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Greetings!
The great day of giving, Give to the Max Day, will take place this Thursday, November 15. Last year, we finished in 11th place. Can we reach the top 10 this year? Top nonprofits have a chance at prize grants up to $12,500. Each and every donation has a chance at a Golden Ticket awarded randomly every hour, worth $1,000 added to the donation. Give to Common Hope at givemn.org any time between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on November 15 to join the challenge.
More info and news from the last month below. Thank you, as always, for making these good things possible.
Para leer en español, haga click aqui.
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 | | Rebeca and David are one pair of siblings graduating from high school this year. |
Four pairs of siblings graduate this year |
Graduation season is upon us in Guatemala, culminating with the Common Hope graduation ceremony on Saturday, November 10. This year, we celebrated 146 high school graduates from the Antigua and New Hope areas, 11 junior high grads from San Miguel Milpas Altas, 21 sixth grade grads from San Rafael, and 7 university graduates. One notable subset of grads are four pairs of siblings who collected their high school diplomas together.
Siblings Rebeca and David Sajbin Gonzalez are the first in their family of seven to graduate from high school. Rebeca, age 19, earned a degree as an accountant, while David, age 18, graduates as a mechanic. The two are finishing at the same time because Rebeca repeated a grade in elementary school, so David was able to catch up.
Complications along the way
Both acknowledge rough patches as they worked their way through school. One of the hardest was during high school, when their younger brother Jesus experienced complications while having his appendix removed. The seriousness of their brother's condition was very hard on both Rebeca and David, and their grades went down during that time.
The challenges have surely made their accomplishment even more sweet. "We feel so satisfied to have reached this point in our academic careers and know that we will have good job opportunities ahead of us," says Rebeca. The two are grateful for the help of their parents and Common Hope that enabled them to continue studying and achieve their goal. [...]
To continue reading, meet the other sibling duos and see a slideshow of the graduation ceremony, click here.
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 | | Students enjoy the amusement park for their end-of-year party. |
$500 for 50 kids on a 50th birthday
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Just before the school year wrapped up in Guatemala, the 279 children of New Hope School enjoyed a special field trip. The kids went to Mundo Petapa, an amusement park in Guatemala City, and they had a fabulous time.
The excursion was funded in part by sponsor donations to the Gift Fund, while the costs for 50 kids were covered by a generous $500 gift from Katie Begley, given in honor of longtime Common Hope supporter Xerxes Bhote on his 50th birthday. Says Katie, "Xerxes was very touched by the gift. He was so pleased that the children had a fun day in his honor."
More photos of the fun on our blog.
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 Join in on Illumination Weekend, December 1-2 | |
Want to help light the way to hope for the holidays this year? Please consider celebrating Illumination Weekend with us on December 1-2. The holidays can be an overwhelming time, filled with the joy of spending time with family and friends but also the anxiety of busy schedules and shopping lists. Here's a chance for you to create something different than Black Thursday and Cyber Monday this holiday season -- something that inspires a gift of change.
By planning a simple party, talking to one friend about why you sponsor a student, or putting brochures in your place of worship that weekend, you will be actively creating a world of hope.
For more ideas or to request materials for your event, click here. If you contact us by November 9, we will send you a DVD of Guatemalan children singing.
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Two of MIguel's older siblings graduated from high school this year.
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Little brother of high school grads needs a sponsor
| Miguel is the younger brother of one of the sibling duos graduating from high school this fall. While his older siblings Eva and Esvin have just reached their goal, Miguel is just beginning. He will start first grade at New Hope School in 2013. His family makes a small income growing corn and raising chickens, but the support of Common Hope has made it possible to send Miguel and his five siblings to school.
If you can support Miguel on his journey to high school graduation, please contact Jessie Szopinski via email, call (651) 917-0917, or sponsor him online. Thank you! |
 Support Common Hope on Give to the Max Day | Common Hope is proud to participate again in this great online giving event, which is fast approaching. This year, Give to the Max Day will be held on Thursday, November 15.
A fun competition for nonprofits and supporters like you, Give to the Max Day offers special incentives and prizes for giving. Each hour, one donation is selected at random to receive a Golden Ticket -- if your donation is selected, an additional $1,000 will be given to Common Hope!
Nonprofits earning the most donations will receive prize grants of up to $12,500. Last year, we were surprised and delighted to finish #11 -- can we make the top 10 this year?
Here's how you can help: give to Common Hope at givemn.org on November 15, anytime between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., and encourage family and friends to do the same. Any amount helps; you just might get a Golden Ticket! |
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 Notes from the Field | | Want to have a closer look at what's happening in Guatemala? Check out our blog, Notes from the Field, where recent stories include a rainbow of blooms after the rainy season and a diamond jubilee gift to the Queen spurring donations to Common Hope. |
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How to leave a legacy
| Please join us for an information session with Common Hope Board Chair Kathy Longo of Accredited Investors, Inc. on how you can leave a legacy for future generations of Guatemalans.
Kathy will review some of the most commonly-used vehicles for planned giving as well as creative ways to give during your lifetime.
The webinar will be held on Thursday, November 29, from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. CST. To register, contact Peg Fourré via email or (651) 917-0917. |
 Openings for Vision Teams | Interested in planning a vacation with a vision? In 2013, we have the following openings:
- March 2-9 - New opening!
- April 13-20 - New opening!
- Aug 25 - Sep 1
- Now booking for Aug 2013 on!
You can check out the trip calendar on our website. Talk to your friends, family, and co-workers, and start planning your trip of a lifetime. |
 School supplies needed | | We need school supplies in preparation for the 2013 school year. If you can help collect, please visit our website for our list of needed school supplies. Thank you! |
 Openings in Guatemala | We have a number of long-term volunteer openings in Guatemala! These positions come with a living stipend and additional benefits. Long-term volunteering can be a great way to experience life in another country and contribute to a cause you believe in. Open positions include a Vision Team Coordinator, Housing Program Assistant, Mathematics Coordinator, and a Physician.
Details and requirements here. |
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