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Communities
Below is a list of participating communities, followed by recent updates on their important work.
Me too. Green with envy as I watched her practically fly up the hill (she got ‘clip on’s’) while I could almost count the pebbles in the black top under me. Seriously, I had NO idea what a difference those silly shoes could make. Now I’m regretting my decision not to sweat in my friend Anne’s shoes (she also let me borrow her clip on’s - and even though they are a ½ size too small, I am now wishing I would have at least tried them out and discovered that they KICK ASS and I needed to buy a pair). It is now 5 days from the race and definitely NOT the time to go searching for shoes, let alone trying to get used to mounting and dismounting. That part, I hear, is NOT like “riding a bike”.
So, I mentioned that it’s 5 (holy cr*p) days until the race. Really?!? Uh… I am definitely NOT feeling ready at this point. I haven’t run in 6 weeks due to injuries, wrong shoes, the flu, and more injuries. I think I will be walking that part a fair amount. I just have to come to terms that I will be finishing much behind my training partner. She’s one of the sweetest people I have met, but man, when she puts her mind to something - you just gotta get out of the way. Right on, Sarah!
If you haven’t yet contributed, please try to give something, anything, to help Naba recover from her tragedy. We still have t-shirts left and the WOMEN’S CHOCOLATE BROWN LARGE AND EXTRA LARGE are ON SALE for $10 (e-mail me at abiagi@hotmail.com for details). If you would like to donate online, go to this link: http://nomorevictims.org/communities/author/mariposa/ . If you do choose to donate online, please put ‘Mariposa/Naba Race’ in the Comment Box on that link so that it will get allocated to Naba and I will add it to our count. If you want to write a check, e-mail me and I can get you details. Thank you SO much!!!
We have raised a little over $500 so far. When I first had the idea to make this race a fundraiser, my personal goal was $2,500. I realize that this is a hard time for most of us, but I have also realized that fundraising is not my best skill. I have to talk to my friend Julie about how she raised $3,000 for breast cancer. Of course, breast cancer is a more wide-reaching issue, but man, I’m feeling a bit inadequate at the moment. It’s also hard to really ‘hit it’ with two kids, but really, I can do better. Look for ‘new and improved’ next year :).
THANKS everyone and I’ll let you know how it goes!!!
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.
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.
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. Read the rest of this entry »
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!Read the rest of this entry »
It is with much relief and joy that we send along this note to let you know that Noora sailed through her 12th operation (7 in Iraq and 5 in Maine) yesterday and is now resting on the regular Peds floor, at Maine Med. The operation took Dr. Wilson and Dr. Attwood approximately 3 hours and resulted in the successful reinsertion of the prosthetic skull. Dr. Attwood was able to use the new skin, which the balloons had created, to cover the prosthetic skull and eliminate a large portion of the scar tissue on Noora’s head. If all goes well, Noora should be discharged by the end of the week. In spite of a headache, her current ambitions (as of 20 minutes ago) are to….. get her IV out, eat some grapes, and get to the playroom…..”resilience” in it’s purest form
Last evening a group of us were together and we were able to talk with both Mustafa’s mom (Nidhal), and Ahmed. So much thanks to Abu Bedour and Abu Zahra for translating. First the news, then some impressions.
Most important is that Mustafa is doing well. He has not had any signs of bladder or kidney infection. They are doing fine with the catheterization procedure. He is only using the prosthesis when strongly encouraged to do so, and seems to prefer the wheelchair. He still plays floor soccer at every opportunity he has. Since they arrived home to Iraq after this school year had started, Mustafa is not now in school. However, he will start going next school year.
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!
