Windows

Each year the Regional Orphanage in Petropavlovsk has an art contest. Thirteen artworks (one for each month and one for the cover) are then chosen and compiled into a yearly calendar. Antares has the calendars printed and sells these to help raise funds for the orphanage. The 13 winners of the contest receive a prize. The profits from the calendar then go to a project determined by the orphanage. In the past, profits were used to purchase much needed washing machines for the orphanage. This year the orphanage asked that the profits be used to purchase triple pane windows.

Petropavlovsk is one of the northern-most cities in Kazakhstan. Winters are long, harsh, and extremely cold. Orphanages are often drafty due to old buildings and single pane windows. To replace these windows with triple pane glass would be quite an expensive venture due to the numerous windows of the orphanage. We had hoped to replace at least a few. However, because of complications this year, the calendars were late getting out and we have only sold enough (so far!) to cover the cost of printing them. We had hoped to raise at least $2000--enough to replace windows in one part of the orphanage--and are disappointed that we did not meet our goal.

Please let us know if you are able to help us in any of the following ways:

1. Better ideas on how to raise funds for the windows

2. Sell calendars in your area to help raise funds (Will you be attending a Kazakhstan gathering in your area any time soon? We will ship these to you, if you would like to sell these.)

3. Consider buying a calendar if you have not already done so. The art work is beautiful! (See the calendar photo on the side bar.) Since it is already March the calendar price has been reduced to $7.00.

4. Or if you do not need a calendar, donations of any size may be made to the Windows Fund.

Thank you for making a difference!

Note: These photos were taken in September. The weather is much colder now.