Pennies for peace
It just makes 'cents'
Siarra Hernandez
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: Front Page
Greg Mortenson's sister died in 1992 after a long battle with epilepsy and in honor of her he scaled Pakistan's second highest mountain in the Karakoram Range. While recovering from his climb in a village called Korphe, Mortenson became acquainted with a group of children. The children were sitting on the ground, writing in the sand with sticks and Mortenson pledged to help them build a school.
From his promise grew a humanitarian campaign that is dedicated to promoting education in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially for girls.
According to penniesforpeace.org; "… Mortenson has established or significantly supports 131 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 58,000 children, including 44,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before."
Throughout his mission to provide schools for the children Mortenson, and an author named David Oliver Relin, wrote a New York Times Bestseller called "Three Cups of Tea". This book has been called "A template for peace" by the Bloomsbury Review and comes highly recommended by Tom Brokaw. It has won many awards, including the Daytona Literary Peace Prize Runner Up, Time Magazine's Asian Book of the Year and more. The book promotes Mortenson's message of peace through education and literacy.
Garden City Community College was presented with a challenge by guest speaker, Jane Elliot, to collect pennies for the cause and she in turn will match the first $500 that is raised. Lesa Gilbert, BSU Advisor, was appointed the keeper of the pennies by Elliot. Gilbert says, "I think it's a good opportunity for students and employees to make a difference in children's education and I feel that GCCC can step up and meet the challenge. If Westside Elementary in Wisconsin can meet the challenge of Miss Elliot I'm sure that GCCC can meet our challenge."
Pennies for Peace is a great way to positively influence your friends, community and world "one penny at a time," claims penniesforpeace.org. Here in the United States some might say that the penny is practically worthless, but to a child in the Middle East a penny canchange their future.
Mortenson has gained the trust of Islamic leaders, military commanders, government officials and tribal chiefs as a result of his diligent efforts to provide the children, especially girls, with an education. He received Pakistan's highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan ("Star of Pakistan") for his dedication.
Pennies for Peace containers will be located in all buildings on campus with the building secretaries through the end of February.
Donations will then be taken to a local bank, counted and a check will be sent to the program.
For more information on how you can get involved visit penniesforpeace.org or threecupsoftea.com or call Lesa Gilbert at 620.276.9662.
From his promise grew a humanitarian campaign that is dedicated to promoting education in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially for girls.
According to penniesforpeace.org; "… Mortenson has established or significantly supports 131 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 58,000 children, including 44,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before."
Throughout his mission to provide schools for the children Mortenson, and an author named David Oliver Relin, wrote a New York Times Bestseller called "Three Cups of Tea". This book has been called "A template for peace" by the Bloomsbury Review and comes highly recommended by Tom Brokaw. It has won many awards, including the Daytona Literary Peace Prize Runner Up, Time Magazine's Asian Book of the Year and more. The book promotes Mortenson's message of peace through education and literacy.
Garden City Community College was presented with a challenge by guest speaker, Jane Elliot, to collect pennies for the cause and she in turn will match the first $500 that is raised. Lesa Gilbert, BSU Advisor, was appointed the keeper of the pennies by Elliot. Gilbert says, "I think it's a good opportunity for students and employees to make a difference in children's education and I feel that GCCC can step up and meet the challenge. If Westside Elementary in Wisconsin can meet the challenge of Miss Elliot I'm sure that GCCC can meet our challenge."
Pennies for Peace is a great way to positively influence your friends, community and world "one penny at a time," claims penniesforpeace.org. Here in the United States some might say that the penny is practically worthless, but to a child in the Middle East a penny canchange their future.
Mortenson has gained the trust of Islamic leaders, military commanders, government officials and tribal chiefs as a result of his diligent efforts to provide the children, especially girls, with an education. He received Pakistan's highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan ("Star of Pakistan") for his dedication.
Pennies for Peace containers will be located in all buildings on campus with the building secretaries through the end of February.
Donations will then be taken to a local bank, counted and a check will be sent to the program.
For more information on how you can get involved visit penniesforpeace.org or threecupsoftea.com or call Lesa Gilbert at 620.276.9662.