Circular No 853 Extra

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 12 of March 2018 No. 853 Extra

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Dear Friends

Emails on the Venezuela situation follow.

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ANTONI MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>

Mar 4 at 7:04 AM

Thanks, Nigel. 

Posted your video on my and MSB FB with following words:

Thanks, Nigel Boos, for sharing this video. Value of the bolivar in Venezuela today. This is the reason the ASAA is primarily getting US$ into the hands of oldboys families to support their needs...food, medicines, etc. Today 1US$= 217000 bolivares.

Continuing to attempt to expand the possibility of obtaining additional funds, outside of our oldboys, via requests for small donations for the ASAA's efforts in Venezuela. Last week I started to contact about 50 or so family members and good friends.

This note is not intended in any way, shape or form to question/impugn the credibility or honesty of anyone involved in the current effort. It shares the thinking of an American culture and the negative impact of what is seen and read in the news regarding the effectiveness of charitable contributions getting to those who need it.

So far, some of the responses have been positive and some negative. The main challenge addresses the issue of trust. These individuals are aware of the Venezuelan tragedy but know nothing about our school nor the ASAA. These are a few questions that I have received so far:

How many Venezuelan alumni are being helped and how many more can be added?

Can I "adopt" an alum and their family to help them directly?

How many trips per year are conducted by the Venezuelan doctor and what is the related cost of each trip?

Can we send from the USA medicines, food and other goods directly to those in need?

How are the US$ "handed" to an alum and what is the typical amount?

Have shared that Father Harold is an active member of the ASAA....this increases the trust level in those who have expressed doubts.

My projections at this point is that, si Dios quiere, this effort might result in these contributions totaling a few to several hundred US$ per quarter.  My perception is that continuity will depend on the contributors being able to see and feel the success of the work that you are doing.

Will share with you sometime in the next 2-3 weeks of what/how has been done and the bottom line results.

May God continue to bless you and yours,

George

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Dear George

You have made the point, all should contribute but no mention should be made in the Circular.

I wonder how is the Circular going to make use of its email base to persuade the old boys to donate??

To see the real picture?

Outside five Oldboys, and yourself, nobody cares.

So give me an idea on how to promote the need in Venezuela?

You are the ideal spokesperson because your heart is in it.  

Ladislao

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ANTONI MICKIEWICZ

Mon 05/03/2018, 12:19

Thanks for the prompt feedback, Joe. 

Hope and pray that you are feeling better today and have gotten over the flu and upper respiratory infection that you had last week.

I will gladly take the lead in drafting the Fund Raising Appeal document after receiving all the inputs   but will  let someone else do it if they would like to.

I will certainly use the information in the memos that you have sent me in the past months.  The additional "color" that you offer will be gladly accepted.  The only other additional details that I will need are some specific examples of the types of goods, medicines, toiletries, etc. that the ASAA has sent over so far....and will continue to send as long as it is feasible.

Thank you very much for your continued leadership and support,

George

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Joseph Berment-McDowald

Mon 05/03/2018, 10:31

Excellent Idea George,

I can feel your spirit of service and commitment to the welfare of our brothers in Venezuela.

I am in full support. With my other responsibilities, contributing to the document in a major way will be very onerous on me. I am still very much in the world of work and have demanding family obligations.

Possibly, you would be so kind to use all of the material that I have sent you and in collaboration with Ladislao develop a document that I can add some finishing touches to. 

I have been as transparent and forthright as possible the information that I have has been all given to you.

I will only have some additional  background which could add colour to your efforts.

Yours sincerely,

Joe

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ANTONI MICKIEWICZ

Mon 05/03/2018, 12:19

Thanks for the prompt feedback, Joe.  Hope and pray that you are feeling better today and have gotten over the flu and upper respiratory infection that you had last week.

I will gladly take the lead in drafting the Fund Raising Appeal document after receiving all the inputs   but will let someone else do it if they would like to.

I will certainly use the information in the memos that you have sent me in the past months.  The additional "color" that you offer will be gladly accepted.  The  only other additional details that I will need are some specific examples of the types of goods, medicines, toiletries, etc. that the ASAA has sent over so far....and will continue to send as long as it is feasible.

Thank you very much for your continued leadership and support,

George

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ANTONI MICKIEWICZ

Mon 05/03/2018, 09:26

Dear Ladislao, Joe, Jorge, Kazim, Don, Father Harold, Glen, Luis and Nigel

Two thousand or so years ago...a person once said "When two or more are gathered in my name...."...and so are we today.....

Before continuing.... Please say a prayer to the Holy Spirit to help each one of us discern on the state in Venezuela and its people today.....and  the contents of this memo...... to be inspired to build on it....or...to completely nix it as a useless and time wasting effort.  

Please share your mind, heart and soul by responding to these 3 questions, by next Monday 12th March or sooner, after you have perused the proposal:

Good or bad idea?

Will or will not support it?

Will or will not participate in the Communication process...Item D below? 

Would like to propose that a summary be prepared and communicated with ALL old boys to the best of our abilities as the basis for a Fund Raising effort to help our Venezuelan brothers in need. 

Please imbed your inputs, ideas, criticisms within the body of the proposal below and return to all of us.

A. Reason Plus Need

why ..lack of money, food, medicines, health, etc....current situation in Venezuela

who...inform them of the numbers of oldboys (not names) are currently being helped and numbers of those who are not currently receiving assistance but need it.

where...in what parts of Venezuela

what...is being sent to our brothers and their families

when...how frequently the assistance is taking place

how....this is currently being done

B. What the ASAA and Ladislao have done to date

C. Ideas of how each old boy can help

In Trinidad

Outside of Trinidad

D.  Available options to Accomplish Item C above

E.  Any other major topic that anyone feels should be part of such a note

F. Communication

Issue one Circular dedicated to the appeal

Post appeal on FB

Using current Database....issue the appeal document and related materials via an email to each single person who has a listed email.

Gracias y que Dios Os Bendiga,

Jorge

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Joseph Berment-McDowald

Mon 05/03/2018, 13:28

Thanks again George, 

Attached is a list that we have carefully refined. Ladislao's recommendations really that we have carefully developed in terms of best suppliers and lowest prices at that time.

I intend to give Adolfo $2,000 (US) before he leaves, even though we haven't had a committee meeting, irrespective of whether we get more than the $800.00 that we actually have in hand by then.

Adolfo arrives on the 19th and I expect that he will leave in about a week after.

Sincerely,

Joe

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On Monday, March 5, 2018 8:31 AM, Joseph Berment-McDowald <bermentmcdowald@yahoo.com> wrote:

Excellent Idea George,

I can feel your spirit of service and commitment to the welfare of our brothers in Venezuela.

I am in full support. With my other responsibilities, contributing to the document in a major way will be very onerous on me. I am still very much in the world of work and have demanding family obligations.

Possibly, you would be so kind to use all of the material that I have sent you and in collaboration with Ladislao develop a document that I can add some finishing touches to. 

I have been as transparent and forthright as possible the information that I have has been all given to you.

I will only have some additional background which could add colour to your efforts.

Yours sincerely,

Joe

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.

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Photos:

18UN0002RDY, Robert Dyal

17LK0909LKEGRP, The Bogota group of Mount boys

18UN0003CWHDAL, Christopher Whiteman and Damian Ali

61GM0021VISCOUNT, Airplane used in 1960s by Mount boys