A heartfelt THANKS to the WAB community for your continued support of the bazaar year after year! It was because of you that we were able to reach our goal and provide the 7 Colours Migrant School with a new, improved heating system. Thanks to you, they now have warm classrooms that previously only reached a high of 10 degrees C by 11:00 a.m.; now they enjoy a continuous 20 degrees C all day long.
And what a fun day it was, too--more vendors than ever before ensured more variety for our discriminating shoppers. So many people told me how much they enjoyed seeing WAB TA’s and parents showing off their talents and offering us items they made and which are not sold in shops in Beijing. Thanks to each of our vendors for giving us a truly unique shopping experience, and thanks to the community for supporting those vendors.
Bear with me as our list of thank you’s is long, but the efforts of a few meant so much to so many, so they must be recognized:
Geraldine Dignam, PTA President, for her continual support and words of encouragement;
Angela Sinclair, Charity Committee Chair, for giving us a goal and the confidence with which to reach it;
Mary Asel, Rute Santos and their team of volunteers who organized and sold our used books;
Sophie Thibaut and her team of volunteers, who sorted, priced and organized our pre-loved toys;
Barbara VanAlphen, PTA Treasurer, for asking for money when I couldn't and counting all that RMB;
Cleone Lee, for her expertise in translating, speaking and writing Chinese and for her help with vendors;
Sue Downham and Larry Foz, for their creative talents in making an eye-catching poster;
Theresa McMillan, for scheduling volunteers to sell those books and toys; and of course to all of the volunteers who did so--thanks a million!;
Dinnhe Krebs, for her artistic vision in creating yet another commemorative tea towel which perfectly reflects this year's goal;
Kristin Jonsson, who organized another brilliant day of entertainment;
Daniela Draugelis and Louise Bisgaard, for organizing a tantalizing array of baked goods--and thanks to all the bakers and sellers of all those yummy treats!;
Amy Cooper and Melissa Szymanski, for transforming the elementary school into a Winter Wonderland (and I know this job turned out to be bigger than you thought it would be but you didn't let that stop you--thanks!);
Jaana Oja and the amazing Finnish Parents Group, who gave 100% of their profits (over 29,000 RMB) toward the new boiler (congrats ladies on beating your old record!);
Miji Lee and the enthusiastic Korean Parents Group, who also gave 100% of their profits (over 5200 RMB) toward the new boiler;
Aliscia Gibson, for her 7 Colours jewelry project and who also contributed 100% of her profits (over 3900 RMB) toward the new boiler;
Chiyuki and her artistic team for creating the lovely signage throughout the school;
Patty and Marianne and all the extra hands who gave up their Friday night to get it all ready (special thanks to Angela; Barbara for staying till the bitter end on both days!);
The WAB people who ensured the bazaar could go forward;
The High School Angels team (Liam, Evan, Erik, Lovisa, Axel, Ellvira, Fanny, Conrad, David, Katie and Olly) who gave the Gift of Sight and the Gift of Warmth to so many;
Mr. Zhang and his entire facilities crew, for magically transforming the gym into a shopper's paradise and then back into a gym again;
Mark Mazzarol, Patrick and Candy, for keeping us all safe and secure;
Ellie Holte, for helping to spread the word about the bazaar; and to
Daniel Arbenz and the Crowne Plaza Sun Palace for the lending of tablecloths and coat hangars.
To each and every one of you, THANKS!
To show their appreciation, WAB has been presented with a beautiful painting created by a friend of the director of the 7 Colours Migrant School, and this painting will be proudly displayed at school.
The 7 Colours tea towel is still available and can be found in PTA shops.
See you next year!
Submitted by Ellen Zimmerman