How to help (info gathered by WJZ-TV Baltimore):

If you would like to help with the recovery effort in Haiti, there are dozens of organizations accepting donations to help get aid directly to the people. Here is some detail about a handful of such groups, followed by links to other sources.

The Red Cross - To help with relief efforts, text “HAITI” to “90999″ and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, charged to your cell phone bill.  You can also give online, via phone or even through wire transfer. Donate to the Red Cross

Yéle Haiti - Founded by musician and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Wyclef Jean, Yéle’s is “a grassroots movement that builds global awareness for Haiti while helping to transform the country through programs in education, sports, the arts and environment.” Donate to Yéle Haiti

Doctors Without Borders - DWB is an international medical humanitarian organization founded by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. The organization currently has staff on the ground in Haiti working to stem possible loss of life. Donate to Doctors Without Borders

Mercy Corps - Mercy Corps is described as hodgepodge of about 3,700 professionals working to help millions in crisis around the world. The group is sending an emergency team to Haiti to help provide food, shelter and other aid. Donate to Mercy Corps
Other Ways To Help Haiti:

• Action Against Hunger
• American Jewish World Service
• Catholic Relief Services
• CARE
• Beyond Borders
• International Medical Corps
• Oxfam International
• Samaritan’s Purse International Relief
• Ben Stiller’s ‘Stillerstrong’ Foundation
• AmeriCares Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid
• MercyCorps Emergency Response
• World Vision
• UNICEF In Haiti Children’s Fund
• Lutheran World Relief
• World Relief
• International Orthodox Christian Charities

NO WORRIES: All is good and moving forward nicely. We can roll with adversity like nobody’s business!

From the VTH:

We have just learned that Metaplace is closing its doors as of 1/1/10. Wow.

An emergency session of the Town Council called by Mayor Goldman was held late last night (22 December). This was decided: Effective immediately, work will stop on Metaplace builds and the focus will shift to the SMALLWORLDS site. SmallWorlds now will be the main townspace for GM. Land/harborspace has already been procured, thanks to a donation by Windy and Rowan Sims-Goldman. This land will serve as the landing space into Goldman Mill. Construction is already under way. Endie Connell will oversee VTH changes made necessary.

The plan is that those interested in joining and in having a physical presence in the village will establish a SmallWorlds account of their choice and then their space(s) will be linked to the GM village. Those already there can have their space(s) connected upon earning full citizenship. The Land Surveyor Team (Windy Goldman, Ari Lieber, Harry Sims, Jennifer Werner) is charged with creating a linkspace (village shuttle-themed build?) for this purpose. In the meantime, Paxie Goldman and her team are working on curricula for Pax University (we hope to launch our first public course offering in early 2010); James and Tim Mueller-Fitzgerald are in the middle of mounting a wonderful exhibit in the Goldman Mill Peace Museum; the Werner-Simses are spearheading the rebuilding of our Chamber of Commerce; Ari Lieber, Endie Connell, and Ray Ruiz are working to reshape GM media to handle the changes; and as part of the GM Armchair Activist effort, research is under way for a greening/sustainable-living education effort. (Links soon, but for the time being, check out SmallWorlds.com and search “Goldman Mill” or “WGPM” or “Windy Goldman.”)

The Council also moved to terminate the Gaia Online outpost for the time being; it may be revived when we have a strong enough youth component to breathe life and substance into what is a really difficult world to crack. Only the Yoville and Miniplanet outposts will remain, and they will serve as promotional tools for the GM project, as well as for activism and education events.

Man, it’s a cold day again! I knew the recent cold snap wouldn’t last long, but who suspected that arctic air would show up again so quickly?

Oh well, the winter chill is a temporary thing. Eventually, it will warm nicely, even up here in Cold Country, and for now, we focus on work and school and  home and make sure to keep lots of plush sweaters on hand.  In fact, I have to head to Foster’s Clothiers later to pick up birthday sweaters for the Quigley girls. Cloosie wanted them to get Wii games, but my goal is to give kids productive gifts that don’t focus on video games.  No doubt Daisy and Breanna will be polite, but it’s May and Byron, their parents, who’ll really appreciate the sweaters (until the next Arctic Clipper blows through the township — then the girls will see how wise Auntie Endie is).

I do want to check out the clothing shop… Cloosie says the work on it was finished this morning and no doubt he did a beautiful job. How lucky are Joe and I? Our son is a normal kid blessed with all kinds of skills that he puts to use for the collective good. The kid is a Miller through and through.

As far as town development, I believe Romero Hospital will be finished shortly and there is talk about building an eatery nearby. That’s a good idea — docs gotta eat. Granted, the Marketplace is only several long blocks away, and there is a cafeteria in the hospital, as well as a Tiki Kaffee (love it!), but many people think it may be a good idea to have a 24-hour restaurant and/or convenience store right by the hospital. Discussions continue. I don’t know my opinion yet; at this point, I’m just keeping an open mind.

Georgia Grant, Ari Lieber and I are focusing on new signage for many of the area businesses. Much has already been finished, but there is more to do. And the greening project continues as we cultivate the woodland areas. Additionally, we are continuing work on Mill Friends Academy, and work on the new recreation facilities is under way as well.

In terms of home stuff, Joe is almost always busy with BestMore Electronics — the economy is hitting everyone hard. He’s working with Edmund Singh at Illumination, the solar and lighting store, to come up with cross-promotional strategies for eco-conscious heating appliances, and Joe and Ed are part of the continuing effort to work on the town’s electric grid. He takes it very personally that The Mill is completely self-supporting in terms of energy and it’s fast becoming his main hobby, next to coaching peewee soccer. He’s got to spend some quality time with Cloosie, though — we understand that he has much to do with work and all, and so does our extremely busy son, but the boy misses hanging with his dad. I’ll have to plan an activity for them next weekend.

Life at the Mill Messenger is settling down somewhat after the inauguration hoohah. It’s amazing — even Canadians are excited about President Obama. I wish the guy well. He’s a great man to take the world forward, but as a progressive, my reservations remain. Thank goodness we as a community have no ties to the US federal government (though many Millers have dual citizenship, the township is fully independent from the US and Canada).  At least he’s neither Bush nor McCain. And heck with everyone — Michelle looked aMAzing in her inaugural wear.

Actually, we’re all settling down. Kids are back in school after the holiday break… Chinese New Year celebrations filled the town with magnificent color and sound that cut through the cold… after the nuptial epidemic that hit in the last quarter of ’08 — Reg and Ari, Marga and Eric, Nikki and Rowan, Sharonda and Mark — I have no waiting wedding invitations for the first time in a while. There is news about one potentially budding romance: WGPM cameraman Jon Nixon has been in love with designer Veronica Gillespie (our freest of free spirits) for years, even through the time when she was with Ari (she dumped him and left town and after nursing a seriously broken heart, he fell for Regina; then Ron came back and found that Ari had moved on — it was not pretty). Happily, all are friends again, and she’s finally starting to notice young Mr. Nixon (’bout time)… Joe says not to meddle, but my goal is to get them paired off stat.

I also want to find a fella for Ari’s mom. Hildy Lieber is a fantastic woman, and she’s been alone since her much-missed husband Nathaniel passed away in 2000. She keeps way busy with her real estate work and volunteering, and oh my goodness, the work she does for the local synagogue, but such a vibrant, beautiful, smart person shouldn’t be alone, should she? Ari’s on board with my yenta mission — he has his eye on a couple of potential suitors (including my wonderful new friend Farouk).  Hildy agrees that Farouk is a total dreamboat, yet she resists out of shyness. So we’ll see how that goes.

My darling son is calling, so I’d better run. Must pick up those sweaters and prepare dinner for Joe and Cloosie (jerk pork with carrots and jasmine rice). Then Paxie  Goldman, Darla Payne and I are having a girls’ night dancing at the Renegayde nightclub. We deserve it! (I will not be out too late, or Rev. Sims will have my head in the morning…)

Stay warm!

Peace,
Endie