I loved pulling into the Mansion yesterday and seeing Nancy wearing one of the warm sweaters we bought for her from a blog reader and also at Carroll’s Trading Post, the consignment shop where I buy a lot of the winter clothes going to the Mansion.
Nancy was often shivering outside as the weather grows colder, she had no warm clothes of any kind. There are few things more satisfying than knowing the Mansion residents will be warm.
Nancy doesn’t ever ask for anything (cigarettes, once in a while), she needed shoes, winter boots, a winter coat, warm socks, pajamas a winter hat, and some sweaters. She has everything she needs now, it is good to see that.
Thanks to Caroll’s Trading Post, I got most of these high-quality things inexpensively.
It was a good week for good.
I’m nearing the end of my winter clothing campaign, just a few more things for a few more people, some who are new. I see two residents could use some warm clothes.
Today I’m bringing jigsaw puzzles and some lap robes. Nancy’s winter coat is coming in two weeks. We got an electric tea maker, a coffee machine, a mini-refrigerator in place for the Mansion Break Room.
The electrician is coming soon.
Dr. John Harden, Humanities Teacher at Bishop Maginn High School, thanks you (as do I) for purchasing the 12 used American Government books he needs for his government class.
His next project, which rings my bells, is the study of Superheroes And The American Experience, a brilliant way to get the students into history by the back door.
Books are on the way.
The Bishop Maginn Amazon Wish List sold out. Gift cards for $10 and $25 are up if you want to keep helping the school. Dr. Harden is a caring, gentle and creative teacher.
Thang Trinh, a gracious and talented 17-year-old exchange student at Bishop Maginn from Vietnam designed a mural that was chosen by the Albany College of Pharmacy from many competitors to grace a wall in their main building.
This has sparked a Mural Mob in Sue Silverstein’s art class, they are doing several murals for the dull walls of the school and offering sketches to other Albany institutions.
The class asked for 5 gallons of different colors acrylic paint for their mural painting, the paint was up on the same wish list as Dr. Harden’s books. Every one was purchased and is on its way to the school.
Thang Trinh and the other mural artists thank you, and so do I. This is a great opportunity for Sue’s class to get excited and stretch themselves creatively. Murals are hard work. They require lots of planning and thinking.
It was a good week for good.
If you want to support my work and can, you can contribute via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion/Refugee Fund, P.O. Box 206, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.