This message is from Jane Marshall, Ben Soneff's mom:
Hello everyone,
For those of you who have contributed to my 8-year-old son Ben's bottle drive, thanks so much! With this money Phurbu's mom will be able to start her apron weaving business. We've now raised $1,146.12 to send to his family through Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding School in Nepal. This school promotes education for children from the poorest Himalayan border regions of Nepal. 

Backgrounder: 
The boy we sponsor at Shree Mangal Dvip lost his father to a fall in the Himalayas. Struggling to pay her son's fees, Phurbu's mother was in dire need, so Ben decided to help. He spent the summer collecting bottles and raised a great chunk of change. If you'd like to contribute to Ben's cause, please consider returning your bottles and donating the money to Ben's project. Donations can be safely made through Canada Helps (just click to donate) and assign the funds to "Ben's project to help SMD."

Ben's eyes bulged when I told him how much money was raised, and he grinned from ear to ear. He would like me to send this message: "Thank you for taking back your bottles and giving money. It's important to help Phurbu because he's a young boy and his mom would have had a very very hard time if this hadn't happened. I'm very happy!"

I am taking my friend Kushok to Nepal next October to complete research for my book Back Over the Mountains. We are planning a fundraising event for March 1st 2012 at the fabulous Blue Chair Cafe. Delicious food, live music (provided by very talented friends) a reading by Ted Bishop - author of Riding with Rilke, a Governer General's Award Finalist and my former English professor - and other entertainment will be some of the highlights. There will be a Silent auction, and some of the items donated already include playoff hockey tickets (Calgary VS Edmonton), a Campers Village gift certificate, and an autographed guitar...

Half of all funds raised will help Kushok and I get to Nepal as we travel to remote Himalayan valleys to investigate his family history, and the other half we will donate to sponsor children at Shree Mangal Dvip. So mark the date! We'll try to liven up bitter March while connecting to a rugged, remote, and sacred land in the Himalayas! 

To learn more about my book project, check out my BOOK BLOG and website (part of the blog). Fundraiser updates will be posted there.

And thanks again! It is your warm-hearted kindness that keeps this moving along.
Please feel free to forward this email to friends and family.

Jane Marshall, B.A.
Freelance Writer
See Jane Write
H. 780-444-7732
C. 780-935-7732
9028 208 Street
Edmonton, AB
T5T 1X6
janemarsh80@hotmail.com
www.seejanewrite.ca
janemarshall@seejanewrite.ca