Cloudbase Foundation

[lbunner]

All, I am a director for the Cloudbase Foundation. CBF is a non profit organization led by hang glider and paraglider pilots that is dedicated to helping children wherever we fly. We have been fortunate to receive a significant amount of money from gratious donors from around the world and are itching to donate to worthy causes. We in the CHGPA have an opportunity to make a huge difference in kids lives where we fly. I am sure there are needy children near our favorite sites (like High Rock, The Pulpit, Woodstock etc.) that could benefit from funds provided by the CBF. All we need is for someone from our club to to identify that need and submit a proposal. I am confident that if the need is there, it will be fulfilled. Check out the CBF website at thecloudbasefoundation.org, look at some of the projects that have been started around the country and world. We have done some wonderful things in Big Spring, Texas and Casa Grande, AZ for disadvantaged kids. We even installed a water tank at a school in Africa. Some of you are already aware of the wonderful benefits that this organization has provided. Feel free to chime in. Anyway, let's take advantage of this and give back to the communities where we fly.

[John Simon]

Hi Larry,
This is my new favorite charitable organization... run by HG pilots we all know and love (or put up with anyway). I do a recurring paypal contribution monthly... I don't even miss the dinero. Anything would be great... 5, 10, 20 bucks a month??? One time donation? This is a great charity and it's run by us (hang glider pilots).


John

[Ward Odenwald]

Larry thanks for taking on this huge responsibility! Most, or many of the less-fortunate kids that are in need of help across America, especially those that live near our local flying sites, are taken to Income-Based health clinics when they are in real/desperate need of health care. These facilities are basically run on a “pay what you can basis” with help from uncle sam and other contributions. One example, that’s close to the Pulpit, is the Keystone Rural Health Center (755 Norland Ave. Ste 200
 Chambersburg, PA - 17201
 phone: 717-263-2230). I’m sure that there are others throughout region 9. Helping the local income-based health clinics would be a great way for the Cloudbase Foundation to help our community. Ward

[Dan T]

Larry Bunner is asking us to identify one or more local (to our flying sites) organizations that could benefit from a contribution by the Cloudbase Foundation. The ideal candidates will be organizations that provides services to children. He is asking for our help in identifying these organizations and in writing a proposal to the Cloudbase Foundation on their behalf.

The Cloudbase Foundation is trying to find suitable uses for the contributed funds that it already has. Larry is trying to get us to identify local candidates so that we can take advantage of the opportunity to apply these funds to projects in our own backyards. He has informed me that the window of opportunity for use of the current year's funds is upon us. If we want to take advantage of it we need to move out promptly. The available funds are on the order of $10,000 or more.

All he is asking of us is to identify candidates and write the proposals. He has proposal examples (as do I) that have been successfully used in the past.
If you have ideas for suitable candidates and are willing to assist in writing a proposal please post a response here. The successful proposal that I saw was only a few pages long. Writing one should not be a difficult task.

Dan Tomlinson
Co-Director
Region 9

[dbodner]

A little searching brought me to the Fulton County Camp Cadet Association, which has a Mcconnellsburg PO box. This is I assume an organization that writes checks to send kids to Camp Cadet. Here's what Camp Cadet is, according to the PA State Police website:

Camp Cadet is a summer camp for boys and girls from Pennsylvania between the ages of twelve to fifteen. The camp is held at various locations throughout the State and staffed by Troopers, local police officers and many other volunteers. The goal of Camp Cadet is to introduce participants to the diverse criminal justice system and establish a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel.

Camp Cadet is open to all youth and is structured similar to training at the police academy. All participants who attend camp cadet are addressed as “Cadet” during the week. Cadets are required to participate in all scheduled events. The camp focuses on discipline, self-esteem, teamwork, drug and alcohol education, violence prevention and many other issues facing today’s youth.

This may not be the ideal warm and fuzzy charity we're all looking for. But it may be the best we've got.

[Ward Odenwald]

Helping disadvantaged children with medical issues is, in my opinion, far better than introducing children "to the diverse criminal justice system". Ward

[Danny Brotto]

How about this group:

http://www.tristatecommunityhealthcenter.org/index.asp

They are represented in Hancock, Cumberland, and McConnelsburg. Perhaps the donation can be specifically directed to needy children?

Danny Brotto

[markc]

Four-H provides life skills training in areas such as leadership, citizenship, business, and communication. The active partnership of 4- H youths and volunteers enriches their lives and the quality of life in their communities. The importance of people and resources to the 4-H program are critical. The Fulton County 4-H program needs your help!

Fulton County 4-H Endowment

[markc]

Here's an interesting program within the Fulton County Medical Center Foundation (however, its focus is international/Africa, mentioning it mostly because it is local to McConnellsburg) :

http://www.fcmcpa.org/foundationCAMPaign.html

I suppose the FCMC foundation itself, rather than this particular program, could also be worth considering:

http://www.fcmcpa.org/foundation.html

[lbunner]

Wow, thanks for the excellent input everyone. I just met with the BOD yesterday (via phone) and we had a good discussion on the CBF mission, projects, processes and future direction. It was really informative and enlightening. There are quite a few projects coming down the pike that will help children all over the world. This makes me even more motivated to set up something local as well. One of our discussion topics migrated to sustainability, how we can fund projects that keep on giving. A couple of examples come to mind. In Ghana, the CBF installed a water tank that will be used for many, many years. In Ecuador, the CBF purchased a classroom. Examples of unsustainable would include paper and pencils. Although they will help students in their education, they are short-lived and wouldn't benefit the children for very long. Sustainable would be to provide school books that can be used over and over again. Anyway, probably too much info. Anyone can submit a project but it would be cool if we could submit one as a club. Not only would kids benefit but the club would get some good PR as well. More thoughts?

[Dan T]

Carlos has a close affiliation with an elementary school adjacent to one of the LZs he and I used in Costa Rica. If we are going to sponsor an overseas sustainable project, I'd like to nominate that one. I've seen the kids and they will warm your heart. Carlos can provide details, probably more than he wants. Here's a hint; it's rumored that there are pictures on the internet of him and this hot female principal having dinner at a romantic outdoor cafe.

Dan