THE CLOTH AND THE MUD, SPRING, 2007

NEWS FROM FABULOUS AFRICAN FABRICS

a 501 (c) (3) organization

1158 Kensington St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49534 and

433 South Paula Dr. #7 Dunedin, FL 34698

www.fabulousarficanfabrics.org

616-735-4109 Michigan, 727-733-9694 Florida

Editor, Laura Salazar, FAF Executive Director

Fabulous African Fabrics is organized to support agencies working with AIDS widows and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya and other African countries, to inform United States citizens of the AIDS crisis in Kenya and to promote African textile arts

FAF PARTNERS WITH ROTARY ON $13,900 GRANT

The Good Samaritan Home of Nairobi Kenya has received a grant of $13,900 from Rotary International for high school tuition for its students in the next school year. The grant came about when Keith Kurber and Laura Salazar, both of the Dunedin North Rotary, Dunedin, Florida worked together to write a proposal for the grant. Kurber, a past District President of Rotary involved other clubs. The Hudson club headed by Judy Scheve and Ginny PIerce of the Keystone Sunrise club raised further funds. International Rotary matched this money. The Rotary Langata Club of Nairobi, Kenya, and its President Mutala Kilonzo contributed a cooperative grant. Mr. Mutala's club will administer the funds.

Although the money will go directly to the Langata Rotary, FAF gives heartfelt thanks to all of those involved. Because of FAF's many faithful workers, excellent publicity and strong financial support, we were able to draw attention to the needs of the Good Samaritan Home. We look forward to hearing about how well our students are doing in their classes. Thank you all for your help and a special thanks to Keith Kurber who was determined that the Good Samaritan Home would recieve a significant amount of money for tuition.

Mercy Thuo wrote "It is great to hear from you with the encouraging news of what God is doing. . . We believe the grant will boost us and push us to another level. With the tuituion it is already needed because right now we have some balances plus the ten students who are out of school."

ANNUAL MEETINGS:

FAF's annual meeting will be held Sunday, May 20 at 2:00 P.M. at 1158 Kensington St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI. An agenda will be sent to all members the second week of May. The position of President from 2007-2010 will be decided at this meeting. Other officers' terms continue through 2008. An agenda will be sent two weeks before the meeting.

The Florida Annual Celebration and Meeting of FAF was held April 13. At this time many Florida members and friends were honored for their work this winter. Gifts were presented to Keith Kurber, Royce Harding and Zard Tompkins. Sally Banwart won the Voss/Roelsma quilt mentioned below.

NEWS FROM AFRICA

Margaret Carlson, President of FAF inquired about the possibility of ways FAF could help children and neighborhood mothers in and around the Good Samaritan Home. She asked about the mosquito nets that are doing such a good job of keeping people free from malaria. Mercy Thuo wrote back that there were no beds for the nets to cover, and if there were beds, there is no room for the beds, as a building needs to be built to hold beds. On a happier note, when asked about helping the mothers mentioned in a letter this winter, Mercy wrote that the mothers are receiving AIDS drugs free of charge.

As mentioned earlier on the website, circumcision for men is strongly recommended. African men seem to be responding to this method of HIV/AIDS prevention.

The New York Times noted on February 27 that one important way to return HIV/AIDS patients back to good health is to make sure that they have good nutrition. Dr. Martin Graber told FAF this at a meeting two years ago.

On the first of March, the same paper announced a drug partnership between Doctors Without Borders and an international drug company to stop malaria. Treatment could cost as low as fifty cents. Three thousand babies and children die each day from malaria in Africa. This drug, called ASAQ, can be taken by infants under eleven pounds, unlike other malaria drugs.

FAF SENT $1050 TO KENYA THIS QUARTER AND $4050 IN 2007.

FAF HEROS AND MEMBER NEWS

Member Mary Voss and her quilting friend Nancy Roelsma donated a beautiful wall quilt to FAF this winter. It was raffled off at the Florida Celebration for $96.00. Great going, Mary, and Nancy.

Past President Jill Hamilton created the "Remember Tony on his Birthday" drive for the Anthony Salazar Fund. The organization raised close to $1000 this winter. The money will be used for emergencies such as this fall's floods in Kenya which raised the cost of food.

Joyce and Wesley Soto once again named February "Chicken Feed for FAF" at the First United Methodist Church in Dunedin. At the church's Wednesday night suppers, a cup is set on every table. People are encouraged to empty their coin purses into the cup. This February FAF is the beneficiary of $120.00 thanks to Joyce, Wes, and the good people of FUMC.

Laura Salazar's silk painting, "Facing Tomorrow" received the Fox Foundation Best of Show in the Student/Member 2007 art show at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. Laura's painting honors an AIDS mother and son she met in Kisumu, Kenya.

NEW PROJECTS

Pen Pals

Amy Tetzlaff, one of our California members, has engaged her students in a pen-pal project with The Good Samaritan Home. Not only are her students writing to the children in the Good Samaritan Home, but they also raised the money for the African children's postage. As a part of their school work, the California kids knit an afghan which was raffled at a school event, raising $50.00.

Convergence and Banners

The summer of 2008, Convergence, the international weavers' celebration will be held in Tampa Bay. Grand Rapids members will remember all of the wonderful events and shows at Convergence in that city in 2006. Banners made by children are always a part of the exhibits. Sarah Butz of Clearwater, FL has worked out a way for the children at the Good Samaritan Home to make squares with self portraits. The squares will be sent to Dunedin where Sarah and her team will sew them into banners. What will the children create? Stay tuned.

THE CLOTH--FAF CLOTH GOES GREEN

Sally Banwart appeared at a meeting with Laura Salazar in February dismayed at all of the plastic bags we get at the grocery store. She said, "If only we could do what my daughter does in Florida. She takes a cloth bag to the grocery and uses it over and over." About the same time Laura received a donation of sturdy upholstry fabric. A day or so later, Lucy Ramshaw, our mad hatter from Wisconsin, walked in the door. Together they sorted over the fabric and made piles for both of them. They now are swiftly sewing bags that are about the size of a paper grocery bag and sell for $5.00. The Surface Design Guild of Tampa Bay is collecting fabric for the project. Donations of textiles and sewing are appreciated. There are lots of shoppers out there who need bags!

Sally is handling sales for the First United Women of Dunedin who will receive $1.00 for each bag they sell. Your organization might like to sell them, too. The dollars add up. Agreed, this isn't African textiles, but it will help Africa none-the-less. Reports on climate change warn that the poorest countries will suffer the most as the planet warms.

SPRING SALES--CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR EXACT DATES

April 19 the last date for the Farmer's Market in Safety Harbor, FL

May is time for FAF organizational work and sewing to ready summer markets.

June begins sales at the Farmer's Market on Friday or Saturday and Art Market on Sunday in Grand Rapids, MI

JOIN FAF

BECOME A MEMBER, INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN, GIVE A MEMBERSHIP

Annual Membership: Individual--$20.00; Families--$30.00; Organizations--$50.00

Dues are used for communication expenses. They help us educate others about the needs of AIDS widows and orphans in Africa and the beauty and versatility of African textiles.

With membership comes privileges: Quarterly newsletter mailed to you. Voting rights in this important work. Breaking news about AIDS in Africa and African Textiles. Fun at FAF events.

Mail or e-mail us this information:

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MAIL TO 1148 KENSINGTON ST. NW, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49534