COVE Header
 
Monthly Newsletter
 
April 2010 
 
 Greetings!

What an exciting month April is stacking up to be for COVE Alliance!  Preparations are now in full swing for the fast-approaching April 10 Benefit, Out of Africa.  But wait, there's more!  After the event, you can keep the party going by joining COVE at Worldview's Global Activism Expo in Chicago on April 17.  We also hope that you will attend COVE's Annual Spring Meeting at Vernon Hills High School on April 21.  Learn more about these and other opportunities by reading this month's newsletter below.
 
 Headline News
Excitement Grows for 'Out of Africa'
 
Auction PrepThey arrived with baskets, ribbon, cellophane and tape. Some brought gifts they had received from businesses and friends of COVE. Fr. Hilary rolled in a large suitcase brimming with Ugandan crafts.  All these energetic volunteers came to the Parish Center at St. Mary of Vernon on Saturday, March 27, and worked to make the 2010 benefit the best one yet. Kathy Brosmith, who organized this year's basket assembly, exclaimed that this was her favorite preparation activity. She especially loved seeing all the items that volunteers brought in and how the community embraces COVE.

Fr H Auction PrepAs Fr. Hilary helped unpack Ugandan handiwork that will be sold at the African Village Store, he explained that a few of the crafts had been made by the guardians of sponsored kids, but that most were purchased at the marketplace.  Some day in the not-too-distant future, students from COVE's vocational school will make all the crafts sold at fundraising events.

While pricing the African items, board member Darlene Frantonius explained that the store is always popular at COVE's benefits.  Attendees love the fine workmanship, intricate detail and great prices they get for such unique crafts.

 
 5th Annual Fundraising Event
Out of Africa logo
 
Saturday, April 10, 20
10
6:00 - 11:00 pm 
Doubletree Hotel
510 East Route 83, Mundelein, Illinois
 $35 per person, advance reservations required


COVE Alliance's biggest fundraising event of the year is almost here - and we hope that you can attend!  Come and enjoy a cocktail reception with cash bar and a pasta buffet dinner with salad, garlic bread, dessert and beverages.  Have fun while supporting Kapeeka's children: Bid on the silent auction. Try your luck in the live auction. Play a high-spirited game of Heads and Tails.  Enter the Raffle and win a new HP dv7t series Laptop

 
You won't want to miss Out of Africa!  But you must purchase your tickets by April 5 - please complete this form and send it with your check made payable to COVE Alliance: Rebecca Steinmeier, 3828 Nottingham Drive, Long Grove, IL 60047

For more information, please contact Event Chair Terry McLaughlin by email or at 847-837-1280.

 
 In The News
COVE Spring Meeting at Vernon Hills High School

Ellen Cwick 09Wednesday, April 21

VHHS Library

7 - 8:30 pm
 
Refreshments will be served.
 
Our April 21 Spring Meeting promises to be informative, inspiring and fun!  Fr. Hilary and Ellen Cwick will share stories and facts about the St. Jerome COVE Center in Uganda and discuss the High School's involvement and interest in the school there.  The students will also discuss their fundraising experiences at VHHS. 

COVE and Vernon Hills High School are now in the third year of our very special friendship and shared commitment.  Students have raised over $32,000 to build a primary school at the COVE Center. Dr. Ellen Cwick, VHHS principal (pictured with a little buddy above), attended the school dedication in Kapeeka and visited schools in that region last summer.  Fr. Hilary Muheezangango is the Executive Director of COVE Alliance and is leading the building project there.  

We hope you will attend this fascinating Spring Meeting and find out what matters most to people who have been deeply involved with COVE Alliance. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please contact Wendy Mospan by email or at (847) 948-5805.
 
 
 In The News
COVE US Leadership Welcomes Fr. Hilary
 
COVE US Leaders gathered recently to welcome Fr. Hilary to the United States, and to exchange ideas and information with him. Fr. Hilary is visiting the US through April 24.

US Leaders and Fr H
Top Row: Tom Jacobs, Leonard Smith, Terry McLaughlin,
Fr. Hilary Muheezangango, Don Dumich. Bottom Row: Deann Mealey, Darlene Frantonius, Wendy Mospan, Jerry Nora.

 
 In the Spotlight: Carolyn Reinertson
COVE Volunteer Remembers 2009 Kapeeka Trip...

Carolyn Reinertson

Our summer 2009 trip to Kapeeka was a time to renew connections with COVE Uganda and to strengthen relationships with our sponsored children, their parents or guardians, and the teachers.  

 

We were so excited to meet the clinic staff and tour the two new buildings and were thrilled to experience a view of the property from the hilltop.  Along the way we saw cassava plants, baby trees, corn patches and potato field plots.  At the top, we saw COVE's future laid out below.

 

We visited our sponsored children at their schools or at their homes and delivered small gifts.  To the schools we presented soccer balls, colored chalk and flash cards.  On a couple of trips we went so far into the bush that we had to park the van and hike. The children and adults were always so grateful and often gave us gifts of papaya, mango, watermelon, eggs or live chickens.

 

We prayed together daily.  We painted walls in the clinic.  We pulled weeds and helped plant baby hedges.  We visited with Fr. Hilary's family. We learned the basics of weaving mats from his sister, Maria.

 

During the last week I was able to present some alphabet lessons to the Consolata Parish preschoolers.  They in turn recited some poems about the moon and a monkey with their cute British accents.


The month ended too soon.  We said our goodbyes with the hope of returning in the near future.


 
 
Quick Links
 
For more information about COVE Alliance,
please visit our website at:
 
www.covealliance.org
______________________
 
 
To make a donation via PayPal, please click the Donate button:
 
 Donate Now


Thank You to The Links!

Links Inc
 Sincere thanks to the North Shore Chapter of The Links, Incorporated for donating $6,000 to COVE Alliance.

The chapter contributed $1,800 for sponsorships for six children. The remaining $4,200 has been directed toward educational purposes such as school or dormitory construction, staff salaries, and school supplies.

Among their many philanthropic commitments, the North Shore Illinois chapter of The Links is dedicated to improving opportunities and quality of life  for African children in Diaspora and on the continent.

 
 
Upcoming Event
Global Activism Expo 2010

Chicago Public Radio
Global Activism Expo 
 
Saturday, April 17
UIC Forum
725 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago
12:00 Noon - 6:00 p.m. 
 
The Expo will feature over 100 Chicago area global activists, all former guests of Chicago Public Radio's Worldview  (click here to listen to Father Hilary's Worldview interview). 
 

There will be food for sale from local ethnic restaurants, and presentations will be given throughout the day.  

 

It's FREE and doors open at noon.  Come support COVE and enjoy a fun-filled Saturday!

 
Sponsorship Update

As of January 2010, COVE was sponsoring 142 children -
60 girls and 82 boys.

Of those 142 children -
- 121 are in primary school
- 11 are in secondary school,
- 10 are in vocational schools. 
(One more graduated from vocational school in December.) 

76 sponsored children were treated for illness at the
St. Jerome COVE Health Unit in 2009, and all of these children have fully recovered.


Five parent/guardian meetings were held during 2009.

129 children and their parents/guardians worked over the school holidays planting maize, beans and cassava at the COVE Center.

We treasure our sponsors!
Alternative Ways
to Support COVE
Feel Good Giving
 
We are so grateful for the variety of donors who support COVE. There are many ways to give - and we'd like to suggest some options that might appeal to you. A few of these ideas might even surprise you!

printer

Please consider:

- Donating a "tax-free" gift of stock.
- Checking with your employer to see if there is a matching gift program to supplement your charitable donations.  
- Asking your employer if they offer grants for charity groups.
- Tossing your used ink or toner cartridges in COVE's drop box at St. Mary of Vernon to be redeemed for cash.
- Making your regular online purchases through igive.com, where a portion of sales are donated back to COVE.

For more information about these and other ways to give, please contact Don Dumich by email or at 847-566-7546.


 
Vision Statement

Our vision is of a world of hopeful, responsible human beings who respect human dignity and are in a position to sustain themselves and their families in the future.

 
Contact Us

For more information about COVE Alliance, contact:

Darlene Frantonius
847-438-4780
_________________