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| South West B (SWB) Region |
| Southern California, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii, Guam |
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GK1MB Rocks February! by your GK1MB Southwest B Team This year the month of February has an extra day, since it's a leap year, and Gawad Kalinga has definitely leaped into the new year! Take a look at what February brought for GK1MB! February 2, 2008 California State University Long Beach, Zeta Phi Rho Fraternity held it's first annual "Raise the Roof" GK benefit concert! Very talented student performers, as well as a few professionals rocked the audience with song, dance, and comedy. The Zeta Phi Rho brothers created a live background depicting the various stages of the work of GK transforming the slums and the slum mentality into the beautiful and prosperous environment of GK villages. In between each of the acts the emcee would explain how GK works and the Fraternity brothers would act out each scene until the very end where their trash heap shanti became a clean, beautiful sturdy home with flowers and patio furniture. Zeta Phi Rho thank you for an excellent job in inspiring us to Raise the Roof! Here's a message from the Events Director Justin Alfonso: Mabuhay! On behalf of the brothers of Zeta Phi Rho Fraternity Inc who've organized this event, I would like to thank all of you for your support. Like Mr. Jason Espiritu said at our pre-show rally on Saturday, "Family is made from life changing experiences." And as much as we've changed others lives through this concert, we have changed our own lives as well. Thank you for being part of this historical show, for all the support you've given us, either from the audience or from backstage, for buying tickets, for spreading the word, and for being part of our Raise The Roof Family. This event couldn't have been a success without each and every one of you. The future of Gawad Kalinga lies in all of us. "So lets continue to make that difference" Video's of Raise the Roof events can be found on www.YouTube.com - search Raise the Roof. Pictures can be found here - courtesy of Ellie. We hope to see you in the future. Please feel free to contact us for anything. Maraming Salamat Po, In Solidarity, Justin Alfonso Events Director "Raise the Roof" Benefit Concert February 2, 2008 University of Irvine held their 9th annual Kababayan Conference, titled, "A Thin Line between Filipino and American"; exploring the 2nd Generation's struggles to fulfill both their duties for the Motherland and the Homeland. With various speakers and activities they focused on what goals we have in addressing how both Filipino and Filipino-American issues are equally important to address and dually affect the formation of our identity. As long as you are serving something, you are serving the whole; you are serving our culture, our people and the future generations! The great students at UCI invited GK1MB to be one of the speakers for the event and help promote the message of serving the Filipino culture through helping the poorest of the poor. Thank you UCI, Jana Lynne Umipig and all the Kababayan Board! Keep up the great work! GK1MB Rallies across the United States: Our Ace speakers Dylan Wilk and Nathan Mari (Nathan is our new National GK1MB Coordinator!) are currently traveling the United States for GK's Highway of Hope. Throughout the next 3 months they will be crisscrossing the American landscape, and making stops in well over 60 cities. Dylan estimates they will be covering more than 12,000 miles in the course of the trip. Can you imagine driving to the Philippines and back? This is exactly how much they, Dylan and Nathan, will be driving, starting February 2nd. Spreading the message of hope and inspiring and empowering various communities, Nathan and Dylan are focusing on how we can each do our role to step up and make GK777 a reality. By implementing new organizational structures and setting up monthly builders assemblies, GK1MB is going to rock 2008! Stay tuned for the monthly assembly near you. GK777: 700,000 homes, in 7,000 communities, in 7 years. Stand up and Be Counted! February 23, 2008, GK1MB Orange County Rally February 24, 2008, GK1MB Los Angeles Rally February 27, 2008, San Bernardino/Riverside Rally Thank you to everyone who came out and supported GK by attending or helping with the OC, LA and San Bernardino/Riverside Rallies. While helping the poor may not be convenient and there may not be a "right" time that fits into your schedules perfectly; Gawad Kalinga calls us to be heroes to one another and give care to our brothers and sisters. The time is NOW! You have many talents that can be used to build houses and secure a brighter future for the Philippines and other poor countries; whatever your skill level, you CAN help! Be a hero and attend the monthly assemblies in the Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino/Riverside areas to share ideas, help each other on advocacy and fund-raising projects, and get updates on what's going on locally and globally with GK. GAWAD KALINGA A Poem by Dr. Randall W. A. Davidson |