
Greater
Seattle Viet Nam Association
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GSVA Newsletters
The Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association
UPDATE
Issue January / December 2002
Winner of 2000
Seattle’s Sister Cities Award
Seattle – Hai Phong Sister City
Happy New Year
2003 – The Year of the Goat
~ ~ ~ ~
10th Year Anniversary Celebration
On Wednesday, October 23, 2002, supporters, friends, members of the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association gathered at the Port of Seattle Atrium to join us in our 10th year anniversary celebration. This year’s theme is ‘Making A Difference’, a benefit reception to raise funds for GSVA projects.
Guests at the reception enjoyed an evening of great food, traditional Viet Nam music, an elaborate silent auction, and ‘back by popular demand’ performances by Cecilia Vu and her ‘master of martial arts’ brothers.
Also ‘back by popular demand’ was our own television award winner Mimi Gan as our Mistress of Ceremonies for this special celebration.
The program began with the ‘Now and Then’ presentation by two of our senior members of our board of directors. Judith Henchy and Gary Johnson have been part of GSVA since the very beginning, and they continue to serve on our board on several different roles. They presented a historical perspective of the early years with its challenges and successes.
David Dean, Jay Holman, Rotarians Marty Lindemann, Ed Sider and
Kay Rodriguez reported on their recent GSVA-sponsored “HumaniTour” trip to Viet
Nam and recounted their experiences visiting many of the projects in which GSVA,
Rotary, and Kids Without Borders are involved. President Son Michael Pham talked
about the range of current projects currently supported by GSVA in Viet Nam and
about GSVA partner projects such as the local Kids Without Borders effort. He
also congratulated Clear Path International as the former GSVA project launches
out on its own as a private, non-profit organization. GSVA was honored by the
presence and comments of US Rep. Jim McDermott, former Governor Mike Lowry,
Seattle City Councilmember Jan Drago, and Port of Seattle Commissioner Paige
Miller. A very successful silent auction, fine food and a wonderful musical and
martial arts performances rounded out the evening. Here’s to GSVA’s next ten
years!
Gary Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION to the following supporters for our 10th Anniversary Celebration:
Bamboohardwoods
Clear Path International
Mimi Gan – KING 5 Television
Mimi’s Bakeries
Port of Seattle
Timothy Tran Law & Escrow
Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle
U.S – Asia Gateway
Village Art
VINA Mortgage
Cecilia Vu and family
And our volunteers: Bonnie Gildea, Laurel Cultrona. Kieu Ho, Vanessa Nguyen and their friends. And members of our board and their families.
Khue Dang & Lea Ann Kaplan
Event Committee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HUMANITýURS©
DESTINATION -> VIET NAM
A project of GSVA in partnership with the Rotary Club of the University District Seattle and Kids Without Borders
Early in October GSVA President Son Michael Pham led a group of eight people on Humanitour 2002. Many of you will remember that last year Son and I plus an old friend of mine, Ben Field, participated in Humanitour 2001 which was a test run for the concept of Humanitourism. That concept combines traveling for tourism with exposing travelers to a wide range of humanitarian opportunities. Based on Humanitour 2002, the concept is valid and people enjoy the opportunity to combine tourism travel with humanitarian work.
The scope of the trip was very large, covering visits to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, Hue, Dong Ha, Khe Sanh, Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh-Cu Chi, Dalat, and for a couple of us, Vung Tau. While a few of the visits, like cruising Ha Long Bay, were purely tourism, humanitarian opportunities were woven into most of the stops. Visiting the Clear Path and PeaceTrees Vietnam mine clearing and victim assistance programs in Dong Ha gave us all a chance to be reminded about the long-term commitment that has been made by groups in the Seattle area to helping ameliorate the situation of people living in heavily mined areas. Providing sewing machines to equip vocational training at the Hoa Phuong Village Orphanage in Hai Phong, contributing clothing and exercise equipment to the Thanh Xuan Peace Village in Hanoi, and spending the day with the GSVA-funded English language class of Go Vap Orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City were all memorable events. Impromptu distribution of clothing on the road in the mountain villages near Khe Sanh was also a lot of fun.
Fun was also the key word at the Helmets for Kids ceremony with first, and second graders from an elementary school in Hanoi. GSVA and Kids Without Borders have created a partnership with the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation where the organizations work together providing free helmets for children. Head injuries caused by falls from motorcycles and bicycles are a major problem in Vietnam. Three hundred and fifty helmets were presented at the ceremony. And we were rewarded with songs, skits, and dances by the children during the ceremony.
Son Michael Pham did a masterful job of organizing the trip and leading us on the journey. We know now that Humanitourism is a viable concept. Let’s spread the word about Humanitour 2002 and make plans for 2003!
Dave Dean
~ ~ ~ ~
We will never lose sight of our primary mission in traveling to Vietnam: to assist and bring comfort to orphaned and sick kids. Our expectations were met to the fullest extent by packing over duffel bags of clothes, medical supplies, sporting goods, and toys. While there we participated in the distribution of exercise and sewing equipment, bicycle helmets, and cash for the purchase of provisions. While at the Go Vap Orphanage in Saigon, we viewed the completed water system, costing thousands of dollars, provided by the University District Rotary Club. While there other needs were discovered, and plans are being made to meet them.
Visiting Vietnam was the most enriching and rewarding travel experience we have ever had. The culture shock is overwhelming but pleasing. The people are friendly, smile easily, and never showed dislike or resentment toward Americans. We could walk the streets of Hanoi and Saigon at night without fear of being accosted. The policemen are unarmed. By our standards, the people live in great hardship because some 80 million people are crowded into a land mass the size of Washington State. In many ways, the citizens are rich. They are rich in friends, family, and a strong sense of community.
HUMANITOUR is a winner! We strongly urge you to plan your Vietnam and Southeast Asia experience through future HumaniTour. We recommend Son and the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association in the strongest way possible. This trip is a sure thing!
Robert Drexler
~ ~ ~ ~
I am very proud and happy to announce that the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association was awarded the Seattle’s Sister Cities ‘Best Single Project 2002’ by the City of Seattle. The award was presented by Mayor Greg Nickels and City Councilmember Jan Drago at the 7th Annual Seattle Sister Cities Award Reception honoring Seattle’s 21 Sister City Associations held on November 20, 2002.
The unique experiences each HumaniTour team member brought home with them has served as approval of our work done in Viet Nam with many of the related non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that we are in partnership with.
I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to the following people and organizations; it would not be as successful of a trip without their support:
Rotary Club of the University District Seattle
Greig Craft and Tu Anh Do of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation
Nicole Morrison of the Detlef Schrempf Foundation
Kids Without Borders volunteers
Hugh Hosman of Clear Path International
Mr. Nguyen Viet Dzung of Buffalo Tours
Ms. Phan Thanh Minh Hieu – GSVA’s Saigon representative
Tatsuya Adachi
Victoria Booker-Withers
And a huge THANK YOU to all of my team members on the HumaniTour:
Dave Dean
Robert and Nancy Drexler
Jay Holman
Rotarian Marty Lindemann
Rotarians Ed Sider & Kay Rodriguez
Here is information on some of our stops and memorable, special moments during our trip:
¤ Thanh Xuan Peace Village, Hanoi:
this run-down facility provides care and rehabilitation for approximately 70
children suffering from the effects of dioxin – a component of the toxic
herbicide Agent Orange used during the war. The HumaniTour team made a
contribution of new children’s clothes (worth $5,000) and funds to replace
several of the rusted physical therapy exercise equipment.
¤ Hoa Phuong Orphanage, Hai Phong:
You might recall our long relationship with this particualr orphanage located in
Seattle’s sister city. Our group arrived late from Hanoi due to heavy traffic.
The older kids went back to their schools after their lunch and afternoon nap,
so we only met the younger kids and the staff. Our group broke into smaller
groups and joined the five families for a late lunch in their homes.
Then our team presented the staff of the orphanage our donation of eight brand
new electric sewing machines for the vocational training program.
¤ Stuffed Animals and a Letter from Seattle:
Dear New Friend,
My name id Victoria Booker-Withers, and I was born in Guatemala. Both my parents
died by the time I was 7 years old, so I lived in an orphanage with about 40
other children. There were boys and girls there, and big and little kids. I went
there when I was 9 years old, so I was a big kid who took care of 2 little boys.
When I was 12 years old, I met my American Mom and Dad. Their names are Jean and
John. They came to visit my orphanage because of a Rotary Club project just like
the one at your orphanage because my Mom has been a member of Rotary for a long
time. They decided to adopt me, so now I live with them in Seattle, Washington.
When I came to the USA, I had to learn English and catch up in school. I had
only been to school for 3 years, and I was put in the eight grade. That meant
that I had to work very hard to catch up --- especially in math. My dad says I’m
almost caught up now --- and I’m a junior in high school (that’s the 11th
grade)!
When I was in the orphanage, I remember that we all liked to have pictures and I
hope you like this pictures of me with the stuffed animals I wanted you to have.
My parents call them my zoo. I hope that you love them as much as I do.
I wish you a very good life. Your friend.
Victoria A. Booker-Withers
Dear Victoria,
Thank you for your donation of stuffed animals, and your letter. We delivered
them to the children at the Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong, knowing that they
will bring them joy and happiness.
¤ Go Vap Orphanage, Saigon:
Last April, a generous grant from the Rotary Club of the University District
Seattle paid for a new water storage system to replace a ruptured underground
tank at this orphanage. Rotarians on our HumaniTour had the opportunity to view
the results of the contribution and the impact it made on the lives of
approximately 200 orphans.
¤ Adoption Ups and Downs:
Greetings from Singapore!
Hi Son,
The good news is I am writing from Singapore! Yes, Gus & Mom are happily settled
at home. What a trip – but what a happy conclusion!
I am really sorry I have not written sooner to share the good news. We’ve been
home for 3 weeks and it’s just been one big whirlwind. Tons of visitors, all the
details of setting Gus in, new pediatrician, haircut, you name it! But he is
incredible well adjusted already and just as happy and easy as he was when you
saw him.
The final chapter in Vietnam wasn’t pretty. I went to the U.S Embassy to seek
help and they told me they were already investigating the director of this
orphanage. They were extremely upset to learn that I hadn’t received a receipt
or signed the book – everything you said, really. I felt pretty stupid but they
were more concerned about just straightening things out.
…. My sister Ellen had quit her job in the U.S to live in Singapore for a year
and help me raise Gus (aren’t I so lucky?). She’d been waiting for in Sing for a
few weeks, but when things got hairy she just flew to HCMC to join us. She was
great moral support but the funny part is that things suddenly accelerated so
much. Ellen was only in VN for 3 days when I was handed Gus’ passport. We went
to the airport on a Saturday morning without a reservation, just begging for
standby seats as I was so keen to go home. It worked!
So … the saga had a happy ending as you predicted. I really don’t know what to
make of it all.
…
Kathy
Note: we met Kathy in Saigon, and learned about her problems with the adoption
process of Gus. Kathy is from Boston, operates her own business and lives in
Singapore.
¤ Landmine Survivor, Khe Sanh, the DMZ, Hilltribe Village
Children:
Our team was met by Hugh Hosman, in-country representative of Clear Path
International, when we arrived in Quang Tri Province. Hugh took us to visit the
Landmine Education Center in Dong Ha. Then we visited a family of a landmine
survivor supported by CPI.
Along the road to the DMZ and Khe Sanh, we made several stops and gave out new
children’s clothes to children from several hilltribe villages.
¤ Scholarship Recipients:
Please accept my deepest appreciation to all of the members of the association,
and my best wishes for every successes.
I wish in the future I can join you in your charity work, and I will give my
best efforts to repay all of you for your support to me and my family.
Ngoc Ha
Note: Ngoc Ha is now on her third year at the University of Medical in Saigon.
Ha is one of the recipients of the GSVA Scholarship program this year, this is
her third consecutive year. She has maintained excellent grades in school. Ha’s
mother came from the An Lac Orphanage, which was supported by Betty Tisdale
until the end of the war.
HUMANITOUR March 2003
Join us …
Sign-up now for limited space on the upcoming HumaniTour, departing Seattle on March 12 and returning on March 25 or 26. The current itinerary includes the following visits: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ha Long Bay (Cat Ba and Ha Long City), Hue, Quang Tri, DMZ, Khe Sanh, Saigon, and Tay Ninh. The HumaniTour team will be involved with several projects when we visit the following organizations: Thanh Xuan Peace Village (children victimized by Agent Orange), ‘Helmets for Kids’ by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong, landmine programs by Clear Path International, and the Go Vap Orphanage in Saigon.
For more information on the HumaniTour March 2003 or October 2003, costs, special discounts for GSVA members and Rotarians, … please contact GSVA or email info@humanitours.org. Deadline to sign up is February 14 based on space availability.
Son Michael Pham
HumaniTour and Kids Without Borders are projects of the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association.
IN THE NEWS
GSVA LOSES FOUNDING MEMBERS
Former GSVA president Norma Mohr passed away on May 31st of this year. Ms. Mohr contracted hepatitis C during surgery in Hong Kong more than 30 years ago and finally lost her battle with this illness. Ms. Mohr served as president during the mid 1990’s and worked tirelessly promoting the organization and establishing ties with Viet Nam. Ms. Mohr traveled to Viet Nam many times starting in the early 1960’s when her husband, Charlie Mohr, was a noted war correspondent for Time magazine and then the New York Times. The family also lived in India, Thailand, Hong Kong and Kenya in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Norma’s many friends in GSVA will miss her incredible energy and passion for the people of Viet Nam.
Gary Johnson
~ ~ ~ ~
LANGUAGE ALERT
The American Red Cross, serving King & Kitsap Counties, are in great need of
Vietnamese interpreters. If you know of anyone who would be interested in
volunteering with the Language Bank, please refer them to:
American Red Cross Language Bank
Phone (206) 726-3554 languagebank@seattleredcross.org www.seattleredcross.org
Top languages requested are: Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Somali, Chinese
(Cantonese & Mandarin).
~ ~ ~ ~
BUFFALO TOURS & THE AMAZING RACE
How would you like to win One Million Dollars? Well that’s just what happened to
Flo and Zach recently when they won the arduous reality TV show The Amazing
Race. What’s more they called on the services of Buffalo Tours to help them
progress through the Vietnam stage of the race. Starting in Seattle and
finishing 11 episodes later in Miami, the remaining 3 teams were slogging it out
in Vietnam and were desperately searching for a flight back to the US to
complete the race and collect the one million dollars cash prize. Cue Buffalo
Tours – Flo and Zach called our Hanoi office and we did the rest, ensuring they
were the first team back in the States!
~ ~ ~ ~
U.S. AND VIETNAM GOVERNMENTS WORKS WITH
ILO TO STRENGTHEN VIETNAM'S INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS INSTITUTIONS AND IMPROVE
PRIVATE SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS
The U.S. is providing $1.7 million and the Vietnamese Government is providing
in-kind contributions of personnel and other logistical support for a new,
three-year International Labor Organization (ILO) industrial relations project.
Under the project the Ministry of labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA),
the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL), the Vietnam Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Vietnam Cooperative Association will work with
the International Labor organization to strengthen institutions, law and
practices and promote sound industrial relations at the national, provincial and
enterprise levels.
The project will also assist in enhancing respect for the principle of freedom
of association and the right to collective bargaining, under the ILO's
Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights and Work adopted in 1998.
The U.S. Ambassador spoke along with ILO and Vietnamese officials at the launch
of the ILO-Vietnam industrial relations project, which took place January 8,
2003 in the Press Club in Hanoi.
~ ~ ~ ~
EXPECTED DELAYS IN ADOPTIONS IN VIETNAM
December 20, 2002
The Government of Vietnam is expected to initiate new procedures for
international adoptions on January 2, 2003. At that time, there likely will be a
significant delay in the processing of adoption cases, including those of
American citizens. Apart from the potential disruption in adoption processing,
we believe the implementation of new procedures is a positive development. If
properly implemented, the regulations have the potential to eliminate the abuses
of the past and institute a more transparent adoption process, one that better
protects the interests of children, birth parents and adopting parents alike.
Although the Vietnamese government has stated that pending adoption cases will be processed, the dossiers in these cases must have a child identified and been accepted by the provincial Departments of Justice by the close of business on December 31. We have been told that even these cases will not be processed until the local authorities have complied a list of accepted cases and these lists for review by the new central adoption authority. We cannot predict how long this process will take.
New adoption cases will not be processed until there is an agreement on adoptions between Vietnam and other individual countries, including the United States. Currently, the United States and the Government of Vietnam are actively involved in discussions regarding the conditions under which adoptions between our two countries can continue.
As previously noted, in light of the uncertainties facing international adoption in Vietnam with the implementation of the new regulations and the likelihood of indefinite delays, American citizens are strongly urged not to enter into an agreement with an adoption service provider to adopt in Vietnam at this time. The Department of State will continue to work with the Government of Vietnam to clarify the new regulations and will provide updates as information becomes available.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
U.S. Consulate General
4 Le Duan Street, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City
Attention: Adoption Team Immigrant Visa Unit
Telephone: (84-8) 822 9433, ext 2172 or 2112 Fax: (84-8) 825 0938 Email:
adoptionvietnam@state.gov
~ ~ ~ ~
Kids Without Borders supports
the ‘Helmets for Kids’ program in Viet Nam
By Son Michael Pham
The motorbike has become the family mode of transportation in Vietnam, much like the automobile in Western countries. It is not unusual to find both parents and one, two, even three siblings all riding on one motorbike! Vietnam has the world's highest rate of motorization - More than 10 million motorbikes on its crowded roads - from less than half a million only 10 years ago.
Tragically, along with this motorization and modernization has come a new 'epidemic' of mortality and morbidity. Less than 3% of Vietnams population use motorbike helmets, with the result that there are more than 37 young people dying every day from motorbike accidents, and triple that number suffering serious head injury and brain damage. These 37 daily fatalities are equivalent to a fully loaded jumbo jet crashing in Vietnam every 10 days, killing all passengers and crew.
Kids Without Borders (KWB) has taken action by providing new lightweight, tropical helmets to children and teachers of Thuc Nghiem primary school (Hanoi). The program has distributed 50,000 helmets to date, with 33 young lives already saved from possible death or injury (see following story). This new 'daily vitamin' is proving a valuable intervention to this horrific problem afflicting the young. Kids Without Borders hopes to continue providing more helmets to students this year. Our goal: "A helmet on every mother and child in Vietnam"!
CASE HISTORY:
Chu Anh Tu, 11 years old,
Thuc Nghiem Primary, Ha Noi
Chu Anh Tu got the crash while riding to her uncle's in the morning of 27 October 2002. Trying to avoid an elderly pedestrian who was crossing the street without watching the traffic, Anh Tu rode her bicycle too close to the roadside and hit the pavement thereby losing balance. Despite the slow speed, during the collision her bicycle fell down and she was thrown quite a distance, where her head struck a big tree. Anh Tu's arms and legs were bruised for weeks thereafter, but fortunately, because of wearing her helmet, she sustained no head injury or brain damage.
The brave little girl has received a replacement helmet from her sponsor Kids Without Borders.
‘Helmets for Kids’ is a program by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation. Founded in 1999 and based in Hanoi, the Foundation is an innovative non-profit organization that is working to save the lives of those at-risk children.
Greig Craft, the president and founder of Asia Injury, is an American who came to Vietnam in the early 1990s on a business venture. By the end of the decade, he had fallen in love with the country and decided enough children had died in the streets of his adopted country. They decided they could to do something about it.
In just three short years, Asia Injury has accomplished the following:
· Asia Injury built and now operates the world's first
non-profit helmet factory producing certified, inexpensive helmets
· Asia Injury has distributed 50,000 helmets free of charge through a corporate
adopt-a-school program – many more will be donated this year
· A traffic safety education curriculum was developed for the country's 10
million primary school children to increase road safety awareness
· A public awareness campaign was launched to modify behavior toward helmet use
and road safety using billboards, bus posters and newspaper ads.
· New public policies on helmet standards, traffic laws and enforcement were
endorsed.
· A revised and expanded national helmet standard was developed, including the
world's first child motorbike helmet standard.
During the HumaniTour trip in October 2002, KWB and the Rotary Club of the University District Seattle purchased 350 helmets for students in the first and second grade at the Thuc Nghiem School in Hanoi. Since then, two more Rotary clubs in the Seattle area joined KWB supporting the ‘Helmets for Kids’ program. A special ceremony will take place in March 2003, when a team of Rotarians will be honored at a helmet scholarship celebration in Hanoi where hundreds of the helmets will be given to young students.
“Vietnam is a country experiencing phenomenal growth right now,” said Craft. “But along with that growth comes an increase in motorbikes on the roads and an increase in road accidents. Something needed to be done to save the lives of the next generation.”
For Craft, it is a way to lend meaning to a long business career in Vietnam. For his Executive Director, Do Tu Anh, it is also personal. Four years ago, she lost three cousins to road accidents within two days.
”We are helping to save lives every day,” said Do Tu Anh. “And that means helping my country thrive and grow and creating a safer place for all of us.”
Asia Injury has been fortunate to have some high profile help getting their message across. In November of 2000, President Bill Clinton joined Asia Injury in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to help christen their new “Helmets for Kids” program and to personally distribute the first of 50,000 helmets that have been donated to schoolchildren across the country.
For more information on the ‘Helmets for Kids’ program, please contact KWB at info@kidswithnoborders.org.
~ ~ ~ ~
REEL VIET NAM
'Quiet American' gets first screening in Viet Nam
HANOI (AFP) - The film version of Graham Greene's 1955 novel "The Quiet American" was given an enthusiastic welcome on its Vietnam premiere after being deemed acceptable by official censors.
Greene's novel was acclaimed as a portent of American involvement in Indochina and is set in Saigon in 1952 at the height of the fight for independence from French colonial rule.
The film tells the story of a tumultuous love triangle involving
a cynical foreign correspondent, played by Michael Caine, and an idealistic
young American played by Brendan Fraser. The film is very faithful to Greene's
book, which is sold in photocopied editions by kids on the streets of Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City, and depicts the period when France was losing its conflict in
Vietnam and American engagement was growing by the day.
The story flatters Vietnamese pride by depicting the Western powers as blind.
They are fascinated by Vietnam but incapble of understanding the country,
charmed by its beauty but destined to do it harm. The film adaptation has been
tipped as an early contender for Oscar honours next year. It received its Hanoi
premiere on Tuesday, and in line with local tradition a single female voice
narrated the entire dubbed dialogue in Vietnamese. The film will be screened in
Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday before going on nationwide release.
The 2002 box office hit "We Were Soldiers", which depicts the November 1965 battle of Ia Drang, the first major set-piece clash between US troops and the North Vietnamese Army, was banned for "distorting historical reality".
The authorities also took objection to this year's release of "Green Dragon", which is based around the first wave of refugees who fled Vietnam in 1975 and who were housed in camps in the United States. Vietnamese actor Don Duong is still awaiting punishment for his role in both productions. Vietnamese authorities, who in the past have been sharply critical of Hollywood portrayals of the Vietnam war, have lauded the movie as "progressive in its perception of Vietnamese history."
Australian director Phillip Noyce and star actor Fraser attended December's Hanoi debut. They later met students from Hanoi's film school and the Vietnam's national cinema association. But many found it difficult to talk about the war period. "The film's approach to the Vietnam war is very general and it does not take a clear stance. I was not alive during this period and therefore I am not really in a position to comment," said journalist Le Hai Van.
Actor Bach Diep added: "I do not want to criticise or praise the film. It was interesting."
Note: ‘The Quiet American’ will be in theaters the Seattle area starting February 7, 2003.
~ ~ ~ ~
Making A Difference
YOU CAN HELP US Making A Difference … Support our projects in Viet Nam
Teaching English program: GSVA Teaching English program at the Go Vap Orphanage (Saigon) is entering its fourth year. The program started with funds left from small grants by the Boeing Company and Airborne Express. Unfortunately, we only have enough funds to continue this program until the end of the first quarter of 2003. Your contribution will allow GSVA to continue this worthwhile program. The cost: $17 per month for each of the orphans in the program; the impact: the opportunity for this orphan to be self-sustained later on in life after he/she leaves the orphanage. Email info@seattlevietnam.org for additional information.
Support the ‘Helmets for Kids’ program (see story in this issue). Each helmet produced in Viet Nam (not for profit) costs $8.00. Students in the U.S can get involved in adopting a class or a school in VN. Email info@kidswithnoborders.org for additional information.
Contribute to our scholarship program. We seek out disadvantaged poor children and young adults, and support them getting the necessary education, training or skills for a better future.
Bring clean water to approximately 118 Bru villagers near Khe Sanh (along the Laos border). More information on this project, please email board member Dick Hunter res032rn@gte.net.
Donate school supplies for children at the Nang Ren Hamlet in Bac Lieu.
Donate computer or electronic equipment (in good condition) to our orphanages.
Donate airline mileage.
Become a member of GSVA.
As a non-profit 501-C3 organization, your contributions to the GSVA are tax-deductible.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association
P.O Box 23282
Seattle, WA 98102 USA
(206) 322-1178 Fax (206) 374-2944
www.seattlevietnam.org Email info@seattlevietnam.org
A Nonprofit Volunteer Organization
JOIN US !
Become a member of the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association. Your membership
helps support our events, programs, projects and services of the Association.
Membership Benefits:
Receive our newsletter to stay informed about happenings pertaining to Viet Nam.
Contribute and participate in GSVA projects in the U.S and in Viet Nam.
Excellent opportunities to network with community and business leaders in the U.S and Viet Nam through our business events.
Opportunity to increase your international business contacts.
Viet Nam related resources in the areas of education, the arts, trade, and humanitarian work.
MEMBERSHIP DUES
( ) $25 Individual / Friend of the Association
( ) $100 Organizational / Company Membership
( ) $500 Corporate Partner
( ) $1,000 Executive Partner
GSVA is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extend permitted by the law.
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Greater
Seattle Viet Nam Association
P.O.Box 23282; Seattle, WA 98102 USA
206-322-1178 * Fax 206-374-2944 *
Email info@seattlevietnam.org