9-15-08

Walpole Grange Sponsors Heifer International Program Tomorrow Evening

By Chuck Bingaman, Contributing Writer

            Dummerston elementary teacher Annette Wilson will discuss her visit to Honduras to review Heifer International projects Tuesday, September 16, at the Walpole Grange meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall.

            Wilson, daughter of Walpole Grange members Bob and Peggy Graves, grew up at Great Brook Farm and got interested in Heifer International as a girl.  The Walpole Congregational church where the family attends raised funds for the organization.

            Heifer International, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, has, for more than half a century, provided livestock for people in third world countries to learn to raise, propagate and become self-sufficient with.

            “Heifer,” noted Wilson Monday, “now provides 30 different kinds of animals to people in 50 countries.  Six or eight years ago I learned about a great Heifer program that we could use as a community service program in my third grade class in Dummerston.  The children are so filled with compassion for disadvantaged people around the world, and they have enthusiastically participated in getting sponsors for their reading programs to raise money for Heifer.”

            In the summer of 2007, Wilson was invited to join a group of teachers to tour Heifer International projects in Honduras to see, first hand, how they are administered. 

            “Heifer’s goal is to end poverty and to teach people how to take care of their earth,” explained Wilson.  “We were so impressed with the level of enthusiasm and appreciation for Heifer that we found in the villages we visited.  We visited villages high in the mountains—places that had never had running water or electricity or health care—but, with the help of Heifer, they are starting to move into the 21^st century. Heifer really does partner with them rather than simply giving them aid and then disappearing.”

            “At my program tonight, I’ll show some pictures from my visit in Honduras, and the Grange will auction off fresh vegetables and other foods to benefit the Heifer International.”  The meeting is open to the public, and everyone is asked to bring fresh vegetables for the auction.