John Farrell: Newsletter

December 8, 2008 Greetings Friends, Although the calendar says winter doesn’t start until December 21 it feels like it’s already here. As I type these words on the laptop computer I’m keeping an eye on the battery meter because the electricity went off during the night, and as of 7 a.m. it’s not back on yet. Fortunately the fire in the wood stove is burning warm so the house is cozy and pleasantly quiet in spite of the chilling winds and 10 degree temperature outdoors. The long, dark nights also remind us the seasons are changing, and the new fallen snow has decorated the landscape with holiday charm. It certainly feels like winter is here. I hope that you and your loved ones are warm and well. The world has change in many ways since I sent my last newsletter in June. The challenges and opportunities that lie ahead are exciting and uncertain. The shared commitment of so many people to cooperate in pursuit of more thoughtful, sustainable and responsible ways of living is uplifting and brings cause for great hope. At the same time the hardships that many will endure will cause unwanted pain and suffering. I hope that we will all take advantage of the opportunities to help others while cherishing the simple enduring pleasures of just “being with” our friends and families. Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge!” Borrowing from Einstein I would add, “Being present for our loved ones is more important than any presents money can buy.” Now for the news… Reduced and Free CD’s as Gifts We know that times are tougher for many this year. To express our thanks and perhaps offer help we have reduced the cost of all CD’s to $10 each, plus $2 shipping and handling. If ordering 4 CD’s or more shipping is FREE. If you know of a child or family that would enjoy one of my CD’s but isn’t able to afford it please call Mary Jain 607-965-8983 or email me at hoperivermusic@yahoo.com with details and we will send one or more FREE CD’s. Bridges of Peace and Hope Thanks to the efforts of many people the first phase of the “These Are Our Hopes” Quilt project is nearing completion. Three panels, each including nine 12 X 12” squares, have been sewn together. They look spectacular. You can see photos of the quilt panels here on the web site. The squares displayed on the quilt were submitted by students, teachers, and artists from more than ten countries. The following schools have contributed to the project; Edmeston Central School, Edmeston, NY; John L Edwards School, Hudson, NY; Stadley Rough Intermediate School, Danbury, CT; Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies, Danbury, CT; Reed Intermediate School, Newtown, CT; Thomas Jefferson Elem School, Yorktown Heights, NY; Albury Primary School, Tring, Herts, Great Britain; American School of Barcelona, Spain; American School in Budapest, Hungary; International School of Brussels, Belgium; DeRust Futura Academy, Grabouw, South Africa; Hamburg Village School, Hamburg, South Africa; St. Paul’s College, Windhoek, Namibia; Aligarh Girls Muslim High School, Aligarh, India. The center square of the center panel is a quilted “Bridges of Peace and Hope,” logo. This lovely work was completed by Kim Kelley from Potomac, Maryland. Thanks Kim! The greatest contributions of all came from Mary Jain Dayger and Darlene Humphrey. “MJ & D,” as I like to call them, spent many days and nights planning and sewing the panels together. It couldn’t have happened without these two kind, talented, and generous friends. BOPH Logo and Tee Shirts Another big step forward for our project was the creation of the Bridges of Peace and Hope logo. The logo was designed by Randy Douglas of “Douglas Illustrations.” Randy and I discussed the concept and Randy brilliantly captured the spirit of the project by incorporating an inspiration from the artwork of Malawian artist and “Bridges” friend Kiri Mhonie. By combining Kiri’s art and Randy’s creativity our logo itself is a bridge. Great job, Randy and thanks for your generosity! BOPH tee shirts featuring the logo are now available too. They look great! Thula Sizwe Concerts and School Shows Raise $5,000 The South African singing group “Thula Sizwe” were recently on tour in the northeastern US. The men sing at schools, churches, and concert halls to raise money for their families and for community organizations in South Africa. BOPH helped present three school programs and three public concerts while Thula Sizwe was here. Students, teachers, parents, and friends in Danbury, CT and Hudson, NY helped plan and run these events. At the end of four days we had raised over $5,000 for this wonderful group who have now become good friends of ours. Six of the men stayed at our home for four nights and the other five stayed with friends Casey and Mary Kuhn, and Caroline Stewart. Ghanaian Master Drummer Kofi Donkor and Sankofa, a drum and dance ensemble, added tremendous energy, talent and spirit to two of the concerts. Before returning to South Africa December 5 Thula Sizwe came to Jeff Miller’s recording studio to record their rich harmonies on two of my newest songs, “Hear My Story,” and “We All Are One.” These songs, which also feature Kofi Donkor, will be available on a CD next year and on the new “Bridges of Peace and Hope” web site sometime in early 2009. My thanks to Kofi and Sankofa, and to William and Sue Field of Pangaea Cultural Exchange. William and Sue are responsible for coordinating all of Thula Sizwe’s tour schedule and travel logistics, an immense task. BOPH Heroes Award and Hanahoe Holiday Concert The annual holiday concert to support Hanahoe Memorial Children’s clinic will be held Saturday, December 13 at 11:00 a.m. at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. During the program BOPH will present our second annual BOPH “Heroes Award” to Colonel Mark Cook from Great Britain. Mark will join us via internet teleconference to accept the award. The Honorable Mark Cook, Order of the British Empire, is the founder of “Hope and Homes for Children,” an amazing charity based in the UK. Hope and Homes for Children serves the world’s most vulnerable children, orphans of war and HIV/AIDS. Students from several BOPH schools around the world are conducting an internet interview with Colonel Cook. Check on the BOPH web site after January to read about those interviews. Ollie the Otter and Partnerships with Tennessee Tech University The Business Media Center and I are partnering on two stimulating and far reaching projects. The Media Center, under the direction of Mr. Kevin Liska, has designed and is implementing the marketing plan to bring “Ollie the Otter” into every school in Tennessee and eventually into states across the U.S.A. Ollie, a seven foot tall otter, is the mascot for a extensive highway safety campaign going on in the state of Tennessee. Ollie has grown from the dream and commitment of Carol Coleman, a kind and devoted Tennessean who lost two family members to traffic accidents. My connection to the project is that I composed and recorded Ollie’s theme song, which goes into every school on a CD as part of Ollie’s tool kit. Kevin and his team at TTU are designing the new BOPH web site which will be a state of the art interactive web site when completed. Students will be able to view and listen to art, music, writing, and video from artists and students around the world. Ollie’s photo will be on my web site soon. Katie Farrell in Peace Corps in Cameroon Katie left New York on Sept 17 to begin her Peace Corps training. On December 8, 2008 she was officially sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer. She will be posted in the mountains in the Extreme North in Cameroon, quite near the Nigerian border. She will serve there for two years. If you are interested in learning more, Katie has started a blog which you can read at www.bestdefinedbythemystery.blogspot.com Her blog entries are informative about her experiences in that the part of the world. Her entry about reaction to the election of Barrack Obama is very telling with regard to how the world perceived that event and why there is so much hope rising in spite of all the challenges and injustices. Family News Jack spent six weeks studying and traveling in Ireland this summer. He loved it and is now contemplating “what’s next?” after he graduates from U Albany in May. Maggie is a junior at SUNY New Paltz, playing basketball and getting ready to do some field work for her major in Elementary Education. Colleen is a freshman at SUNY Geneseo. She is studying international relations, and participates in many extra activities including singing groups and Amnesty International. Patrick is a senior in high school preparing a few college applications, learning to fly an airplane, and continuing his involvement as a volunteer fireman. Ann Marie is enjoying teaching first grade with her looping class from last year. She did lots of kayaking this summer and fall and is looking forward to snowshoeing soon. New Songbooks, Recordings, Collaborations and BOPH Board Members There are new songs, songbooks and collaborations in various stages of development. Lorraine Cich, music teacher, choral director and arranger, has been working hard on new songbooks and we have four books in the works. They are thematically organized collections of existing and new songs and activities. The working titles are; 1. “How Would You Feel: Character Education;” 2. “Building Bridges of Peace and Hope;” 3. “Songs across the Curriculum;” and 4. “Season of Light, Hope and Peace.” I have also begun doing performances and school programs with a new friend named Kofi Maxwell Donkor. Kofi, originally from Ghana, is a brilliant drummer, sculptor and teacher. He has agreed to be on the “Bridges of Peace and Hope Advisory Board,” and we are really enjoying working together. The other members of the BOPH Advisory Board are; Ken Buescher, Gael Lynch, Meg McLoone, Kent Brown Jr., Michael Palmer, Pascal Guirma, Abel Dlaimini, Cheryl Terry, Joseph Giulietti, Katie Farrell, Colleen Farrell, Mary Jain Dayger, Darlene Humphrey and Ray Flanigan. The Board of Directors are Carol Gans, Tom Lynch and myself. Thanks to Everyone That Helps Thanks to Rich Copley, Mary Jain, Darlene, Gabby and Craig, Ray, Caroline, Casey and Mary, Rob, Oscar, Dr. Fong, Kofi, Lorraine, my family, and everyone else that helps me, especially Ann Marie. And thanks also to all the teachers, children and families that sing my songs, read the books, and share your kindness with me. If I can help you in any way please ask. Well the power just came back on and the temperature is up to 20 degrees. It’s time to say good bye for now. Beginning in 2009 I will sending more frequent newsletters which will be shorter in length. If you don’t wish to receive the newsletters please let us know. Healthy Holidays and Happy New Year to all. Keep a song in your heart, John