The Friends of Salee are 12, 13, and 14 year-old girls who attend Culver City Middle School. They had the chance to meet and visit Salee at the Ronald McDonald House in Los Angeles in fall 2009. They individually have a jar to put coins in for Salee. One of the mothers has knitted holiday items that were sold at a holiday boutique. They also invited family and friends for a fundraiser dinner that they personally planned and prepared.

After fundraising for Salee, I never imagined actually getting the chance to meet her and the founders of NMV. Last weekend, that all changed. Meeting Salee for the first time was as if I was meeting my long lost sister. I already had all this love and admiration for her, and I hadn’t even met her yet. As the day went on, all that love just grew. Having the opportunity to actually meet the young woman that I was actually helping was amazing. Seeing first hand, that one single person can actually make a difference in the world, has put everything in new perspective. Meeting Ann and Cole was amazing as well. NMV is doing such a great thing for our world, and I am honored to be a part of this movement. 

(more…)

We survived.  Just barely (for me at least) - it was freakin HOT!!!!  The first photo is of the nuclear reactors (no longer in use) that were just on the other side of the lake we swam in (more on that later).  I was obsessed with taking pictures of them - popping up out of the fields of grapes.  It’s been so long since I’ve seen one that they were kind of like an exhibit.  Photo 2 is Sarah flying past Mike on her way back for the run.  Photo 3 of me on my bike looks like I am barely moving - which I guess at that point I was…  Photo 4 is the kids and Sarah helping me get to the finish line.  This was after Sarah had finished 10 minutes prior and came back to boost me up!  It was so nice to see her come back on the trail.  And it was really fun to run with the kids - they were quite the inspiration in the final throes of the day.  And the final photo is the happy women who now get to relax and refuel!

(more…)

Salee Allawe will be coming to Los Angeles for follow up prosthetics treatment at Shriners Hospital.

She has outgrown her first pair of prosthetic legs, which she received at Shriners Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina.  We are grateful to Shriners for providing her continuing treatment in Los Angeles.

Salee and her father are presently in Amman, Jordan.  Please check back for updates and events during Salee’s visit to Los Angeles.

July, 2009

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to fill you in on how Noora and Afef are adjusting now that they’re back home. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to “webcam” with them yet, due to a combination of electricity and computer problems in Iraq, but we’re not giving up hope. We have been able to speak with them numerous times on the phone, however, the most recent time yesterday afternoon.

(more…)

We are racing for Naba.  There is a handful of women from the Merced and Mariposa County communities that have joined together to raise funds for this wonderful little girl. She has such a struggle to face every single day that is hard to fathom, but we want her to know that there are people in the world – in America of all places – that care for her and wish her nothing but peace.

What Motivates You?  The Little Purple Dot.
My training partner, Sarah, and I, have been riding our road bikes (mine is borrowed from my very generous friend Anne) for 2 months now, and have seen great improvements in our ability to ‘go the distance’.  This last Sunday, we rode 20.5 miles!  This includes 3 ‘holy moly!’ hills that I never thought I could do.

As I was pedaling along, quite far behind Sarah (I don’t know how she just keeps going!), I was thinking about what motivates me.  The first, of course, was Naba.  She is an innocent, and I wish nothing more than for her to have happiness in this life.  Quite a feat at this point, I am sure.
(more…)

The weekend of May 16 and 17th, Lexi sold her bracelets during her sister’s surfing competition. Younger brother Tristan helped out by showing people the photo of Salee and helping to collect the donations. Lexi raised over $100 for Salee selling her bracelets for $2 each, and said that there were a lot of people who wanted to help with her project, which is wonderful! Lexi’s planning further fundraisers and has ideas for a bigger fundraiser when Salee and her father are in the States. Great job, Lexi and Tristan!!!

Becky and I have been working on making more and more bracelets every day. We are selling them for $2 each, and they are a HUGE hit at our school. Even some of the teachers have bought them! We hope to raise about $300 this week to go towards a bigger fundraiser in the next few weeks. –Lexi

A note from NMV Communities Coordinator Ann Cothran: I’ve been awed and amazed at the energy and dedication of Lexi and her friends as they fundraise for No More Victims, and especially, for Salee. Lexi has taken on NMV’s (and Salee’s) cause, with a passion, starting out by making bracelets to sell at her school.  Within a week, she raised over $250 selling the bracelets! She has bigger plans to help NMV and the children, too, and after getting to know Lexi a bit these past few weeks, somehow I feel sure she’ll achieve everything she sets out to do! (more…)

I am a fifteen-year-old freshman at Carmel High School in California. I am currently on the school diving team, and I play water polo in the fall. I am also an active member at our community church. Somehow something felt missing. I decided that I needed to do something for the bigger picture; our world. I wanted to get involved in something bigger than myself.

Although it would have been very easy to get involved in something locally, I wanted a little something more. That was when I decided to look online for organizations that would be worth getting involved in. The very first website I came across was “No More Victims”. I was immediately drawn into the pictures of the children, and the motives behind this organization. I knew right away that this was something that I not only wanted to help with, I needed to contribute. I cannot remember the last time I felt this driven to do something.

I remember when the Iraq war started. I know that I will face much criticism for what I am doing, but to me, this is more than worth it. These children were simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. These aren’t criminals that I want to help, these are innocent children! I feel that this is the best cause available, and I feel honored to be apart of it. I hope that sometime in the very near future I will be able to help significantly. I want to help these children more than anything. They deserve the world’s help, and I am willing to do anything I can to make that happen!