Timberwolves Host Fundraiser for CAOF
 On
March 5, 2004, the Minneapolis NBA team, Timberwolves,
hosted its first annual China Expo during its game with the Houston
Rockets. The expo introduced some of the contributions by local Chinese
to the Twin Cities. Nearly 12 local Chinese and Asian business, nonprofit,
and professional organizations participated in this event. Before the
game, the Timberwolves fans had an opportunity to learn about the various
Chinese and Asian organizations and talk to members of different organizations.
Echo Huang, Dan Berg, Yuhong Huang, and Steven Wang represented the
CAOF at the Expo. For this event, CAOF webmaster, Yuhong Huang flew
from Los Angels, and for the first time, he met most of the board member.
The four members, especially Echo with her enthusiasm, shared the mission
and objectives of CAOF with many fans at the game.
More
importantly, in recognition of CAOF¡¯s work,
the Timberwolves organization presented a check of $1000 to CAOF
on the court before the tip-off.
The local newspaper China Insight has reported this event in a full page
article in its April issue with a picture of Timberwolves'
Erin Freyermuth presenting the check to Dr.
Steven Wang.
Living Dreams Exhibit Hosted by Hamline University
Living Dreams in a Dying Village, the Documentary Exhibit of art works and
essays by AIDS Orphans in Henan province is currently being shown at
Hamline University through April
18, 2004. The exhibit is housed in the Learning Center Art
Gallery, Giddens
Alumni Learning Center,
Hamline University, 1536 Hewitt Avenue, St. Paul, MN
55104
www.hamline.edu For a map of the area click here
The exhibit is open to the public:
7:00am-10:00pm M-F; 7:00am-6:30pm Saturdays; Closed on Sundays
Board Members Speak At Local Events:
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In
December, Board member, Peg Helminski
Spoke on four separate occasions to the Sunday and Wednesday Evening
religious education classes at Transfiguration Catholic Church
in Oakdale, MN. Students decided to make CAOF
their Advent project. The kids did extra chores and saved
their pennies in order to make a donation to support fellow students
in China.
In
February, Peg delivered a PowerPoint presentation to the adult
education class at Transfiguration
Church and spoke to the upper grade students
in the day school. Again, students decided to make a difference
in the lives of other kids. The student council, with the
approval of Principal, Ted Zarembski
held a "free dress day." Each student who paid
a dollar was entitled to be out of uniform for the day.
344 students participated enabling five
fellow students in Henan Province, China
to attend school next year. Great work kids! |
| Student council
treasurer, Taylor Cross counts the money Transfiguration School
students raised for the China AIDS Orphan Fund. She is helped by
vice president Lindsay Preiner (left) and secretary Liz White (right). |
Board
member, Echo Huang has also made numerous PowerPoint presentations on
the work of CAOF to the following groups:
1.
The Minneapolis Downtown Exchange
Club, January 6, 2004
2.
The Fridley-Columbia Heights
Golden K Kiwanis, February 26, 2004
3.
The Hudson Rotary International,
March 4, 2004 and
4.
Zuhrah Boosters in Minneapolis on March 22, 2004.
These
were largely informational presentations, simply making people aware
of the AIDS crisis in China and
the work of CAOF to meet the needs of the orphans.
CAOF Annual School Tuition Drive Begins Soon
CAOF
will launch our second annual School
Tuition Fund Drive in early May. We hope to provide
a financial base for the students we funded last year as well as add additional
students in the new academic year that begins in September. If
you are a previous donor or have signed our guest book, look for information
in your mail in early May. If you do not receive information in
the mail, please check the CAOF website in May. Donations will
be accepted via on-line donations as well as through the mail.
Events ¡°in the
Works¡±
On May 12, 2004, Founder Dr. Steven Wang
has been invited to make a brief presentation at the Asia Society in
NYC. A portion of the Living Dreams in a Dying Village Exhibit
will also be on display at that meeting.
In July, Joe Born, an enthusiastic CAOF donor, is planning
to host the Living Dreams in a Dying
Village exhibit at a conference in Chicago. Although exact details have yet to be firmed up, we
expect that Dr. Wang will also speak at that event. Look for more
details to follow in the summer edition of this newsletter.
Other CAOF board members have been hard at work investigating
the services provided by a number of NGO¡¯S already working toward the
relief and educational needs of AIDS orphans in Henan Province, China, as well a few NGO¡¯s anticipating an expansion
into this area. We anticipate that we will soon make another grant
to the Chi Heng Foundation and hope to also expand our support to one
or more of these other organizations in the near future.
Donations Raised
to Date
To
date, CAOF has raised a total of $60,328.17
from approximately 240 donors.
Last year we sent approximately
150 children to school. This year, we hope to send all of these
same students back to school as well as add to their numbers!
Thank you so much for your continued support of the China AIDS Orphan
Fund.
For more information see our website at: www.chinaaidsorphanfund.org
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