2009, September edition
In this issue:
1. 2009 Summer Volunteer Program
2. Toronto Professional Chapter Concert
3. U of T Chapter Auction
4. McGill Chapter Benefit Concert
5. UVA Chapter Charity Dinner
1. 2009 Summer Volunteer Program
Class of 2009, Dream Corps Summer Volunteer Program
“We made a pact to return to Huju in 10 years, together," Dream Corps Huju team volunteer Rui Huang beamed at the audience of her peers, mentors, and visitors, during the 2009 Summer Volunteer Program conclusion forum, held at Communication University of China in Beijing, on June 27th. For four weeks, 34 volunteers shared their lives with six communities scattered over China's vast land. On the next day, they would be returning to their work and study all over North America and Asia, taking with them a new perspective on life in rural and migrant workers' China.
At Beijing and Henan, two of our oldest sites, our teams returned to build upon Dream Corps libraries already in operation,concentrating on reading programs that accompanied the infrastructure in place. Working steadily in the steps of their predecessors, our volunteers continue to bring new ideas and laughter into schools and households.
Newly established except for one, the four sites in Hunan province are located in vicinity of the very first Dream Corps site. Working on new projects allowed our volunteers to demonstrate their ingenuity on all aspects of library-building. Their resourcefulness gave birth to stenciled logo painting, hand-printed walls and book place holders! More importantly, they have made ties with their host communities, thus setting the cornerstone for future collaboration.
Here, we would like to express our most sincere gratitude for our volunteers' commitment and dedication. You not only represented Dream Corps when you worked in the field, you are the ones who make our operations possible. Let's keep in touch, we would like to hear from you about your summer experiences, your accomplishments and your endeavors for many summers more!
You've got some recollections and reflections concerning SVP09? Funny? Sad? Touching? Critical? We want them all, please send yours to: communication@dreamcorps.org
2. Toronto Professional Chapter Concert
Volunteers from the Toronto Professional Chapter, assisted by the two Canadian university chapters (U of T & McGill), inaugurated Dream Corps' first community based event, a charity concert, on July 19th, 2009. Here's the field report from chapter chair Hangtian She:
It is never easy to put together a 90 minutes long concert, not to mention one that targeted a new audience, but our enthusiastic organizers handled the challenges with aplomb. For promotion,they brought on board the Toronto Public Library, who posted event posters in their some ninety branches across the city, and York BBS, one of the largest Chinese online communities in Toronto. All our families and friends contributed equally in spreading out the words.
The chapter co-chair Jiafei Niu convinced her father Peiyi Niu, a talented Er-Hu player, to perform alongside Helen Hu, a young yet very proficient Pi-Pa player and pianist. We also owe our thanks to pianists Ricker Choi, Matthew Craig, Emily Lam, Benjamin Yang, Amely Zhou, whose performances will linger long in our minds.
As the Co-Chair of the Toronto Professional Chapter, I would like to give our special thanks to the McGill University Chapter, whose key members travelled for 6 hours to Toronto to support our event, and to the University of Toronto Chapter, whose members contributed greatly to this concert and provided us with precious event-planning experience.
3. University of Toronto Chapter Charity Auction
On April 9th, 2009, University Of Toronto held a charity auction in junction with UTCSSA, raising a total of total of $1,232. This event was reported in detail by a local newspaper. You can find the full article at http://www.torcn.com/cache/62319.html?PHPSESSID=bb7dd47d528e3ff0bae141d1303fd1fa
4. McGill University Chapter Benefit Concert
McGill Chapter executives with volunteers after concert
On February 7th, 2009, sounds of music and laughter filled Presbyterian College as McGill University Chapter concluded "Journeys to a Dream", a benefit concert that attracted more than 100 pairs of curious ears. The concert kicked off with a video stating Dream Corps' mission and ended with a slide show highlighting the young chapter's activities in its first year. Tap dancing, piano solo, chamber music trio, poem recital, singing, and gu zheng solo, the program was keen on variety. Volunteer performers from Fantasia McGill and chapter members enlivened the night with their performances and good humour. The climax of the concert was palpable when all executives reunited on stage to sing "Tomorrow will be better", the Dream Corps theme song. The audience clapped to the beat, singing from memory or humming it for the first time. A truly magical moment. $100 was raised and members of the audience encouraged McGill University Chapter to make concerts an annual event.
5. University of Virginia Chapter Charity Dinner
What was brewing in Charlottesville? Yum, a hot pot fundraiser!
On January 30th, 2009, the University of Virginia chapter annual charity dinner took place at a local restaurant. Over 50 students attended the event to enjoy authentic boiling hot pot prepared by the chapter officers and to display their karaoke prowess, preferably not at the same time. The charity dinner was a success, a night showcasing Dream Corps, raising more than $800. Many attendees have shown interest in the summer volunteer program.
Want to see more snapshots of hot pots and a lot of jolly people?
Click on http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2251650&id=1527763&l=9e0ccf3454 for photos of the event.
Generous contributions from our supporters is vital to the success in bringing quality education to underprivileged children in China. We appreciate the time and effort you have contributed to Dream Corps and hope that you can extend your support one more step by providing a gift of donation. Donations create direct impact to the development of libraries and reading programs, and can be dedicated to specific project sites under your request.
All US-donations are 100% tax-deductible. Please visit our donation page athttp://www.dreamcorps.org/donation.htm or contact us atdonation@dreamcorps.org. | 
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