I love all seasons, but Spring takes my breath away. I watch nature transforming from one day to another, I marvel and learn from it. All these different stages of bloom remind me about life and our own journey, some of us just budding, others in full bloom.
Here, in the RUF family, we are enjoying the different stages of the projects we nurture. Amazon Smile campaign is in full swing. The Environmental Campaign just launched. We look back at the results of Daruieste Viata, Magic, and Heritage Campaign fundraisers, with gratitude. We continue to be proud of the results of our Math wizards from the Little Newton classes. Read our Herald to learn more about each of them.
Every day we come across opportunities to do good, to have an impact. Sometimes we choose to act on them, aiming for a higher goal, growing into our full potential. I hope you know you are a change maker, too, and that you chose to act upon it.
We are thankful for all of you that join us in our work. Please share our campaigns and projects, talk to your friends about RUF, and reply to send us your feedback.
We are grateful.
Daniela Kammrath
Executive Director, RUF
Environmental Campaign
We are fortunate with such a rich country as Romania, where the beautiful mountains, rolling hills, deep forests, and the Black Sea are home to different species of the animal kingdom. It’s our duty to protect the nature and environment, to give a hand to those who take action locally.
Join us in April in supporting four of our partner organizations and their meaningful environmental projects:
Conservation Carpathia is working to reintroduce bison in the Fagaras Mountains
Declic is raising awareness about pollution
Fundația Comunitară Oradea is focusing on educating young ones in the middle of nature
Fundația Comunitară Mureș - Marosszéki Közösségi Alapítvány works for safer school zones for children and a less polluted air in Tg. Mures
We believe that together we can protect the Romanian Environment. Donate or open your own fundraiser to support one of the projects in this campaign.
Heritage Campaign Wrap Up
The Heritage Campaign we ran last month raised almost $21,000 for our partners, including the $3,800 RUF matching. Thank you for getting involved!
Math Matters
Little Newton - RUF Programs for diaspora
What do you mean we’re done, can’t we do this again next Monday?” The RUF teacher was thrilled. Our relatively unconventional class focused on Kangaroo Math problems that are fun and engaging, and kids loved it. We launched our program last year, with the goal to offer a bunch of Romanian American kids a little bit of extra exposure to competition-level Mathematics. What started as a little hobby has now extended to three teachers, simultaneously offering modules of learning for grades 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 (similar classes in previous years yielded several places in the top 10 and 20 both in the state of Illinois and nationally).
It is our belief that we are only as strong as we are successful. Thus, it is RUF’s goal to empower our community to offer their own educational programs, creating and sharing programs that can be replicated by parents and teachers alike. We are looking to offer similar classes in the future. If you would like to get involved as a teacher or supervisor, or if you are interested in this as a parent, feel free to let us know by signing up here.
We are super thankful to Laura Bercean (Key West), Ioana Laine (NY), and Mihai Lehene (Chicago) for offering to teach this semester.
Our teachers had a little trivia for you today: Where did the first International Mathematics Olympiad take place? The answer is listed at the end of the Herald.
Volunteers of the Month
This month we would like to introduce two of our volunteers. Ana, Laura, we are fortunate and super thankful to have you on board!
Ana Nedelcu - RUF Community Director
A disruptor by profession, Ana has a curious mind and an adventurous soul.
“Volunteering and giving are connected to my own purpose. RUF offered me a context where I can make a difference, a chance to honor my roots, and give something tangible back to the Romanian community. I met here inspiring and dedicated people, and I have faith that the RUF will connect & inspire more and more Romanians while growing to reach its full potential.”
Laura Bercean - Math Teacher & Fundraiser
Laura is a gifted teacher and a natural fundraiser. She is driven by doing good and generous with her time in giving back to projects she believes in.
“I feel I have to give back, it is part of who I am as a human being. I am fortunate to feel this way. I especially like what I do with the kids.”
Laura is loved by her students and teaches without thinking of gratitude or rewards. We believe she finds her fulfillment in making a difference, and we are glad to have her among us at RUF.
Thank you!
#withgratitude
Post-Campaign Reports
Daruieste Viata
"Together for Moldova: building an Anesthesia & Intensive Care Modular Hospital in Piatra Neamt" campaign raised $15,651!
These funds will be used to build and provide equipment to the Piatra Neamt Anesthesia & Intensive Care Modular Hospital, while The Piatra Neamt County Emergency Hospital is being restored, following the November 2020 fire.
Thank you to the Give Life organization for choosing RUF to represent this noble cause, and thanks to everyone for your generosity in donating the much-needed funds to build this hospital.
Asociatia Magic
Daily, Asociația Magic takes care of 5,000 children with severe conditions and we are grateful we could partner and support the latest campaign where $13,762 was raised
We believe a child deserves to know happiness and joy and laughter.
Thank you to those who did lend a hand to be one of the #magichands in this campaign, to help these children and their families get through the day.
Amazon Smile Campaign
The campaign is picking up speed. We have now over 100 customers of Amazon Smile supporting RUF. If you chose us, thank you! If not, please select RUF as your charity of choice today. Our unique charity link is: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/84-2755681
Please remember to select RUF in your Amazon App on your phone and make sure you use smile.amazon.com (not simply amazon.com) when you purchase from your computer!
Check out and share our Amazon Smile video on youtube (courtesy of Cody Barbu)
* The first International Mathematics Olympiad took place in Romania in 1959.
** Picture in the header: Bucovina in Spring, photographed by Sorin Onisor.
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