"Knowing is not enough; We must apply.  Willing is not enough; We must do."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Issue 19 - August 2008

EVENT CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HIGHLIGHTS

2008 Vietnam Medical Mission Trip

The Medical Mission Trip's schedule has been finalized. We will depart on Friday, November 28, 2008 and return on Saturday, December 13, 2008. If you would like to participate, visit the Mission Trip Page and download all required documents.  Please pay special attention to all deadlines. The completed application form has to be submitted no later than Friday, September 12, 2008.

Remember that you are responsible for all expenses.  As such, do not forget to download the Sponsorship Packet. This packet is designed to help you raise fund to cover the trip expenses.  You may also want to use internet resources such as facebook and myspace for this purpose.  If you would like to add a customized paypal donation button to your page, contact Tung.Tran@hionline.org.

2009 Charity Calendar

The calendar committee is in the process of finishing photo shooting for the 2009 Calendar.  A theme has been selected and a working design template is now completed. Scheduled to be released in mid-October, the Calendar features a modern adaptation of the traditional Vietnamese ao dai. Selected pictures from the Calendar will be available for auction at our Fundraising Gala.

According to our project manager, the 2009 Calendar holds many surprises.  She, however, refuses to hint as to what they are.  We will have to wait until its release to find out.  Meanwhile, you may pre-order the special edition of the Calendar. This edition includes autographs of all our models.   Online order forms will be available mid-September. Sponsorship opportunity is also available. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Tina Tran  or Tuyen Nguyen. For more information, visit www.hionline.org/calendar.aspx.

2008 Rice College Leadership Workshop

Each year, HI partners with the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) at Rice University to host a College Leadership Workshop (CLW).  The purpose of this workshop is to empower Vietnamese-American high school students to succeed academically and professionally.  This year HI will also reserve an additional two $1,000 scholarships exclusively for qualified students attending the CLW.

The 2008 CLW is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 8am to 4pm at Duncan Hall, Rice University. If you would like to participate as one of the workshop leaders or volunteer in marketing and advertising for this event, please contact Paul.Nguyen@hionline.org.  More information can also be found at http://www.hionline.org/clw.aspx

2008 Thanksgiving Festival VN Poetry Contest

As you may know, the Lo Duc Thanksgiving Festival is one of the biggest Vietnamese festivals organized annually in Houston.  Seeing the wonderful job that we did at the Tet Festival earlier this year, Lo Duc is asking us to help host the Vietnamese Poetry Contest booth at their festival. This contest in the main attraction, second only to the concert and performances.

In preparation for this event, we need help selecting and editing a variety of poems.  As such, if you are interested in Vietnamese poetry, want to brush up on your Vietnamese, need to add a few words to your Vietnamese vocabulary, or just want to check out the fun, please contact Tung.Tran@hionline.org.  Do not worry if you cannot speak Vietnamese or do not know any Viet poems, as long as you are interested, come check it out.  We will have lots of fun.

2008 Fundraising Gala