Beta Network News

Life updates from Epsilon Gamma Betas from the past year.
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I also chanced upon a great opportunity, and am now writing 2 separate columns for a website called Examiner.com. They were the #1 fastest growing news website in 2009, and hire "Examiners" or columnists, to cover localized news. I am the "Detroit Wedding Examiner" as well as the "Detroit Movie Examiner." My wedding column has about 150 subscribers and averages about 250 clicks per day. My movie column has opened the door for me to begin reviewing movies...I am being sent ( free ) movie screeners, I'm interviewing directors, and just got back from covering the Ann Arbor Film Fest. I would love for you all to check out my movie reviews, and post your intelligent, well-thought out comments...and Steiner, you can post your comments too.

So if you know anyone getting married or in need of corporate video work, my company website is www.cvideosolutions.com, where you can access my wedding column. To access my movie column, here's the link: http://www.examiner.com/x-30457-DetroitMovie-Examiner. From any article, you can subscribe for free to receive future email alerts when I post an article. I also have a headshot from my pledging semester ( 1996 ) so I can look young, fresh, and out-dated, and so all of you can remember me.

Hope all is well and I look forward to catching up in November at the Anniversary!

As we enter our sixth week here - we have really begun working to transition into an augmenting role to the United Nations MINUSTAH forces and to set the best conditions possible for the World Food Program and the International Federation of the Red Cross - both organizations that will have the long term enduring presence in the country.

We have placed water storage capabilities ranging from 1,000-3,000 liter capacity in every displaced person camp that my battery is responsible for assisting in. Currently we have approximately 24 camps with a population of ~50,000 and about ~100,000 within just our battalions area. To put that in perspective - the 2nd Brigade combat team has about 4,500 paratroopers here...our battalion has only 400 paratroopers....so for every 400 paratroopers we are assisting about ~100,000 displaced person's...that's an approximate and not an exact number.

We began moving away from trauma care and immediate food & water supply about 2-3 weeks ago. Most of our day is now filled with shelter distribution and the movement of target capability medical teams throughout the camps in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

I personally am working with a large private school that has approximately 10,000 displaced persons on their property. They would like to open the school in about 3 weeks. In order to do that I am working with the OIM of the United Nations to assist in the building of a camp with latrines, water sources and resupply, schools and trafficable roads. Once that is complete we will transition people to the new location.

I could fill pages with the plight of the Haitian people and will tell you that of all the countries I have been to - and this is my third humanitarian disaster assistance experience - that the Haitian people are the most resilient and hard working people I have ever observed.

There are two charities that I find much more effective in having a long term impact. First - Shelter Box which provides tents, stoves, pots and pans and other critical sustainment items for families http://www.shelterboxusa.org  and second would be tough tank who provide water storage capability but I don't have their information. Two of the most incredible organizations I have ever worked with! International and very great people.

I'm asking you to help by making a donation to my fundraising campaign and become one of my 65 sponsors by making a donation for only $52.50 ($2 a mile). That's right, for only $2 dollars a mile you can help find a cure for blood cancer and in return, I'll run a marathon (for the record this will be my first marathon... I'm a little nervous)!

To join my team and sponsor me in this marathon, please visit http://pages.teamintraining.org/mi/cmc10/mfrendewey  here you can easily and securely donate online and learn about my progress. I'm only asking for sponsors to donate $52.50 though I'd gladly accept more-or-less... any and all support helps!