Macedonian Tribune - Tribune Excerpts
Giving and receiving transcends international borders
The following article appeared in the December 2010 Edition of the Macedonian Tribune
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Giving is the spirit of Christmas. Giving so children can be happy is its essence.
The books were sent to augment English language classes, required in all Macedonian schools for students in grades 1 – 12. Now a library can be established so students can read in English to their hearts content. It all came about through the generosity of people who attended the MPO convention in the Hyatt Regency Columbus last September. They took the time to go through their collections and brought boxes and sacks filled with books and magazines to entice the students to increase their English language skills.
Dr. Leon Speroff, head of the MPO's Gotse Delcheff Foundation, agreed that foundation funds could be used to pay shipping expenses. Early last summer, Peace Corps Volunteer Michael Erhartic sent out a plea for used books to entice his students in Probistop to read. He didn't need textbooks. What he wanted was interesting used reading material such as travel brochures, maps, children's books with fun themes, biographies, and magazines.
The looks on the teacher and students' faces Giving and receiving transcends international borders |
The MPO accomplished both by mailing
more than 325 pounds of used books to schools
in Probistop, Republic of Macedonia. They
arrived within two weeks.
It also was made possible by the astuteness
of Evelyn Dinu, Detroit, who noticed many
books were left when her church rummage sale
ended. She gathered them up, and together with
fellow Detroiter George Rochette (who did the
heavy work for her) shipped them off.
The call went out through articles in the
TRIBUNE – the books had to be used; packaging
had to be kept at less than $50 value for custom
purposes and because the
recipient in Macedonia had
to pay to receive them. Any
other way made them unaffordable.
And the books were gathered, packaged
and sent – two large boxes from Detroit, five
International Postal bags filled with 12 boxes
from MPO Headquarters, Fort Wayne.
"The selection of reading materials was
wonderful, attested to by the excitement among
the students and teachers who had rarely, if ever,
seen a child's book written in English," writes
the man who started it all – US Peace Corps
Volunteer Michael Erhartic