The Caring Coins

Hello Again!

2010-06-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone...
Thank you for coming...We have been busy updating our website and making the Bangladesh video which you can view at our website:
www.YouAreNeverAloneFoundation.org please take a look...
Lots going on... A youth group leader in Mississippi has distributed the Caring Coins with their message “You are never alone” to people in the fishing community in Biloxi who have been deeply set back by the oil spill. She writes:
“…the piers and docks are empty; boats are not manned…your foundation's message of caring, connection and hope means so much at this time.”

Much more to follow. Thank you for visiting...
Please come back...

Salley

A huge legacy...

2010-04-28T03:55:00.000-07:00

We recently have lost a very dear family member who would be 100 years old in just a couple of weeks. She was such a neat lady with a mind as sharp as a tack. Visiting with family members and friends, I realized how precious life is and how one person can make a huge difference in many lives. I looked around the room at the many lives of all ages she has touched from babies to this now Matriarch of our family. She was truly a gift to everyone she touched...The Caring Coins will be a tangible reminder of this dear lady.

How wonderful to leave such a legacy...

Back to Caring Coin stories and more...

2010-04-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted a Caring Coins story other than a Bangladesh story. I'll be posting whatever comes up as it comes up...Some may be stories of that day, some past stories and of course, there will be more Bangladesh stories...

I just received a call from a lady who wanted to know more about the You Are Never Alone Foundation and the Caring Coins. She had recently lost a family member. She told me how she belongs to a prayer group where she had shared about her loss. After sharing, she got up from her chair to get a cup of coffee. When she returned, someone had put a Caring Coin on her chair. She was so touched by the coin, the message and the thoughtfullness of the person who gave her the coin.

I shared the story of the Caring Coins and my dream. I also shared with her about the Remembering Card and how many people find solace in having something tangible as a reminder of their lost one. We must have talked for at least a half hour. She asked where she could read more about the Caring Coins and how she could share them with her family. I told her that the You Are Never Alone Foundation website at www.YouAreNeverAloneFoundation.org would have all that information.

As we finished our conversation, I told her she and her family would be in my thoughts and prayers and asked her to keep in touch with me. I hope she does.

Sometimes a little act can make a huge difference...

Our mission and the Caring Coins...

2010-04-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

The You Are Never Alone Foundation is a voluntary, non-profit organization that fosters caring and hope… letting people know everywhere they are not alone, someone cares. Our Caring Coins are reminders of a caring connection.

When we returned from Bangladesh we couldn't help but want to do something more for the children and people of Bangladesh whose needs are so great...the homeless children in the park, the children in the orphanages...

We asked Rubel if he thought we should expand our mission beyond that of caring and hope...he had seen the response to our message and the Caring Coins. (Mahmudul Karim Rubel is the founder of Design Bangladesh, a non-profit organization working for a better Bangladesh. He invited us to Bangladesh, coordinated our itinerary and hosted us during our visit)

Rubel replied “You ask about sending funds to buy foods etc..You are on a mission with the message of caring and hope for humanity that You are never alone. You have to be steady in your mission with the Caring Coins and spread your dream to the world. We are lucky that your dream tour is starting from Bangladesh”

You can join us as we continue our mission...
Make a Donation...Purchase Caring Coins to share...

Salley, Betsy and Chris

We did it!

2010-04-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, we did! And we did it together…

We have opened the door to a caring connection between students here in Vermont and Alaska and students in Bangladesh… It is an accomplishment that will remain in our hearts forever with the Caring Coins as tangible reminders of this caring connection……

We includes school administrators, faculty members, students in Vermont and Alaska, our You Are Never Alone Foundation Board and our volunteers and in Bangladesh, Rubel and the Design Bangladesh staff, school administrators, faculty members, students and the Caring Coins…

Here is a brief re-cap of our You Are Never Alone Bangladesh journey for those who are reading this blog for the first time...

Last May, You Are Never ALone Foundation received an email from Mahmudul Karim Rubel of Design Bangladesh, a non-profit organization working for a better Bangladesh, asking us to bring Caring Coins to the students in Bangladesh to remind them that they have not been forgotten by the world. Our YANAF Board approved the trip to Bangladesh with the hope of fostering a caring connection between the students here and the students in Bangladesh that could lead to good will and understanding. So You Are Never Alone Bangladesh was born.

With Rubel’s help, we designed a card with the words Tumi Kokhono Eka Nao which means You are never alone in Bengali which students here would sign and attach to the Caring Coins for the students in Bangladesh.

We shared our dream with school administrators, faculty and students in Vermont and Alaska who have participated in our Share That You Care Program. The response was overwhelming. Students eagerly signed the cards and wrote questions for the students in Bangladesh.

GNAT-TV a Public Access Station in Manchester, Vermont graciously made a video with our Vermont students saying “Hello Bangladesh”.

Students and our You Are Never Alone Foundation senior volunteers attached the cards to 1300 Caring Coins for us to bring to Bangladesh

On Saturday, March 13th, we three, Salley and Betsy, YANAF Board Members and Chris, a college student, left for Dahka, Bangladesh with our Caring Coins.

Rubel and his Design Bangladesh staff coordinated an amazing itinerary for us starting with a press conference.

From the Press Conference, we went to the Badda School where students greeted us with smiles, words of welcome, handshakes and beautiful flowers… They eagerly as we shared with them how they and the students in America are our future…how they can make a difference in this world by reaching out to each other, learning about each other and connecting with each other. We explained how students had signed the cards attached to the Caring Coins they were receiving. The response was amazing.

This response was repeated over and over again as we shared our message of a caring connection along with the Caring Coins at visits to four other schools, including a school for disabled students where the students sang "We shall overcome" in both English and Bengali.

The students at all the schools loved the video with students from Vermont saying “Hello Bangladesh!”. They enthusiastically responded with "Hello America!” .

We also visited and shared Caring Coins with homeless children living in a park; children at a girls’ orphanage and a boys’ orphanage. The Caring Coins were a always a big hit. For some the coin is one of their only possessions.

When we returned to the two orphanages the following day, the children came running out to the vans wearing their coins. Some of the girls drew pictures for us with the words like “today I am not alone
Our 1300 Caring Coins went very quickly. We promised students at the larger schools that we would send Caring Coins to them. We are sending 1500 additional Caring Coins and cards which Rubel and his staff will distribute for us.

Yes, we did it! Our dream for a caring connection between our students here and the students in Bangladesh has started…

The Caring Coins solidify this caring connection as seen in the hope in the faces of our students signing the cards attached to the Caring Coins and in the faces of the students receiving the Caring Coins .

Our message to all the students is: "You are the future of the world...Reach out to each other, learn about each other...Each one of you can make a difference one person at a time...

This is just the beginning… Rubel and his staff are putting together a video about a day in the life of a student in Bangladesh and we will do a video about a day in the life of a student here. We shall then exchange the videos to enable the students to learn about each other. As one Vermont middle school said..."The more we know about each other, the closer we are to understanding, good will and world peace"

Stay tuned…
We look forward to future caring connections together.
Salley, Betsy and Chris

PS
We invite your thoughts and ideas...

Salley's thoughts on Bangladesh...

2010-04-09T03:23:00.000-07:00

As with Betsy and Chris, I too find it difficult to put into words what our trip to Bangladesh has meant to me. I have tried writing my thoughts over and over again but my words can’t fully express what I’m feeling…

From our arrival, we were warmly welcomed and very well taken care of by our friends Rubel of Design Bangladesh and his wonderful staff Hadi, Mehedi, Amine, Kader, Khan, Ryal, Mehedi (Apple). Their welcome extended to their wonderful families with Rubel's mother and sister and Hadi's two sisters-in-law inviting us into their homes with warm hospitality and delicious meals. We so enjoyed being with them and really felt as though we were family too.

We found the people of Bangladesh to be warm and welcoming including the people in the hotel, the people we met at the schools, the people in the streets, the parks. For many, we were the first Americans possibly even the first foreigners they had ever met.

Sometimes, people did look at us inquisitively, but when we smiled and said hello and told them our name they reached out, smiled, looked us straight in the eyes and told us their names. They then tapped their heart as a sign that we were in their heart. We tapped our heart in return. I can easily say that we each have shaken at least 2,000 hands in Bangladesh. In a sense, we were the faces of America for these people.

Rubel and his Design Bangladesh staff coordinated an amazing itinerary for us. Our activities included a press conference, visits to five schools, including a school for disabled students, a school in the slums, a visit to a park where homeless children lived; a girls’ orphanage; a boys’ orphanage; a movie and TV studio; a garment factory; visits to a historical village, museums, and a visit to Mahasthan, an Archaeological dig that dated back to at least 3rd century B.C. There was even a “football” game between our Design Bangladesh team and the local football team. The entire town came out for the game. And our own Chris made two goals to win the game.

Along with us each day at each of these events came our Caring Coins...the Caring Coins with the message "Tumi kokhomi eka nao" You are never alone . This message is a universal message that everyone understands...a message we all need to hear. This was very evident with the people of Bangladesh as they put the Caring Coins around their necks. More about the Caring Coins in my next blog.

So, what are my thoughts on Bangladesh? I am thinking that I am so grateful to God for having been given the opportunity to visit this wonderful country and meet these wonderful people who will remain forever in my heart. I am so grateful to my friend Rubel and his wonderful staff Hadi, Mehedi, Amine, Kader, Khan, Ryal, Mehedi (Apple), Aziz for giving of themselves to make this visit all that it was. Each one of you has a special place in my heart as well.

I shall especially remember the children...the homeless children in the park; the children in the slums; the children in the disabled school; the girls and the boys in the orphanages and all of the wonderful students we met at the schools we visited. I'll remember the joy in their eyes, their eagerness to learn more about us...their strong love of family and their country and how they wanted to have their pictures taken with us. I'll remember how they wore the Caring Coins around their necks and so much more...

Where do we go from here? We continue to share the Caring Coins with their message...You are never alone...

Chris' thoughts on Bangladesh...

2010-04-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

For me the trip to Bangladesh was a bit of an unknown. I had no idea what to expect nor what was in store for me. After arriving in Bangladesh and settling in, I could tell that the trip was going to be something much more than what my expectations were.

The reception that our team received from everyone who we came across and spoke to was absolutely phenomenal. In a sense I wasn't really sure how to react. At times I could feel myself smiling and thinking, "This is amazing."

Becoming so close with all of the gentlemen who took wonderful care of us there is something that I will forever cherish. To know that I have had the opportunity to go to another country and positively affect such a large number of people brings a feeling of incredible joy and has left me speechless.

I would like to thank Salley and Betsy and the You Are Never Alone Foundation for everything and also a warm thank you to the Design Bangladesh Team. I will forever remember this experience and hopefully it will give me an idea of what to do in the future.

Betsy's thoughts on Bangladesh...

2010-04-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

It has been less than two weeks since we returned from our adventures in Bangladesh, but I cannot believe we were actually there. The experience has been so profound that it is difficult to put it into words. Pictures say more about our time in the country than I can express.

Rubel and his staff of Design Bangladesh were unbelievable. They not only took incredibly good care of us, but shared their homes and families with us as well. They showed us a part of Bangladesh that few foreigners have ever seen. They also took us to historical sites and museums. From the reception they were given and consequently, we were given, you can tell that Rubel and his staff at Design Bangladesh are well-known there for the good work they do for their country.

The strongest impression I have of Bangladesh is that of the people and how welcoming and friendly they were to us all. At first, some people stared at us – we were definitely different looking and probably for many people, we were the only Americans they had ever seen. But as soon as we smiled at them and put our hand out to shake theirs, we were given big smiles and obvious welcomes. Most of the children all said “hello” and “welcome” in English. Many people wanted their pictures taken with us or brought over their children or friends to talk to us.

The poverty and problems in Bangladesh were clearly visible during our visit, but this did not stop the people from being very proud of their country – very patriotic. It was the birthday of the Father of their Country, Sheukh Mujibur Rahman, celebrated as Children’s Day. All over the country were celebrations reminding everyone of the sacrifice of the Father of their country and also of the Freedom Fighters in 1971 as they won their independence from Pakistan. This was also a time to look toward the future and how important the children are to the country.

One image stands out in my mind – the beautiful colors and designs of the saris worn by all the women. It did not matter what station of life – the women in the slums, the women pouring out of the garment factories or the women in the parks – all were wearing bright, colorful clothes. Most of the women wore headscarves – as did Salley and I. The men were either in western garb or in traditional clothes.

And the children…they are all beautiful. Such big eyes and smiles. It was heartbreaking especially to meet the group of homeless children who live in a park in Dahka. Despite their living conditions, they were laughing and seemed happy, especially to get our coins and the food we brought with us.

We were in the slums, in special needs schools, in a girl’s and a boy’s orphanage and other big schools. Everywhere we went, we were greeted with shouts of welcome and hello and even given flowers. Salley and I want to go back to each of these places and to be able to do something more for all of them. Fortunately, Design Bangladesh is involved with all of the places we visited and we hope to keep our connections with them.

So many impressions, sights, smells and sounds. It was quite a shock to return to Vermont. I woke the next morning, went to the bathroom sink and I was able to turn on a faucet with clean, drinking water. The air was clean and fresh here and so few people. Was I really in Bangladesh? Fortunately, the pictures we have tell me we were actually there and experiencing all the things we did. I am so grateful to The You Are Never Alone Foundation and to Design Bangladesh for this opportunity. It will still take time to digest it all.

The importance of the Caring Coins is something that was clearly validated by the response to them by all the people we gave them to in Bangladesh.

Some of our favorite pictures...

2010-03-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

As Chris, Betsy and I are gathering our thoughts we thought we'd might like to share some of our favorite pictures of the children with you....
I'm not quite sure how to do this but here goes...

So much more...

2010-03-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, March 27,2010
Thank you to those who are following our journey...We hope you have enjoyed this blog and the pictures and that you have learned a little something about the people and life in Bangladesh...

Betsy, Chris and I will each share our thoughts with you after we've had some time to let it all settle in. Stay tuned...there is much more to come...

Salley

Saying goodbye...

2010-03-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Shopping at last...

Hadi and Kahn drew the short straws and took the two of us and Chris shopping. Our first stop was to a cooperative where all the goods- crafts, jewelry and clothes were made by women in Bangladesh. We shopped till they dropped... Actually we didn't buy that much but we did have fun.

Our formal goodbyes started in Rubel's office of Design Bangladesh for a planning meeting. First, we were each presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. We then shared our dreams and desire for the future partnership between You Are Never Alone Foundation and Design Bangladesh for You Are Never Alone Bangladesh. It was exciting to hear Rubel talk about continuing the work he had started when he was 16 years old. We talked about how we would connect our students in America with the students in Bangladesh utilizing Skype, email and videos. We had seen how effective the video we had made with the students in Manchester was when we showed it to the students here.

Another hope is to join with Design Bangladesh in providing food for the homeless children living in the park as well as the children in the "slum school" and the orphanages. Rubel's desire to play our Caring Coinsforward along with the response from the people of Bangladesh has reaffirmed our belief in the power of the Caring Coins as a reminder of a caring connection. We shall continue to brain storm together further via email. We are very excited about sharing all of this with our You Are Never Alone Foundation Board.

There is much we can do. One thing we know for sure is that this is just the beginning for You Are Never Alone Bangladesh.

Would you beleive that Betsy, Chris and I are now TV personalities in Bangladesh? Rubel brought us to a TV set to film a TV interview that will be on Bangladesh TV about our You Are Never ALone Bangladesh Program. This set is also a movie set. It is a beautiful apartment, quite different from my set on GNAT-TV in Manchester, Vermont. Rubel is a natural as a TV host which is no surpeise considering all of the events he does for Design Bangladesh. Our entourage also appeared on the show. It was a very professional production with a professional crew. And it was directed by our own Royal, the director of the upcoming movie "My friend...My enemy".

The filming took a little longer than had been anticipated so time was of the essence to get to the airport, especially since we had left our luggage at the hotel. And we still had to pack our goodies from shopping. Remember what we have said about traffic in Dhaka. Now it was rush hour. Although we love Bangladesh, we did not want to miss our plane. We stopped at the hotel, picked up the luggage. Hadi made a dash to the store for some of their wonderful tea for Chris and Betsy. Then off we went to the airport with everyone except Kader in the van. He would meet us at the airport.

Surprise, surprise, traffic jams all over. Once again our wonderful driver was a real pro, threading us in and out of the cars, buses, rickshaws, and people. Although it was sketchy at times, he did get us there...

Then the goodbyes...we didn't have much time but we did all get hugs...We shall dearly miss our new friends...we are like family now...

The first leg of our trip was without incident. We did almost make it through the intensive security in Dubai when I was pulled aside and ordered to empty my carry on bag. Bob, you almost lost your souvenir. The ore on the little replica of an old Bangladesh fishing boat was mistaken for a sharp weapon. After much discussion, I was not detained and allowed thru with your gift. I don't know what is is about me, but I have never taken an airplane trip when I haven't been pulled over.

Betsy and I are writing this blog as we sit on the plane with 13 1/2 more hours to New Youk then, 5 hrs north to Manchester, Vermont. Then to Poultney to bring Chris back to Green Mountain College. And we will all be home...

We will certainly be glad to be home but we will miss each other.

As we said before, this is just the beginning...
More to follow...
Salley, Betsy and Chris

Chocolates and ice cream...

2010-03-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

Gana Unnayan Kendra, a local NGO was our home for our last night in the district of Gaibandha. This NGO is involved in many social issues including: the environment, poverty reduction, human rights and promoting accountable governance. We were able to speak with two of the women involved with the NGO who gave us information about their work. They were also very interested in what we are doing. Perhaps we shall connect in the future.

After breakfast in the village, where I had the most delicious cup of coffee, Rubel and his crew cleaned out all of the premium ice cream and chocolates in town to bring to the orphan children as he had promised the day before. Rubel and Design Bangladesh give food to the children in the park, at the slum school, the orphanages and at the Disabled School on a regular basis as just one of the many things they do for the people of Bangladesh.

As we entered the gates of the boys orphanage, swarms of excited little boys ran to our van,saying "Hello and Welcome". Many were wearing their Caring Coins. The Superintendent ushered us all upstairs for the handing over ceremony. We placed the ice cream and the chocolates on the table and I told the boys "Tumi kokohono eke nao" which means "You are never alone". I'm sorry to say my pronunciation is nowhere near Betsy and Chris' pronunciation but I do try. Betsy is really good and Chris is unbelievable. He has picked up a fair amount of the language and also seems to understand a fair amount of what is being said. We are lucky that Rubel and his staff are able to understand and speak English. We left the orphanage with the sound of cheers with the little boys following us to the van again wanting to shake our hands. And with each handshake came a smile.

Next, for the girls, who also came pouring out of "their home", dressed in their uniforms, each wearing their Caring Coin , smiling and saying "Welcome". I wish you could see their smiling faces. I am going to try to post some pictures so you can see them for yourselves. After the presentation of the ice cream and the chocolates, I told the girls to keep their Caring Coins as reminders of our visit. Many of the girls gave us drawings that they had made for us the night before. We were deeply moved that several of the drawings included words like "Today I know I am not alone". This has reinforced our belief that our message really does make a difference. When it was time to go, the girls followed us to the van saying "Thank you" and shaking our hands. Their smiles will remain in our hearts forever. It's a wonder that Betsy and I are not taking some of these children home with us.

One more stop before returning to Dhaka. Rubel wanted us to see the earliest historical site in Bangladesh which goes back to at least 3rd century BC. It is called Mahasthan, the archaeological excavations at Mahasthangarb, the ruins of ancient Pundranagar. It is set in a beautiful park with flowers and greenery. A museum houses the artifacts that have been uncovered such a statues of Buddish and Hindu gods, coins, terracotta plaques, stone objects and pottery. Hoards of other people were waiting with us in the heat until the gates opened. (I don't think I have mentioned how hot it was...) Many wanted to shake our hand and have their picture taken with us. Some were taking pictures with their mobile phones. Mehedi told us they would print these pictures, frame them and hang them on their walls at home. We are such celebrities!

It was now time to start back to Dhaka. Back into the van we went for the 9 hour ride. At one of our many stops for gas, a young disabled man with a beautiful smile came up to my window and asked gently for some money. When I gave him something, he gave me the most beautiful smile and then said a prayer for me. I was so touched. We had read that there would be many people asking for money. We were surprised that this did not happen often, partially because we were with our entourage and partially because it is not as part of life in Bangladesh as it may be in other places.

About the ride back to Dhaka...I guess all that we can say is that we are so grateful that we had a fantastic driver. As Rubel said, "Thank Ala that we got back safely". He hadn't mentioned anything like that before we started.

Exhausted but exhilarated, we finally crawled into bed at our hotel room in Dhaka. Tomorrow we would meet with Rubel and his staff in the office of Design Bangladesh for a wrap-up meeting. And perhaps, some shopping...

Then, for our 30 hour journey back to Vermont...
Salley, Betsy and Chris

An unbelieveable day...

2010-03-25T01:56:00.000-07:00

March 21st, 2010
Our first stop of the day was a visit to the Governmental Children Home for Girls in Suknaghar, Gainbandha. There are about 100 girls between the ages of 5 and 18 years old who are orphaned or have only one parent who is unable to take care of them. They are adorable, all with short hair, clean uniforms and big smiles. The Deputy Superintendent, Jahangir Arif lives on the grounds. The staff is very warm and welcoming. Mr Arif explained how children participate in the cooking, housekeeping, musical activities and education. You get a sense that this is a family.

The girls were a wonderful audience. They seemed eager to hear about our dream to connect them with the students in America and how the Caring Coin is a reminder of that connection. Each girl smiled broadly as we placed the Caring Coins around their necks and shook their hands. Betsy, Chris and I were brought to tears when they all sang "We Shall Overcome" in both English and Bangla. It was incredibly moving to look into the faces of these little girls as they sang this song so powerfully. Two of the students then danced traditional Bangla dances, one being the Dance for the Freedom Fighter who fought for the independence of Bangladesh. Rubel asked me to tell the girls that we would return tomorrow with ice cream and candy which made them very happy. It made us very happy too, as we would see them again.

Our next stop was the Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled, a school for children with multiple special needs including children with autism, Downs Syndrome and multiple disabilities. There were about 60 children separated by their age into different classes. The younger children were drawing pictures which they gave to us. The older children were making paper bags which they sell to raise money for the needs of the school. All of the children were happy to receive the Caring Coins and our smiles and to shake our hands.
Once again, we were entertained by the children accompanied by drums and an interesting instrument which is a bit like an accordion in a box. The children also danced for us. One of the boys was especially talented and thrilled to show us his skills. Once again, we heard their national song followed by "We Shall Overcome" Once again, Betsy, Chris and I were deeply touched. The staff was eager to tell us about their program. The Principal wrote a description of the program for us in Balgla which will have to have translated by one of our crew. As we left, the children came around us all wanting to shake our hands as we said goodbye. We all couldn't help but feel for all that we have. Betsy and I felt especially grateful for having healthy children and grandchildren.

Lunch was at the home of one of Hadi's brothers. Hadi's is Rubel's Project Planner and second in command. He coordinated each of our events. Hadi grew up in this town and has a very large extended family living here. We were treated to a very delicious Bangla lunch prepared by Hadi's sister-in-law who also happens to be a Biology Professor at the University. Betsy, Chris and I are thoroughly enjoying the Bangla food and are amazed at how proficient we've become eating with our right hand.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we were escorted to each of our visits today by twelve motorcycles, each with one or two riders. They are all friends of Rubel's who wanted us to know how much they appreciated our visit. We felt like celebrities.

The AMM High School in Giabandha was our next stop. A crowd had already gathered in the open courtyard of the school where there was a huge tent made of welcome banners. We were first introduced to the students in each classroom where Betsy, Chris and I each shared why we had come to Bangladesh. By this time, we were down to the very last 60 of the 1300 Caring Coins we had brought. I promised the students that we would send each of them a Caring Coinwhen we returned to Vermont. This means of course that we will have to have more cards signed by students at home. Our very last Caring Coins were for the boys at an orphanage which was to be our next stop.

This AMM School Event turned into an extravaganza. There were close to 1000 people in the audience, sitting, standing wherever there was room. This included students and people from the town. Two of the Freedom Fighters there made it a point to tell us that they had come just to see us. This was indeed a cultural happening thanks to Rubel, Hadis and the entire Design Bangladesh staff. Before we spoke, Betsy, Chris and I were presented with beautiful lais made of marigolds and roses which by the way perfectly matched my outfit. Numerous dignitaries sat with us on the floor of the stage which was erected for this event. They each gave what appeared to be rousing speeches in Bangla. (Oh how we wish we understood the language!) Chris, Betsy and I once again shared the purpose of our visit and how we hoped this would be the beginning of a connection between the students and people here and the students and people in America.

The real entertainment began with 4 girls in bright saris singing traditional Bangla songs, again accompanied by drums and that same accordion-like instrument. Next came an amazing group of 10 young men could be on "America's Got Talent". Their charismatic director MC'd the whole event. They performed an amazing synchronized Bangla dance. It was really great. One of the boys from the School for Children with Special Needs who had entertained us there came up on the stage and joined the group. He was terrific.

Our next surprise happened when the MC (who is a good friend of Rubel's)insisted that Chris come on stage as the audience chanted "Chris, Chris". Chris being the good sport that he is joined in and proceeded to follow each of the MC's very professional dance moves. He was absolutely mind boggling and brought the house down. What an Ambassador for the You Are Never Alone Foundation and for America Chris is! At the end of the "Happening" the audience yelled "Hello America" which Alam videotaped for us. We can'r wait to see this video and to share it with the students back home who have participated in You Are Never Alone Bangladesh. Many children and adults followed us saying "Hello, Hello" and wanting to shake our hands as our entourage escorted us to the van.

We weren't done yet...Following the motorcycles, we entered the Boys Orphanage. This was in a park like setting where the boys were anxiously awaiting our arrival as the previous event had run overtime. As we looked into the faces of these amazing little boys, we were so glad that we had saved our last Caring Coins for them. Once again, we shared our story and then placed a Caring Coinaround each neck and shook each hand. Once again, the coins brought a smile to each face. We told the boys that we would be back tomorrow with ice cream and candy from Design Bangladesh. As with the girls, we were so glad that we would see them again.

Dinner was at the home of another one of Hadi's brothers where his sister-in-law prepared dinner for us. We were so thrilled to be able to visit with her and also with Hadi's 3 nieces. They are beautiful, bright young women who were so anxious to hear about the students in America. They had questions about our culture, food, school and what our kids do for fun. These are the same questions our students had about them. Our Bangla dinner we delicious. How these women do it, I don't know. We would love to have the recipes but they cook intuitively. And,we wouldn't be able to translate anyway..

Tired but with a feeling I can't quite put into words Betsy, Chris and I got back into the van to go to the hotel. The rest of the guys remained to have their dinner. I think I mentioned before that it is the custom in Bangladesh for the guests to be fed first, followed by the men of the house and then the women who prepared the meal.

More tomorrow...
Salley, Betsy and Chris

Hundreds of smiling faces...

2010-03-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

Rubel's school in Badarganj, a mulitlevel level high school was our first stop of the day. We drove through the countryside with beautiful rice paddies, tobacco fields and banana trees. It is easy to see why they call this Green Bangladesh. Along the way, we pass markets filled with all kinds of fruits, vegetables and spices and shops with everything you can imagine. There are neat stacks of bricks lining the road. Lots of people, goats and dogs stream in and out of the markets.

We were welcomed at the Badarganj Multilevel High School by the Principal, Rubel's uncle, his Administrative staff, the Religious teacher, and other teachers, all of whom were very proud of their students and the education the students are receiving. This is what they call a high school and college, comparable to our middle and senior high school. After graduating from here some students go on to university.

We were ushered onto the stage of the auditorium with a huge colorful banner hanging in the background with:
You Are Never Alone Bangladesh
Share That You Care, Caring Coins
Youths for Nature.

The auditorium was jam packed. Although this was a vacation day the students and staff came just for this event. We couldn't help but wonder how many students and staff would come to an event on a vacation day at home. We distributed over 600 Caring Coins there.

Rubel opened the event, describing his dream for a better Bangladesh, our mission for the You Are Never Alone Foundation and why he had asked us to come to Bangladesh. Other speakers included the District Supervisor, a close friend of the Prime Minister's (who said he would like to meet with us in Dhaka); the Principal, a famous newspaper reporter, the Religious Teacher and of course Betsy, Chris and I.

Chris spoke about being a college student; the steps being taken by Green Mountain College to improve the environment and also about his dream of possibly creating a student exchange for a Bangladesh student at his college.

Betsy spoke about the purpose of our visit to learn more about Bangladesh and it's people. She shared our hope to open a dialog that can lead to a better understanding of each other, an understanding that can lead to good will and world peace.

I told the story of the Caring Coins and how Rubel of Design Bangladesh had emailed me last May asking me to bring Caring Coins with their message You are never alone to Bangladesh. I then shared our dream to connect the students of the world starting with the students of America and the students of Bangladesh because they, our students of the world, are the hope for our future.

Rubel showed the video we made of the elementary, middle and high school students in Manchester, Vermont, USA asking questions and saying "Hello Bangladesh" to the auditorium filled with students and faculty. The whole audience loved it and answered "Hello America" as a loud and enthusiastic response. We are thrilled that along the way, Alam, one of Rubel's Design Bangladesh staff who is a professional camerman has been our cameraman. He has been videoing our every move...We cannot wait to see these videos which Rubel has said he will send to us. It was such a gift to have Alam taping these wonderful moments for us. Thank you Alam...

Each student and staff member received a Caring Coin as a reminder of the connection that had now been made between them and the students in America. Once again, we very much felt the power of this little wooden coin. The students followed us to the vans and gave us a warm farewell as we left.

Rubel then brought us to his grandmother's house, where he was born. It is a beautiful little house with high ceilings made our of mud which keeps the house very cool in the warm weather and warm in the cooler weather. The walls were hand painted with a soft design which gives it a very welcoming feeling. It seemed like the whole town came to welcome us. We may have been the first foreigners to visit the town. We gave Caring Coins to the children and many of their parents and took lots and lots of pictures...Rubel's entire family came to welcome us. They have been so gracious to us.

Now for the "Event of the Week". Chris, our star football (soccer) player, Rubel and the entire Design Bangladesh crew joined with some other local football players to challenge the local team in their weekly match. The entire town turned out. I was asked to open the match and then Betsy and I presented a Caring Coin to each player on both teams. It was a fast and furious professional-like game. The Design Bangladesh team won 3-1 with Chris scoring 2 goals. Following the game the players surrounded and congratulated Chris. There were a few aches and pains on our team as it had been several years since some of them had played football. Of course, none of then wanted to admit that.

Betsy and I totally enjoyed the event, sitting in the seats of honor surrounded by children and adults all wanting to shake our hands and have their pictures taken with us.

We were then once again invited to Rubel's mother's home for a wonderful typical Bangla dinner. How this lovely lady prepared such a delicious meal for 14 people, 11 of them hungry men after she attended the late football game is beyond us.

Tired but happy after another amazing day, we went to the hotel, where we noticed that there were no screens on the bathroom windows. Thank goodness we brought mosquito spray.

Salley, Betsy and Chris

We are home...

2010-03-24T23:41:00.000-07:00

We are home...and filled with gratitude and affection for Rubel and his staff at Design Bangladesh.

It's 2am, Thursday moring...I had to get a little sleep before starting to blog or I wouldn't make any sense as we were traveling for 30 hours.

Thank you to all of our family and friends for following us. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section. I'll answer them later.

So much to tell you...
Salley, Betsy and Chris

Whew! We made it!...

2010-03-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, Betsy, Chris and I and our entourage of 10 plus Tuna, Rubel's sister, jumped into the two vans and headed off to Rangur, a 7 hour trip North of Dhaka. We stopped at the Memorial of the Martyrs of the 71 War of Independence, the Birth of the nation of Bangaldesh. The Prime Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation is buried there. What touched all of us is that Bangladesh has only been independent since 1971. The respect and reverence for these martyrs was visible in all the people there. It is a beautiful, stark memorial set in a park with reflecting pools, lakes, flowers and trees. Every year the school children are brought to the Memorial Park to pay their respects and to learn the history of their country.

Back into the vans and the "highway" to Rangpur. We thought the traffic in Dhaka was hectic but it doesn't hold a candle to the people,goats, buses, rickshaws, trucks, tractors all vying for the same piece of road. We had read about Bangladesh's large population, but today the people were crowded along the sides of the roads which were lined with shops, bazaars selling fruits, vegetables and meats of all kinds neatly piled or hung from the frames of the structures. Big stacks of brick also lined portions of the highway. The smokestacks from the brick oven, with smoke pouring out of their tops dotted the countryside. Hugh mahogany logs lined the roads in various towns. Many of these logs are turned by hand into magnificent headboards and other furniture. As we passed the log piles the scent of the wood filled the air.

Hundreds of workers were pouring out of the garment factories at the end of their shifts. The garment industry is by far the largest industry in Bangladesh. The workers earn $25 a month, not enough to feed their families.

We stopped for tea at a local hangout where Betsy, Tuna and I were the only women. I'd like to think the men were staring at Betsy and I, but I'm sure they were much more interested in Tuna. Once again we felt well taken care of by our entourage from Design Bangladesh.

As we reached the outskirts of Rangpur there was a wonderful surprise awaiting us. Rubel's mother had invited all 14 of us for dinner at her home. It was a delicious, traditional Bangladesh dinner consisting of rice, chicken curry, beef and two kinds of fish and a fabulous custard like desert. In accordance with Bangladesh custom, Betsy, Chris and I were fed first, then all the other men and finally, the women who prepared the meal. We are becoming experts at eating with our right hand only. We marveled at what goes into preparing these wonderful Bangladesh dishes. Betsy and I would like to learn how to cook Bangla. Perhaps we'll become the Julie and Julia of Bangladesh.

Off to bed. Big day planned for tomorrow...

Salley, Betsy and Chris

We're back...

2010-03-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's 11:54 PM in Dhaka and we just got back from a 12 hour day. Sorry you haven't heard from us, but there was no e-mail access up North and the electricity was on and off frequently anyway. We have much to tell you but don't think we could put an intelligent sentence together. Just know we were very well taken care and very warmly welcomed everywhere we went.

Lots more tomorrow...

Salley, Betsy and Chris

A Day of Contrasts...

2010-03-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

Our day began with a boat ride - an ancient, narrow wooden boat, pushed by a man with one oar, like something you'd see in the movies. We went to the largest slum in Dhaka which an island in the middle of a lake, which was created out of a landfill.
We were greeted by the cutest children with smiles on their faces. On our way to the only school on the island we passed small, metal shacks attached to each other. Some of these were homes and others were shops, workshops or food stands where men congregated watched by women and children. Conditions were very difficult to witness.
Children followed us to the school which consisted of one small room. The teacher and her supervisor were there along with twenty students sitting on the floor with their workbooks which were papers stapled together. Once again, the children were singing their national anthem. They listened cautiously as we told them about the Caring Coins. They proudly told us their names - two girls named "Happy". When we asked them the questions from the students in Vermont, they hesitated to answer until prompted by the teacher. Once again the students enthusiastically accepted the Caring Coins and candy and cookies provided by Rubel and Design Bangladesh. Many other children who were not in the school came to the door and also wanted a Caring Coin. It is amazing to us how despite the very difficult conditions these children are living under, they all responded happily to our being there. Our hearts were very heavy as we got back into our little boat to leave the island.

Quite a difference...Our afternoon took on a totally different feeling. Ryal, one of Rubel's staff members is co directing a film which will come out in June. We were invited to his studio - the Hollywood of Bangladesh. As we entered the studio there was a crowd of fans waiting at the entrance, hoping to see Royal's boss, the number one film maker in Bangladesh. We were given the royal treatment, ushered into the studio and brought directly into the film viewing room where we sat in on the dubbing process for Ryal's movie. It is a wonderful musical comedy with fabulous Bangladesh songs and dances. Their music is exhilerating and colorful. We were introduced to Ryals boss, Gnfar Khar Michael; his co director, the musical director, the set designer, the producers and the stars. They were all very gracious. We even got some autographs. Then we went to the set for "Bangladesh Idol" where we met the producer. He was very interested in hearing about the Caring Coins and You Are Never Alone Bangladesh. He promised to be in touch with us about our program and other contacts he has around the world.

We continue to be touched with the incredibly positive response we are getting from children and adults alike to our mission. For example, as we ate our pizza at Pizza Hut tonight, several of the waiters gathered round as I explained what we were doing in Bangladesh. They were all excited and wanted to participate with us. They promised to visit the web site and e-mail me with their ideas.

Tomorrow is another day. We are expecting a seven to nine hour car ride, heading to the top of the country to Rangpur where we will visit three more schools and two orphanages. A football(soccer) game is scheduled with Chris and the Design Bangladesh staff playing a local team. We anticipate that they will "kick some butt."

Time will tell...

Salley, Betsy and Chris

A Day of Rest...Not quite!

2010-03-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today, we went to the Arts and Crafts Park. It is lovely and green. Now, we understand why BAngladesh is called "Green Bangladesh".

Today is National Children's Day. It is the Birthday of the Founding Father of Bangladesh - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His daughter Sheikh Hasina is now Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

We arrived at Fort Lalbag, an ancient village - from the 1500's. Absolutely amazing...People still live in this village. There were many families celebrating the day, some were dressed in their festival clothes. Once again, we were greeted with warm smiles, handshakes and "hellos". The people of Bangladesh are incredibly warm and welcoming.

Would you believe that Betsy and I rode on a wooden ferris wheel, made in Bangladesh and I went on a small carrousel, both man-driven?

.

We then toured the Museum of Bangladesh Cultural History. Once again the pride of the Bangladesh people in their country was very evident

After a very busy day, we went back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. Rubel was taking us all to The Topkapi Resturant for a wonderful dinner buffet. Our vans were dischared for the day...Now, the one thing Betsy and I promised each other that we would not take a rickshaw ride, especially at night. They weave in and out of traffic and they have no lights. Would you believe how we got to and back from dinner tonight? You guessed it - by rickshaw. Mommy always said "never say never!"

We survived the reckshaw ride...And the dinner was excellent.

That's it for tonight... More tomorrow...

Salley, Betsy and Chris

p.s. go onto Chris' blog on the Green Mountain College website, Athletic section.

More about the Budda School...

2010-03-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

After the welcome ceremony we went into the classrooms and visited with the students. Picture a classroom with no windows, two sections, one for boys and one for girls; each section with five students crammed together in eight rows which makes about eighty students in one small classroom with one teacher. The children were dressed in uniforms. They welcomed us with smiles and "welcome".
They listened intently as we told them how the students in Vermont wanted to know about them and ethusiastically answered the Vermont students' questions. We explained how each Caring Coins is a reminder of their connection to a student in Vermont. Each student smiled, shook our hands, said "thank you" and looked us straight in the eye as we gave them a Caring Coin.
Betsy, Chris and I were all very impressed with the students' eagerness to hear our message. They listened as we told that they are the future of Bangladesh and the future of world. Even though there is great poverty and tremendous need, their love of country is very obvious when they speak about their country. We left there wanting to further connect with these students..

From the Badda School we went to a big park to meet and bring food to a group of very young homeless children. We are told that these children are mostly orphans who have but the clothes on their backs and perhaps an additional tee shirt to use as a pillow when they sleep on a cement block. No bed, no covers no roof over their heads. People bring them food and water. From the reception we received from the children, it was obvious that that they knew our host and his staff very well. Once again, the Caring Coins were received with a smile and looked like they'd be around their necks for a long time. For some, the Caring Coin is their only posession other than the clothes they are wearing. These children are precious. It's a wonder Betsy and I are not taking them all home! Their eyes, their smiles, their faces will remain with us.

We finally made it back to the hotel at about eight PM. In case we haven't mentioned this before, we have an entourage of eight, attractive young men who accompany us everywhere. So rest assured that we are in good hands.

As we were waiting to be seated for dinner at the hotel, I was talking with one of the the Design Bangladesh staff about Bangladesh. He said "You know, we are Muslims, but we are not terrorists. We are proud to be Muslim and love our Bangladesh. That is why we are working for a better Bangladesh."

After a delicious Bengla dinner, we were off to bed, exhausted and having mixed feelings. We were exhilirated but also saddened by the plight of so many of the children.

Salley, Betsy and Chris

Our first day...

2010-03-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday began with a press conference at the Dhaka Press Center. The reporters were interested in hearing about why we were here and what we could do for Bangladesh. Rubel, CEO of Design Bangladesh and our host, explained how our presence brings with it the hope of a connection between the students in America and the students here. The Caring Coins. which are attached to cards signed by students in America are reminders of this connection.
It was somewhat challenging not to be able to understand the language. However, we could pick up some of what was being said through translation by Kader, one of the Design Bangladesh team. I was able to share that it is our hope to open the door of communication and goodwill between the students here and our students at home.
At the end of the press conference, some of the reporters, including two women spoke with us about the purpose of our trip and the possible impact that it can have.

Off to the Badda School...
We then went to the Badda School, a school in the slums of Dhaka. Words can not explain the amazing welcome we received. Three hundred students dressed in uniforms lined up along the entranceway to the school; flowers in their hands for Betsy and me, all smiling and saying "welcome". They really touched our hearts. Next came an opening ceremony with the students singing their National Anthem, followed by some dancing.

Before long, they enticed Chris to join in the dancing. He was a big hit with everyone. Chris connects so easily with the students. We are so fortunate to have him with us.
Following the entertainment, we met with the headmaster and his staff of enthusiastic teachers.

Our ride is here, more to come later...

We're here in Dhaka...

2010-03-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Dhaka to a welcome from four Design Bangladesh staffers who greeted Betsy and me with a bouquet of roses and night lilies. The airport was busy with much hussle and bussle. It took us about an hour to claim our baggage. We both noticed that there were few women traveling and those who were were dressed in burkas.

BEST NEWS YET - CHRIS IS HERE!!!

The traffic is worse than New York if you can picture cars, buses jammed packed with people, taxis, bicycles and rickshaws all decorated with flowers and pictures. The cars come at you in all directions. An old man came up to the car and we gave him a Caring CoinHe smiled and put it around his neck, but he was even happier when our driver gave him some takas. (money)

We met Mahmudul Karim Rubel, our host and the President of Design Bangladesh at the Hotel de Crystal Crown where Rubel had arranged for us to stay. It does not seem posssible that Rubel first contacted me last May when he first asked that we bring Caring Coins to Bangladesh as a reminder to the children and people of Bangladesh that they have not been forgotten by the world. And here Betsy, Chris and I are today, in Bngladesh.

Rubel and seven of his staffers, Chris, Betsy and I had dinner at the hotel last night. We were treated to a typical Bangladesh dinner. It was delicious. And can you imagine, we all ate with our hands! Bob, you wouldn't have believed it. Before we left the dining room at midnight, everyone there was wearing a Caring Coin. We discussed our schedule for our first day in Bangladesh which includes a press conference in the morning and then a meeting with students at the Badda High School in the afternoon. We expect that this will give us a bit more insight into the rest of our visit here in Bangladesh.

That's about it for now, we'll keep you posted.
Salley, Betsy and Chris

We made it to Dubai...

2010-03-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
First of all, thank you all for your comments. This will be our best means of communication as I'm having difficulty with my emails.

This is the second post I'm writing this morning. My last post was really quite good but I ran out of time on the card just as I was finishing up and poof it was gone.
So this will be a shorter version as we will be leaving for the airport in about 20 minutes.

Betsy and I are here in Dubai...

Our flight was long but comfortable. We were delayed taking off at Kennedy for over an hour but I understand that the weather got worse after we left. Our friend Chris Gaskin had his flight cancelled. We haven't been able to reach him so Chris if you read this we are hoping you are on your way to Dhaka. My heart fell when we heard you were not on Saturday's flight to Dubai. We hope you weren't stranted in New York.

Dubai is an absolutely amazing place from the Masques, the hotels, the indoor Ski Dubai...We took a bus tour yesterday as we thought this would be the best way to see as much as we could and we did. The people here are wonderful very friendly and helpful...Needless to say we have already shared some Caring Coins.
We are looking forward to going to Dhaka. Needless to say it will be a huge cintrast to Dubai. I am so looking forward to meeting our friend Rubel.

I have to run... Continue to follow us and keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Salley and Betsy

We're on our way...

2010-03-12T04:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning Everyone...

Well it's Friday morning...Bob is bringing Betsy and I to New York today. We'll stay at a hotel near the airport tonight so we'll be ready to go bright and early tomorrow morning. Chris will meet us in Dubai on Sunday. Then the three of us will be on our way to Dhaka on Monday.

1300 Caring Coins signed by 1300 students here are on their way to Bangladesh...

OUR ITINERARY
March 12-March 24, 2010

Friday, Mar. 12. - Days Inn Kennedy Airport

Saturday, Mar. 13 - Depart JFK-10:40AM
Arrive Dubai, A.E. Sun. Mar.14th 8:10 AM

Sunday, March 14th - Arrive in Dubai

Monday, March 15th - Depart Dubai
Arrive: Dhaka, Bangladesh Zia Airport 3:15 PM

Tuesday, Mar. 16th - Meet the press on 1st half, 2nd half site seeing

Wednesday Mar. 17th - Meet the PM (not confirmed) 2nd half, visiting with army families

Thursday, Mar. 18th - Visit acid victims and orphanage

Friday, Mar. 19th - Visit old peoples and traveling to Rangpur

Saturday, Mar. 20th - Visit with high school and college students - Caring Coin sharing program. Discuss ongoing program with students there and students here.

Sunday, Mar. 21st - Program with disabled students in Gaibandha and travel back to Dhaka

Monday, Mar. 22nd - Meet the press and rest

Tuesday Mar.23rd - Depart Dhaka

Wednesday, Mar. 24th - Arrive: JFK 7:45 AM
Joel to pick us up and drive to Vermont

Thank you to our dear families and friends for your support. Thank you to all of you who have participated in our mission. This is a very exciting journey and we look forwad to sharing it with all of you.

We expect to be blogging each day. Please add your comments. It will be our main means of communication.

Sending you all lots of love.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Salley, Betsy and Chris

Tuesday morning 5am...

2010-03-09T03:03:00.000-08:00

It's 5am Tuesday morning...I was lying in bed with so many thoughts going through my mind...I had to get up...so here I am writing...

I'm very excited about our trip...I can't believe that we are actually leaving for Bangladesh Saturday morning. That's this coming Saturday morning. It seemed so far away when we first started planning this trip.

So much to do...the Caring Coins are ready, packed in bags of 100. I'll be picking up the final coins and students' questions from LTS tomorrow. Originally, we thought of putting the questions on a spreadsheet but we decided to bring the original questions with us so the students in Bangladesh can see them for themselves. I met with the Leos Club at BBA yesterday. It's so neat to see how interested the kids here are in learning about other kids.

We are putting together pictures of Vermont, the beautiful scenes, the farms, the mountains...Rubel said they want to know what we are doing for the enviornment. So, I'm bringing a tape of my Good News in the Shires TV Show about composting in our schools. In some ways Bangladesh is ahead of us. Did you know that Bangladesh is one of the first countries to almost completely ban plastic bags? They have also banned petro and diesel vehicles from Dhaka.

Today I'm going to pick up some last minute things. I'd better check up on the regulations for what and how much to bring. For some reason, every time I travel, I am the one they pull out of the line for further scrutiny...

I'm rambling...More later...

Bangladesh update...

2010-03-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone...
Lots going on...So much that I missed a day of blogging...

Unfortunately, Kaye will not be able to join us. We will miss her because she is a neat lady with a big heart, a good sense of humor and a great laugh. However, a young man from Green Mountain College named Chris is going to join Betsy and me.
He is a neat guy who loves to travel. In fact, he was in India over the holiday break. Chris will be wonderful with the students in Bangladesh and is already thinking of getting something going at GMC when he returns.

Chris may not know what he's in for traveling with Betsy and me...
I'm only kidding, we're going to be a great team.

I was at Long Trail School yesterday, a wonderful middle/high school in VT. The kids and faculty alike are so excited about You Are Never Alone Bangladesh as they have a strong international focus. They will be putting our blogs up on the screen in the theater at Morning Meeting.

Today, I was at MEMS a wonderful Elementary/Middle School and once again, the students and faculty are excited about being a part of You Are Never Alone Bangladesh. I have just been reading over some of the questions the students wrote for us to ask the students in Bangladesh and one question appeared over and over again... "How can we help?"

WOW...out of the mouths of babes...

The faded circle on my back pocket...

2010-03-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

I received an email from a friend this morning reminding me of what his Caring Coin has meant to him. This story is a special story that I hesitated to share because this blog is about the Caring Coins Stories and not about me but I do think that his message is one that will touch many.

This is a very special guy who suffered a stroke just as he was embarking on a new career as a Comedian. His journey is an amazing one, one that has lead him to create a solo show called Brain Freeze. It is the story of his journey from when he suffered his stroke through his Rehabilitation and beyond. He has touched and helped many with his story which he continues to share in theaters and hospitals today.

“In 1997, I suffered a stroke. Salley Gibney was my insurance case manager and worked miracles with my rehab. I used to refer to her as my guardian angel. How appropriate that she should now be the founder of You Are Never Alone Foundation where she can share caring and hope with others. Now I never leave my apartment without my Angel Caring Coin. Evidence of this is the faded circle on the back pocket of my jeans that’s hard to miss. Its presence symbolizes a spiritual connection for me. Being a performer it seems to tap into that same connection where all great performances come from.”

Thank you John Kawie...

Spreading our dream...

2010-02-28T08:10:00.000-08:00

As I have been sorting through my email messages, deleting some and filing others I came across this email from Rubel, our friend in Bangladesh.

Although very supportive of my upcoming trip, some of my family and friends have concerns about my traveling to Bangladesh.

They do believe that is an opportunity for us to make a difference not only for the children and people of Bangladesh but also for the children, youths and people here who are joining us in this project.

When I shared these concerns with Rubel, he replied:
"This is the interesting part that we are finalizing a visit to another country for you not talking in Phone or Messenger just in emails! So its OK that your family is worry about the trip or about us. Net is the place where any kind of fraud is possible. But we guarantee you that we will DO our best. As we gave you hope to spread your dream to the world, we are lucky that your dream tour starting from Bangladesh."

And so it does...

Caring Coin finds its way to Iraq...

2010-02-28T05:52:00.000-08:00

I received this story form the lady who coordinates the youth program at a local church.
She wrote: The children at our church were very excited about sending Caring Coins to our troops in Iraq. They collected bottles to recycle to cover the cost of the coins. They then signed their names on the back of the coins, boxed them and sent them off to Iraq.
A New York native serving in Iraq received one of the Caring Coins...
This is what he wrote to us:
“I put my hand in a shoebox full of coin shaped medallions that were sent by kids at a church from home. I placed it on my dog tags. It was a cute little medallion with an angel and the inscription You are never alone. On the other side was the signature of a child. The clear implication is that between the angel and the prayers of the child, I am never alone, even though I am in the middle of Iraq. What a wonderful and thoughtful message.
About two weeks later, I wanted to take the time to write a thank you note to the class and decided to try to read the name. It was obviously challenging for the student to write on such a small medallion.It was not that clear and I had not paid attention when I first strung it on my dog tag chain.
When I pulled it back out of my shirt and looked hard to focus, I realized that it was from a young boy who must be the grandson of my eighth English grade teacher and a good friend. The tradition lives on…”
Don't you just love these stories?

I don't feel alone...

2010-02-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

A young man writes:
"Over the past several years, I have faced serious personal battles related to severe depression and alcoholism. I felt as if I was sinking into a deep pit of despair from which I couldn't seem to find a way out. I was given several Caring Coins and kept one under my pillow, one on my computer at work and ALWAYS one in my pocket. They served as a reminder to help me realize that I truly wasn't alone, that there was someone? something? above watching over me and offering me the hope that my life could get better. Since then my life has improved dramatically. With my coins as a reminder and the help of loved ones and support groups, I have climbed out of that seemingly bottomless pit and have gotten the help I so desperately needed. I haven't been near a drink in 6 months, I feel better about myself and the world around me than I ever have before, I've gotten a new job, and most importantly I realize that I'll never be alone again. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the Caring Coins and the message that goes along with them. I feel a sense of inner peace, happiness, and strength that I hope and pray stays with me for the rest of my life."

Sometimes, it's something little that reminds us we are never alone...

No coincidences...

2010-02-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

I was meeting with a Hospice Director on Montpelier, VT. She had a very busy day with only a window of ½ hr to meet with me. I drove around and around a parking lot, finally found a spot. As I was getting out of my car, I noticed a sign: Anyone who doesn’t pay will be ticketed. I didn’t have one penny of change. As I stood there wondering if I dare forget the sign, a car came along. I asked the people in the car if they really did ticket the cars. They said "Oh yes!" When I told them I didn’t have any change, the woman in the car gave me the change I needed. As they were pulling away, I gave them one of our You Are Never Alone Foundation bookmarks with the message You are never alone. I noticed them looking at the bookmark and thought they must think I’m crazy… Oh well!

A couple of weeks later, I was participating in an Overnight Youth Conference. After the evening activities, as the adults were getting acquainted, one of the women asked me what I did? I told her about the You Are Never Alone Foundation and gave her a bookmark. She smiled and asked me if I was in a parking lot in Montpelier a couple of weeks before. I said I was and she said she was the person who gave me the change. She went on to say that her friend in the car was going through a difficult time after the loss of his wife. She had told him to remember that You are never alone just before I gave him the bookmark with the words You are never alone…. I got goosebumps…

Experiences like this show me there are no coincidences...Do you agree?

College students are in...

2010-02-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

I was at GMC inviting college students to join us in our You Are Never Alone Bangladesh Program. The students were excited about the program. They readily signed the cards for the Caring Coins. Many wrote down their questions for the college students in Bangladesh and included their answers to their own questions which we will share with the students there in the hopes of starting a dialog between them. It will be interesting to see the similarities.

Some questions with the students' answers include:
What is one resource you wish you had but is not available or out of reach? (Answer: clear drinkable water)
Are there times when you feel isolated and separate from the rest of the world? (Answer: Yes, I would say there are times when we all feel alone)
What can the people of America do to help you?
(Answer: Stop being wasteful and put our money to good use)
What is your greatest hope?
(Answer: To explore the world, learn new cultures and use that to bring about world peace)
What are your views of your educational system?
(Answer: Somewhat relaxed)
How do you feel when you see the waste and consumption of the US? As an international student I often wonder about that.
(Answer: It upsets me.)

The more we talked about the program, the more their enthusium grew about the possibility of a dialog between them and the students in Bangladesh. I promised to come back to the college with the reponses to their questions and possible ways to continue a dialog...

Young people do care and do want to be involved...

"My name is Rightous"

2010-02-22T06:20:00.000-08:00

I was in New York for my Nursing School Reunion. I’m not usually early but this day I was. So I decided to walk down to Washington Square Park...my old stomping grounds…
As I left the park and walked up Fifth Avenue, a man asked me if I could spare a dollar for a cup of coffee. I reached into my pocket and took out a dollar and a Caring Coin.( I always carry a couple of single dollars and Caring Coins in my pocket) I gave the man the dollar and then I said “My name is Salley, what’s your name?” He gave me a big smile and said “My name is Rightous”. I said “Rightous, I’m happy to meet you. I have something for you”. And I gave him the Caring Coin and said “This is for you to keep”. He looked at the coin, smiled and said “Thank you ma’am”.
I crossed the street as I was going in a different direction but I watched Rightous as he walked away. He was looking down and rubbing the coin in his hand all the way up the street.

I was reminded of what a Katrina survivor said when he received a Caring Coin… “Someone cares, I must matter…”

Do you have a story to share of how a simple little gesture touched someone?

Caring Coins go to Afghanistan...

2010-02-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

I received this email from one of our troops who recently went to Afghanistan
“Just wanted to thank you for my little wooden coin. I am wearing it with my dogtags. Also, thank you for the coins for my wife and kids. It sort of reminds us that we are in each others hearts. I know my son keeps his with him. It’s nice to know that people are thinking about us and saying a prayer for us once in a while.”

We recently shared 5,000 Caring Coins at eight Yellow Ribbon Pre-deployment events for 1500 Vermonters being deployed to Afghanistan and their families. The Caring Coins are reminders to the troops and their families that many people care about them and are grateful to them for their service to our country and also for the many sacrifices they are making on our behalf.

It has been an honor to meet these wonderful men and women of all ages who could be our spouses, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and in some cases our grandchildren. Having had this first hand opportunity to meet and speak with the troops and their families has been a very touching experience for each of us who participated.

It's so important that we don't forget these guys and gals and their families as we go about our busy days...

Is there someone you could reach out to who has a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan?

How about that?

2010-02-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

I received this message from a friend this morning...

Your Caring Coins are having IMPACT, near and far. I was DELIGHTED to hear of the Bangladeshi project—wahoo! You should also know about impact closer to home. At our Blue Christmas service in December, a little 7-year-old designed and made cards for everyone to take home afterward. They said “You Are Never Alone” and had a cross on them. The child’s mother said that Amelia had remembered that message from the coin I had given out several years ago—a message easily remembered since she still looks at it every day. How about THAT??!!

This is pretty neat, isn't it?

Look out Bangladesh, here we come...

2010-02-19T11:53:00.001-08:00

Three of us, Salley, Kaye and Betsy will leave for Bangladesh on March 13th. Would you believe that we have over 1,200 Caring Coins attached to cards in Bangali signed by individual students participating in our Share That You Care Programs?

Just think about this, 1200 children and youths here will have a personal, tangible connection with a child or youth in Bangladesh as part of our You Are Never Alone Bangladesh Program. This is very exciting!

Our itinerary includes participation in the National Children Day Celebration in Dhaka. We will visit and share Caring Coins with street children, orphans, old persons, acid victims and army families. We will travel to Rangpur where we will be meeting with high school and college students for a "Caring Coin-Knowledge Sharing" Program. On our way back to Dhaka from Rangpur, we will visit and share Caring Coins with disabled students in Gaibandha. We then head back to Dhaka.We are scheduled to leave Dhaka on March 23rd.

Do you have any thoughts or questions?

We will keep you posted and look forward to sharing daily blogs with you from Bangladesh...Isn't this exciting?

Yes, we will come to Bangladesh.....

2010-02-19T11:18:00.001-08:00

Deep inside, I believed that we should go to Bangladesh, given how Rubel had found the You Are Never Alone Foundation and the Caring Coins, but remember I am the one who had the dream...

This would be a Board decision. After much discussion, it was decided that the You Are Never ALone Foundation would bring Caring Coins to Bangladesh. The You Are Never Alone Bangladesh Program was official.

Since March is the month of the Celebration of the Children in Bangladesh, Rubel suggested that we come in March. We would design a Me to You Card in Bengali to be attached to the Caring Coins. These cards would be signed by children and youths here who would then attach them to the coins that we would bring to Bangladesh. Rubel emailed the lettering in Bengali and my husband Bob, designed the card.

We then contacted schools in our area and invited them to join us in our You Are Never Alone Bangladesh Program by signing the Me to You cards and attaching them to the Caring Coins. We have asked these students to share with us their questions about life in Bangladesh. We will ask these question of the students in Bangladesh, and in turn ask what questions they may have about life here. Thus the dialog begins...

If you would like to see the cards in Bangali, go to our website:
www.YouAreNeverAloneFoundation.org and click in the the You Are Never Alone Bangladesh page.

In the meantime, Kaye, Betsy and I are getting the necessary innoculations and medications and pulling together our wardrobes of "gentle" clothes. (This is how Rubel discribed the clothes we should bring with us)

We look forwawd to hearing your thoughts and questions...

The gift of hope...

2010-02-16T15:18:00.001-08:00

As our Board discussed my communications with Rubel, we wondered how our little Caring Coins could make a difference in Bangladesh, where there is so much poverty, hunger, child labor and the list goes on and on...

We asked Rubel this question to which he replied...

"You can give hope to a child laborer that he is never alone. The hope from you to him may open a door to his life for a better world. Children must go to schools for education to know himself, to know his country, to know the world. Living in this world is not just passing days here with too many things to do, it is to learn to give. Though they are fighting against poverty, for food, for cloth, for housing you can’t turn off the light of hope. I do personally believe that a dream and hope is the key of success. Your visit and the Caring Coins give hope for these children and the peoples of Bangladesh."

We were all very touched that a visit from us and the Caring Coins could possibly bring hope to the children and people of Bangladesh. We started discussing ways the children and youths here could reach out to the children and youths there with the Caring Coin as a key to opening a dialog that could lead to understanding and good will between them for the days and years to come.

The more we discussed the possibility of a trip to Bangladesh, the closer we were getting to it becoming a reality...

Please come to Bangladesh...

2010-02-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

Last Spring I received an email from a man named Rubel asking me to bring Caring Coins to Bangladesh. At first, I didn't quite know what to make of his message. First of all, who was this person? And how did he find the You Are Never Alone Foundation? And what would make him think we would come to Bangladesh?

As we communicated, I found out the he is the founder of a legetimate non-profit organization working for a better Bangladesh. He found us when he was searching the internet for organizations that reach out to others. He had seen how Caring Coins had gone to Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana and Spanish coins had gone to Ecuador and Guatemala...so why not Bangladesh?

He went on to explain how the people and especially the children of Bangladesh feel they have been forgotten by the world. The Caring Coins with their message You are never alone would be a perfect reminder for them that people had not forgotten Bangladesh.

I explained to him that other people who were volunteers already going to these places had brought the Caring Coins with them. The Foundation had provided the Caring Coins but we did not bring them ourselves. I suggested the perhaps we could send a video with a Caring message along with Caring Coins for him to distribute.

Rubel said that this would not work. First of all they do not have the technology to show the video in the places it would be most needed and more importantly, it would mean so much more if a "foreigner" came with the coins. As I thought about that, I remembered how much it meant to the Katrina survivors in Houston that I had come from Vermont to give them the Caring Coins.

To be continued...

The kids "get" it...

2010-02-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

Thousands of kids of all ages have received Caring Coins through our Share That You Care Program, a program about caring about themselves and their peers which carries over to their families, communities and the world. Each receives a Caring Coin for themselves and others to share as they wish.

What's really neat is: The kids "get"it as you can see here:
“We can make a difference one Caring Coin at a time.”
“The Caring Coin makes it easy to let someone know you care.”
“The more we care, the closer we are to world peace.”
"The everyday challenges we face and choices we make can be hard. It's nice to know that someone cares.”
“We all have problems in our life that we may think are the end of the world. My Caring Coin reminds me to take a deep breath and see that I’m OK.”
“I love that the Caring Coin is made of wood and of the earth and that something so simple could make such a difference in someone’s life.”
“It makes me feel good to hear people tell me what receiving the Caring Coin means to them”

We really enjoy being with the kids...We love talking with them and listening to their ideas...They never cease to amaze us...

Kids are great, aren't they?

Where can I find those coins?

2010-02-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

I recently received a call from a woman named Mary who said that her mother had been given a wooden coin with the the message You are never alone when she was a Hospice patient in the hospital. No one knew where the coin had come from.

Mary went on to say that a patient wearing one of those coins came into the doctor's office where she works that morning. She immediately asked about the coin. As it turns out, this patient is one of our senior vulunteers for the You Are Never Alone Foundation who has been helping us assemble the Caring Coins and cards for the past few years. She very happily told Mary about the Caring Coins and the You Are Never Alone Foundation.

Mary told me that her family would be getting together the following weekend for their first time since their mother had died. She knew that each of them would want one of those wooden coins with the message You are never alone as a reminder of their mother. Following the get-togehter Mary called to say how much the Caring Coins meant to everyone. She was glad that she now knew where to find those litle wooden coins.

These Caring Coins do have a way of showing up in the most unexpected places...

Caring Coins go to Ghana...

2010-02-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

A youth volunteer brought Caring Coins to Ghana:

“While I was volunteering at The House of Hope, an orphanage in Ghana, I was able to see first hand how loving the children are despite the hardships they face. When I handed out the wooden Caring Coin necklaces, the children reacted as though I had given them gold. They were so happy to have been given something. They couldn't stop smiling. They didn't take these coins for granted, they wanted to keep them forever to remember that someone does care about them. I will continue to contact them in hopes they won't forget me because I know I won't ever forget them."

This volunteer continues to be in contact with the people at The House of Hope. She has written a book about life in Ghana with the proceeeds of the book going to the orphanage.

One person can make a difference...

Thank God for coffee and my Caring Coin...

2010-02-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

"Just between you and me, I am so tired of this whole care giving thing. I just don't want to do it anymore. I have barely been able to get out of bed the last few days. Thank God for coffee and my Caring Coin. That's what's getting me through."

These are the words of a lady I spoke with at the grocery store this morning. She is caring for her husband, who is chronically ill. A friend gave her a Caring Coin.

This lady is not alone, her feelings are echoed over and over again...

Do you ever feel like you don't want to keep going?

The coins go like hot cakes......

2010-02-15T16:26:00.000-08:00

I shared a Caring Coin with a dear friend who was diagnosed with mesothelioma. She asked for coins to share with other patients at the Chemo Unit at the hospital.

This is what my friend wrote to me...
"I took the Caring Coins to chemo last week. The Social Worker put them out in a lovely basket at the central desk. By the time I was leaving 3 hours later, almost all the Caring Coins were gone! I could see people holding theirs and rubbing them while their chemo infused. The Social Worker and staff asked if I could bring more coins when I came for my next chemo treatment.

So I brought more with me today. The Social Worker was thrilled to get them, as the first supply of coins was completely gone! She said "they go like hotcakes - patients love them." Some Social Services volunteers have started taking coins to patients in the hospital itself, and apparently the nurses have been talking about how patients hold onto the coins and rub them like "good luck charms".Everyone agrees that the Caring Coins with their message You are never alone seem to provide a measure of peace and comfort that has not been seen before with any other item.

I have promised to keep the clinic (and hospital) supplied with Caring Coins, and also to convey to you how very much the coins mean to people."

Can you think of someone who might appreciate having a Caring Coin ?

Not a touch feely person...

2010-02-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

I was very excited about getting together with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a long time. We had much to catch up on… After she shared new happenings in her life, I told her about the Caring Coins and offered one to her. She said she wasn’t a touchy feely person but she would take one because it was from me.

A few days later, my friend called and said “…You know I’m not a fan of touchy feely but the day after you gave me the Caring Coin I received word that my mammography was very suspicious. I had to go for further testing. I brought the Caring Coin with me. Knowing that you cared about me really helped me get through the day. Gratefully, the news was good but I’ll never forget how much that connection meant to me. I now carry my Caring Coin with me.”

Are you a touchy feely person?

Pass one forward…

2010-02-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

The Safety Net Program is a unique program in Florida that provides crisis intervention and support for adult, children and teen victims of family violence. I met Brian, the Director of the program while he was visiting his brother in Vermont not long after Hurricane Katrina hit.

Brian shared with me how his Teen Domestic Violence Support Group had just raised money on behalf of the hurricane victims by doing a car wash. Not only did this help the Katrina victims, but it also empowered these youths as in "victims helping victims". I offered Brian Caring Coins to bring back to the youths in his program.

Shortly later, I received a letter from Brien telling me:
"After the teens presented their check from the car wash to the Red Cross Coordinator, I told them the story of the Caring Coins and about how you shared the coins with Katrina victims. I then presented each of them a Caring Coin. They each felt special and proud for being selected to receive one. Many remarked about the message You are never alone.
They then started talking about who else they wanted to give a coin to and they came up the idea of a “Pass One Forward” coin."
Brian continues to share Caring Coins with the members of his Safety Net Program. The Pass One Forward idea led to our Share That You Care Program

I love the idea of the "Pass One Forward" Caring Coin, don't you?

The young boy in the cornor...

2010-02-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

Another Hurricane Katrina story...
Picture a Super Wal-Mart with enormous tables of food, clothing and personal care supplies and people everywhere. This was the Salvation Army Distribution Center in Pasadena, Texas.

Once again, Pat and I, with the help of volunteers, shared the Caring Coins one by one with each coin accompanied by a hug.

At the end of the day, as we were ready to leave, Pat and I just looked around this Super Wal-Mart, which had been emptied and filled with people and all kinds of supplies throughout the day. There were hundreds of people there, survivors, volunteers and National Guardsmen (women). They all had their Caring Coins around their necks. We looked at each other and said “YES!”

I then looked over at the children, who were in a special area with volunteers while their parents were collecting supplies. I noticed a young boy hiding in the corner. He was very frail. I noticed that he didn’t have an Caring Coin. I went over to him and asked if I could put a coin around his neck. He shook his head yes. I put it around his neck. Then, I asked him if I could give him a hug. He shook his head yes. As I gave him a hug, he gave me the biggest hug back. As I got up to leave, he was jumping up and down smiling and clutching his Caring Coin. He probably thought he wouldn’t get one. I was so grateful that I saw him. I just said “Thank you God!”

I still get goose bumps when I think of this little boy and his big hug...

Caring Coins for Katrina survivors...

2010-02-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

When Hurricane Katrina hit, I like so many people was touched by the pictures of the survivors. I wanted to do something. I thought "…what if individuals could sponsor Caring Coins for the survivors?" People were so grateful to have something personal and tangible that would show the survivors that they cared. Seeing how people wanted to reach out to others inspired me to draw the two little Me to You figures which became our logo for the You Are Never Alone Foundation.

During this time, I met a young man from New Orleans, who was staying with family in our area, at a benefit in our town for the survivors. He agreed to bring 1500 individually sponsored Caring Coins home with him to New Orleans.

I knew I was going to Houston but I didn't have a plan, so I had called an old friend, Pat, who lived in Katy Texas, just outside of Houston. I told Pat what I wanted to do. She said "Come on down, we'll share them together>" So I got on the plane with 2300 individually sponsored Caring Coins As I traveled to Houston, I wondered how these coins and cards would be received by the survivors, who had lost everything. I would soon find out.

Pat and I went from place to place to share the coins. It is difficult to put into words the impact of seeing so many people of all ages, of different races, religions, and economic backgrounds with plastic bags containing all their earthly possessions. All had stories of destroyed homes, lost family members and friends, no place to go, and no jobs. You could see it in their eyes.

The survivors and the volunteers smiled as we told them that people cared about them. One by one, we put the raffia ribbon with the Caring Coin and card around the neck of each survivor, gave each a hug, telling them that the person whose name was written on the card cared. All hugs were warmly received and returned.

We were so touched to see the hope in the survivors' eyes as they read the message You are never alone on the Caring Coins.

Have you ever noticed how hope helps us put one foot in front of the other?

Vermont power…

2010-02-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

A young woman called to tell me this story about her father.
She said:
“My father was given a Caring Coin as he was struggling with dementia. He called it his “Vermont power”. Being a Vermonter, he loved that it was made of wood. He would sit for hours and just rub the coin. It truly gave him great comfort."
She continued..."Daddy insisted that we put the Caring Coin around his wrist and would not allow anyone to remove it even when he bathed. He made is promise that his "Vermont power" would be with him always. And it was..."

I shared with this young woman how the the Caring Coin seemed to comfort my mother as she struggled with Alzheimer's disease. We both agreed that the ccin seemed to do what our words couldn't do...

Is there someone you would like to share a Caring Coin with?

Her daughter's friend...

2010-02-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

A woman shares this story about how she gave Caring Coins to her daughter's friend when she was diagnosed with cancer and to her friend's mother:
"One of my daughter's closest friends from school was a beautiful tall young woman with a wonderful sense of humor and an infectious laugh. I used to call her my African Queen. At the age of 23 she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She struggled and fought back without success. During her last months as she dealt with the anger that she would never fall in love or have children, her greatest wish was to live to see her 25th birthday. I sent Caring Coins to both she and her mother. My daughter told me that her friend treasured that Caring Coin. Her mother has written me how much the message You are never alone on her Caring Coin has meant to her. Our friend did live to be 25 and died about a week later. Her mother still carries the Caring Coin.

I cannot imagine the pain of loosing a child...can you?

A reminder of his little angel…

2010-02-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

One morning, I brought some film to the photography store to be developed. The man behind the counter noticed the Caring Coin on my keychain and asked me about it…I told him about my dream and offered him a coin.

He stopped for a moment and then softly told me how he and his wife had a baby girl who had recently died. He said that his six year old daughter now puts an angel in every picture she draws because she believes her sister is an angel who is always with them.

I offered the man three Caring Coins; one for his daughter, one for his wife and one for himself. When I came back to pick up my pictures, the man told me how his daughter wears her Caring Coin around her neck, his wife put her Caring Coin on her keychain and his Caring Coin is hanging in his truck…

I left the store thinking about this man, his wife and daughter and how they each kept their Caring Coin with them.

Have you ever noticed how sometimes the littlest things can bring comfort?

Something in the sand…

2010-02-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

I shared the story of the Caring Coins with a group of youths at a conference. I then gave each youth a Caring Coin. Afterwards, a girl asked me for two additional Caring Coins for her father and her sister in memory of her mother who had recently died.

I saw this girl again at another conference about six months later. She told me that her sister wears her Caring Coin around her neck and her father keeps his coin in his wallet. Whenever he feels sad he looks at it and remembers that his daughters gave it to him. It seems to make him feel better.

She then went on to say that she and her family had gone to Cape Cod that summer and one afternoon as she was walking on the beach she saw something in the sand. She picked it up and dusted off the sand and it was a Caring Coin. She believes that this was a sign that her mother was watching over her. She gave that Caring Coin to a friend of her mother's who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Stories like this one always amaze me...I have come to believe there are no coincidences.

What do you think?

Early one morning…

2010-02-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

Early one morning, as I was getting a cup of coffee at the gas station, I met a friend, whom I hadn’t seen for a while. He told me he had been struggling with alcoholism. He said he had been in and out of recovery programs, but he was finally getting sober one day at a time.

After we spoke for a little while, I gave him a Caring Coin and a hug. He smiled as he looked at the coin and said that he loved that it was made of wood. He gave me a hug back and put his coin in his pocket. I told him to remember the message on the coin and asked him to keep in touch.

A couple of weeks later, I received a message from him on my answering machine thanking me for the coin. He said he was still on track and that the message on the Caring Coin kept him going. His coin was hanging in his truck.

I hear from my friend every so often... He is doing OK and his Caring Coinis still hanging in his truck. He always ends our conversation with "...Remember Salley, You are never alone" . That always makes me smile...

We all need to remember the message You are never alone...don't you think?

Caring Coins go to Iraq...

2010-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

It was a Tuesday morning in October when I heard on VPR that 650 Vermonters were heading off on Thursday to Mississippi for training and then to Iraq right after the holidays. I thought... “What if each one of them received a Caring Coin?” I called the National Guard, spoke with the Commander and asked if I could come to speak with him. He said “Lady, if you can find me, you can speak to me” I did find him and asked him if he thought the troops would want a coin with a card signed by someone who cares. He loved the idea. I told him he would have the Caring Coins before Christmas.

I then invited people to sponsor a Caring Coin for one of the troops. 650 Caring Coins with the angel and the message You are never alone arrived at the base before Christmas. They were placed on each bunk while the troops were on maneuvers.

This is one of the many messages I received from one of the troops in Iraq:
“The angel coins mean a lot to us in Iraq. People keep them on their dogtags, on their desks at work, or in a pocket. It means a lot to us to know that people are thinking of us, and praying for us while we are over here. Having a small token to look at or carry around is good b/c it is a tangible thing that helps us remember people care.”

This message reminds me how important a simple little reminder of caring can be to someone.

Is there someone you'd like to remember with a Caring Coin?

Caring Coins stories...

2010-02-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

The Caring Coins began showing up in the most unexpected places... More and more people were asking for Caring Coins to share with their family, friends and sometimes with people they didn't know. And so, the You Are Never Alone Foundation was born.

The stories I am sharing with you in this blog are random stories of the Caring Coins in no particular order. Some are our stories, some are stories others have shared with us. Some are early stories, some will be stories have come to me that day…

Although each story is unique, you will see a commom thread...the caring connection.

Do you have a Caring Coin story to share?

They are Caring Coins...

2010-02-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

Once again, I randomly shared the coins. I always carried a couple in my pocket and had more in my car. And each time there was a connection…a caring connection. One day a man asked me why I gave him this coin. And without even thinking, I said “… because I care about you”

It was then that I realized that these are not just wooden coins with words on them. These little coins with the message You are never alone are tangible reminders of the universal caring that unites each one of us… the caring that is meant to be shared. They are Caring Coins…

Have you ever wanted something simple and tangible that could show someone that you care? The Caring Coin is just that...

The coins are meant to be shared..

2010-02-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

I was really kind of relieved to put the dream to rest...
But that wasn't meant to be. One morning, shortly after my mother's funeral, I received a phone call from a woman requesting coins to share with her friends. Then, a nurse I worked with asked for a coin for one of her patients. A couple of days later, a man called and asked for a coin to give to his grandson as a reminder that he would always be there for him. The coins and their message You are never alone were having an impact on people...But I was out of coins...

Once again, I searched for someone who could craft these coins, someone who would care about the coins and the message as much as I did. I was just about to give up when I was directed to a man who worked with marble and stone in a warehouse in Springfield, Vermont. He had a laser machine.

I went to this huge old warehouse with marble and dust everywhere. There, I met Paul, a tall, thin man with a very gentle smile. I knew immediately that he was the person who could help me. When I shared the story of my dream, he smiled. He said he loved the message; and his wife loved angels. It was a match made in heaven.

Paul immediately started to laser the coins. As I held one of his coins in my hand,I felt calm and safe, just as I had felt in my dream…

I can't explain my dream or how I was directed to this gentle man at the huge warehouse, but I do believe that these little coins are meant to share the message You are never alone.

What do you think?

The unspoken significance of the coins...

2010-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

As I shared the coins, I was amazed to see how the coins and the message seemed to touch people sometimes without me saying a word. This unspoken significance of the coin became especially clear to me when I placed a coin on each of the side rails of my mother’s bed as she struggled with Alzheimer’s disease.

Once the beautiful, confident matriarch of our family, she was now a fragile, frightened, child-like shell of the person she once was, unable to remember anyone. When Mommy looked at the coin hanging on the side rail of her bed, she smiled and said “There’s my angel.” A calmness came over her. The little coin with the angel and the message You are never alone had done what words could not do…it touched something deep inside of her.

When Mommy died, I shared the coins with our family at her funeral. I believed this was the purpose of my dream and the coins with the angel and the message You are never alone.

I could now put this dream to rest…

The coin becomes a reality...

2010-01-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

As the days went by, I couldn't put the coin and the message out of my mind. Somehow I knew that I must share the coin and the message with others.

But where do I begin? Then it came to me...start with the angel. I asked a friend to draw a free flowing angel.

I then set out to find someone here in Vermont who could inscribe the angel and the message You are never alone on a wooden coin. It was important to be able to feel the angel and the words as I had in the dream. I was directed to a man up north who could burn the angel and the message into the wooden coins. This man thought I was crazy...he just rolled his eyes when I told him that these coins would go around the world. He did craft 100 coins…

Once I had the coins, I shared them with family and friends and sometimes with people I didn’t know. Each time the person receiving the coin seemed to understand the message You are never alone.

What would you think if someone offered you a wooden coin with the message You are never alone?

One night I had a dream...

2010-01-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

One night I had a dream...
In this dream, I was holding a wooden coin. Engraved on the coin was an angel and the message You are never alone...I could feel the angel and the words. I remember feeling calm and safe as I held the coin.

When I awoke, I looked for the coin... I looked under my pillow, under the covers and even on the floor. When I couldn’t find it, I realized that I had been dreaming.

I was a little perplexed by the dream...
What could it mean? Why a wooden coin? Why an angel? And what about the message...You are never alone? I pondered these questions for quite a while…

Then one morning I came upon these words in a meditation book I have had for years:
“Our dreams beckon us to new heights. All that we may need is the courage to move toward them taking the necessary steps to realize those dreams. Trusting that we will be shown the necessary steps, one step at a time."
It continued..."Our dreams, when they are for the good of ourselves and others are invitations from God to spread our wings, and attempt new heights…They are not happenstance… Our dreams reflect the contributions we are called upon to make in this life.”

As I thought about the coin and the message You are never alone, I realized that there were times that I have felt alone. I then thought about how calm and safe I felt as I held the coin in my hand.

Could is be that this coin with its message You are never alone could do the same for others?