Katy Dickinson

Make Poverty History

Powered By Ringsurf

Please Join Us - All Are Welcome!

U2Charist and World MDG Blogging Day

My church is preparing to present a "U2Charist" on 20 September 2008 at my home parish of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church (13601 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga, CA). A U2Charist combines music from the library of humanitarian band U2 with worship and Holy Communion. For more U2Charist information, call 408-887-2977. Also in development is World MDG Blogging Day on 25 September 2008 in support of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

St. Andrew's speaker at the 20 September U2Charist will be Peter Kithene, Founder, President, and CEO of Mama Maria Kenya and the Mama Maria Clinic. Peter Kithene was orphaned at age 12 but went on to found Mama Maria Kenya and the Mama Maria Clinic during his Junior Year at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2007, Peter was chosen one out of over 70,000 applicants from 93 countries to be CNN’s Global Heroes honoree of “Medical Marvel” for his work in developing rural healthcare in Africa.

The funds offered at the event will benefit Kithene’s project Mama Maria Kenya, and Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD). This month, ERD achieved a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management. 4-stars is the highest possible rating.

The U2Charist is a project of the 18 Episcopal member churches of the Santa Clara Valley Deanery, to bring wider attention to the Millennium Development Goals, a set of eight health and welfare goals supported by nearly all of the 192 United Nation countries, including the United States.

Photos of Peter Kithene and Mama Maria Kenya

Peter Kithene

Mama Maria Clinic, Kenya

Peter Kithene with Patient

Images Copyright 2008 by Peter Kithene

Posted at 03:18PM Aug 28, 2008 by katysblog in Church  | 

SEED Annual Event Update

Registrations for SEED's Annual Event at the end of September are coming in briskly. We have 74 program participants, managers, and mentors signed up to attend in-person so far. There will be many joining us remotely as well. The dinner and one of the tours are already sold out. The two SEED Showcase moderators are working with the six presenters on their introductions. We are looking forward to a fun event!

More information on the SEED worldwide Engineering mentoring program is available at http://research.sun.com/SEED/

Posted at 11:22AM Aug 28, 2008 by katysblog in Mentoring & Other Business  | 

Yosemite

On our way home from our annual camping week at the Bear's Lair, we drove by way of Yosemite. I visited Yosemite many times as a kid, including a week each High School winter with the Yosemite Institute. So, the valley is a very familiar place.

Our family has driven through Yosemite valley in recent summers but this was our first long visit. From Mammoth Mountain, we drove on Highway 120, crossing into Yosemite National Park over Tioga Pass on the East side. We stayed two nights at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal (just outside the park's West gate on Highway 140).

Yosemite was hot and there was very little water in any of the falls. Yosemite Falls was entirely dry. We left my mother at the base of the Mist Trail (she painted a watercolor of the Merced River), then hiked to the bridge to find Vernal Falls reduced to a few ribbons.

We ate dinner at the Yosemite Lodge Mountain Room, lunched at the elegant and formal Ahwahnee Lodge, and had a very good visit.

Sierras Maps

Driving to Yosemite National Park

Watch for Rocks, Iconic Yosemite Sign

Paul, Eleanor, Jessica, Matt

Katy and John at Olmsted Point

Half Dome

Eleanor Painting

John Downstream from Vernal Falls

Jessica and Paul

Swimmer Jumping, Merced River

Dry Yosemite Falls

The Mountain Room, Yosemite Lodge

Ahwahnee Great Room

Ahwahnee Fireplace

Ahwahnee Conduct Sign

El Capitan

Jessica and Matt check the map

Rest Break, Yosemite Lodge

Speeding Kills Bears

Images Copyright 2008 by Katy Dickinson, Paul Dickinson Goodman, John Plocher

Posted at 11:01AM Aug 28, 2008 by katysblog in News & Reviews  | 

Mono Lake

On our way home from our annual camping week at the Bear's Lair, we drove home by way of Mono Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Devil's Postpile and Rainbow Falls, and Yosemite.

We drove past Mono Lake on our way to Mammoth and then stopped back at the lake on our way to Yosemite. Besides its lovely setting, Mono Lake is remarkable for its Tufa Towers and its Brine Flies. Tufa Towers form underwater from freshwater calcium-bearing springs entering the salty lakewater. The decline of Mono's water level has left these bright white towers standing like stalagmites in a roofless cave. Black brine flies were thick on the lake border and in the water when we visited. The flies avoid other animals and people. It is interesting to watch the flies scatter under the path of a low-flying seagull. The color contrast of the black flies on the white tufa against the bluegreen lake is strange, a little icky but interesting.

Tufa Towers, Mono Lake

Exploring Mono Lake

Black Brine Flies, Mono Lake

Mono Lake Seagulls

Brine Flies on Tufa

Mono Lake grasses and wildflowers

Images Copyright 2008 by Katy Dickinson

Posted at 10:29AM Aug 28, 2008 by katysblog in News & Reviews  |  Comments[1]