The grand total is...



Corporate Sponsor Duet Resource Group



We all celebrated after counting the money raised from selling the cookies and coffee as well as the paper bead necklaces and children's art work (on note cards) that we sold at the booth.  The grand total was $1047.27.  We've no idea where the $.27 came from but, hey, that will pay for 2 1/2 school lunches so we'll keep it!  Anyway, in the midst of congratulating ourselves for a successful HealthEd Connect fund raiser, we were thrilled to have our outcome doubled!!  Sharon Resch offered to match our earnings with a donation.  How cool is that??  Now for true confession....the whole weekend did not revolve around the HealthEd Connect booth.  The BIG attraction that brought people in was the Door County Century, a 100 mile bike ride through quaint little towns along the shores of Lake Michigan. The Mahliks and Reschs, who own the ride, set a new record for attendance this year with over 2600 riders. Joyce Mahlik, our cookie maker was one of the original founders of the ride many years ago.





Dan Mahlik clipping off the miles toward 100



Stone Creek Roaster



Jac lounging on bags of coffee beans at Stone Creek





Steve setting up the tasting station



We were treated to a back-stage tour of Stone Creek Roaster thanks to the owner, Eric Resch's, hospitality and generosity in being a corporate sponsor for the HealthEd Connect booth.  We are so proud to be associated with Stone Creek!  For you environmentally friendly advocates, you need to visit the Stone Creek website http://www.stonecreekcoffee.com/.  They go green all the way to the little farmer who actually grows the coffee.  Some of us think sipping the coffee is the ultimate.  Little Felix Resch, however, thinks climbing over the mountains of his Daddy's coffee sacks is by far the biggest treat.



Felix Resch conquering the coffee mountain!



Grandma Joyce's Amazing Cookies!

Joyce Mahlik (L), Bella and Michelle Mahlik

Joyce Mahlik spent hours in the kitchen baking gourmet cookies for our Door County booth.  Over 300 of them matter of fact!  Each cookie was individually displayed in a cellophane bag with a foil wrapped candy on top of the cookie to designate the cookie flavor, i.e. chocolate, cherry, peanut butter.  Everyone loved the cookies!  They were the perfect accompaniment to the gourmet Stone Creek Coffee that was also sold at our booth.  In spite of the fun, good vibes, and super support received at the booth, however, the best part was knowing that every cookie and coffee sale went toward the purchase of a Zambulance for the Congo.  More on that later...

Last minute scurry!



Paul creating the last-minute poster.



Bella announcing "Ready for business!"

 The HealthEd Connect crew at the Door County (Wisconsin) expo shifted into high gear last Saturday as we set up our booth.  Even though multiple signs had been prepared, a key sign for our Stone Creek Coffee display had been overlooked.  Paul zipped to the rescue at a moment's notice and made a super terrific sign! In the meantime, Bella helped set up the booth, arrange the cookies, display the paper-beads, etc.  If the kids in Africa could have been there to share in the excitement it would have been perfect!

Mountains beyond mountains...

At long last!  The progress we've all been waiting for has finally begun!  The first load of sand and gravel for the foundation material has been delivered to the Young Peacemaker's School and construction is underway.   The foundation ditches were dug long ago by the community (that part was free).  Now the supplies are arriving and mountains of tangible evidence of things to come fill the school yard.

Yeaaaah for the kids!  A real school is taking shape.

Mirriam's working crew



Isabella Mahlik, Paul Budnowski, and Jacob Christian working for Mirriam!

 Little Mirriam, our four-year old boss in Zambia, would be amazed at the great talent she's attracted.  We have a great Milwaukee crew busily working for Mirriam as they prepare for the big Door County Century event this weekend.  The HealthEd Connect booth will be selling notecards with the Zambian children's art work, the paper-bead necklaces made by the community health workers, special label Stone Creek Coffee and lots of homemade cookies.  The following day, September 11, a 2500+ family-friendly bike race will wind through the picturesque Door County country side.We're hoping to raise enough money to buy a Zambulance (a bicycle with a cart attached to take people to the hospital) for the DR Congo.  Some of the folks in Congo currently have to walk 30 or 40 kilometers to obtain health care.  A Zambulance would be hugely helpful!

We're Published!

Good News!  HealthEd Connect is in print!!!  I received a box in the mail Saturday with a copy of the book: The Humanitarian Leader in Each of Us: 7 Choices That Shape a Socially Responsible Life by Frank M. J. LaFasto and Carl E. Larson (Paperback - Aug 23, 2011 available on Amazon.com)

The authors interviewed a number of people they considered to be humanitarian leaders.  They concluded that the leaders they interviewed had 7 things in common:
1.  They leverage their life experiences
2.  They have a sense of fairness
3.  They believe they can matter
4.  They are open to an opportunity to help
5.  They start by taking a small step
6.  They persevere
7.  They lead the way

What an honor to be included in this book!  They interviewed me just as we were launching HealthEd Connect.  We have even more to share now.