WNY Girls' School Coalition Meeting Update

I want to commend you and your member schools in the WNY Girls' School Coalition for your continued support of educational equity projects in Afghanistan. Character can be defined as persevering in a worthy cause after the emotion that caused you to act has faded. The events of September 11, 2001 seem like a long time ago. In the aftermath of the attacks, thousands of American students and schools offered a sincere effort to help provide opportunity for the millions of disenfranchised Afghan children. When in the course of time, new needs arose; they abandoned their once strongly held dedication to Afghan students and moved on to other worthwhile efforts.

You have been different. You have stayed the course. You have persevered in your especially worthy decision long after other organizations have moved on. You have maintained a single-minded focus and have kept you eyes on a special prize. And you have made a difference in the lives of thousands of Afghan girls who otherwise would have been deprived of educational opportunity.

OP Educational Outreach wants to share our good foutrue with you, our closest allies in the continuing struggle to provide educational and civil equity for Afghan women and children. To this end we have the following opportunities to share:

• We won a $1,000.00 communication grant, and we would like your suggestions regarding individuals and organizations to contact which may be interested in copying the WNY action model.
• There are five Afghan exchange students including two girls who are willing to speak at your schools or at an organizational meeting.
• You are eligible to host an Afghan girl next year if you and your school meet some simple criteria. Please spread the word.
• We plan to fund a transformation project building a middle school from an elementary school this summer in Wardak Province on the same educational campus where you will build your next school.
• Following this project we plan to join your effort through "Kids 4 Afghan Kids" and help you build a girls' high school on the Wardak campus. This will be easier to coordinate and fund as we recruit more allies into the "Kids 4 Afghan Kids" program.

Together we have done some very special thing in our regional coalition to provide opportunity for Afghan girls. Please review the above possibilities and see if your school or the Coalition is interested in more information.

For all that you have done, I am most sincerely yours,

Tony Agnello

President, Friends of Afghanistan
Director, Schools and Futures, Inc.
Advisor, Western New York
Sister School Coalition
Peace Corps, Afghanistan 1972-75

-----Original Message-----
From: Veronica Couzo

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:31:20 -0800 (PST)

Subject: Meeting Update

Hey ladies, Happy Valentine's Day! I am sorry I havent replied to any of your emails.. my computer has been down for a little bit. I just wanted to let you know that our next meeting is the 21st of february at Sem... unless someone would like it at their school. I also wanted to give you a heads up that I think we are going to limit our fundraising to some more jeans days if possible and to chocolate selling for Easter. I will let explain my reasons for this at the meeting but if you have any problems with this or any suggestions/ ideas please feel free to let me know.

Sincerely,

Veronica