro Bike Tour to get to Bay Ridge. Once there they provided a video and personal testimonies of their trip to Tu Puedes and Barahona. They were joined by Tu Puedes Founder Debora Damiani, her husband Ruben and the school’s principal Graciela who told of the efforts of both churches in helping the school. Debora described Bay Ridge United as a cornerstone of the school because when she sent out 150 letters to churches asking for donations only Bay Ridge United responded with a check for $1,000.
Pastor Jane Donnelly told the Sunday School children that when they got older they would be doing a similar trip. LNG asked for help in collecting notebooks, pens and pencils, book bags and money to fund their work and Tu Puedes.
BRUC'’s Sunday School Listens to LNG’s Presentation Fort George & Bay Ridge United Churches with Tu Puedes Reps
SIDEWALK SALE
On Saturday, June 6, 2009 Bay Ridge United Church held a sidewalk sale to benefit the Church's Scholarship fund. This fund is to be used to help church members and their families that are pursuing a career in ministry or medicine. We made $862 for the Scholarship Fund, were able to give away a half a case of free Bibles and to interact with a lot of shoppers from the neighborhood and beyond who now know about the exciting and friendly people at Bay Ridge United Church.
Many thanks to everyone who donated items and to all those who worked setting up, selling and breaking down.
PRESBYTERIAN PICNIC
Bay Ridge Presbyterian churches once again joined together for the annual potluck picnic on Sunday, June 14 at Shore Road Park. Those in attendance brought dishes of food enough for 6-8 people. All in all, it was a lovely day and the weather was beautiful.
Ed Aleksey, Pastor Jane & Elizabeth Theofan Members of Union Church of Bay Ridge
