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August 2009
Greetings!

Welcome to FIRE's first newsletter! Our bustling office in downtown Flagstaff has been keep quite busy.  We just shipped our last container full of seven tons of winter clothing and medical supplies. We are planning three different volunteers trips this fall. We have new board members. And I have been doing my very best to keep up with four energetic and enthusiastic interns for the summer!

Please take a minute and read below to learn more about our current events and ways you can support us! Have a great rest of your summer and fall!

All the best,
Meredith Potts, Executive Director
Container for Mongolia
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On Friday, July 24th, FIRE loaded a 40-foot container for Mongolia full of winter clothing and medical supplies. We had a record turn out and loaded the container in record time! 20 people joined together to move seven tons of winter clothing and medical supplies in just one hour!

From Flagstaff, the container was transported by truck to Long Beach, CA, where it was loaded onto a ship on August 8th. It is expected to arrive in Xingang China in late August. The container will then travel by rail to Ulaanbator, Mongolia, hopefully arriving in early September. Meredith Potts, Executive Director, will meet the container in Mongolia and navigate customs. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful support!
Ambulance for Bayan-Olgii
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Several months ago, FIRE was contacted by Ryan Carroll living in England. He had a 1978 ex-military Land Rover which he was planning on driving from England to Mongolia. He wanted to donate this ambulance specifically Bayan-Olgii, a remote province in the far western corner of Mongolia and wanted assistance locating a reliable donor in this isolated area.

Our Director of Operations for Bayan-Olgii, Aktolkun Maksum, convened the Governor of Bayan-Olgii, the Director of Social Welfare and the Director of Health Care for the province. They decided the best place for the ambulance was the Central Hospital where it will be used to transport patients from the remote
countryside to the hospital for medical care.

From Ryan's website "...Ambulance drivers must sometimes drive 300km to some remote areas to respond to incidents. Because of the roads they can only average 40km per hour and so one way the trip takes 8 hours. In total the vehicle can be on a single call for 2 days as they usually treat the patient on site rather than submit them to a bumpy 8 hour road trip. Our ambulance will make a huge difference here enabling them to respond to multiple incidents simultaneously."

To view more about Ryan's journey and to see photos of this wonderful machine, please visit their website.
Fall 2009 Trip to Mongolia
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This year we have three separate groups of volunteers joining us in Mongolia. The first team will be spearheaded by Dr. John Durham, from thee Summit Center Orthopedic and Rehabilitation in Flagstaff, AZ. Dr. Durham will focus on the continued development of training and resources at Trauma Hospital in Ulaanbator. Additionally, a team will survey the clinics across Ulaanbator  in regards to basic orthopedic trauma prevalence
and treatment as well as waste management, public health and hepatitis awareness and prevention measures.


The second group of volunteers includes Dr. Francesco Marincola with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Project CURE Mongolia. This group will work to research and begin waste management and public health initiatives, specifically targeted at Hepatitis B prevention and education among health care workers.

The third group of volunteers will include a medical component, which will continue the survey work and information gathering process in regards to public health within Mongolia. A volunteer will also work with palliative care training at Mongolia's only Hospice clinic.

Additionally a team of six volunteers will complete FIRE's final clothing distribution. Three teams of volunteers will distribute seven tons of winter clothing in the ger districts of Ulaanbaator.

Mongolia's poorest, often migrate from the countryside with their homes, "gers" (yurts), to the outskirts of the of Mongolia's cities. These sprawling "ger districts" surround the capital city, Ulaanbaator. They have no running water or electricity.

For 10 days these six volunteers will travel door to door with local social workers, finding the families in the greatest need, giving them blankets and winter clothing to assist in some way with the impending -40 degree weather.


For more information about FIRE's medical projects, please visit our webiste.
Matching Contribution
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WE STILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT to reach $5,000 by August 14!  We still need $2910!

A donor has offered to make a $5,000 donation, with the stipulation that we raise a matching amount of $5,000 first. She has given us until AUGUST 14, to raise $5,000. The next 24 people who donate $150 or more will receive a traditional embroidered Kazakh hand bag, hand made by Mongolian-Kazakh women of western Mongolia.

Please also consider alternative forms of donating such as credit card reward points, stocks or frequent flyer award tickets. Many credit card companies will allow you to donate your accumulated reward points as a check to a non-profit organization. Contact us for more information.

PLEASE make a donation to FIRE, by AUGUST 14th to insure we receive a matching $5,000 contribution. Your donation, no matter the amount, $10, $20, $50, will be doubled, supporting FIRE with twice the impact for your dollar!

If you are considering making a donation to FIRE this year, now would be the time, potentially doubling your impact.

You can donate directly on-line here. Checks may also be mailed to PO Box 22187  / Flagstaff, AZ / 86002.

Thank you very much for your continued support (and quick attention)!!!
Summer Interns
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This summer we have had 4 tireless interns!  This amazing group of people have provided invaluable time, energy and ideas! The fruits of their efforts will live on long after their time with FIRE is completed. Stay tuned for more evidence of their creative powers in the months to come!

Alex Bruno
Alex is a senior Visual Communications and Advertising major at Northern Arizona University. He is currently working at W. L. Gore doing design work in addition to his internship at FIRE. Alex is leading the redesign of the website as well as designing materials for the upcoming FIREWORKS auction. You can view his personal work at www.alexbruno.net.
 
Erik Woestehoff
Erik is a senior Visual Communications major at Northern Arizona University. He is leading the design of many new updates of FIRE's visual marketing materials. Erik is coordinating the online portion of the FIREWORKS auction as well. He also volunteers his time designing for the Pediatric Dental Initiative. 
 
Jen Merrill
Jen is a senior Public Relations major at Northern Arizona University. She is helping with public relations and marketing strategies for FIRE as well as creating and maintaining FIRE's social media. She is also working as a public relations coordinator for, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff.
 
Laurah Hagen
Laurah is a graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. She and her family have been involved with FIRE for five years. Laurah is focusing on event planning and developing a strategy for fundraising and strengthening FIRE's community connection through our Community Partnership Program. Laurah will continue her involvement with FIRE after the summer months.
New Board of Directors
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We are very excited to welcome FIRE's new board members. With their combined input and influence FIRE will continue to grow in a positive direction. For longer biographies and more information about our governance, please our website.

John Tveten M.D., Non-Operative Orthopedic Trauma Treatment Leader
Dr. Tveten is an emergency and family medicine board certified physician with 19 years experience working with international health education projects. He has been involved with FIRE since his first trip to Mongolia as a medical volunteer in 2005.
 
John Durham M.D., Orthopedic Training Program Leader
Dr. Durham is a board certified Orthopedic hand surgeon. He will be leading the Orthopedic Training Program at Trauma Hospital in Ulaanbator, Mongolia. He has built a strong foundation for this project and maintains a strong level of commitment to FIRE, the medical staff at Trauma Hospital, and Mongolia.
 
Karen Duffy, Phd. Psychology
Dr. Duffy is a Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology (Emeritus) at the State University of New York. 2009 will be Karen's third volunteer trip to Mongolia with FIRE. As well as traveling to Mongolia, she is assisting FIRE with its long term planning
Issue: 1
In This Issue
Fall Trip
MatchingContirbution
Summer Interns
Board of Directors
Volunteer
Join Our Mailing List
Gers For Sale!
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We have traditional Mongolian gers (yurts) for sale! Each ger is uniquely handmade in Mongolia from Larch trees. The door, roof poles and roof crown are all hand-painted with traditional Mongolian design. Buy your very own unique structure through FIRE and all the proceeds will go directly back into funding our organization. For more information, view our website.
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Volunteers Needed!
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We are always looking for volunteers!  Help FIRE
with office work, local events, packing and so much more.  Join us on one of our trips to Mongolia.  Be a personal fundraiser and organize your own FIRE event wherever you are. Committing your time is an invaluable use of your efforts.  We could not do this without you. Consider becoming a volunteer and truly helping to make FIRE's efforts a success. Contact us today to learn more!
Join us for
FIREWORKS 4

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Our 4th FIREWORKS Photography & Fine Art Auction is this November & December. This is a great opportunity to purchase unique gifts for your holiday shopping and support a great cause at the same time. The online auction will be November 2 - December 4. FIREWORKS 4 will be at the Flagstaff Photography Center December 5th, 6-9 p.m. We will have a variety of wonderful artwork, live music, food and beverages will be provided. Mark your calendars!
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Become a Community Partner
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FIRE thrives because of our generous local supporters. For over eleven years the community of Flagstaff and the United States at large, has helped FIRE to collect, pack and ship over 70 tons of winter clothing, medical and school supplies. Members of the community have traveled with us to Mongolia, and a team of volunteers maintain all of our administrative needs. These strong community ties are the foundation of FIRE.


Community Sponsor - Make a monthly contribution to FIRE of $10, $20, $50, or more to directly support FIRE programs.  Most of our monthly expenses stay local to our community.   A monthly automatic withdrawal allows us to continue operations
and guarantees your money directly supports FIRE and our immediate community.   


You may also join our Community Partnership Program as a restaurant or retail store. Contact us today for more information!

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Flagstaff International Relief Effort   [email protected]   928-779-2288