CATW: "Global Citizens"!

Complete with fingerprints (probably mine!) here is our sparkling new Global Citizenship Award for Community Outreach that Children at the Well received last night from the International Center of the Capital Region
http://www.iccralbany.org/default.htm.

Khalafalla Osman was on hand to help me accept the award on behalf of all of us. Knowing that dinner was delayed, and being the gentleman that he is, Khalafalla kept his remarks brief. Chaos reigned just a bit because the program was going too long, but Alex Whisenhunt got to tell her story *before* dinner was served. Alex was cool as a cucumber and charmed us with her original tale. Gert Johnson and Mary Murphy were there as well, giving us moral support

(and the occasional "hairy eyeball"! :-).

In his talk, ICCR President Michael Gulotty spoke of a recent visitor with the international leadership program, Mr. Mohammad Mahroof, a London police officer who is active in community organizations and works closely with those that engage at-risk Muslim youth to promote positive behavior and community involvement. By invitation of the International Center, CATW had met with Mr. Mahroof last June. The youth tellers told stories, and then they and parents in attendance had time to answer questions from Mr. Mahroof. Our visitor was so taken with our work that he is now instituting a similar storytelling program in London, for these at-risk students! We were thrilled to hear this- it was news to us!

We were presented with a certificate from Senator Neil Breslin, another honoree in attendance. We were generally celebrated and sought after! Not to mention well fed by the fare from Yono's (Indonesian) Restaurant. The evening was quite an experience for us all, and we hope to build on this success by continuing to make connections with people in our community and internationally, as well, with the help of the International Center.