COME FOR FAMILY FUN 

HANNAH'S HUNDREDS POT-LUCK PICNIC

at the PEASE PARK Sunday MAY 17TH 12-4PM

(Pease, Mn is on Hwy 169 between Princeton & Milaca--the park is 2blks W of the Hwy--we'll have signs--only 25miles N of Elk River--more info below)  

                  Hannah's DREAM was more than a DREAM

                 it was a WORLD VISION     

Check our site for additional events: www.hannahshundreds.org 

We are Jim and Sylvia Kosloski, the parents of Hannah Elizabeth Kosloski, who died September 13th, 2007 in a tragic horseback riding accident.  Our efforts to raise enough money to fund the digging of a well for clean water through World Vision is a way of celebrating and honoring the life of our daughter.  Though Hannah was only 13 yrs old, she had a habit of setting goals.  It didn't matter if it was learning to ride her bike, being selected as Praise & Worship Leader at church, running for office in her Milo Lamplighters 4H Club, being chosen to dance in the Stroia Ballet Company productions, winning piano competitions or being invited to perform in the Honors Concert at the University of Minnesota, or (after helping her mother for an hour at a World Vision display where 10yr old Hannah inspired the sponsorship of about 20 children), the setting of a goal; of inspiring100 child sponsorships!          

       When Hannah died, we were asked, "What would you like people to do?   They will want to help  and will want to know what you need."  Our response was "Ask them to help Hannah's Dream come true...ask them to sponsor a child, pray for, write to, and love that child the way Hannah cared for her 'sponsored brother' Sandun, of Sri Lanka."  Many people sponsored a child (but we haven't reached 100----yet ), some families sponsored one for each of their children, some churches and youth groups collectively sponsored a child or two, but many people sent monetary gifts inside their sympathy cards instead.  We decided to donate that money to World Vision to pay for the digging of a well for clean water in Africa.  As more people heard about Hannah's Dream and wanted to be a part of her legacy of love - more money kept coming in.  It became apparent to us that 'God-given Dreams' are too big to die!   Because of a lot of people coming alongside us, collectively, as a team, we can take the concern, love and compassion of a young 13 year old girl's example to change the world of a poor community that is half way around the world.

 THAT IS THE PURPOSE of the Pot-Luck Picnic @ Pease Park Sunday MAY 17th from NOON to 4pm  Please come dressed for a day of fun on the softball field, the playground equip, horseshoes, and volleyball. Bring your appetite, a dish to share, lawn chairs or a blanket (there are some picnic tables, but we have no idea how many will show up--we're hoping for LOTS of you and your friends, family, neighbors, Church members and co-workers!!!--in other words help us invite others--you can even send this as an email)

Please pray that the weather will be very warm and sunny! Hannah's 4H group is helping us run this function and has some ideas for those young or 'young at heart' that involve water, (to help us all remember that the reason for our gathering is to raise money for another well of clean water in Africa---so if you have anyone in your family with a sense of adventure---have them bring a change of clothes in case they get wet in a contest or two :)  A donation will be collected of $5/person or $20/family with a Hannah's Hundreds bracelet as your take-home keepsake.  We hope to see you there!!!

 Before you leave this site to get on with your own busy life - think for just a moment - What would life be like for YOUR family if its ONLY source of water was a polluted, diseased-ridden surface runoff pond?  Has anyone in YOUR family ever had to carry just 2 gallons of water for even 2 miles?  What if EVERY day, for the better portion of each day, your family had to walk 1-5 miles to fetch water and then lug the heavy containers home? In many countries, even 3-5yr olds do that, but the water that they work so hard for - makes them sick - so sick that 1/2 of all the deaths of children are due to the water.  If our grief in losing just 1 of our 7 children is this profound, we can't conceive how awful the grief (and fear) must be, when 1/2 of all children born, never make it to age 5! Imagine, water too scarce to raise farm animals or food, and too heavy and time consuming to concern yourself with laundry, hygiene, or sanitation.   

        Hannah realized that she was fortunate to be born in a part of the world where water runs freely---but that unfortunately, not everyone is. She would read through each World Vision magazine and pray for rain and for food for those who were hungry, but she also prayed that the hearts of the families who take their 400 gallons of clean water per week for granted would be moved to help.  We are praying that YOU are one of those who will want to join us in our efforts.  Maybe you can't attend our event, but you can pass this on to others thru 'myspace', 'facebook', & email lists, (and since the web is worldwide--please include people in foreign contries).  And you can donate.  Even modest donations help!  

God bless you for all your efforts, helping to make Hannah's Dream come true!!! 

                                             "Thank-you" Jim & Sylvia Kosloski

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