DOVEDETAILS

ISSUE FOURTEEN www.dovefund.org FALL 2014

1

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a non-profitcorporation founded by severalVietnam veterans, Rotarians, andother concerned citizens in Janu-ary 2000, in Toledo, Ohio.

Our goal is to provide humanitar-ian and development assistance toareas in Vietnam; to promote com-munication, education, and culturalexchanges that reflect the bestqualities of both cultures; and tocreate an environment brightenedby hope and sustained by peace.

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a 501(c)3nonprofit organization and is incor-porated under the laws of the stateof Ohio. Contributions are tax de-ductible.

Since its founding, the D.O.V.E.Fund has built 21 nurseryschools, 199 elementary schools, and 1junior high school. In addition,D.O.V.E. has built 4 medicalclinics, 6 major water projects,and more than 150 latrines,conducted medical missions,implemented an EmergencyMedicine Residency Program,and established 2 Micro-financeprograms for women in QuangTri province.

We’ve funded tuition assistancefor over 3,000 poor students,workshops for English teachers,computers and sewing machinesfor Phu Hau Vocational School,braille computers and printer forHue School for Blind, 7 schoolcomputer centers, 8 mobilelibraries, 3 mobile dental clinicsand Lights and 230PET mobility carts.

PRST STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 164

continued on page 4

SOLAR LIGHTS FOR READING CONTINUES TO HELP YOUNGSTUDENTS IN VIETNAMBy Tina Lam

Our trip back to Vietnam later this month with The D.O.V.E. Fund will mark our fifthoperation of the Solar Lights for Reading project. This project has brought lights tothe students’ homes extending their study time after sunset. Thanks to the D.O.V.E.Fund, our wish of giving educational assistance to the students and to the poorpeople of Quang Tri province and greater areas has been successfully implemented.The unit is a portable solar powered home lighting system composed of two LEDlamps, one as a spot light and another as a disperse light, a solar panel, a recharge-able battery, and a cell phone charger. The charging time to achieve a full batterytakes about 11 hours and the lighting time lasts from 7 to 15 hours. This system notonly provides students with extra study time but also creates a safer lighting envi-ronment for families at night. It is not widely known that many outlying villagesremain without electricity because they are too far away from the main feed lines.

We are Hao and Tina Lam and it is our wish this well received and well deserved program will have continued support fromthe D.O.V.E. Fund and its many donors who generously contribute to this project. We are delighted so many recognize theneed to retrieve sun power into homes throughout rural and poorest regions of Vietnam.

The first distribution was in September 2011 for Quang Tri province. Since then the program has expanded to remote A Luoiin January 2013 and to Thua Thien province in January 2014. Seeing the gleam in the eyes of the recipients has made thismost worthwhile project even more endearing to us. At the end of the trip when we leave to return to the USA, knowing thereare more brightened homes and families in rural Vietnam brightens our lives too. Together we can continue to make awonderful difference!

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THEPEOPLE OF VIETNAM FOR FIFTEEN YEARSBy Dan Gregg

When the D.O.V.E. Fund contingentarrives at Tan Son Nhat airport in HoChi Minh City later this month, therewill be ample reason to celebrate.What started fifteen years ago withthe hope of building one school inVietnam, the D.O.V.E. Fund hasgrown into something no one couldhave predicted. It will mark the 15thconsecutive year that members travelto Vietnam, at their own expense, tovisit with old friends, check onprojects and to look at new opportu-nities to assist those in need.

To mark the occasion, trip coordinator Do Nguyen has enlisted the help of hismany friends in Vietnam to arrange a celebration at each of the major cities on thisyear’s itinerary. Along with lengthy days and a heavy travel schedule that thegroup will endure, there will be several events to commemorate our success andto recognize our many partners in Vietnam. A key partner is the Department ofForeign Affairs or DoFA. This provincial organization is responsible for helping theD.O.V.E. Fund identify and coordinate the projects that will provide the most ben-efit to the greatest number of people. The Hue-based Vietnam NGO, Hearts forHue, a longtime friend of the D.O.V.E. Fund, will also be part of the celebration.

Celebrations will be held in DongHa, the provincial capital of QuangTri province, in Saigon, Hue andin Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.Because the work of the D.O.V.E.Fund is so extensive, there will bethree groups that will travel to vari-ous parts of the country. One groupwill deliver Solar Light kits to fami-lies without electricity living on theriver in Thuy Phu fishing village andwill visit several schools to distrib-ute scholarships to poor but de-serving students. Later in the

week, the group will oversee the mobile dental clinic providing dental care to over600 students at some of the largest D.O.V.E. Fund schools in Quang Tri. Therewill also be dedications of the new addition of Cam Thanh daycare center and therecently completed Trieu Dong daycare center.

D.O.V.E.members and local officials discussingproject proposals.

A very excited student able to read in whatwould otherwise be darkness

Angie Perino and other members getting food suppliesready for members of a leprosy village.

360

centers,daycare

Solar

DOVEDETAILS

ISSUE FOURTEEN www.dovefund.org FALL 2014

1

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a non-profitcorporation founded by severalVietnam veterans, Rotarians, andother concerned citizens in Janu-ary 2000, in Toledo, Ohio.

Our goal is to provide humanitar-ian and development assistance toareas in Vietnam; to promote com-munication, education, and culturalexchanges that reflect the bestqualities of both cultures; and tocreate an environment brightenedby hope and sustained by peace.

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a 501(c)3nonprofit organization and is incor-porated under the laws of the stateof Ohio. Contributions are tax de-ductible.

Since its founding, the D.O.V.E.Fund has built 21 nurseryschools, 199 elementary schools, and 1junior high school. In addition,D.O.V.E. has built 4 medicalclinics, 6 major water projects,and more than 150 latrines,conducted medical missions,implemented an EmergencyMedicine Residency Program,and established 2 Micro-financeprograms for women in QuangTri province.

We’ve funded tuition assistancefor over 3,000 poor students,workshops for English teachers,computers and sewing machinesfor Phu Hau Vocational School,braille computers and printer forHue School for Blind, 7 schoolcomputer centers, 8 mobilelibraries, 3 mobile dental clinicsand Lights and 230PET mobility carts.

PRST STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 164

continued on page 4

SOLAR LIGHTS FOR READING CONTINUES TO HELP YOUNGSTUDENTS IN VIETNAMBy Tina Lam

Our trip back to Vietnam later this month with The D.O.V.E. Fund will mark our fifthoperation of the Solar Lights for Reading project. This project has brought lights tothe students’ homes extending their study time after sunset. Thanks to the D.O.V.E.Fund, our wish of giving educational assistance to the students and to the poorpeople of Quang Tri province and greater areas has been successfully implemented.The unit is a portable solar powered home lighting system composed of two LEDlamps, one as a spot light and another as a disperse light, a solar panel, a recharge-able battery, and a cell phone charger. The charging time to achieve a full batterytakes about 11 hours and the lighting time lasts from 7 to 15 hours. This system notonly provides students with extra study time but also creates a safer lighting envi-ronment for families at night. It is not widely known that many outlying villagesremain without electricity because they are too far away from the main feed lines.

We are Hao and Tina Lam and it is our wish this well received and well deserved program will have continued support fromthe D.O.V.E. Fund and its many donors who generously contribute to this project. We are delighted so many recognize theneed to retrieve sun power into homes throughout rural and poorest regions of Vietnam.

The first distribution was in September 2011 for Quang Tri province. Since then the program has expanded to remote A Luoiin January 2013 and to Thua Thien province in January 2014. Seeing the gleam in the eyes of the recipients has made thismost worthwhile project even more endearing to us. At the end of the trip when we leave to return to the USA, knowing thereare more brightened homes and families in rural Vietnam brightens our lives too. Together we can continue to make awonderful difference!

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THEPEOPLE OF VIETNAM FOR FIFTEEN YEARSBy Dan Gregg

When the D.O.V.E. Fund contingentarrives at Tan Son Nhat airport in HoChi Minh City later this month, therewill be ample reason to celebrate.What started fifteen years ago withthe hope of building one school inVietnam, the D.O.V.E. Fund hasgrown into something no one couldhave predicted. It will mark the 15thconsecutive year that members travelto Vietnam, at their own expense, tovisit with old friends, check onprojects and to look at new opportu-nities to assist those in need.

To mark the occasion, trip coordinator Do Nguyen has enlisted the help of hismany friends in Vietnam to arrange a celebration at each of the major cities on thisyear’s itinerary. Along with lengthy days and a heavy travel schedule that thegroup will endure, there will be several events to commemorate our success andto recognize our many partners in Vietnam. A key partner is the Department ofForeign Affairs or DoFA. This provincial organization is responsible for helping theD.O.V.E. Fund identify and coordinate the projects that will provide the most ben-efit to the greatest number of people. The Hue-based Vietnam NGO, Hearts forHue, a longtime friend of the D.O.V.E. Fund, will also be part of the celebration.

Celebrations will be held in DongHa, the provincial capital of QuangTri province, in Saigon, Hue andin Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.Because the work of the D.O.V.E.Fund is so extensive, there will bethree groups that will travel to vari-ous parts of the country. One groupwill deliver Solar Light kits to fami-lies without electricity living on theriver in Thuy Phu fishing village andwill visit several schools to distrib-ute scholarships to poor but de-serving students. Later in the

week, the group will oversee the mobile dental clinic providing dental care to over600 students at some of the largest D.O.V.E. Fund schools in Quang Tri. Therewill also be dedications of the new addition of Cam Thanh daycare center and therecently completed Trieu Dong daycare center.

D.O.V.E.members and local officials discussingproject proposals.

A very excited student able to read in whatwould otherwise be darkness

Angie Perino and other members getting food suppliesready for members of a leprosy village.

360

centers,daycare

Solar

PRST STANDARDAUTO

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 179

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635

2

2014 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

HONORARY MEMBERS

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

PERPETUAL HONORARY MEMBERS

VIETNAM REPRESENTATIVE

John AbbeyJulie AbbeyGail CravenRobert CulpGreg FishDan GreggJill GrimmDenny McBroom

TRUSTEES

ADVISORY MEMBERS

Bui Cam Nhung

John Craven, Board ChairSharon Trabbic, Vice ChairFred Grimm, Vice Chair, Vietnam ProjectsRoland Southard, SecretaryTim Kearney, Treasurer

Do NguyenTim RyanCeleste SouthardLinda StockerJim TaylorDavid WelchDoug Welch

Jerry AndersonSteve BoiceJohn BormanPaul de St. VictorRobert DurbinLinda DurbinDan FooteDodie GainesJason GuiducciCMDR Porter HalyburtonMary HannaDavid LangendorferGretta LaskeyMark Makulinski

Geof McKissonSharon McKissonJim MedillPaula MehringChrys PetersonJohn RiceDavid RyersonChuck StockingTom TreeceRenee TreeceDianne Van VoorhisJohn WileyAngie Wingerd

Adrienne BellRichard CarrPeter Casey IIIChris CheneyMolly Spitzer FrostMarianne GehringMarian GremsBrady Grimm

Susan HammonRoger HeiderPat LongbrakeDale MehringSharonSitek-DendingerNorm Van NessJoyce Woodworth

Rev Robert HaasRobert MehringChuck Oswald

Tom SaamMarke SatheLanny Saumer

“Really?! I did not know that. Please tell me more.”

Since my tenure began on the board of trustees 10years ago next month, I have been on the receivingend of the opening comments countless times – ashave other members of the board along with many ofYOU, our supporters when sharing our story with oth-ers. One of my personal guiding principles talks aboutone’s treasure being where one’s heart is. So on be-half of the D.O.V.E. Fund I thank you for your contin-ued support and for helping us spread the word aboutthe great projects we are carrying out to help the poor-est of the poor in Vietnam.

As I recently reviewed the rich history of our organization which began inJanuary of 2000, we are completing our 15th year of operation and we havemuch for which to be thankful. I say that because most of us think when wegive to others, others are blessed – and yet that is only partly true. I’verepeated witnessed that the person doing the giving is indeed blessed farbeyond the recipient of their benevolence!

During a review of our project history I could not help but notice how webegan by building one and two room schools in small villages. As the needfor daycare centers arose we began funding those too because they in-cluded a kitchen affording the children proper care while their parents wereworking in the fields long days. It followed logically that as we were finan-cially able, we could begin funding more costly Elementary schools andthen in 2008 funded our first Junior High School.

Building schools filled an important need yet many parents could not affordeducation of their children due to their meagre, subsistence farming income.The natural progression was for us to establish a scholarship program tohelp those needy children get an education. Rather than providing just afinancial handout, these students were chosen based on need and theycould maintain their scholarship based on performance. This program hasbeen extremely successful and has covered students from grade five throughthe fourth year of college. We have helped over 3,000 students – most ofwhom may not have received an education otherwise.

Education was our core focus for years then broadened to include micro-finance, health clinics, sanitation and mobile libraries to name a few. In thepast few years we’ve added dental clinics, solar lights and personal energytransportation carts. Throughout the past few years we have also beencontacted by many charities and other organizations wanting to leveragetime, talent and treasure (…where the heart is…) with us to achieve evengreater successes. This has been very successful and we expect it willcontinue. So I leave you with the exciting prospect that the D.O.V.E. Fund ispoised to begin year 16 moving forward with even greater momentum! Thankyou for your continued support!

John E.Craven IIChairman

John Craven

7

EXPANSION OF LEPER ASSISTANCEby John Abbey

For a number of years the D.O.V.E. Fund Bandage Brigade,consisting of five to six hundred volunteers, has provided hand-made bandages for people suffering from leprosy in Vietnam.These bandages, which are preciously crafted, are hand knit-ted or crocheted by people from North America and Europe withthe intent of helping to improve lives on the other side of theworld. Each year during the annual D.O.V.E. trip to Vietnam wetake special care to assure the bandages are delivered to thosein need. This is largely accomplished through collaboration withthe Catholic Sisters of St. Paul Deschartre who minister to thoseafflicted with leprosy in nearly 100 small, remote villages. Wehave learned a great deal about the disease of leprosy, the iso-lation and grinding poverty those who suffer (and their families)endure.

Over the last four years we have visited the leprosarium for theelderly in Quy Hoa and provided some financial support to theSisters as they care for approximately 100 elderly persons withleprosy. These severely disabled individuals are spending theirfinal years of life in a safe and peaceful environment. Food how-ever, is a very big challenge since funds are meager and therewere no cooking facilities except a charcoal pile on the ground.As a result the elderly ate once or twice a day and the food hadto be brought to them from a distance. D.O.V.E. recognized theneed for cooking facilities and committed to provide funding tohelp build a kitchen and eating area with handicapped accessi-bility for the elderly residents.

Beginning in February 2014 the facility was completed and is infull use daily. Through the generosity of the D.O.V.E. donors theelderly are now able to enjoy regular, healthy meals that werepreviously only a dream. While pondering the difference in ourlives here in America and the lives of those victimized by lep-rosy and society at large, please consider extending a helpinghand to those so greatly in need. They have no other options!We will return to Quy Hoa in January 2015 and will bring dona-tions to buy food and medicine that are desperately needed.Hugs, prayers and love will help our friends too!

Two women preparing food in the old kitchen

Some of the residents of the Quy Hoa Center for the disabled

A portion of the newly constructed kitchen facility

6 3

GATE OF PEACE: HONORING THE MEMORY OF BUI DUC HUNGby Dan Gregg

Less than a year ago the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent traveled northof Ha Noi on a very special mission. In Phu Tho province lies thesmall village of Huong Non, the hometown of North Vietnamesesoldier Bui Duc Hung. In August of 1968, Bui Duc Hung was killedin a fierce battle at Duc Lap near Plieku and the Cambodian border.After the battle, Special Forces sergeant John Wast swept the areaand picked up a helmet near the body of an NVA soldier. He tied thebattered helmet to his rucksack and kept it during his tour in Viet-nam bringing it home to Toledo after his discharge from the Army.Eventually the helmet took a place in his office - the only tangiblememory of the war. Wast doesn’t exactly recall when he looked onthe inside rim to find intriguing artwork and the soldiers name - BuiDuc Hung. There was also an etched dove in flight along with acarefully crafted palm tree.

Wast learned of the D.O.V.E. Fund and thought the group would be interested in seeing this iconic symbol of peace tied tothe group’s logo: a dove flying west. Call it irony, serendipity or coincidental, but when many of the D.O.V.E. Fund trusteesexamined the helmet, they felt that this was another opportunity to help bridge the gap between two nations. The helmet hadto be returned to the surviving members of Bui Duc Hung’s family in Vietnam.

Within a month, the family was found and quickly invited the D.O.V.E. Fund to their home. Plans were completed withVietnamese Army and local officials in Phu Tho to meet at the family home on January 14th. In a solemn ceremony, D.O.V.E.Fund Vietnam veterans, Fred Grimm, John Abbey, Mike Bruecker and Daniel Gregg carried the helmet on a simple cedartray amidst a throng of villagers lining the entrance way. Soft sobs could be heard as the helmet was placed on a pedestaland everyone took their seats under a covered canopy in the family’s yard. Seated across the aisle from the US Vietnamveterans were several Vietnamese veterans of the war. Distinctive in their black garb and leather caps, these men were verykind to the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent with smiles, hugs and handshakes being exchanged with everyone.

After a few words from Bui Duc Hung’s nephew and government officials, D.O.V.E. Trustee and Vietnam veteran, DanielGregg read a message prepared by John Wast, part of which said “...I kept the helmet close all these years to remind me ofwhat these two men had in common.....what he had lost and what I had gained. ...the time has come for me to return thishelmet to those who knew and cared for Bui Duc Hung. I do this with thoughts of love and peace to you all.”

D.O.V.E. members then traveled a few miles to visit a small veterans memorial wall honoring all the Huong Non villagers whodied in the war. There were over one hundred names, including that of Bui Duc Hung, along with his dates of birth and death.This was a sobering moment for the US veterans having visited the Wall in Washington DC. After placing a wreath of flowersand lighting incense, the four US veterans along with four Vietnamese soldiers who were spotlessly clad in their white dress-uniforms, formed two columns on either side of the altar and quietly watched while villagers respectfully honored the memoryof the fallen soldiers who had given their lives for Vietnamese independence. As the sweet smell of incense and white smokefilled the air, all were reminded of the terrible cost of war. After the ceremony there were hugs, handshakes and photos of theD.O.V.E. Fund members sharing emotional moments with the soldiers and villagers of Huong Non.

Everyone then return to the family home where a huge meal had been prepared. D.O.V.E. Fund members were invited to sitinside the house, where everyone surrounded the family altar where an old black and white photo of Bui Duc Hung sat abovehis helmet - now safe in a glass enclosure. Wide tables of food were placed in the room and everyone sat down and enjoyeda traditional Vietnamese meal prepared by the families in the village. After the meal, D.O.V.E. Fund members met with localofficials and decided that a memorial should be built to honor the memory of Bui Duc Hung and the people of Huong Non. Agated structure would be built over the entrance to the village. The bricks and mortar gate would be called the Gate of Peace.

Work on the structure is continuing on schedule and will be ready for dedication when the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent returnsin January 2015. The Gate of Peace will be a lasting memory of the importance of reconciliation - the desire for peace andthe humanity we all share. “This project is in line with our Mission Statement” said Vietnam veteran, John Abbey, “To createan environment brightened by hope and sustained by peace”.

GROWTH OF THE D.O.V.E. FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMcontinuted from page 5

During my 3 years studying in Quang Tri High School, I’ve always received scholarshipfrom your organization. I’m so happy and honored to receive your worthy gift. This helpme a lot, I have money to pay for schooling cost, studying tools. I’m on the way to makemy dream of completing my high school studying and continue my bigger dream; it is DaNang University of Teacher Training, special education teacher Department. I will givemy all energy, ability and passion to help disabled students to overcome difficulties in lifeeasier.

Quang Tri High School Student

It is said that happiness was to live in silk, silver and gold; is to enjoy all pleasures of lifebut for me happiness is just two simple sounded “family”...“Family”, it’s such a warm,sacred sound. “Family” is place where we born and grow up. I, myself is an orphaned girl,grown up without father’s care and love...My father, who had to work so hard day andnight, died of exhaustion.

Due to family difficulties, When I were in fourth grade I had to move to my aunt’s house tolive and she help me to continue my studying. I didn’t know what to do to help my family,just tried my best to have good result in education. Thanks to my endeavors, I passedexam to Quang Tri High School which is very popular and prestige. This was the first stepon my way to university...I have been provided scholarship from the DOVE Fund 3 times...It’s really a big encouragement for me on my way to conquer university. More referencebooks bought help me broaden my knowledge and make me confident in life.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the members and donors of the DOVEFund. You light the fire of hope, belief and energy for the poor people to overcome ob-stacles. I hope that I and other people who have same condition like me will receive moresupport from you to become a good citizen to serve our country and poor people.

Quang Tri High School Student

Thanks to the many donors of the D.O.V.E. Fund for continuing to make thesescholarships possible.

Please help change and enrich the future of needy children in Vietnam by mak-ing a donation to the D.O.V.E. Fund Scholarship program. Your contribution canbe given securely at our website http://www.dovefund.org/click pledge.htm orhttps://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=50125. We thank you inadvance for your continued support.

Grateful Quang Tri High School Student

Grateful Quang Tri High School Student

Gate of Peace construction in progress

Jill Grimm presenting scholarships to thestudents at Quang Tri High School

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAMFOR FIFTEEN YEARS continued from page 1

Before leaving Quang Tri, the group will also deliver scholarships to one hundred eightystudents at Hai Lang and Quang Tri High Schools then making a stop at Hai Truong toinspect the progress of the new addition to the clean water project.

In Hue, some in the contingent will visit Vy Da resettlement area for an update on themicrofinance projects and will later tour a mental health facility where the D.O.V.E. Fundfinanced sustainable chicken raising and worm raising projects for patients. There will alsobe a dedication of the new addition to the Tay Xuan Day Care Center and follow-up meet-ings with last year’s PET cart recipients. Later in the week, the group will visit projects inHong Tien, Huong Bing and Binh Thanh.

From Hue, the groups will travel together for a day of sightseeing at the incomparable HaLong Bay, designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO and a must-see for peoplevisiting Vietnam. Then it’s on to Hanoi to prepare for a visit to Phu Tho province the nextday. During last year’s visit to return Bui Duc Hung’s NVA helmet to his family, the D.O.V.E.Fund committed to build a Gate of Peace adorning the entrance of Bui’s village of HuongNon. The permanent structure will feature traditional Vietnamese design elements and willserve as an enduring symbol of the universal spirit of love and peace between the UnitedStates and Vietnam. District and provincial officials along with the residents of Huong Non and the surrounding villages willturn out to celebrate this festive occasion. There will also be a PET cart distribution to benefit the disabled in PhuThoprovince followed by a reception with PACCOM officials which will end the stay in Hanoi.

A smaller, third group will travel to Pleiku to visit the leper colonies to distribute bandages and aid for the St Paul de Chartresorphanage. Then it’s on to the port city of Qui Nhon to deliver more P.E.T. carts to aid the disabled and visit with our partnerMrs. Nga at the NNC center which provides help for the severely disabled.

As always, there will be a few hours for fun and sightseeing in Da Nang and time to enjoy the traditional Vietnamese food inthe ancient city of Hoi An. There will also be a crew assigned to procure the unique Vietnamese items like silk and jewelry forthe annual auction in August of next year. Then it’s finally on to Saigon for a few days of downtime to prepare for the triphome. There will be a visit to Ho Chi Minh Technical University to deliver scholarships and later a large celebration with all ofour D.O.V.E. friends in Vietnam to cap off an intense trip filled with many memories of warm hugs, smiling people and the joythat comes with helping those in need.

If you would like to help the D.O.V.E. Fund make a difference in the lives of Vietnamese families, please fill out this form, encloseyour donation and mail it to the D.O.V.E. Fund at P.O. Box 350741, Toledo, Ohio 43635

Name__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________City_________________State________Zip___________

Telephone______________________________Email____________________________________

Amount of Donation___________________________________________________________

Donation made in Memory/Honor of:______________________________________

________ Yes, I would like to receive the D.O.V.E. Diligence online newsletter

Thank you for your support!If you’d like to know more about D.O.V.E.’s ongoing projects, please take the time to visit ourwebsite at www.dovefund.org

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

GROWTH OF THE D.O.V.E. FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMby Celeste Southard

The Scholarship Program has been a cornerstone of the D.O.V.E. Fund for the past 13 years. The first scholarships weredistributed to approximately 30 students at a small school in rural Quang Tri province. Since then, more than three thousandscholarships have been given to needy but deserving students in the poorest parts of Vietnam. Building on the contributionsof our donors, we will deliver over 374 scholarships over the 2014-15 school year.

We want to thank the friends of the D.O.V.E. Fund for helping us enrich the lives of so many deserving students. Each yearat our annual auction, a special request is made to support our scholarship program. When donations are made by ourguests, they are specifically restricted to our scholarship fund which grows each year thanks to the compassion and gener-osity of our donors. In spite of the continued expansion of our scholarship program, the need continues to grow as morechildren are in need of financial aid. The D.O.V.E. Fund looks forward to building on the success of the program allowingmany children from 5th grade through university to truly benefit from the generosity of our donors.

The people and students of Vietnam are especially grateful for the continued support of the Scholarship Program. Withoutthe Program many students would be unable to further their education. Below are excerpts from letters written by some ofour scholarship recipients expressing their gratitude to the generous donors of our Scholarship Program.

Ladies and Gentlemen,...It is very nice to see you again. On behalf of our friends here...I wish to present ourgratitude...In spite of our shortages that we are challenging at present, all of us do believethat, with your help and our effort, we can overcome. promise to work harder to meet thewishes of my parents, my teachers and your. I would like to express my gratitude for yourdonation and hope to get more assistance in the future. I also hope that through this, ourrelationship will be more and more lasting...Thank you for listening.

Speech from Quang Tri High School Senior, Nguyen Thu Chao

Dear members of the DOVE Fund:I myself am blind so my dream is that I can go to school to become a teacher to bring knowledge tothe blind like me. My family is so poor...often sick and can’t do hard work,...The situation becameworse when I was a student of Quang Tri Teacher Training College because I had to go to Dong Hafor studying, had to spend much money for accommodation, food, studying materials….Thanks tofinancial support of the DOVE Fund, I can pay for all expenses for my studying in 3 years. Yoursupport is invaluable gift for me and my family. It’s encouragement for me to continue pursuing mydream. I graduated last year with excellent grade and became a teacher at Quang Tri School fordisabled children. I’m so proud to be a teacher and feel confident in life.

All my success, my confidence I have today is thanked to your care, your assistance. Your kind-ness is a big encouragement for me to embrace my dream and make it become true. I would liketo send you my deep gratitude and wish you all good health, happiness, success and bring muchmore happiness to other disadvantaged people in around the world.

Letter from Teacher, past D.O.V.E. Scholar, Nguyen Thi Nguyet

I’m so glad to be one of many students received scholarships provided by your organization...I can buy a lot of studyingmaterials, books and more things for my studying. This scholarship is not only a present of material but also a present oflearning spirit.

Nguyen Dang Than, Hai Lang High School

54

Nguyen Thu Chao and Do Nguyen

Nguyen Thi Nguyet

continued on page 6

Resident explaining his microfinanceproject of raising mushrooms

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAMFOR FIFTEEN YEARS continued from page 1

Before leaving Quang Tri, the group will also deliver scholarships to one hundred eightystudents at Hai Lang and Quang Tri High Schools then making a stop at Hai Truong toinspect the progress of the new addition to the clean water project.

In Hue, some in the contingent will visit Vy Da resettlement area for an update on themicrofinance projects and will later tour a mental health facility where the D.O.V.E. Fundfinanced sustainable chicken raising and worm raising projects for patients. There will alsobe a dedication of the new addition to the Tay Xuan Day Care Center and follow-up meet-ings with last year’s PET cart recipients. Later in the week, the group will visit projects inHong Tien, Huong Bing and Binh Thanh.

From Hue, the groups will travel together for a day of sightseeing at the incomparable HaLong Bay, designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO and a must-see for peoplevisiting Vietnam. Then it’s on to Hanoi to prepare for a visit to Phu Tho province the nextday. During last year’s visit to return Bui Duc Hung’s NVA helmet to his family, the D.O.V.E.Fund committed to build a Gate of Peace adorning the entrance of Bui’s village of HuongNon. The permanent structure will feature traditional Vietnamese design elements and willserve as an enduring symbol of the universal spirit of love and peace between the UnitedStates and Vietnam. District and provincial officials along with the residents of Huong Non and the surrounding villages willturn out to celebrate this festive occasion. There will also be a PET cart distribution to benefit the disabled in PhuThoprovince followed by a reception with PACCOM officials which will end the stay in Hanoi.

A smaller, third group will travel to Pleiku to visit the leper colonies to distribute bandages and aid for the St Paul de Chartresorphanage. Then it’s on to the port city of Qui Nhon to deliver more P.E.T. carts to aid the disabled and visit with our partnerMrs. Nga at the NNC center which provides help for the severely disabled.

As always, there will be a few hours for fun and sightseeing in Da Nang and time to enjoy the traditional Vietnamese food inthe ancient city of Hoi An. There will also be a crew assigned to procure the unique Vietnamese items like silk and jewelry forthe annual auction in August of next year. Then it’s finally on to Saigon for a few days of downtime to prepare for the triphome. There will be a visit to Ho Chi Minh Technical University to deliver scholarships and later a large celebration with all ofour D.O.V.E. friends in Vietnam to cap off an intense trip filled with many memories of warm hugs, smiling people and the joythat comes with helping those in need.

If you would like to help the D.O.V.E. Fund make a difference in the lives of Vietnamese families, please fill out this form, encloseyour donation and mail it to the D.O.V.E. Fund at P.O. Box 350741, Toledo, Ohio 43635

Name__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________City_________________State________Zip___________

Telephone______________________________Email____________________________________

Amount of Donation___________________________________________________________

Donation made in Memory/Honor of:______________________________________

________ Yes, I would like to receive the D.O.V.E. Diligence online newsletter

Thank you for your support!If you’d like to know more about D.O.V.E.’s ongoing projects, please take the time to visit ourwebsite at www.dovefund.org

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

GROWTH OF THE D.O.V.E. FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMby Celeste Southard

The Scholarship Program has been a cornerstone of the D.O.V.E. Fund for the past 13 years. The first scholarships weredistributed to approximately 30 students at a small school in rural Quang Tri province. Since then, more than three thousandscholarships have been given to needy but deserving students in the poorest parts of Vietnam. Building on the contributionsof our donors, we will deliver over 374 scholarships over the 2014-15 school year.

We want to thank the friends of the D.O.V.E. Fund for helping us enrich the lives of so many deserving students. Each yearat our annual auction, a special request is made to support our scholarship program. When donations are made by ourguests, they are specifically restricted to our scholarship fund which grows each year thanks to the compassion and gener-osity of our donors. In spite of the continued expansion of our scholarship program, the need continues to grow as morechildren are in need of financial aid. The D.O.V.E. Fund looks forward to building on the success of the program allowingmany children from 5th grade through university to truly benefit from the generosity of our donors.

The people and students of Vietnam are especially grateful for the continued support of the Scholarship Program. Withoutthe Program many students would be unable to further their education. Below are excerpts from letters written by some ofour scholarship recipients expressing their gratitude to the generous donors of our Scholarship Program.

Ladies and Gentlemen,...It is very nice to see you again. On behalf of our friends here...I wish to present ourgratitude...In spite of our shortages that we are challenging at present, all of us do believethat, with your help and our effort, we can overcome. promise to work harder to meet thewishes of my parents, my teachers and your. I would like to express my gratitude for yourdonation and hope to get more assistance in the future. I also hope that through this, ourrelationship will be more and more lasting...Thank you for listening.

Speech from Quang Tri High School Senior, Nguyen Thu Chao

Dear members of the DOVE Fund:I myself am blind so my dream is that I can go to school to become a teacher to bring knowledge tothe blind like me. My family is so poor...often sick and can’t do hard work,...The situation becameworse when I was a student of Quang Tri Teacher Training College because I had to go to Dong Hafor studying, had to spend much money for accommodation, food, studying materials….Thanks tofinancial support of the DOVE Fund, I can pay for all expenses for my studying in 3 years. Yoursupport is invaluable gift for me and my family. It’s encouragement for me to continue pursuing mydream. I graduated last year with excellent grade and became a teacher at Quang Tri School fordisabled children. I’m so proud to be a teacher and feel confident in life.

All my success, my confidence I have today is thanked to your care, your assistance. Your kind-ness is a big encouragement for me to embrace my dream and make it become true. I would liketo send you my deep gratitude and wish you all good health, happiness, success and bring muchmore happiness to other disadvantaged people in around the world.

Letter from Teacher, past D.O.V.E. Scholar, Nguyen Thi Nguyet

I’m so glad to be one of many students received scholarships provided by your organization...I can buy a lot of studyingmaterials, books and more things for my studying. This scholarship is not only a present of material but also a present oflearning spirit.

Nguyen Dang Than, Hai Lang High School

54

Nguyen Thu Chao and Do Nguyen

Nguyen Thi Nguyet

continued on page 6

Resident explaining his microfinanceproject of raising mushrooms

6 3

GATE OF PEACE: HONORING THE MEMORY OF BUI DUC HUNGby Dan Gregg

Less than a year ago the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent traveled northof Ha Noi on a very special mission. In Phu Tho province lies thesmall village of Huong Non, the hometown of North Vietnamesesoldier Bui Duc Hung. In August of 1968, Bui Duc Hung was killedin a fierce battle at Duc Lap near Plieku and the Cambodian border.After the battle, Special Forces sergeant John Wast swept the areaand picked up a helmet near the body of an NVA soldier. He tied thebattered helmet to his rucksack and kept it during his tour in Viet-nam bringing it home to Toledo after his discharge from the Army.Eventually the helmet took a place in his office - the only tangiblememory of the war. Wast doesn’t exactly recall when he looked onthe inside rim to find intriguing artwork and the soldiers name - BuiDuc Hung. There was also an etched dove in flight along with acarefully crafted palm tree.

Wast learned of the D.O.V.E. Fund and thought the group would be interested in seeing this iconic symbol of peace tied tothe group’s logo: a dove flying west. Call it irony, serendipity or coincidental, but when many of the D.O.V.E. Fund trusteesexamined the helmet, they felt that this was another opportunity to help bridge the gap between two nations. The helmet hadto be returned to the surviving members of Bui Duc Hung’s family in Vietnam.

Within a month, the family was found and quickly invited the D.O.V.E. Fund to their home. Plans were completed withVietnamese Army and local officials in Phu Tho to meet at the family home on January 14th. In a solemn ceremony, D.O.V.E.Fund Vietnam veterans, Fred Grimm, John Abbey, Mike Bruecker and Daniel Gregg carried the helmet on a simple cedartray amidst a throng of villagers lining the entrance way. Soft sobs could be heard as the helmet was placed on a pedestaland everyone took their seats under a covered canopy in the family’s yard. Seated across the aisle from the US Vietnamveterans were several Vietnamese veterans of the war. Distinctive in their black garb and leather caps, these men were verykind to the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent with smiles, hugs and handshakes being exchanged with everyone.

After a few words from Bui Duc Hung’s nephew and government officials, D.O.V.E. Trustee and Vietnam veteran, DanielGregg read a message prepared by John Wast, part of which said “...I kept the helmet close all these years to remind me ofwhat these two men had in common.....what he had lost and what I had gained. ...the time has come for me to return thishelmet to those who knew and cared for Bui Duc Hung. I do this with thoughts of love and peace to you all.”

D.O.V.E. members then traveled a few miles to visit a small veterans memorial wall honoring all the Huong Non villagers whodied in the war. There were over one hundred names, including that of Bui Duc Hung, along with his dates of birth and death.This was a sobering moment for the US veterans having visited the Wall in Washington DC. After placing a wreath of flowersand lighting incense, the four US veterans along with four Vietnamese soldiers who were spotlessly clad in their white dress-uniforms, formed two columns on either side of the altar and quietly watched while villagers respectfully honored the memoryof the fallen soldiers who had given their lives for Vietnamese independence. As the sweet smell of incense and white smokefilled the air, all were reminded of the terrible cost of war. After the ceremony there were hugs, handshakes and photos of theD.O.V.E. Fund members sharing emotional moments with the soldiers and villagers of Huong Non.

Everyone then return to the family home where a huge meal had been prepared. D.O.V.E. Fund members were invited to sitinside the house, where everyone surrounded the family altar where an old black and white photo of Bui Duc Hung sat abovehis helmet - now safe in a glass enclosure. Wide tables of food were placed in the room and everyone sat down and enjoyeda traditional Vietnamese meal prepared by the families in the village. After the meal, D.O.V.E. Fund members met with localofficials and decided that a memorial should be built to honor the memory of Bui Duc Hung and the people of Huong Non. Agated structure would be built over the entrance to the village. The bricks and mortar gate would be called the Gate of Peace.

Work on the structure is continuing on schedule and will be ready for dedication when the D.O.V.E. Fund contingent returnsin January 2015. The Gate of Peace will be a lasting memory of the importance of reconciliation - the desire for peace andthe humanity we all share. “This project is in line with our Mission Statement” said Vietnam veteran, John Abbey, “To createan environment brightened by hope and sustained by peace”.

GROWTH OF THE D.O.V.E. FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMcontinuted from page 5

During my 3 years studying in Quang Tri High School, I’ve always received scholarshipfrom your organization. I’m so happy and honored to receive your worthy gift. This helpme a lot, I have money to pay for schooling cost, studying tools. I’m on the way to makemy dream of completing my high school studying and continue my bigger dream; it is DaNang University of Teacher Training, special education teacher Department. I will givemy all energy, ability and passion to help disabled students to overcome difficulties in lifeeasier.

Quang Tri High School Student

It is said that happiness was to live in silk, silver and gold; is to enjoy all pleasures of lifebut for me happiness is just two simple sounded “family”...“Family”, it’s such a warm,sacred sound. “Family” is place where we born and grow up. I, myself is an orphaned girl,grown up without father’s care and love...My father, who had to work so hard day andnight, died of exhaustion.

Due to family difficulties, When I were in fourth grade I had to move to my aunt’s house tolive and she help me to continue my studying. I didn’t know what to do to help my family,just tried my best to have good result in education. Thanks to my endeavors, I passedexam to Quang Tri High School which is very popular and prestige. This was the first stepon my way to university...I have been provided scholarship from the DOVE Fund 3 times...It’s really a big encouragement for me on my way to conquer university. More referencebooks bought help me broaden my knowledge and make me confident in life.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the members and donors of the DOVEFund. You light the fire of hope, belief and energy for the poor people to overcome ob-stacles. I hope that I and other people who have same condition like me will receive moresupport from you to become a good citizen to serve our country and poor people.

Quang Tri High School Student

Thanks to the many donors of the D.O.V.E. Fund for continuing to make thesescholarships possible.

Please help change and enrich the future of needy children in Vietnam by mak-ing a donation to the D.O.V.E. Fund Scholarship program. Your contribution canbe given securely at our website http://www.dovefund.org/click pledge.htm orhttps://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=50125. We thank you inadvance for your continued support.

Grateful Quang Tri High School Student

Grateful Quang Tri High School Student

Gate of Peace construction in progress

Jill Grimm presenting scholarships to thestudents at Quang Tri High School

2

2014 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

HONORARY MEMBERS

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

PERPETUAL HONORARY MEMBERS

VIETNAM REPRESENTATIVE

John AbbeyJulie AbbeyGail CravenRobert CulpGreg FishDan GreggJill GrimmDenny McBroom

TRUSTEES

ADVISORY MEMBERS

Bui Cam Nhung

John Craven, Board ChairSharon Trabbic, Vice ChairFred Grimm, Vice Chair, Vietnam ProjectsRoland Southard, SecretaryTim Kearney, Treasurer

Do NguyenTim RyanCeleste SouthardLinda StockerJim TaylorDavid WelchDoug Welch

Jerry AndersonSteve BoiceJohn BormanPaul de St. VictorRobert DurbinLinda DurbinDan FooteDodie GainesJason GuiducciCMDR Porter HalyburtonMary HannaDavid LangendorferGretta LaskeyMark Makulinski

Geof McKissonSharon McKissonJim MedillPaula MehringChrys PetersonJohn RiceDavid RyersonChuck StockingTom TreeceRenee TreeceDianne Van VoorhisJohn WileyAngie Wingerd

Adrienne BellRichard CarrPeter Casey IIIChris CheneyMolly Spitzer FrostMarianne GehringMarian GremsBrady Grimm

Susan HammonRoger HeiderPat LongbrakeDale MehringSharonSitek-DendingerNorm Van NessJoyce Woodworth

Rev Robert HaasRobert MehringChuck Oswald

Tom SaamMarke SatheLanny Saumer

“Really?! I did not know that. Please tell me more.”

Since my tenure began on the board of trustees 10years ago next month, I have been on the receivingend of the opening comments countless times – ashave other members of the board along with many ofYOU, our supporters when sharing our story with oth-ers. One of my personal guiding principles talks aboutone’s treasure being where one’s heart is. So on be-half of the D.O.V.E. Fund I thank you for your contin-ued support and for helping us spread the word aboutthe great projects we are carrying out to help the poor-est of the poor in Vietnam.

As I recently reviewed the rich history of our organization which began inJanuary of 2000, we are completing our 15th year of operation and we havemuch for which to be thankful. I say that because most of us think when wegive to others, others are blessed – and yet that is only partly true. I’verepeated witnessed that the person doing the giving is indeed blessed farbeyond the recipient of their benevolence!

During a review of our project history I could not help but notice how webegan by building one and two room schools in small villages. As the needfor daycare centers arose we began funding those too because they in-cluded a kitchen affording the children proper care while their parents wereworking in the fields long days. It followed logically that as we were finan-cially able, we could begin funding more costly Elementary schools andthen in 2008 funded our first Junior High School.

Building schools filled an important need yet many parents could not affordeducation of their children due to their meagre, subsistence farming income.The natural progression was for us to establish a scholarship program tohelp those needy children get an education. Rather than providing just afinancial handout, these students were chosen based on need and theycould maintain their scholarship based on performance. This program hasbeen extremely successful and has covered students from grade five throughthe fourth year of college. We have helped over 3,000 students – most ofwhom may not have received an education otherwise.

Education was our core focus for years then broadened to include micro-finance, health clinics, sanitation and mobile libraries to name a few. In thepast few years we’ve added dental clinics, solar lights and personal energytransportation carts. Throughout the past few years we have also beencontacted by many charities and other organizations wanting to leveragetime, talent and treasure (…where the heart is…) with us to achieve evengreater successes. This has been very successful and we expect it willcontinue. So I leave you with the exciting prospect that the D.O.V.E. Fund ispoised to begin year 16 moving forward with even greater momentum! Thankyou for your continued support!

John E.Craven IIChairman

John Craven

7

EXPANSION OF LEPER ASSISTANCEby John Abbey

For a number of years the D.O.V.E. Fund Bandage Brigade,consisting of five to six hundred volunteers, has provided hand-made bandages for people suffering from leprosy in Vietnam.These bandages, which are preciously crafted, are hand knit-ted or crocheted by people from North America and Europe withthe intent of helping to improve lives on the other side of theworld. Each year during the annual D.O.V.E. trip to Vietnam wetake special care to assure the bandages are delivered to thosein need. This is largely accomplished through collaboration withthe Catholic Sisters of St. Paul Deschartre who minister to thoseafflicted with leprosy in nearly 100 small, remote villages. Wehave learned a great deal about the disease of leprosy, the iso-lation and grinding poverty those who suffer (and their families)endure.

Over the last four years we have visited the leprosarium for theelderly in Quy Hoa and provided some financial support to theSisters as they care for approximately 100 elderly persons withleprosy. These severely disabled individuals are spending theirfinal years of life in a safe and peaceful environment. Food how-ever, is a very big challenge since funds are meager and therewere no cooking facilities except a charcoal pile on the ground.As a result the elderly ate once or twice a day and the food hadto be brought to them from a distance. D.O.V.E. recognized theneed for cooking facilities and committed to provide funding tohelp build a kitchen and eating area with handicapped accessi-bility for the elderly residents.

Beginning in February 2014 the facility was completed and is infull use daily. Through the generosity of the D.O.V.E. donors theelderly are now able to enjoy regular, healthy meals that werepreviously only a dream. While pondering the difference in ourlives here in America and the lives of those victimized by lep-rosy and society at large, please consider extending a helpinghand to those so greatly in need. They have no other options!We will return to Quy Hoa in January 2015 and will bring dona-tions to buy food and medicine that are desperately needed.Hugs, prayers and love will help our friends too!

Two women preparing food in the old kitchen

Some of the residents of the Quy Hoa Center for the disabled

A portion of the newly constructed kitchen facility

DOVEDETAILS

ISSUE FOURTEEN www.dovefund.org FALL 2014

1

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a non-profitcorporation founded by severalVietnam veterans, Rotarians, andother concerned citizens in Janu-ary 2000, in Toledo, Ohio.

Our goal is to provide humanitar-ian and development assistance toareas in Vietnam; to promote com-munication, education, and culturalexchanges that reflect the bestqualities of both cultures; and tocreate an environment brightenedby hope and sustained by peace.

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a 501(c)3nonprofit organization and is incor-porated under the laws of the stateof Ohio. Contributions are tax de-ductible.

Since its founding, the D.O.V.E.Fund has built 21 nurseryschools, 199 elementary schools, and 1junior high school. In addition,D.O.V.E. has built 4 medicalclinics, 6 major water projects,and more than 150 latrines,conducted medical missions,implemented an EmergencyMedicine Residency Program,and established 2 Micro-financeprograms for women in QuangTri province.

We’ve funded tuition assistancefor over 3,000 poor students,workshops for English teachers,computers and sewing machinesfor Phu Hau Vocational School,braille computers and printer forHue School for Blind, 7 schoolcomputer centers, 8 mobilelibraries, 3 mobile dental clinicsand Lights and 230PET mobility carts.

PRST STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 164

continued on page 4

SOLAR LIGHTS FOR READING CONTINUES TO HELP YOUNGSTUDENTS IN VIETNAMBy Tina Lam

Our trip back to Vietnam later this month with The D.O.V.E. Fund will mark our fifthoperation of the Solar Lights for Reading project. This project has brought lights tothe students’ homes extending their study time after sunset. Thanks to the D.O.V.E.Fund, our wish of giving educational assistance to the students and to the poorpeople of Quang Tri province and greater areas has been successfully implemented.The unit is a portable solar powered home lighting system composed of two LEDlamps, one as a spot light and another as a disperse light, a solar panel, a recharge-able battery, and a cell phone charger. The charging time to achieve a full batterytakes about 11 hours and the lighting time lasts from 7 to 15 hours. This system notonly provides students with extra study time but also creates a safer lighting envi-ronment for families at night. It is not widely known that many outlying villagesremain without electricity because they are too far away from the main feed lines.

We are Hao and Tina Lam and it is our wish this well received and well deserved program will have continued support fromthe D.O.V.E. Fund and its many donors who generously contribute to this project. We are delighted so many recognize theneed to retrieve sun power into homes throughout rural and poorest regions of Vietnam.

The first distribution was in September 2011 for Quang Tri province. Since then the program has expanded to remote A Luoiin January 2013 and to Thua Thien province in January 2014. Seeing the gleam in the eyes of the recipients has made thismost worthwhile project even more endearing to us. At the end of the trip when we leave to return to the USA, knowing thereare more brightened homes and families in rural Vietnam brightens our lives too. Together we can continue to make awonderful difference!

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THEPEOPLE OF VIETNAM FOR FIFTEEN YEARSBy Dan Gregg

When the D.O.V.E. Fund contingentarrives at Tan Son Nhat airport in HoChi Minh City later this month, therewill be ample reason to celebrate.What started fifteen years ago withthe hope of building one school inVietnam, the D.O.V.E. Fund hasgrown into something no one couldhave predicted. It will mark the 15thconsecutive year that members travelto Vietnam, at their own expense, tovisit with old friends, check onprojects and to look at new opportu-nities to assist those in need.

To mark the occasion, trip coordinator Do Nguyen has enlisted the help of hismany friends in Vietnam to arrange a celebration at each of the major cities on thisyear’s itinerary. Along with lengthy days and a heavy travel schedule that thegroup will endure, there will be several events to commemorate our success andto recognize our many partners in Vietnam. A key partner is the Department ofForeign Affairs or DoFA. This provincial organization is responsible for helping theD.O.V.E. Fund identify and coordinate the projects that will provide the most ben-efit to the greatest number of people. The Hue-based Vietnam NGO, Hearts forHue, a longtime friend of the D.O.V.E. Fund, will also be part of the celebration.

Celebrations will be held in DongHa, the provincial capital of QuangTri province, in Saigon, Hue andin Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.Because the work of the D.O.V.E.Fund is so extensive, there will bethree groups that will travel to vari-ous parts of the country. One groupwill deliver Solar Light kits to fami-lies without electricity living on theriver in Thuy Phu fishing village andwill visit several schools to distrib-ute scholarships to poor but de-serving students. Later in the

week, the group will oversee the mobile dental clinic providing dental care to over600 students at some of the largest D.O.V.E. Fund schools in Quang Tri. Therewill also be dedications of the new addition of Cam Thanh daycare center and therecently completed Trieu Dong daycare center.

D.O.V.E.members and local officials discussingproject proposals.

A very excited student able to read in whatwould otherwise be darkness

Angie Perino and other members getting food suppliesready for members of a leprosy village.

360

centers,daycare

Solar

DOVEDETAILS

ISSUE FOURTEEN www.dovefund.org FALL 2014

1

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a non-profitcorporation founded by severalVietnam veterans, Rotarians, andother concerned citizens in Janu-ary 2000, in Toledo, Ohio.

Our goal is to provide humanitar-ian and development assistance toareas in Vietnam; to promote com-munication, education, and culturalexchanges that reflect the bestqualities of both cultures; and tocreate an environment brightenedby hope and sustained by peace.

The D.O.V.E. Fund is a 501(c)3nonprofit organization and is incor-porated under the laws of the stateof Ohio. Contributions are tax de-ductible.

Since its founding, the D.O.V.E.Fund has built 21 nurseryschools, 199 elementary schools, and 1junior high school. In addition,D.O.V.E. has built 4 medicalclinics, 6 major water projects,and more than 150 latrines,conducted medical missions,implemented an EmergencyMedicine Residency Program,and established 2 Micro-financeprograms for women in QuangTri province.

We’ve funded tuition assistancefor over 3,000 poor students,workshops for English teachers,computers and sewing machinesfor Phu Hau Vocational School,braille computers and printer forHue School for Blind, 7 schoolcomputer centers, 8 mobilelibraries, 3 mobile dental clinicsand Lights and 230PET mobility carts.

PRST STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 164

continued on page 4

SOLAR LIGHTS FOR READING CONTINUES TO HELP YOUNGSTUDENTS IN VIETNAMBy Tina Lam

Our trip back to Vietnam later this month with The D.O.V.E. Fund will mark our fifthoperation of the Solar Lights for Reading project. This project has brought lights tothe students’ homes extending their study time after sunset. Thanks to the D.O.V.E.Fund, our wish of giving educational assistance to the students and to the poorpeople of Quang Tri province and greater areas has been successfully implemented.The unit is a portable solar powered home lighting system composed of two LEDlamps, one as a spot light and another as a disperse light, a solar panel, a recharge-able battery, and a cell phone charger. The charging time to achieve a full batterytakes about 11 hours and the lighting time lasts from 7 to 15 hours. This system notonly provides students with extra study time but also creates a safer lighting envi-ronment for families at night. It is not widely known that many outlying villagesremain without electricity because they are too far away from the main feed lines.

We are Hao and Tina Lam and it is our wish this well received and well deserved program will have continued support fromthe D.O.V.E. Fund and its many donors who generously contribute to this project. We are delighted so many recognize theneed to retrieve sun power into homes throughout rural and poorest regions of Vietnam.

The first distribution was in September 2011 for Quang Tri province. Since then the program has expanded to remote A Luoiin January 2013 and to Thua Thien province in January 2014. Seeing the gleam in the eyes of the recipients has made thismost worthwhile project even more endearing to us. At the end of the trip when we leave to return to the USA, knowing thereare more brightened homes and families in rural Vietnam brightens our lives too. Together we can continue to make awonderful difference!

THE MISSION CONTINUES: HELPING THEPEOPLE OF VIETNAM FOR FIFTEEN YEARSBy Dan Gregg

When the D.O.V.E. Fund contingentarrives at Tan Son Nhat airport in HoChi Minh City later this month, therewill be ample reason to celebrate.What started fifteen years ago withthe hope of building one school inVietnam, the D.O.V.E. Fund hasgrown into something no one couldhave predicted. It will mark the 15thconsecutive year that members travelto Vietnam, at their own expense, tovisit with old friends, check onprojects and to look at new opportu-nities to assist those in need.

To mark the occasion, trip coordinator Do Nguyen has enlisted the help of hismany friends in Vietnam to arrange a celebration at each of the major cities on thisyear’s itinerary. Along with lengthy days and a heavy travel schedule that thegroup will endure, there will be several events to commemorate our success andto recognize our many partners in Vietnam. A key partner is the Department ofForeign Affairs or DoFA. This provincial organization is responsible for helping theD.O.V.E. Fund identify and coordinate the projects that will provide the most ben-efit to the greatest number of people. The Hue-based Vietnam NGO, Hearts forHue, a longtime friend of the D.O.V.E. Fund, will also be part of the celebration.

Celebrations will be held in DongHa, the provincial capital of QuangTri province, in Saigon, Hue andin Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.Because the work of the D.O.V.E.Fund is so extensive, there will bethree groups that will travel to vari-ous parts of the country. One groupwill deliver Solar Light kits to fami-lies without electricity living on theriver in Thuy Phu fishing village andwill visit several schools to distrib-ute scholarships to poor but de-serving students. Later in the

week, the group will oversee the mobile dental clinic providing dental care to over600 students at some of the largest D.O.V.E. Fund schools in Quang Tri. Therewill also be dedications of the new addition of Cam Thanh daycare center and therecently completed Trieu Dong daycare center.

D.O.V.E.members and local officials discussingproject proposals.

A very excited student able to read in whatwould otherwise be darkness

Angie Perino and other members getting food suppliesready for members of a leprosy village.

360

centers,daycare

Solar

PRST STANDARDAUTO

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDTOLEDO, OH

PERMIT NO. 179

P.O. Box 350741Toledo, Ohio 43635