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American Thanksgiving has come and gone since our last newsletter. This year we gave thanks for YOU! We are thankful for all of our friends and family who've supported PEPY from the beginning and for all you strangers (we hope to meet you all someday!) who've gotten involved out of personal conviction and a belief that PEPY is accomplishing awesome things. Thank you for building The PEPY Ride School and for supporting education in Cambodia!
We write to you this month from CAMBODIA! After a year of working and boatloads of anticipation, we have finally returned to the country that sparked the PEPY idea. Thanks to your support the school looks amazing! The students are beautiful and full of smiles. We hope that you will have a chance to visit The PEPY Ride School someday and meet the children you have supported. The school is located in the town of Chanlaes Dai, only 1.5 hours from Siem Reap and the famous Angkor Wat temple complex. Come visit!
Final preperations are underway for the December PEPY Volunteer Trip starting December 30th. The riders are getting ready for their adventure. Greta and Daniela have already ridden from the Thailand border and are eager to meet up with the rest of the team. Everything seems to be falling into place!
We will spend December 25th at Angkor Children's Hospital entertaining the children there and delivering crayons/coloring books and Khmer Harry Potter books to the nearly 100 inpatient children. It should be a wonderful day! Consider joining us here in March for another volunteer trip at the school or for our 1 week ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (more info: volunteer@pepyride.org). For those who are stateside, join us in
Texas in May as we ride into New Orleans for the Hurricane Relief ride (more info: YMCAride@pepyride.org).
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays to you all! Once again, THANK YOU! Visit our webpage as we will be updating the weblog and the picture page regularly throughout the volunteer trip and ride: www.pepyride.org
Protecting with Pedals,
The PEPY Ride Team
Greta
and Daniela crossing the Thai / Cambodian border.
| The PEPY Ride School |
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It exists! Not that we had any real doubts, but seeing is believing...so take a look! This picture was taken about a week ago. Since then, the roof has been completely finished, outer and inner walls an doors have been painted, and the construction grounds have been cleared. Within each of the 5 classrooms there are enough desks to seat over 60 students! The solar panels should be arriving within the month along with the satellite and computers. A green shade house for the garden will be built by our 35 volunteers with the help of KADO (Khmer Angkor Development Organization) during the December trip.
When Daniela was visiting Phnom Penh she met Keeda Oikawa (www.keeda.com) and Toshi Ota, renowned artists from Japan. Keeda was preforming a live art show at the opening of her art exhibit. When Keeda and Toshi Ota learned about The PEPY Ride School they were eager to come visit. In addition to drawing with the students, Keeda painted a beautiful mural on the walls of the old school building. Now all of the students will pass her beautiful artwork each day on the way to class. Thank you Keeda and Toshi for visiting The PEPY Ride School and sharing your passion with the children! |
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| Join un in March |
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Ride through Cambodia in March
Over the past year we have received countless emails from people interested in cycling Cambodia, but due to the extended length of the first ride (5 weeks), many have been unable to join. Still interested?...leave your tread marks and SO MUCH MORE on those dusty Cambodian roads. Join PEPY's WEEK long bike trek from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh this May 27- April 3, 2006! Along the way you'll visit the many famous temples of Angkor, The PEPY Ride School and the nation's capital! To join, email teamleader@pepyride.org |
| PEPY's YMCA Ride |
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Join the PEPY Hurricane Relief Ride
Make a real New Year's Resolution this year! Challenge yourself while helping those in need by joining us as a rider for the PEPY Hurricane Relief Ride.
In May 2006, The PEPY Hurricane Relief Ride will take cyclists from Beaumont, TX to New Orleans, LA in a week-long ride raising money for the YMCA of Greater New Orleans. The YMCA of Greater New Orleans is a nonprofit organization which services the community with child care, educational services, and health and fitness. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many of the YMCAs were severely affected. Despite this, they have been central in providing community support during the crisis. Our goal is to raise funds for the YMCA of Greater New Orleans, which will help rebuild educational programs in hurricane hit communities.
Riders who join The PEPY Hurricane Relief Ride will spend a week biking the Louisiana bayou while actively participating in rebuilding efforts with one of the nations oldest and most respected organizations. Email ymcaride@pepyride.org for more information and a rider application.
Visit www.ymca.net/hurricane_katrina for an informational video about YMCA involvement in hurricane relief efforts.
Can't ride but want to help? Donate to the YMCAs helping to rebuild New Orleans. You can donate by credit card at : https://secure.justgiving.com/pfp/account/ymcapepyride
Or send checks made out to YMCA of Greater New Orleans to:
Maryann Bylander
404 Genard St.
Austin, TX 78751 |
| PEPY Mural Design Contests |
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We don't need to tell you that The PEPY Ride's first Mural Design competition was a huge success...just look at the proof!
    
Organized by PEPY rider Julia Davies, The PEPY Ride Mural Design Competition was the perfect way to spread the PEPY word and improve The PEPY Ride School at the same time. Teachers across Japan received contest rules and were asked to share the opportunity with their students. Many of these teachers created lesson plans that revolved around PEPY themes of environmental and health protection. Students were then asked to draw pictures that represented the theme, "Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself." After reviewing all the amazing submissions the PEPY team was thrilled to select this mural design from 13 year old Yuka Ikawa of Hatayama Junion High School in Seto-shi, Aichi Prefecture to be reproduced as a mural on a wall at The PEPY Ride School.
CONGRATULATIONS YUKA!!!
 
Yuka was awarded a Giant Rock 4500 on December 14th. The bike was donated at cost by Mr. Futoshi Hakamata, the owner of POP Cycle, Julia's local bike shop in Hamamatsu, Japan. The remainder of the bike costs were donated by Julia's yoga pupils. All designs were exhibited for 1 week on the 5th floor of ZaZa City in a space known as Palette and will be brought to Cambodia as gifts to The PEPY Ride School. All entrants received a personal PEPY thank you letter in both English and Japanese (Huge thanks to Yurika Sakai for translating!) and a PEPY sticker.
PEPY was subsequently asked to join an International Cultural exchange Exhibition in Jan/Feb which Palatte is organizing, AND the Chuu Nichi Newspaper will be printing an article about it shortly! All in all, not a bad run of things, eh!
THANK YOU to all of the participants and teachers, Mr. Hakamata and POP Cycle, Julia's yoga classes, and of course Ms. Davies herself!
POP Cycle, Hamamatsu -shi, Nakazawa-cho 74-21 tel: 053 472 5415 pop3196@yahoo.co.jp
   
JETs in Japan are going to Cambodia and want to take a student with them...well, artistically speaking!
Get involved with the March Volunteer Trip to The PEPY Ride School in Cambodia!!! Help JETs, Japanese English Teachers, promote cross cultural education and spread the "spirit of giving" to children all over the world. March trip volunteers are currently having a Mural Design Contest for ALL Elemtary, Jr. High, and High School students around the world! They are looking for a simple, creative design to paint on a wall at The PEPY Ride School. The Grand Prize winner will receive an iPOD Shuffle and a package from The PEPY Ride School students / volunteers in Cambodia.
DEADLINE for submissions: Januray 6, 2006
For more information and rules, please visit: http://www.chibaajet.org/images/stories/cambodia2006/pepyposter.pdf (English version) http://www.chibaajet.org/images/stories/cambodia2006/pepyposterj.pdf (Japanese version)
Email: adabe916@gmail.com
Winter International Art Show
If you are in the Chiba Ken area this January 14th, come and see the displayed art work from the March Mural Design Contest as well as artwork from our very own Chiba Ken artists. The main feature will be our performances by a ballet / butoh dancer, a belly dancer, a hip hop dancer and more!!!
Other highlights include: Voting for the best design, JET flea market, and International food!
All proceeds will go towards The PEPY Ride School in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Where: Chiba City International Communication Plaza Sencity Tower 12F, 1000 Shinmachi, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Ken
When: Jan. 14, 1pm - 5pm
Transportation: 3 minutes walk from JR / Keisei / Monorail Chiba Station
Entrance Fee: Adults 1,000 Yen, High School and College 500 Yen, Elem. and Jr. High 300 Yen |
| Aichi Golf Tournament for PEPY |
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On August 3rd, forty-two golfers raised over 260,000 Yen for the PEPY Ride in the Izakaya JaNai Golf Tournament. Golfers played rounds at the Nukata Golf Club and joined an after-party at Toraya Yakiniku, where awards were handed out. The tournament planned to give half of the money raised to PEPY and the remaining half to the winner's charity of choice. However, due to Andrea Humm's stellar representation of The PEPY Ride, the winner chose to donate ALL the money directly to PEPY! Thanks to all who participated! The tournament was a spectacular success and there are already plans for a second Izakaya JaNai Cup. Huge thanks to Craig Morrey for organizing the event, and special thanks to event sponsors Pepsi, Asahi, Cal's English School, Starbucks, Toraya and Izakaya JaNai for their generous support. |
| Minnesota Supports PEPY |
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Huge Thank You to Faith Lutheran of Evansville, MN for all their incredible donations and fundraising efforts! This is perhaps the CUTEST fundraising idea we've seen yet!
In one of MANY fundraising drives in Greta's home town of Evansville, MN, Faith Lutheran Sunday School classes sold their stuffed animals at a church auction and raised over $300! It's individuals and small groups from around the world who've carried PEPY with their fundraising efforts. Evansville, MN...population 566...everyone's getting involved! |
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Featured Sponsor: HES |
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This month special thanks goes out to Hirosawa English School (HES) in Hamamatsu, Japan. In May, Jon and Hiromi Bauer, owners of HES, contacted PEPY after learning about our ride at a PEPY booksale. "We'd like to help you," read their email. And they have!
Jon and Hiromi decided to support The PEPY Ride by donating 1% of their profits each month to the PEPY cause. We were overwhelmed by their offer and continue to be amazed by their endless support and generosity. Jon and Hiromi have gone out of their way to network for PEPY everywhere! They've gotten us published in prominent Japanese newsletters, connected us to radio programs, event venues and even local bands. Perhaps their greatest PEPY achievement...Jon and Hiromi helped organize an entire day of PEPY benefits. The day started with Toshimi and his Haro FM radio program where PEPY was interviewed live and got to broadcast the Open Mic for Cambodia CD! From there we met up with Brian Ford, another Jon and Hiromi contact, at his Safari Bar in the Hamamatsu city center. Brian was able to convince 2 prominent local bands to perform outdoor benefit concerts all afternoon and donated a portion of Safari's profits to PEPY.
Jon and Hiromi of HES have been invaluable supporters of The PEPY Ride. As this is the season of giving, we want to thank those who have given so much of their time, love, and financial support to this project. Our thanks go out to all of you, with a special thank you to HES.
Email hirosawaenglish@yahoo.co.jp or call 053-413-5828 to find out more about joining HES.
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Special Thanks to all our PEPY Ride Sponsors |
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 Do you live in Japan? Do you enjoy healthy, natural, or organic foods? If so, hopefully you have found Tengu Natural Foods where you can purchase a generous array of organic and vegetarian foods and environmentally friendly household goods. DON'T FORGET TO MENTION THE PEPY RIDE WHEN ORDERING FROM TENGU! Tengu will add 50% of your contribution to The PEPY Ride: simply set your contribution amount when you place your order. Visit http://www.alishan-organic-center.com to order, and be sure to mention PEPY!
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To subscribe to the PEPY newsletter, email newsletter@pepyride.orgwith SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, email the same address with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. |
