LETTER FROM KELLY

Dear Parents  and Students,

When I was home a few weekends ago, I visited with a family friend who has been very involved in
working with an African village.  I thought we could help!

A new school is being built in Limulunga by Hands of Hope, a Geneva and Barrington based
all-volunteer organization committed to helping women and children in Africa.  Although the school is
not completed, it is partially occupied.

Part of being a student in Zambia is wearing a uniform to school, so the very poorest children who
cannot pay for uniforms cannot attend school.  Hands of Hope wants to provide uniforms to the
children so they will be respected and feel pride in their school and themselves.  They are working to
collect uniforms for the students. There are 500 children ages 5 thru 17 who attend the school.  I
checked on specific requests and my friend said that the uniforms do not all need to be the
same--they just want their students to feel proud about going to school.

When the school is finished, they will buy sewing machines for the school, teach tailoring and sewing,
and have the students make their own uniforms with the help of a local tailor.  They want all the
projects that they do in Africa sustainable, but that is about two years ahead.

I know we have many dancers who attend schools with uniforms.  Please consider donating your
dancer's used uniforms to an African child who attends Limulunga Community School in Zambia!

Also--if you have connections to your school's uniform exchanges--we would take any
left overs.  If your dancer does not wear a uniform and you want to participate keep your
eyes open for uniforms at garage sales and second hand stores this spring.

Donations can be brought to dance classes now thorough the
beginning of July.  I will pick them up the weekend of July 19.  I will
keep you update on our progress!

Thanks,

Kelly