Unfortunately my site has been having issues with PayPal (in regards to using the service while residing in Mongolia - and country restrictions they have implemented) All of the money that has been donated will be able to fund the sport resources as intended! However, the project is currently reviewing its options with Paypal while the account has been restricted from receiving further money at this time..... it has been very disappointing trying to work with Paypal and hope the issue can be resolved soon.
Thanks again to everyone who has been able to contribute!!!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
What a First Month
Thanks for the Donations!
As June comes to a close - and all of us here at #PlayMongolia transition into our second month - we could not be more encouraged, grateful, or optimistic about the evolution of this project. Our community of engaged and invested members continues to grow daily as we have raised over $600 - the equivalent of 800,000 in local currency. We are well on our way to being able to provide the basic sport resources that all students deserve worldwide. Thanks to all of those already a part of this community and we look forward to those who may be here at #PlayMongolia for the first time!
As June comes to a close - and all of us here at #PlayMongolia transition into our second month - we could not be more encouraged, grateful, or optimistic about the evolution of this project. Our community of engaged and invested members continues to grow daily as we have raised over $600 - the equivalent of 800,000 in local currency. We are well on our way to being able to provide the basic sport resources that all students deserve worldwide. Thanks to all of those already a part of this community and we look forward to those who may be here at #PlayMongolia for the first time!
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| Playing with the one ball we have - an American football that my parents sent me a few months back |
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Meet the men behind the project
See what the teachers have to say for themselves. These are the men that started - motivated - researched - and led this project from the beginning. These are the lives that you can help change the most!
http://sportsresourceproject.blogspot.com/p/meet-teachers.html
http://sportsresourceproject.blogspot.com/p/meet-teachers.html
Friday, June 3, 2011
$200!!!!!!
Can't thank everyone enough for helping us reach the $200 mark..... the support has been more than encouraging and we look forward to continuing the process of reaching our goal together! Thanks
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Get Involved
We need your help! See how you can participate in #PlayMongolia - Your $5, $20, or 50 cents will help buy a basketball for these students and coaches....... Learn more about each of them and hear what they have to say about the project
A note from our school's Director
"Every year from the government, our school only receives basic funding that allows us to simply maintain our facilities on the lowest level. Funding for resources would have a substantial impact at our school and would finally allow for active sport classes while also allowing students and teachers to reach their potential. We are very thankful for any help and donations and are excited for the first chance in 16 years for sport resources, especially being the largest school in our community." (as communicated through a translator)
(and check out all the info. listed under 'A Day in the Life')
A note from our school's Director
"Every year from the government, our school only receives basic funding that allows us to simply maintain our facilities on the lowest level. Funding for resources would have a substantial impact at our school and would finally allow for active sport classes while also allowing students and teachers to reach their potential. We are very thankful for any help and donations and are excited for the first chance in 16 years for sport resources, especially being the largest school in our community." (as communicated through a translator)
Friday, May 20, 2011
Project Vision
What we want to see this project become.....
It's easy to ask for money. That may be a part of this project, but simplifying it to just that, would be a complete injustice. There has been a tremendous outpour of participation on the local level to organize and give this project wheels, and that has become the focus of this project. The Sports Resource Project is not interested in the simple reality of creating capital, but rather, in the creation of a community that becomes involved and invested in the local community here in Olgii, Mongolia. It's not about 'writing a check' - it's about getting as many people as possible to be a part of a movement that provides the tools necessary for a sister community to finally have the resources to reach the level of success that they deserve and have worked so hard to achieve. This project brings excitement - and the opportunity for the two different worlds that I have come to love to be able to interact and connect with one another through its most pressing resource issue.
It's easy to ask for money. That may be a part of this project, but simplifying it to just that, would be a complete injustice. There has been a tremendous outpour of participation on the local level to organize and give this project wheels, and that has become the focus of this project. The Sports Resource Project is not interested in the simple reality of creating capital, but rather, in the creation of a community that becomes involved and invested in the local community here in Olgii, Mongolia. It's not about 'writing a check' - it's about getting as many people as possible to be a part of a movement that provides the tools necessary for a sister community to finally have the resources to reach the level of success that they deserve and have worked so hard to achieve. This project brings excitement - and the opportunity for the two different worlds that I have come to love to be able to interact and connect with one another through its most pressing resource issue.
Project Overview
What is the Sports Resource Project all about?
What is the need for resources?
Echoing some of the highlights in the post on My Relationships, in Olgii, there are 10 schools and School #5 remains not only the biggest school - but also - the most economically and resource challenged. Athletics, as in American culture, are a dominant interest among students. While there are no organized leagues such as back in the states, there are several competitions throughout the year, and a school without the proper resources can neither prepare for nor host within the community competitions. Resources would not only help the students, but also the teachers, to become both educated and competitive in all avenues of athletics. Currently, even the simplest resource, balls, are unavailable to the students unless their families can provide them. Literally, the basketball court is used daily to play soccer, however, with no soccer balls available, the students find empty water bottles or cans to use in place of a ball. Even with extensive curriculum and lesson plans, the sports teachers are handcuffed and unable to provide any substantial education due directly to the complete lack of resources within the school. Basically, they can talk and teach about a wide variety of athletic activities, but students can never participate in nor experience what those activities actually are. Providing sports resources will allow for the immediate growth of the most deficient program in the school. Computers, projectors, copiers, software and books have all been donated in the past to fuel the academic community at School #5, however, there has never been a single investment in the fitness education of students until this project started and World Vision and JRC Sports for Peace made the first donations. Furthermore, a success in this project would fuel growth in the students self-confidence and general health as individuals, preparing them for the future.
After long hours of research, and combing through the state issued sports curriculum, the athletic department has determined the most essential pieces of sports resources in regards to the school and the students education. We have then ranked all of the items in terms of importance and availability, and placed them on a scale to determine our target donation price range. If we reach our goal, of $4,000, we will be able to successfully purchase (and pay for shipping - remember - Olgii is the most remote area of Mongolia in relation to the capital - where all the resources must be purchased from) the top tier resources that were ranked as imperative to a successful athletic education. The sports teachers have extensively researched and conducted cost analysis with local resources, UB resources, and American resources and have calculated not only the most cost productive methods, but also, the highest quality avenues that will allow the resources to be sustainable and maintainable for the foreseeable future.
What will the money actually go towards?
As mentioned earlier, after examining national curriculum, this is an abbreviated list of the resources deemed most essential to the school community and the sports resource project:
Balls (in the following sports): volleyball, basketball, baseball, American football, and football (soccer)
Sports Education Resources: athletic books, specialized visual aids, curriculum related DVDs
Fitness Resources: jump ropes, scales, weights, resistance bands, climbing ropes, specialized sports equipment (in regards to individualized sports), protective mats, and blood pressure equipment
(to name a few) Also, nets and goals for respective sports.
Track and Field Resources: relay batons, high bars, shot put, discus, etc.
American Sport Cultural Resources: baseball and American football resources
Classroom Necessities: workbooks, textbooks, and classroom resources for the students
Kazakh Cultural Resources: Judo and Karate equipment, Kazakh and Mongolian national games
Facilities Upkeep: to upgrade and sustain the facilities that were built in the early Soviet occupation
The last thing this project intends to achieve is a short term money fix to an overwhelming problem. Health and fitness remain a looming problem to a culture that has dramatically shifted from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one. Therefore, sports and fitness education is essential in the re-education of the public in healthy and maintainable lifestyles (which are dramatically different from even their parents and grandparents). That's the focus of this project. To provide the teachers at School #5 the necessary tools to not only educate the students on proper fitness, but also to jump-start and provide a program that is currently dead in the water. Mongolia is a country that is quickly evolving - and will soon make the transition from a 'developing county' to one that is considered 'developed.' This project will help one of the largest schools in Mongolia to smoothly make that transition on a health and educational level, preparing a large percentage of future workers for success.
The Sports Teachers Themselves
Perhaps the greatest success of this project, before the site even goes public, is the participation and motivation of the Athletic Department itself. As any volunteer will confirm (especially in this country), without the support and direction of locals themselves in a project, it will never happen and will go nowhere. Even without monetary success, that has to be the greatest achievement - the evolution of the teachers themselves to work hard towards a collective goal TOGETHER. It is something that is too often overlooked, and in this culture, it has been a huge accomplishment that has brought the entire school community together. To fail at this stage would be a dis-service to everyone that has worked so tirelessly to make a simple break room dream into a tangible reality that will propel everyone involved to a higher level of standards and expectations for themselves. That in itself is what this project is about. Furthermore, the development of resources will propel the teachers themselves, finally allowing them to reach the full potential that they are capable of as sports teachers.
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| It's a goal! Notice the water bottle going past the keeper |
Why have a project at all?
I have now spent almost a year in Mongolia, and 9 of those months have been spent in Olgii at School Number 5. The majority of volunteers here are categorized as 'Secondary Education and Community Development.' Basically what that boils down to - you teach English and are encouraged to find a project that helps develop your community in some fashion. I will admit, the pursuit of any project rests heavily on the motivation of not only the volunteer, but more importantly, the motivation of the community members involved in the project. That has been my focus in this project, to simply be a resource for my teachers, while the majority of research, idea development, and direction has been led and carried out by the school community itself. This is essential for both success and long-term sustainability. That is how this project was born; by my director, athletic department, and teachers presenting the school's greatest need to me in a proposal, and asking for any help that I could give in the pursuit to reach their goal.What is the need for resources?
Echoing some of the highlights in the post on My Relationships, in Olgii, there are 10 schools and School #5 remains not only the biggest school - but also - the most economically and resource challenged. Athletics, as in American culture, are a dominant interest among students. While there are no organized leagues such as back in the states, there are several competitions throughout the year, and a school without the proper resources can neither prepare for nor host within the community competitions. Resources would not only help the students, but also the teachers, to become both educated and competitive in all avenues of athletics. Currently, even the simplest resource, balls, are unavailable to the students unless their families can provide them. Literally, the basketball court is used daily to play soccer, however, with no soccer balls available, the students find empty water bottles or cans to use in place of a ball. Even with extensive curriculum and lesson plans, the sports teachers are handcuffed and unable to provide any substantial education due directly to the complete lack of resources within the school. Basically, they can talk and teach about a wide variety of athletic activities, but students can never participate in nor experience what those activities actually are. Providing sports resources will allow for the immediate growth of the most deficient program in the school. Computers, projectors, copiers, software and books have all been donated in the past to fuel the academic community at School #5, however, there has never been a single investment in the fitness education of students until this project started and World Vision and JRC Sports for Peace made the first donations. Furthermore, a success in this project would fuel growth in the students self-confidence and general health as individuals, preparing them for the future.
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| 'Playing' soccer |
What will the money go to?
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| Priority #1..... soccer balls |
Why use a blog and paypal format?
Originally, the plan for this project laid within the constraints of Peace Corps itself. When the project started, the goal was to write an approved US government grant that would provide the necessary funds to make this project a reality. However, as the details of such a grant became more clear, the hurdles and hardships specific to the region I lived in became overwhelmingly clear. To have a grant approved, not only would it need to be written in English, but also in the national language, Mongolian. This presented an immediate problem. While technically serving in Peace Corps Mongolia, I have become one of the few volunteers to have the privilege to serve in Bayan-Olgii (the one place in Mongolia with a Kazakh majority - a Kazakh culture - and a Kazakh language). Thus, while residents of Olgii are proficient in Mongolian, their language skills lack the technical ability - and swiftness - to undertake writing a grant in a language that is not native to them. If this wasn't problem enough, new volunteers arrive in a few weeks. Therefore, Peace Corps headquarters will be swamped with logistics and training that will prevent them from reviewing potential grants until the next school year arrives - which would prohibit this project from meeting its deadline for the beginning of next year's "Sports Festival Kickoff" with World Vision. All of these factors have led the sports resource project committee to make the decision to pursue this avenue, rather than waiting and failing to meet the deadlines via the Peace Corps pipeline itself. Furthermore, (and perhaps MOST importantly) if a grant would be approved through the Peace Corps channels, a 100% of the funds must be donated in order for the school to gain access to the money. For example, if we wanted $4,000 and could only raise $3,000 - the school would get nothing. In this fashion, even if we only raise $500 - at least we can buy soccer and basketballs. This allows us to prioritize resources and purchase accordingly based on the success of the donations. This puts the resources first, rather than focusing on monetary goals. What will the money actually go towards?
As mentioned earlier, after examining national curriculum, this is an abbreviated list of the resources deemed most essential to the school community and the sports resource project:
Balls (in the following sports): volleyball, basketball, baseball, American football, and football (soccer)
Sports Education Resources: athletic books, specialized visual aids, curriculum related DVDs
Fitness Resources: jump ropes, scales, weights, resistance bands, climbing ropes, specialized sports equipment (in regards to individualized sports), protective mats, and blood pressure equipment
(to name a few) Also, nets and goals for respective sports.
Track and Field Resources: relay batons, high bars, shot put, discus, etc.
American Sport Cultural Resources: baseball and American football resources
Classroom Necessities: workbooks, textbooks, and classroom resources for the students
Kazakh Cultural Resources: Judo and Karate equipment, Kazakh and Mongolian national games
Facilities Upkeep: to upgrade and sustain the facilities that were built in the early Soviet occupation
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| The school yard |
Lasting Impact of the Project
Perhaps the greatest success of this project, before the site even goes public, is the participation and motivation of the Athletic Department itself. As any volunteer will confirm (especially in this country), without the support and direction of locals themselves in a project, it will never happen and will go nowhere. Even without monetary success, that has to be the greatest achievement - the evolution of the teachers themselves to work hard towards a collective goal TOGETHER. It is something that is too often overlooked, and in this culture, it has been a huge accomplishment that has brought the entire school community together. To fail at this stage would be a dis-service to everyone that has worked so tirelessly to make a simple break room dream into a tangible reality that will propel everyone involved to a higher level of standards and expectations for themselves. That in itself is what this project is about. Furthermore, the development of resources will propel the teachers themselves, finally allowing them to reach the full potential that they are capable of as sports teachers.
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| Sabit and the Sports Teachers |
A Thank You
For Previous Contributions
It has been a long road to get to this point in our ever evolving project. It started with an in depth needs assessment of the school - and has developed into a resource campaign that has involved over 20 teachers and staff at school, countless hours of research and development, and current contributions by two great organizations.
World Vision and JRC Sports for Peace have both contributed funding that has made possible our first resource purchase: volleyball polls and nets! They will be arriving this summer in time for a sports kick-off party at the beginning of next school year. The school community has been very excited in anticipation - as has everyone involved in the project - for these two organizations helping all of us take a giant first step forward! We cannot thank you enough.
In Memoriam
To my Grandma
There are very few people that I have met in my life that have had such a magnetic pull to them. Grandma Pat was one of those very rare individuals. There was nothing about her that didn't both inspire and excite everyone that was fortunate to be in her company.
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| Just before leaving for Mongolia |
I remember Jeff, Chris, Steph and I getting excited about Maketewah dinners weeks in advance. Even golf to me is Grandma - she is the one who instilled in me the passion to play - and some of the best summers were spent walking the fairways at the club. And even as she got older, playing with Hans, Lyn and I - getting out of the cart only to chip and putt around the green - but letting out such a joyful "I got two!" when she putted it in.
I will never have another Easter that isn't spent thinking of Grandma. Bloody Marys and sandwich platters - all while playing chess and having conversations with distant relatives and friends (all which usually digressed back to the Reds). I will never forget Grandmas'. The Labor Day fireworks will never be the same - and a view of the city will never be as beautiful.
She is an inspiration - a powerhouse of positivity that I can only hope to strive for. I owe more to her than could ever be mentioned in a lifetime. If I could be guaranteed of nothing else but one thing in my life - it would be the health and attitude of Grandma Pat - she has been nothing short of amazing - and truly a most positive and life changing influence.
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