The first load of books ($500 worth) is shipping out tomorrow for the free store at Bishop Maginn High School, a central service point for the Afghan refugees to get some of the things they need.

Maria and I are going to the school in the morning to help assemble the Thanksgiving Basket items and gift certificates the Army Of Good has so generously donated.

Maria will teach her class how to use the new sewing machines we sent to the school. I’m planning on interviewing another of the remarkable students at the school; I’m planning on making this a series – The Students Of Bishop Maginn High School and their stories.

Today, I went to the Battenkill Bookstore to look over the beautiful books chosen  By Connie Brooks (after much research) specifically for the new refugees: how to leave a pet behind or a grandmother or friend, how to start a new life and make friends in a new country. Some also deal with the trauma of the refugee.

There are pictures, stories, and valuable tips and guides. Some books are beautiful with gorgeous photographs and inspiring and comforting stories. They’ll arrive at the Free Store on Monday.

We have a second-order ($400) of books – picture books mostly, for the very young – shipping out to the store next week. We all feel we have enough books for now. We want to see what’s left after Thanksgiving.

All of the families have blankets, warm bedding, and all of them have gift certificates (they can buy turkeys or anything they wish) and the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner. The toys you purchased on the Amazon Afghan Refugee Toy Wish List are arriving every day, and the families are incredibly grateful for them.

I’m excited about these books, they are lovely and helpful, and I’m proud to be sending them where they are so desperately needed and will do so much good.

Bishop Maginn Teacher Sue Silverstein is very worried about the rise in heating oil costs this winter; this was a problem last winter when we discovered several students were sleeping on living room mats and floors to save on heating oil.

We got several mattresses for these families; I know some were cold.

I’m not sure there is a lot we can do about that.

We need to stay focused on smaller and less expensive things.  We are doing a lot of good. We can’t burn ourselves out. We are helping now, keeping perspective, discipline, and scale.

Several groups are lobbying the Biden administration and local government for more help, and they seem much more receptive to the call than the previous administration was..