[The Grail]

In this Issue:

1. IGA Report
2. Grailville and Real Estate Ventures
3. News From St. Teresa of Avila School, Tanzania
4. The 2012 Grailville Trail Project is Underway!
5. Grail Link to the United Nations Network Update
6. UFER Newsletter and UFER Member Fee Increase
7. Member Giving
8. Request for Prayers
9. Gumbo
10. Grail on the Internet
11. National Calendar
Attachment: International Newsletter #41
Grailville Trail Project sculpture entitled Imbolc. Photo credit: Beth Murphy
IGA Report
The International General Assembly Report 2011 and Song Book can be viewed on the Grail website in the members’ area. Look in the International Documents section under International Meeting Reports, or follow the links: 2011 IGA REPORT and IGA SONG BOOK. Please note that these are very large files (the report is 55 pages!) and take some time to download. If you would like to have a hard copy mailed to you, please contact the office at office@www.grail-us.org or 513-683-5750.
Grailville and Real Estate Ventures Noreen Willhelm
Interesting new things are emerging around Grailville these days. We’ll give you a brief overview now, but you really need to check out the February Gumbo for more! If you have been reading Gumbo, you know that Bonnie Hendricks is very involved in work with the Grailville staff and community, exploring how we might fit in with the local foods/ sustainability/transition efforts bubbling up across the US and around the world. In addition, after 33 years in their house adjacent to Grailville, Fran Martin and Ruth Gallant have decided to sell it and the Grail Council is contemplating the purchase. The beautifully maintained, two-unit house just behind Tidings could provide a great complement to Grailville’s existing buildings. And hardly last, a small group from Heartland Ecovillage, called Phase 1, is exploring building a four-unit, low-energy residential building on four acres of the 17 approved for sale in 2008, on the far southeast edge of Grailville. All of these things are works in progress, so stay tuned for updates and new information.
News from St. Teresa of Avila School, Tanzania
Grail members and friends from the US contributed more than $2,000 to St. Teresa of Avila School in Tanzania at the end of 2011. Margarita Shirima sent this note in response: “Greetings of Peace for New Year from Tanzania. I am very happy to hear such good news from you, your contribution for support our School is of great help as we are having many things to be done. This year the first group will seat for National examination they need a lot of preparation. The first two Maasai girls will be among those doing National examination….Life in Tanzania is not easy – everything is expensive and education has been very expensive this year. We thank you for your support. May God bless you.”
Grailville and Real Estate Ventures Noreen Willhelm
Interesting new things are emerging around Grailville these days. We’ll give you a brief overview now, but you really need to check out the February Gumbo for more! If you have been reading Gumbo, you know that Bonnie Hendricks is very involved in work with the Grailville staff and community, exploring how we might fit in with the local foods/ sustainability/transition efforts bubbling up across the US and around the world. In addition, after 33 years in their house adjacent to Grailville, Fran Martin and Ruth Gallant have decided to sell it and the Grail Council is contemplating the purchase. The beautifully maintained, two-unit house just behind Tidings could provide a great complement to Grailville’s existing buildings. And hardly last, a small group from Heartland Ecovillage, called Phase 1, is exploring building a four-unit, low-energy residential building on four acres of the 17 approved for sale in 2008, on the far southeast edge of Grailville. All of these things are works in progress, so stay tuned for updates and new information.
The 2012 Grailville Trail Project is underway! Amy Tuttle
Grailville’s Public Ally, Amy Tuttle, will be working this spring to revitalize Grailville’s nature trails. She will be engaging visitors in helping create art and nature education installments along the trails. In addition, the Eagle Scouts will be involved in a project to improve the drainage and build a few small bridges on Grailville’s South Trail.
A sculpture entitled Imbolc has been constructed on the South Trail. The sculpture is composed of fallen branches, twigs, and natural objects bound together to create a cocoon-like structure (see photo above). The sculpture represents the Celtic celebration of Imbolc, or St. Brigid’s Day. Imbolc is derived from the word imbolg which means “in the belly.” This celebration refers to the coming of spring and the process of being held by winter. This sculpture is also uniquely placed parallel to St. Brigid’s, a building at Grailville which has been historically used for artistic pursuits and spiritual search. Construction was completed by Grailville’s Public Ally Amy Tuttle and three volunteers from the community and St. Columban School.
Grail Link to the United Nations Network update: Mary Kay Louchart
Grail Link to the United Nations welcomes Ana Luisa Heleno for three months to assist with Grail involvement at the UN, especially with the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). She is staying at the Bronx Grail Center. Ana has her degree in History. She worked as a museum guide in the Carlos Relvas Photography Museum in Golegâ, Portugal and as a teacher. She now works with the Portuguese Grail’s Girl Effect Project with girls ages 10 to 13.
Silvia Correia, a Portuguese young woman, also working with GIRL EFFECT, is studying under a six month Fulbright Scholarship at Brown University in Rhode Island. Silvia will stay at the Bronx Grail Center the first week of February and will participate with Ana in the UN’s Commission on Social Development (CSocD). The priority theme of the CSoCD is Poverty Eradication. It will also review plans and programs pertaining to youth. Both Ana and Silvia are members of the Grail Network: LIEN.

UFER Newsletter and UFER Member Fee Increase
The UFER 2012 Member fee increase document, UFER Member Fee Increase, and the December 2011 UFER Newsletter, UFER December Newsletter, have been added to the Grail website. Note the photo of Joy Garland at Occupy Wall Street on page 7 of the newsletter. Click the links here or find them in the “What We Do/International Work” section of the website (not in the member’s section). UFER stands for The International Movement for Fraternal Union Among Races and People.
Member Giving Noreen Willhelm
Please do not forget if you are an Active or Wider member, have not made your 2011 contribution and would like to remain on the member rolls for 2012, please send your contribution to the National Office clearly marked “For 2011.” Contributions can also be made online by credit card on the Grail’s website, https://www.grail-us.org/contribute/. If you have any questions or would feel more comfortable making a credit card contribution over the phone, don’t hesitate to call us at (513) 683-5750. If no one is in, leave a message and we will be happy to call you back.
Request for Prayers
§ Elizabeth Namaganda, of Uganda, who underwent surgery on Monday. Last year, Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer and was successfully operated on. Her condition did not fully improve and she has been undergoing chemotherapy at Mulago Hospital. On January 9th, she became weak and was admitted to nearby Rubaga Hospital, the cancer institute could not admit her because she was too weak.

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