Stacie has met her fund raising goal to cover her expenses to go to Uganda! Thank you to everyone who contributed to make it possible!

Stacie is studying Swahili at the University of Oregon and volunteering in a community service program while carrying a 17 credit load.

Overview of Stacie's trip and background:

I am going to volunteer in Uganda this coming summer with an organization called Global Volunteer Network. GVN is based in New Zealand and currently has 2,500 volunteers working on projects worldwide. Their mission is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through volunteers.

I will be leaving June 13, 2007, and staying for 3 months. While in Uganda, I will be in the Mukono district in a rural village working with a non-profit organization. I will have the opportunity to work and care for orphans and HIV/AIDS patients, as well as teaching basic health education and disease prevention in the community.

This trip is extremely important to me. As an undergraduate double majoring in International Studies and Family and Human Services, I am looking for field experience. More importantly, I want to do what I can, as a student, to make a difference in the world.

When I was 15, I went to Russia on a mission trip. While there, I worked with orphans at a summer camp. That trip had an enormous impact on my life. Since then, I have decided to dedicate my life to humanitarian work. After college, I am going to join the Peace Corps, beyond that I hope to work for an international organization such as UNICEF. Going to Uganda will be a building block for all my future endeavors.

The fees for my trip include the program fee, food and accommodations, insurance, visas, and airfare. Since Global Volunteer Network is a non-profit organization, volunteers are responsible for all costs. The total cost of the trip will be $4,500. I have raised 75% of it myself by working and saving for the past year. I am $1,300 short of reaching my financial goal. This is where you come in. I am asking my friends and family to donate at least $25 to my trip. If everyone contributes, I will be able to afford to go. Your money will go to help not only me, but also a village where people live on less than a dollar a day.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 503-369-2537 or Global Volunteer Network at 1-800-963-1198. Please make checks payable to Stacie Overton, designated to the Uganda Volunteer Trip and send to: PO Box 451, Columbia City, Oregon 97018. soverto1@uoregon.edu

I look forward to sharing my extraordinary experience with you when I return. I am truly grateful for your time and your ongoing support.