Today was a bit warmer than yesterday. It would have been great if my swimming pool was finished, but due to having so much work, I don't have time to oversee any construction on the house right now.
Since Der Hova brought up the subject of a lack of public swimming pools, I wanted to share with you the desire that the school principal of the larger school here in Martuni told me when I was visiting the summer day-care program today.
He said that they have a swimming pool that was destroyed during the war that they would like to repair, asking me if I could find a sponsor?
We went to look at the pool that I honestly didn't even know existed, since it is located to the far end of the school property and is surrounded by weeds. It's very small in terms of what one would find in the states, but it is a pool and for not much money can be repaired.
I told him that he should put together a proposal without any prices and I would put it out to bid to get a real figure of what it will cost. I can tell you were not looking at much money (maybe $400, if that).
He said that we would have a plaque put up near the pool, so the kids would know that someone cared to do something for the community here.
He then went on to tell about how if I could find someone to do a real big renovation job on the school itself, he would rename it after the donor.
I put my foot down and said that a plaque is one thing, but to name a school after someone just because they have money, is a very sensitive subject, especially for the message it sends out to the people here.
I gave him the example of a school in Arshan that was named after a girl who was killed in a car accident in California back in 1994. Not to be disrespectful to her or her family, who happen to be old friends of my father�s family from the old country, but I saw the faces of the people present when they unveiled the bust of her in front of the school.
I looked among the villagers, who were truly grateful to the girls family for their help, but could only think about the young people they knew who were killed in the war, but since those victims parents could not afford to donate $35,000 towards the construction of a school, their child will not have the honor of having a school named after them. I mentioned this at the time to the mayor of Martuni, who was with me and all he said was that I'm very perceptive.
I went on to tell the school principal that if I'm involved with securing funds for his school, the donors will have to be happy with a nice plaque and a letter of thanks.
As for renaming schools, I feel that if a school here should be named after anyone, it should be someone whose name is found in Armenian history and was known for doing something positive for our nation, preferably in the field of education, science, the arts or religion.
So the principal is going to work on a proposal and I'm going to find a donor and maybe even I'll find a local donor for this project, in my lessons of teaching the natives that they too can be of help to our community. Maybe this can even be a community effort where we get a bunch of people to each donate $1. I like that idea the best. I know 400 people that would give $1 without even thinking twice.
And while I'm on the subject of donation, I got my first donation for the extension of the summer day-care program. It came from the merchant I mentioned yesterday who was in Stepanagert. He is giving for sure 50,000 dram and said that if I find that people are not willing to help, he will increase it to 100,000, but stressed that this is a good opportunity to teach people here to give and to also see who on my list would risk not giving. BTW, this guy is in no need for this lesson, as he's known for his giving free flour and other food items to many needy families in Martuni for at least the last 10 years. Personally I was not going to ask him, as I know how much he already gives, but with the former police chief gone and my knowing the former regional minister will say that if it was for his village, he would give, I went ahead and asked him.
Another good news item is that the wedding season is starting and business at the Sylva's Beauty Salon is hopping. I guess this is also an indication of a good harvest, meaning that people now have money to spend. I guess it also does not hurt that we are the only salon in Martuni that has air-conditioning.
Since Der Hova brought up the subject of a lack of public swimming pools, I wanted to share with you the desire that the school principal of the larger school here in Martuni told me when I was visiting the summer day-care program today.
He said that they have a swimming pool that was destroyed during the war that they would like to repair, asking me if I could find a sponsor?
We went to look at the pool that I honestly didn't even know existed, since it is located to the far end of the school property and is surrounded by weeds. It's very small in terms of what one would find in the states, but it is a pool and for not much money can be repaired.
I told him that he should put together a proposal without any prices and I would put it out to bid to get a real figure of what it will cost. I can tell you were not looking at much money (maybe $400, if that).
He said that we would have a plaque put up near the pool, so the kids would know that someone cared to do something for the community here.
He then went on to tell about how if I could find someone to do a real big renovation job on the school itself, he would rename it after the donor.
I put my foot down and said that a plaque is one thing, but to name a school after someone just because they have money, is a very sensitive subject, especially for the message it sends out to the people here.
I gave him the example of a school in Arshan that was named after a girl who was killed in a car accident in California back in 1994. Not to be disrespectful to her or her family, who happen to be old friends of my father�s family from the old country, but I saw the faces of the people present when they unveiled the bust of her in front of the school.
I looked among the villagers, who were truly grateful to the girls family for their help, but could only think about the young people they knew who were killed in the war, but since those victims parents could not afford to donate $35,000 towards the construction of a school, their child will not have the honor of having a school named after them. I mentioned this at the time to the mayor of Martuni, who was with me and all he said was that I'm very perceptive.
I went on to tell the school principal that if I'm involved with securing funds for his school, the donors will have to be happy with a nice plaque and a letter of thanks.
As for renaming schools, I feel that if a school here should be named after anyone, it should be someone whose name is found in Armenian history and was known for doing something positive for our nation, preferably in the field of education, science, the arts or religion.
So the principal is going to work on a proposal and I'm going to find a donor and maybe even I'll find a local donor for this project, in my lessons of teaching the natives that they too can be of help to our community. Maybe this can even be a community effort where we get a bunch of people to each donate $1. I like that idea the best. I know 400 people that would give $1 without even thinking twice.
And while I'm on the subject of donation, I got my first donation for the extension of the summer day-care program. It came from the merchant I mentioned yesterday who was in Stepanagert. He is giving for sure 50,000 dram and said that if I find that people are not willing to help, he will increase it to 100,000, but stressed that this is a good opportunity to teach people here to give and to also see who on my list would risk not giving. BTW, this guy is in no need for this lesson, as he's known for his giving free flour and other food items to many needy families in Martuni for at least the last 10 years. Personally I was not going to ask him, as I know how much he already gives, but with the former police chief gone and my knowing the former regional minister will say that if it was for his village, he would give, I went ahead and asked him.
Another good news item is that the wedding season is starting and business at the Sylva's Beauty Salon is hopping. I guess this is also an indication of a good harvest, meaning that people now have money to spend. I guess it also does not hurt that we are the only salon in Martuni that has air-conditioning.
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