An Orphan Smiles completed two projects for the 119 kids presently at Mykolaivka Internat. Christmas Stockings were given to the kids on St. Nicholas Day on Dec 19. A HUGE Thank you to Vicki and her extended family for shopping the clearance sales, assembling, and shipping these wonderful treats.

The second project was our Photo Album project for the New Year's Celebration Gift. Each Myko kid received a personalized photo album containing several photos of themselves. There are many empty pages that we can continue to send them photos and sponsors can send photos and they will have a special place to keep these photos. Each photo album was placed in a ziplock bag with a pair of socks, a pair of undewear, a pen and pencil, fruit snacks, winter hats for the girls, and some of the boys got gloves, some got little footballs, and everyone got a Candy Cane.

HUGE THANK YOU to Kelly and her team of scrapbook artists for making ALL the albums!!!! Those that helped Kelly included Grace, Tara, Dan, Maggie and the "Scarlet Sweethearts" Red Hat Club!!! HUGE undertaking to design over 100 albums! Each album had the child's name in both English and Russian. No two albums were alike and both the front and back were done. Really Amazing!!

As part of a school project Travis, who lives in Israel, mailed 13 parcels each weighing about 40 pounds to Tsurupinsk Children's Home.

He collected and sent clothes (new and second hand), some hygiene items, candy ($600’s worth) and birthday cards for +-80 children.

Thank you to Mrs. Purcell's AM and PM Kindergarten Classes (Phoenixville, PA) for collecting crayons and colored pencils during the month of October and over 120 pairs of socks during the month of November for the orphans in Ukraine.

They are selecting a small item to collect each month. December's collection is granola bars and other small healthy treats.

An Orphan Smiles Graduate Assistance Program (GAP)

To learn about these unsponsored students visit our webpage or send an email to rachaeld@anorphansmiles.org

Tsurupinsk USA Visit

The children have gone to the beach, the zoo, a professional soccer game, bowling, Boeing's museum of flight and other Seattle attractions. They have learned to wash dishes in a dishwasher, clothes in a washing machine, to have a family meal around the table, and how it feels to have someone tuck them in at night.

We took the children to Chuck E. Cheese's and celebrated each child's birthday. The children got their own cake with candle to blow out and individual presents. They were so surprised and very grateful!

The Fourth of July was celebrated with the individual families as the more the children are here, the more the families want to do one on one activities with them rather than group things - a natural part of the family hosting process.

Already people are talking about whether or not we can do this next summer, make it longer and involve more families. Each host family has friends, family and neighbors that have met the children and are interested in helping the orphans in some way.

We are excited for the possibilities of more supporters and volunteers, but saddened at the reality of the children returning to the orphanage, the older ones graduating to an institution for the rest of their lives.

Bogdan wrote to let us know that he and the Tsurupinsk director and children arrived safely back in Ukraine after their amazing visit to the US. Special Thanks to Debbie and Jerry and the whole Walker family for organizing the in-country portion of the trip. They and the host families were amazing. Also special thanks to Xavier University Orphan Smiles club and to Artful Giver whose fundraising also helped make this trip possible. And of course Bogdan had to do so much paperwork in Ukraine to get the necessary approvals.

Class of 2010: 29 down, 5 to go!

We are so happy that our Class of 2010 is almost completely sponsored. One year into vocational school, 29 students have that special person in their lives who offers financial and emotional support. But five of them still haven't found a sponsor! Our goal for May Focus Week is to change that.

This month, we invite you to take a look at some of the 2010 Mykolaivka grads (all boys) who are still waiting for their very own sponsor. Could it be you?

As a GAP sponsor, you will send $30 a month to support your student. More importantly, you will exchange letters and photos with your student. You are not required to send packages, though they are always welcome.

Focus week: GAP Myko students

This month’s focus week is for GAP Myko students. We have seven graduates who are looking for sponsors for a year at which time they will graduate from trade school.

Today we are featuring Ivan. This soccer playing fishing fanatic has no family to help him along while he is in trade school. He is studying plumbing at Kramatosk and his happy nature is a big hit with his roommates.

If you are interested in helping Ivan, we would love to hear from you. Additionally, all available students that we will be featuring can be found here.