Zimbabwe trip reports posted

The donor newsletter for the Zimbabwe bedkit distribution has gone to print and can be downloaded from the Sleeping Children Website.

Zimbabwe 2010 Photo Album

Photos are available in the Zimbabwe 2010 Photo Album. You can view them by clicking the link above.

If you would like to read the reports on the web, you can read them in their entirety here.

Here is a download link for the PDF version of the newsletter.

Changemakers Series: Murray Dryden

As posted on the Charity Village website on August 16^th, 2010.
By Elisa Birnbaum

Since its inception in 1970 by Murray Dryden, Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) has become a formidable presence in 33 countries, raising more than $23 million and providing bedkits for children who need them most. In fact, Kiwanis International recently named SCAW its 2010 World Service Medal recipient. In 2009, the organization reached its millionth child and though its founder is no longer with them, the tremendous volunteers at SCAW are working tirelessly at keeping his vision alive. CharityVillage® spoke with SCAW's,executive director, Linda Webb, about the organization's inspirational founder, its accomplishments, and the unique mandate to which that they remain ever-committed.

CharityVillage®: Tell me about Murray Dryden and what inspired him to launch SCAW.

Linda Webb: There are a couple of things that came together. First, during the depression in Manitoba, he himself didn't have a bed to sleep in and would sleep wherever he could. And it gets to be 30 below there in winter. So he had that personal experience and often said "unless you've done it, you cannot begin to understand what it's like to have no place to sleep."
The second thing is Murray loved photography, particularly photographing sleeping children. His byline was, "there's nothing more peaceful than a sleeping child." He used to photograph his own children and then branched out to his friends. Then, on one trip to India, he tripped over what he thought was garbage in the street. He realized it was a child and thought, "we have to do something about this."
Murray was very successful in business and when he retired, he and his wife Margaret put $3,000 of their own money for the first distribution of 50 bed kits in Pune, India in 1970. And that was the founding of the organization.

CV: How did the organization evolve from that first distribution?

LW: Murray photographed the sleeping children but to get all the 50 kids asleep at the same time, they had to sit for hours, waiting. He brought the pictures back home and showed them to his friends who said, "We want to get in on this, how can we give you money for the next one?" And that's literally how it grew. And then it got to the point where he simply couldn't photograph all the children sleeping so he decided to do it in groups of three. He realized, logistically, it wouldn't work if the number of bedkits kept growing but he realized the appeal of the photographs.
And that probably is our biggest marketing tool. The wisdom of the man astounds me for two reasons. He decided he would never take a penny for administrative costs out of donations. And he realized there would be no marketing because he didn't have the money for it. So he took a photo and a few months' down the line, when the bedkits got delivered, the donor gets a photo of that child. What better marketing tool than that?
And we don't send out solicitations either.

CV: With zero going to administrative costs and no government funding or solicitations, what keeps the organization alive?

LW: Well first of all, initially Murray paid the administrative costs out of his own pocket. Then, as the organization grew, he put the money into a legacy fund...and he had a Christmas tree farm, so he devoted all the sales of the Christmas trees to the administrative costs.
When Murray passed away, he left the house to SCAW as well as the tree farm. And when they were sold, the money went into the Legacy Fund, managed by our volunteer finance committee. The interest earned pays all of our operating expenses. So the actual capital is never touched.
Most recently, because we're constantly looking at the future, we had a whole year of strategic planning. Our finance committee wondered, if we keep growing at the rate we are, how realistic is would be to run an operation on about $100,000 a year. One group decided we needed to grow the Legacy Fund so they started an annual breakfast for the business community — the one community with money but who don't know about us. And this year the breakfasts generated $120,000, all going into legacy fund. In addition, we got another $12,000 in donations for bedkits.

CV: And the volunteers seem to make a big difference too.

LW: Yes, because when you commit to a distribution [overseas] we ask you if you are willing to spread the word to other people. We call ourselves more of a relationship organization. We're not very proactive and don't ask "do you want me to do a presentation?" But at least when we're asked to do it we're all willing to go out and tell the story.
The volunteers are unbelievable. They commit to half day a week every week. Some people have been here for 30 years; we are really volunteer-driven. All our committees have great talent. I think, essentially, people just fall in love with the organization and develop such a strong passion for it. So it just runs beautifully.

We have a two-year waiting list for volunteers. We have a distribution trip once a month to 16 places, with on average of six volunteers per team, including the leaders. Each person pays their own way for accommodations, meals, transport within the country and without the benefit of a tax receipt. They pay everything.

CV: What inspired you to get involved?

LW: I started as a volunteer way back when my son was in kindergarten; he's now 27. And I've been in this job since 2001. There was something so touching about the fact that my kids had a place to sleep and other kids didn't. It's such a basic need because you know if you don't have a good night's sleep, you're miserable the next day. And children grow as they sleep and if they don't have a blanket, all their energy to grow is lost. And also if you have a good night's sleep, you're better able to learn in school. And that's really the way you're going to break the cycle of poverty. And so all of those things I found extremely appealing as mother of young children.

CV: The organization recently passed a huge milestone, how did you celebrate?

LW: In 2009, the year of the millionth bedkit, most of the Dryden family went back to Pune as a team to celebrate the anniversary. They were able to find a few of the original bedkit recipients who told their stories, now archived as part of blogs online. One person said they still had that first blanket and another told how she learned her alphabet from the pattern on the quilt.

CV: Now that you passed the millionth bedkit mark, what's next? Do you foresee change?

LW: This is such a dynamic organization. Our core values never change but we do change with technology. For example, we used to save all our photos on CDs and now we wonder what to do with all these CDs. We're also trying to be responsible with the environment. But change is hard, especially with older people. We try to explain that you can use a jump stick now. "A what?" they ask. So some things are very basic but essentially what we're doing is trying to create a foundation where our core values will never change. We will never ever take a penny for administrative costs, we'll never ask the government for help or do solicitations. But we want to be dynamic in terms of whatever we need to incorporate to make the organization thrive.

Kiwanis 2010 World Service Medal recipient

Kiwanis International names 2010 World Service Medal recipient

Sleeping Children Around the World honored for their tireless efforts in developing countries

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Kiwanis International recently named Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) as its 2010 World Service Medal recipient. SCAW was honored for ensuring that more than 1 million children have a comfortable night's sleep.

The Kiwanis World Service Medal, established in 1985, recognizes individuals who devote a significant part of their lives to meeting the needs of others.

“Sleeping Children is thrilled to be acknowledged by Kiwanis International,” said SCAW Chairman Dave Dryden. Dyrden’s parents Murray and Margaret Dryden founded SCAW in 1970. Their dream was a world where every child has a bed to rest their head at night. Donations provide bed kits to children wherever they’re needed—typically in underdeveloped and developing countries. To date, the organization has raised more than $23 million to provide bedkits for children in 33 countries.

The World Service Medal honors inspiring examples of individuals who have recognized a need and taken personal action to meet that need. One medal is awarded each year and the Kiwanis International Foundation adds a US$10,000 grant to assist the honoree in furthering his or her service work. Previous winners have included Mother Teresa, actors and humanitarians Sir Roger Moore and Audrey Hepburn, and First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter.

Friends of SCAW Meetup

Friends of SCAW in Kemble

There was a gathering of Grey/Bruce friends of Sleeping Children Around the World in Kemble on Saturday, July 17^th to celebrate the Fortieth Anniversary of our charity.

Taking Care of Business: Dave Dryden - Part 2

Blogged by John Wroblewski on his blog, July 10^th, 2010

A couple days ago, I wrote Part 1 of a series of pieces on Dave Dryden, former goalie and current driving force behind Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW). My original goal was an online piece for Global Traveler (which ran Wednesday), but I had so much material that I had to share it on this site.

Dave went from stopping hockey pucks to helping children around the world sleep better through SCAW, the organization his father had started in 1970. Last year, SCAW achieved the original goal of one million bedkits distributed. Having passed that milestone, I asked Dryden what was next.

"Now that we have achieved the one million bedkits we have spent much time this year looking forward through a Strategic Planning process. What we have learned is that it is more than just about setting another target number. Yes, it is important that we reach another million children, but it is even more important HOW we do this. We encourage giving from the heart, not from a guilty conscience. If we can be a trusted conduit for donors who really want to help kids, then we will feel that we are doing our best."

Dryden told me about previous bedkit recipients coming out to meet the SCAW group many years later to thank them again and how awesome it feels to see their happiness and love. Dryden's genuine passion comes through clearly when he describes how this sort of validation and motivation really "turns his crank".

I couldn't let Dryden go before I asked him about his career. For his favorite memories, he mentioned playing against his brother, his first game (when he was called from the stands to fill in for Gump Worsley), playing with Bobby Hull and Wayne Gretzky and playing in an All-Star game with Gordie Howe against the Russians.

He also was instrumental in improving goalie equipment. Dryden said,

"I loved inventing and improving my 'tools'. So I got a great thrill from redesigning my gloves, pads and of course designing the first cage-mask combination."

Dryden said his hockey career was more than he could have expected. He also said his teaching career was fulfilling and satisfying (although demanding). After teaching, when he returned to hockey as an Injury and Equipment Consultant, he found that interesting. Finally, his involvement with SCAW has been a thrill. Clearly, Dryden is a special man who loves what he does and gives it his heart.

Dryden says he still receives hockey cards (for autograph requests) through the mail and is amazed by it. He is also amused by the many pictures (some of which he has never seen before) sent to him. Recently, his grandchildren uncovered a gem on YouTube, Wayne Gretzky's first goal...right past Edmonton Oilers goalie Dave Dryden!

Also on YouTube is the rest of my interview with Dave Dryden. We talked about the Blackhawks recent Stanley Cup win, a bit more on SCAW and of course, Wayne Gretzky's first goal.

I really would like to thank Dave Dryden for his time and consideration. It was a thrill speaking to him. I enjoyed following his playing career (even after he left my beloved Blackhawks) and collecting his hockey cards (many of which he later signed (through the mail) for me. It has been a pleasure learning about Sleeping Children Around the World. Dryden is a fascinating man. Please, check out SCAW when you have a chance.

It truly was my honor doing this.

Taking Care of Business: Dave Dryden - Part 1

Blogged by John Wroblewski on his blog, July 8^th, 2010

One of the great things about writing for Global Traveler is that I can do pieces about some of my childhood favorites. I recently had the chance to do just that, by interviewing Dave Dryden, former NHL and WHA goalie and current President of Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW). That piece ran online yesterday on GT's site. I learned so much about Dave and SCAW that I had to share more of the info here.

Dave was an outstanding junior hockey player who hoped to gain a university scholarship to pursue his goal of teaching. In 1962, while attending a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, Dryden was plucked from the stands when Rangers goalie Gump Worsley was injured. In those days, teams did not carry a backup goalie. Unfortunately for Dryden, he was now considered a pro and his hopes of a scholarship were gone.

He went on to have a fine career with the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Cougars and Edmonton Oilers.

Dave played in the 1973-74 NHL All-Star game, gave up Wayne Gretzky's first pro goal and was the WHA MVP for the 1978-79 season.

After retiring, he coached for a bit, but eventually his passion led him to SCAW, the organization his father Murray had started in 1970.

Murray Dryden loved the beauty of a sleeping child. He loved photographing them and planned to put together a book of such photos. On one trip to India, he saw a child sleeping in a street and decided he wanted to do something about it.

Thus SCAW was born and fifty bedkits distributed on the first of what would become many such distribution trips. (A bedkit consists of a mattress, a pillow, a blanket and whatever other bedding necessary for any given area.) Murray set a goal of one million bedkits by 2010.

Sadly, Murray passed on in 2004, but Dave oversaw the one millionth bedkit distributed last year.

SCAW has helped make Dave quite a global traveler. According to him, he has logged in over 300,000 air miles on trips to India (5x), Bangladesh (4x), Tanzania (2x), Honduras, Uganda, Kenya and the Philippines.

I asked Dave about problems during the travels.

"During the early days of SCAW, my dad did the distributions by himself and due to his adventurous nature, was in some very dangerous situations. He was often "flying by the seat of his pants". Now that we have more distributions each year and travel in teams of 6, we need to do a great deal of preparatory work before a team leaves. Fortunately, this has minimized the "scary situations". However, virtually on every distribution I have been on, there have been situations where our team is out in a rural area usually using a school playground as our base of operations and having about 600 bedkits sitting out ready to give them to 600 previously selected children. Due to curiosity, thousands of people have gathered to see what is going on. These are all very poor people who would like to get a bedkit. Will they walk in and disregard our process to get a bedkit? There really isn't anything to prevent that. This has never happened. I am amazed at the self-control exhibited by the rural people."

I inquired about travel memories.

"When I think of travel memories, if I am on vacation, what I remember is places and things I saw. When I get back from a SCAW distribution trip, my memories are all of people. I am always amazed at the universality of the children, rich, poor, in India, in Africa, they are all the same. They have bright inquisitive and enthusiastic eyes. They smile, they cry, they need love and they all do need a good night sleep to be healthy. They and their caregivers all value education. The adults are like us. In fact, some of the aspects of life that they value most, I think that we sometimes forget. The importance of "Family" is an example. I remember talking through an interpreter with an impoverished rural farmer in India, who very sincerely said he felt sorry for us. I was quite startled at his statement. He commented on the breakdown of "the family and our seeming need to carry guns". I didn't have a good rebuttal."

Dave had a lot more interesting things to say and I will be sharing those here in the next few days. In the meantime, please check out Sleeping Children Around the World.

Dave Dryden, Laura Harper, Ted Swanston,
Ken Graham and Clarence Deyoung in Toronto, Canada-Late 2000's.

The SCAW Difference

As blogged by John Wroblewski on the Global Traveler Blog on July 7^th, 2010

Dave Dryden has flown several thousand miles and is on his way to one million, but a different million was his goal (actually, originally his father’s goal), a goal that was met last year. Dave, through the organization Sleeping Children Around the World, oversaw the distribution of its one millionth bedkit. (Bedkits consist of a mattress, blanket, pillow and other bedding essentials.)

SCAW was founded by Murray and Margaret Dryden. Murray always thought a sleeping child was a beautiful thing on so many levels. He decided to capture this beauty by photographing some sleeping children, which he planned on turning into a book. On a picture-taking trip in India, he saw a child sleeping in the street and decided to do something about it. SCAW was born in 1970, and 50 bedkits were distributed in Pune, India.

Both Dave and SCAW have come a long way from their beginnings in the Dryden home in Toronto. Dave and his younger brother Ken went on to have stellar pro hockey careers. After retiring, Dave coached for several years, but his true calling was continuing what his father had started.

Now beyond the original goal of one million, Dave says SCAW has gone through a strategic planning process. While another million is certainly a goal, they want to emphasize “giving from the heart, not from a guilty conscience.”

What makes the success of SCAW more interesting is that they do no advertising. Dave told me their marketing committee (with a budget of zero) has to find creative ways to publicize SCAW. Perhaps their biggest and best publicists are the 100 volunteers who travel for SCAW. They come back so pumped up and spread the word themselves. They do also take advantage of free services, such as Facebook and a blogsite.

While distributing the bedkits, Dave had been to numerous countries, but says he has not been to a museum or art gallery, nor to the tallest buildings downtown. Instead, he spends his time with the people. He is always amazed at the universality of children worldwide, rich or poor. He also said “family” is probably the most common value he encounters.

SCAW has distributed bedkits in more than 33 countries. Because of the efforts of SCAW and people like Dave, more than one million children have received bedding. He is certainly a humanitarian, and over the years, he has become quite a global traveler.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

Read comments on the Global Traveler Blog website

Garage Sale for SCAW in Erin

Submitted by Ken Graham

Garage Sale

All proceeds for
Sleeping Children Around the World

Where?

9230 Side Road 17, Erin

When

July 10^th 8 am to Noon

Why?

Ken Graham is moving to a smaller place

Lots of items, things and stuff for ladies, men, & children

Click graphic for larger image

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Update received on July 16^th

Hi to all:

The final result of my garage sale last Saturday, July 10^th was very satisfying. The final cheque arrived in the mail yesterday. The grand total was $1777.15 . That means that 50 more children will have the benefit of a good night's sleep, new clothes and school supplies. All that plus knowing that someone thinks that they are special!

On behalf of the children I want to thank all those who supported the sale in so many ways.

For the Children,
Ken Graham

Kili Klimbers for SCAW

Submitted by Nikunj Patel

Mt. Kilimanjaro / Tanzania Project

A climb up Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres/19,340 feet tall), the tallest mountain in Africa is planned for August 2010 by a group of sixteen individuals from all around the world. The majority of the group has roots in East Africa.

The contingent will be represented by the following:

Aamie Patel	Aisha Patel	Amil Patel	Atin Patel
Arjun Patel	Bhavik Mistry	Dipak Mistry	Ekta Patel
Heeren Mistry	Kirit Patel	Kirit Patel	Mihir Patel
Nikunj Patel	Shailesh Patel	Shamir Patel	TBC

The expedition is fully funded by the individuals in the group. The group is raising funds for bedkits to be purchased and distributed by Sleeping Children Around the World in Tanzania this August, 2010. They are currently seeking individual and corporate sponsors.

You can add your pledge by going to the SCAW website and selecting Kili Klimbers for SCAW.

Mount Kilimanjaro is 5,895 metres tall. Their target is to raise at the minimum $5,896 with no upper limit. Any sponsors contribution in excess of $500 will be acknowledged through a banner to be unveiled on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Children Helping Children

Submitted by Mike Foster

As published in the Brantford Expositor, June 5, 2010

The children in Mr. Melfi's grade 4A class at Our Lady of Providence School raised money for Sleeping Children Around the World, a non-profit organization that provides bedkits to children of any race and/or religion living in underdeveloped and developing countries. This fundraising event was all part of Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board's Catholic Education Week, which ran during May 3 to 7 and centred around the theme of Hope.

To help the children understand and have a more hands-on approach to providing Hope in Our World, they sold candy treat bags, jumbo freezies, and donated children's hair clips by Ari's Bow-tique. Their fundraising efforts resulted in a total of $420 raised, which will be used to buy 12 bedkits. The cheque was presented to Mike Foster, the representative for SCAW, at Our Lady of Providence School on May 31.

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Click graphic at right to see larger size.

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Mid-Life Riders' Third ride for SCAW

Submitted by Mervyn House.

Mid-Life Riders Online, a charity motorcycle group in St. John's, Newfoundland, had their third annual ride to raise money for bedkits for Sleeping Children Around the World on May 29, 2010. They are committed to continuing with this motorcycle ride each year.

Last year's ride bought bedkits that went to Nicaragua.

Thanks to Mervyn House for the attached photo of this year's event.

See more photos on the club's website.

Togo trip reports posted

The donor newsletter for the Togo bedkit distribution has gone to print and can be downloaded from the Sleeping Children Website.

Togo 2010 Photos

Photos are available in the Togo 2010 Photo Album. You can view them by clicking the link above.

If you would like to read the reports on the web, you can read them in their entirety here.

Here is a download link for the PDF version of the newsletter.

Gary's Run in London

From Pinehurst Club 2010

Received from Gary Comerford after his London marathon run.

"As promised here is my London Marathon Post Race report. I want to thank everyone who has supported this run by donating to Sleeping Children Around the World. If you have not as yet contributed, there is still time to go on line [at this link] and contribute or just send me a big cheque."

London 2010

Who would have ever thought that getting to a Marathon could be more difficult than the marathon itself; Volcanic ash, cancelled flights, respiratory concerns, airplane safety, and getting there only to have it cancelled were a reality five days before the big race. Through the terrific work of Eileen and a great travel agent, they managed to get me on a flight to Europe on Tuesday evening. A stopover in Paris and Amsterdam to do a little business and I was ready for my last marathon.

Listening to the weather forecast on the telly made me think I was in Mumbai, they predicted a high of 22 C. Now 10-15 is fine but 22 is a bloody heat wave for London in April. Need to hydrate! On the bus we go to Greenwich for the start of the race. There were hot air balloons, helicopters, huge TV screens, fabulous music and more port-a-pot ties than I've ever seen in my entire life. There were Virgins everywhere! I mean Virgin signs, including Sir Richard Branson himself, as Virgin was the lead sponsor. The corrals were set up and marked better than I've ever seen. This was one very well organized race. But 30 min. from the start the clouds opened up and it just poured! Glad I remembered the Glad garbage bags.

The gun went off, I think. I was so far back I needed binoculars to see the Kenyans. Off went 37,000 runners and one of the largest marathons in the world had begun. As is normal, the first couple of hundred meters were slow, in fact very slow and the sun began to burst through the clouds. The temperature began to rise, and I quickly discarded my throw away top. This was going to be a hot day. You could see the steam rising from the road. Normally I run about a 5:15 per k pace early in a Marathon but I was averaging 6:10 for the first 5 k. I wasn't re qualifying for Boston in this race. In fact it was going to be my slowest marathon ever as well as the marathon where I had the most fun.

The crowds were unbelievable right from the start. All through Greenwich people were cheering us on. At one point we passed the Greenwich clock and went from running in the eastern hemisphere to the western hemisphere. Early on I caught up to a group that called themselves the “human caterpillar”. There were 33 runners joined together all decked out in green outfits and the two lead runners wore red hats. At the very front there was this goofy guy wearing Butterfly wings. This was really neat to see. I ran with them for about a thousand meters, and chatted them up. Later in the day I found out that the goofy butterfly was Richard Branson. Two of his kids and Princess Beatrice, Fergie and Andrew's daughter, were part of the caterpillar chain.

At 20 k we crossed Tower Bridge and headed towards Canary Wharf. The crowds continued to be deafening. I know I'm running slow as my half marathon time is 2:12. At 22 k I see runners at the 35 k mark on the other side of the road heading for home and they look a lot stronger than I feel. As we run into Canary Wharf I say to myself” there won't be much crowd support here”. Boy was I wrong. The sound of the crowd was again deafening. Thousands were cheering, dancing, waving, and offering you a pint. The Caribbean dancers at 30 k were stunning and helped to really motivate the male runners. I was actually feeling strong, but that's probably because I was running so slow. At 35 k, I usually hit the wall. At Boston after heartbreak hill it was ugly. But in London, I just kept running like the “Eveready” battery. The slow steady approach is actually quite enjoyable. At 40 k you can see Big Ben and it's a welcome sight. A hard right after Westminster and there is St. James Park and Buckingham Palace just 800 m ahead. Around the bend and onto The Mall for a strong finish. Final time 4:40:18. My tenth and final Marathon done. The last of the Five Great Marathons of the world completed.

Going forward my annual run will be a half marathon, which Cathy says will be less stressful on the family. Finally a very big thank you to everyone that has, or is planning to support "Gary's Run" for sleeping Children Around the World again this year. Your annual contribution makes a big difference to so many kids in India.

Thanks for all your support,

Gary

People with so little are so grateful

As published in the Owen Sound Sun Times
Monday, May 10, 2010

Posted By DICK WAUGH

From time to time we see where people in various organizations go on missions to aid those in developing countries. Usually developing means that they are desperate and in need of aid.

Canada has a good habit of responding to these issues and has put up tens of millions of dollars to help with the earthquake that ravaged Haiti.

There were concerts, fund drives and dinners all to support the Haiti relief campaign. Charitable organizations alone in Canada raised over $150 million. The Canadian government matched donations.

That was good in this instance, but soon it is forgotten and we as individuals get back to our normal concerns, like taxes, insurance, gas prices, hydro blackouts and even who is going to win the Stanley Cup.

And yet, some who go into the fields of developing countries return to Canada with a whole new outlook.

In the past few months I attended the Amabel Men's Club and on two occasions it had speakers who had gone into developing countries and came back with new appreciation of just how desperate things can be.

Dave Hicks representing the club went to Cambodia under the Hope International Development Agency, headquartered in New Westminster, British Columbia.

Dave, who was the first president the Amabel club had, was to build a community well for a village in Cambodia. The membership had raised $5,000 for this project and an anonymous donor provided yet another $5,000.

The club was aware through Hope International that children were "struggling to survive, drinking water from filthy ditches" that were clearly contaminated and used by any number of animals and fraught with hordes of insects.

Among those things that impressed him was this: Those villages without a well were sad and with many infections obvious. Those villages with a well were happy and it showed in pictures taken while Dave Hicks was there.

So the club did their well and Dave returned to Canada with a different impression of under developed countries.

Then Jack Diverty told about his journey to Nicaragua and the club project for Sleeping Children Around the World.

The Amabel executive asked members to each give $35 for a bed kit to provide a mattress, pillow, blanket, mosquito net, clothes, towel, and school supplies, depending where children who need the kits are located. The members of the group gave $2,500 for kits and the club matched this with another $2,500.

In Jack's case he (and his wife Jackie) volunteered to go and distributed the kits for the club. Under the rules of Sleeping Children all those involved are doing so for the love of being there.

The kits are put together in the country where the children are located, providing work for the locals, elimination of transportation costs and a boost to the local economy.

They were in Nicaragua and had 10 days to distribute the kits and as hosts they decided where the kits should go. No family gets more than one kit.

Said Jack, "There is no social security, no OHIP, nothing that we expect and we feel is our right. Their conditions are very bad."

And he adds, "You feel like a rock star with these children. I would go back in a heart beat."

He saw what goes on for kids in Nicaragua and with these two speakers so did the Amabel Men's Club.

Recently there was a television documentary concerning Free the Children, an international initiative where children help children. A person from our world went on a mission and asked a child what they wanted for the village.

Her answer was simple. "We are very happy in our village. Thank you and we don't really need anything."

Now go out and bounce that question of populations on this side of the economic world. And away we go with our disgruntlements. Taxes, gas prices, bank charges, insurance premiums and on and on it goes.

Article ID# 2571350

Never say never at St. Ignatius

As published in The Toronto Sun
Monday, May 10, 2010

By JENNY YUEN, TORONTO SUN

OAKVILLE — After the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup last year, the students at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School were graced by its mighty presence — thanks to their gym teacher, who also works as a scout for the hockey team.

“The Cup was a rock star that day,” said physical education teacher David McNamara. “People kept saying to me that you’ll never win the Stanley Cup or be a teacher, so to be able to tell the kids and give them hope — my message to them is don’t ever let people tell you you can’t do something.”

The same inspirational message is carried throughout the Oakville Catholic high school through many of its diverse programs.

The school placed sixth among the Top 10 schools in the Halton Region, earning an 8.2 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute report.

St. Ignatius scored an 85% average on its academic math results and 56% on its applied, which were both above the board and provincial averages.

In Grade 10 literacy results, students scored 97% on tests, above the board average of 92% and provincial average of 85%.

“It’s a strong school that focuses on academics, but also developing the whole student,” acting principal Rocco Di Ianni said. “We have a lot of initiatives in the areas of literacy, numeracy, pathways that crosses the curriculum. More than that, we have a lot of initiatives start off right from Grade 9.”

In Peter Posocco’s Grade 9 to 12 jazz band class, 33 students are playing Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

“Most of our students come to the school without any prior instrument knowledge,” he said. “This year, we entered the Golden Horseshoe Music Fest and the concert band received gold and jazz band received silver.”

The hallways of this 27-year-old school are decorated with over 70 murals from visual art students past and present to liven up the atmosphere and show students what they can do when they accomplish their full potential.

Gives back

St. Ignatius is also a school that gives back to the community through its art. Since 2009, the school has raised nearly $2,000 for Sleeping Children Around the World by selling calendars depicting work from visual arts students. They have also sold colouring books with money donated to War Child Canada and Halton Women’s Place.

“It makes me feel like I’m giving back to the world — like my art has a further purpose,” Alex Irvine, 18, said.

The school is in the midst of a multi-million dollar renovation. In January, a new synthetic turf sports field was built, sporting the Loyola name. Di Ianni said there will be an additional 10 classrooms built near the back and a new cafeteria, new arts wing and new chapel will be finished sometime in 2011 or 2012.

“It was the first publicly funded Catholic school in Ontario,” he said. “The new field, we’ve been told, rivals the ones used in the NFL and the reason we put it in was because it gives students more time to be involved in extra-curricular because weather doesn’t permit us to be on natural turf.”

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jenny.yuen@sunmedia.ca

Sleeping Children Around the World celebrates 40 years of tucking kids in

As published in the National Post
Saturday, May 8, 2010

Last Tuesday, more than 600 members of the local business community turned out for breakfast at the Royal York in Toronto to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), a Canadian international charity dedicated to providing bedkits (bedding, clothing, school supplies and mosquito nets) to children living in underdeveloped countries.

From Pinehurst Club 2010

Christine Magee, president of Sleep Country Canada, right, and SCAW's chairman and former NHL goaltender Dave Dryden were the speakers at the event, which raised more than $100,000 in support of SCAW's Legacy Fund.

The charity was started by Murray and Margaret Dryden, Dave's parents. The interest from the Legacy Fund supports the operating expenses of SCAW, so it can continue to be a 100% charity. Since the charity's inception in 1970, SCAW has raised more than $23-million, providing bedkits to more than one million children in 33 countries.

Harwell one for the ages

As published in the Belleville Intelligencer
Saturday, May 8, 2010

Posted By CHRIS MALETTE

"The man who will forever be the voice of the Tigers is gone, and the baseball community is left silent in remembrance. Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell passed away Tuesday at age 92. Harwell spent 42 seasons broadcasting in Detroit ..."
— News item, Detroit Free Press, May 4

To have grown up a kid in Windsor and having the old man take you to Tiger Stadium on a muggy, July afternoon to catch the Detroit Tigers in action knowing that night your team had a baseball game in a league in Windsor -- real baseball with baseballs, not fat softballs, like the breed played here -- it was baseball Nirvana.

Maybe it was the proximity to the U.S. What with it all being Amurrica's national game, but for my brothers and me, Tiger Stadium, the Tigers and Ernie Harwell were like church icons.

Even if you weren't at glorious, grungy Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, through Harwell kids in Windsor and Detroit recognized double plays as "two for the price of one," and home runs as "looong gone!" Probably no one has ever coined a phrase like this for a batter who watches a called third strike sail by, his bat still on his shoulder: "He stood there like a house by the side of the road."

Accolades poured in from all over North America for Harwell, including this from the Detroit Free Press columnist and author -- one of my all-time favourite writers -- MitchAlbom:
"Over time, Ernie's voice became the sound-track of our internal pictures, until the game became a story -- a story told by a fatherly figure. I once said if baseball could talk, it would sound like Ernie Harwell -- unhurried, slightly southern, as comfortable as an old couch."

They don't make `em like Ernie Harwell, any more. Everyone's talking about "jack city" for homers and trying way too hard to come up with a catch phrase. For Harwell, it just came naturally and there was always something just so Tigers about everything he said into that mic.

As a kid in Windsor, when the 'Tigs' took that amazing World Series in 1968 against the Cards -- with guys like Lolich, Mclain and Willie Horton -- we listened to the broadcasts in the afternoon and it was Harwell who brought the magic home to a bunch of kids in Grade 7 through his game-calling mastery.

He was one for the ages.

---

Seeing as today's column seems to have veered into Malette's Faves, here's my favourite charity, or certainly one of the top 10.

Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), a Canadian international charity dedicated to providing bedkits (bedding, clothing, school supplies and mosquito nets) to children living in underdeveloped countries, celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010.

Since its inception in 1970 by Murray and Margaret Dryden, SCAW has raised more than $23 million, providing bedkits to more than one million children in 33 countries.

I met Murray Dryden when he gave a presentation at Bridge Street United Church some years ago. I was immediately impressed with the top-to-bottom volunteer nature of SCAW and the fact every nickel actually goes to the kids it purports to help.

Murray Dryden was a prince of a man and his charity struck a chord with me, having seen children sleeping in dirt and squalor in places like Somalia, Haiti, Honduras and post-war Bosnia.

For every $35 bedkit donation, 100 per cent reaches a needy child. To personalize the donation, a photo of the child with their bedkit is sent to the donor. Take it from me, this is a good, honest charity.

For more information on SCAW, visit www.scaw.org.

Dave Dryden on THE FAN 590

As broadcast on The FAN 590
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

The FAN 590's Rob Wong speaks with former NHL goalie and chairman of Sleeping Children Around the World, Dave Dryden. Dryden talks about the charity which provides bed kits to children in underdeveloped and developing countries.

Listen here.

Sleeping Children Around the World celebrates 40 years of Success as a 100 Per ...

As published in Religion News
Wednesday, May 5, 2010

From Pinehurst Club 2010

Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), a Canadian international charity dedicated to providing bedkits (bedding, clothing, school supplies and mosquito nets) to children living in underdeveloped countries, celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010. Since its inception in 1970 by Murray and Margaret Dryden, parents of NHL hockey legends Ken and Dave Dryden, SCAW has raised more than $23 million, providing bedkits to more than one million children in 33 countries.

An event was held today at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto with the local business community to honour SCAW’s 40th anniversary. More than 600 people gathered this morning to hear Dave Dryden, Chairman of SCAW, Christine Magee, President and co-founder of Sleep Country Canada, amongst others, express what the Charity means to them and how it has helped more than one million children around the world.

From Pinehurst Club 2010

“I am honoured to know that 2010, the year in which my father would have celebrated his 99th birthday, we can celebrate another milestone, the 40th year of SCAW,” says Dave Dryden, chairman, Sleeping Children Around the World. “My father understood how vital a few hours of comfort and sleep are to help a child forget extreme temperatures, sickness, and pangs of hunger. Everyday SCAW works towards fulfilling his dream of a world in which every child benefits from the comfort of a good night’s sleep.”

For every $35 bedkit donation, 100 per cent reaches a needy child. To personalize the donation, a photo of the child with their bedkit is sent to the donor, providing a timeless way for the donor to remember the child who benefited from their generosity.

Bedkits are given to needy children in developing countries to help them face the challenges of the coming day. The content of a bedkit differs depending on the country. Common items include: mattress, ground mat, pillow, bed sheets, mosquito net, shorts/t-shirt or dress, wool blanket, sandals, towel, and school supplies.

History of SCAW

The vision for SCAW began during Murray Dryden’s travels to India. One night, while traveling through the country, Murray tripped over a child sleeping on the street and decided that he was going to do everything in his power to ensure these children had a bearable place to sleep and were better prepared to face the challenges of the coming day. He couldn’t feed the world, or alleviate hunger, but he believed a good night’s sleep could make a hungry child’s life more comfortable. Murray and Margaret Dryden registered this charity in 1970 with a distribution of 50 bedkits in Pune, India.

Murray and Margaret devoted their retirement lives to this program, initially hoping to raise $1 million. After this was achieved, Murray set a new goal of one million bedkits. In 2009, SCAW reached this goal by delivering their one millionth bedkit to a child in Kenya.

Pinehurst Club Breakfast

From Pinehurst Club 2010

The Second Annual Pinehurst Club Breakfast took place at 7:30 a.m. this morning (May 5, 2010) at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel to celebrate SCAW’s 40th year as a 100 per cent charity. Christine Magee, President and co-founder of Sleep Country Canada and Gary Comerford, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for RGA International Corporation were the featured guest speakers. SCAW’s Chairman, Dave Dryden, spoke as well in front of the local business community. The breakfast supported SCAW’s Legacy Fund, which was initiated by its founders, Murray and Margaret Dryden. The interest from The Legacy Fund supports the operating expenses of SCAW so it can continue to be a 100 per cent charity.

In the last few years, a study completed by Financial Experts indicated that the Legacy Fund will need to be strengthened in the future if SCAW expects to keep increasing the number of bedkits given to children. Supporters of SCAW initiated “The Pinehurst Club” to help grow the Legacy Fund and to keep the dream alive. Last year, the inaugural event, featuring Michael “Pinball” Clemons, CEO, Toronto Argonauts football team, raised more than $90,000. This year the charity hopes to surpass this amount.

About Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW)

Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) is a Canadian international non-for-profit organization dedicated to providing bedkits to children of any race and/or religion living in underdeveloped and developing countries.

Over the past 40 years SCAW has given out bedkits in 33 countries including India, Panama, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Peru, Tanzania, Colombia, Philippines, Togo, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Vietnam, Malawi and Sri Lanka. For more information on SCAW, please visit www.scaw.org.

Kids'' beds charity celebrates 40 years

As posted on the Silentnight website
May 5, 2010

A charity that helps to provide children''s beds and mattresses for kids around the world is celebrating 40 years of success.

Based in Canada, Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) was established in 1970 by Murray and Margaret Dryden, who aimed to give children in developing countries the means to get a good night''s bed rest.

Since it was launched, the charity has raised more than $23 million (£14.9 million) to provide bed kits for over a million children in 33 countries.

"Everyday SCAW works towards fulfilling [my father''s] dream of a world in which every child benefits from the comfort of a good night''s sleep," commented SCAW chairman Dave Dryden at a celebratory event in Toronto.

Throughout the course of this year, SCAW will distribute beds and mattresses to children in the Philippines, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Bangladesh.

Last year, the charity marked another milestone - the distribution of its millionth bedkit to a child in Kenya.

Posted by Elizabeth Mewes