Wed. January 24, 2007
By Bill Pritchard
A while back I met a wonderfully inspirational lady named Gail. Gail is the President of an organization called Lantern Projects (www.lanternprojects.org). She reminded me that sometimes it only takes just a tiny bit of action to make a difference.
Lantern Projects started when a group of students, teachers, administrators and parents got together and to raise the money for a small project in Kenya where they needed lanterns in order for the students to study at night since there was no electricity. The lanterns cost $10.00. Soon everyone had lanterns and the village had light at night. Any contribution amount (even 25 cents) was gladly accepted and truly made a difference. That is the derivation of the name Lantern Projects. The motto is bringing the light of hope to others.
Here's how it works: Lantern Projects sends out an e-mail every other month with four worthy projects. They can be for any tangible item of modest cost that is needed anywhere in the world. Items have included, books, desks, blankets, clothing, fishing nets, ovens, paint, tree saplings, sewing machines, a generator, tools, eyeglasses, water systems, bricks or whatever is needed. 100% of the donated funds go to the projects. The items are purchased in the country where they are needed, so the funds support the local economy and there are no shipping costs. Lantern Projects is a 501(c)(3), so all donations are tax deductible and an appropriate receipt is provided to the donor. There is a known contact in the country for each project. They guarantee that 100% of the funds that they receive will be used for that specific project item. Truly a organization that makes a difference!
When Gail retired in 2003 after being a school superintendent for over 20 years, she decided to establish a non-profit organization and donate her time. She had good sources for projects from contacts overseas, from her work with the international schools, Rotary and other international organizations.
When asked what personally pushes you? Gail says, "I love hearing about how a small contribution made a huge difference, sometimes for one person and sometimes for a whole village". "Seeing a small Pakistani child hold a warm blanket, or hearing about an African women who received a cow to start a milking business, or visiting a school in Vietnam that received furniture and a latrine - those are the things that keep me going".
How can you MAKE A DIFFERENCE today?
It's very simple, look at the Lantern Projects website, www.lanternprojects.org. Choose a project and send a donation. Any amount really makes a true difference in someone's life!
Send your e-mail address to be added to the e-mail list. You will receive an e-mail every two months. At any time you can unsubscribe. You can email Gail at lanternprojects@comcast.net.
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