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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Her is a mesage from a good friend concerning the
VLP event on Saturday.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=sarahbegus@verizon.net href="mailto:sarahbegus@verizon.net">Sarah
Begus</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=Nycsme@aol.com href="mailto:Nycsme@aol.com">Emery
Sally</A> ; <A title=gormac@qis.net href="mailto:gormac@qis.net">Ann &
Jackie</A> ; <A title=mdadamo@jhuccp.org
href="mailto:mdadamo@jhuccp.org">D'Adamo Peggy & Steve</A> ; <A
title=ludwig9@toast.net href="mailto:ludwig9@toast.net">ludwig9@toast.net</A> ;
<A title=jgillen@stadiumschool.com
href="mailto:jgillen@stadiumschool.com">Gillen Jay</A> ; <A
title=sylviagillett@gmail.com href="mailto:sylviagillett@gmail.com">Gillett
Sylvia</A> ; <A title=cleight@moac.morgan.edu
href="mailto:cleight@moac.morgan.edu">Leight Claudia</A> ; <A
title=rulandb@diakon.org href="mailto:rulandb@diakon.org">Ruland Barb</A> ; <A
title=william.schlegel@us.army.mil
href="mailto:william.schlegel@us.army.mil">Schlegel Brad</A> ; <A
title=pspiliadis@theblackolive.com
href="mailto:pspiliadis@theblackolive.com">Spiliadis Pauline & Stelios</A> ;
<A title=dstorms@jhsph.edu href="mailto:dstorms@jhsph.edu">Storms Dory</A> ; <A
title=talbottsue@aol.com href="mailto:talbottsue@aol.com">Talbott Sue</A> ; <A
title=grszczeszek@hotmail.com href="mailto:grszczeszek@hotmail.com">Szczeszek
Greg</A> ; <A title=Mtcolfax@yahoo.com href="mailto:Mtcolfax@yahoo.com">Walker
& Dale Dusman Paul</A> ; <A title=kandel@charm.net
href="mailto:kandel@charm.net">Krieger Betsy</A> ; <A title=crowsonguy@aol.com
href="mailto:crowsonguy@aol.com">Sheridan Nick</A> ; <A
title=stannejoan@yahoo.com href="mailto:stannejoan@yahoo.com">Stanne Joan</A> ;
<A title=ajjp1@verizon.net href="mailto:ajjp1@verizon.net">O'Brien A.J.</A> ; <A
title=jbsilver@gmail.com href="mailto:jbsilver@gmail.com">Gillian Silver</A> ;
<A title=finddudley@aol.com
href="mailto:finddudley@aol.com">finddudley@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:46 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Supporting the Village Learning Place</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Dear Friends,
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Otto and I are writing to you to implore you to support, T<B>he Village
Learning Place</B>, an invaluable resource for the Charles Village
Community and the many poor and academically disadvantaged children it
serves.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>As I'm sure you all know, about 10 years ago, when the Enoch Pratt Library
announced it was closing the St. Paul St. Library -- one of the original
neighborhood libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie in the 19th Century, the
Charles Village community banded together and decided to try to save this
precious neighborhood resource. The Late Delegate Pete Rawlings helped us
get a foundation grant from the Open Spaces program to enable us to begin
renovation planning. Major Schmoke began renting the now vacant library to
the community for one dollar a year. We used the State grant to leverage
another founding grant of a quarter of a million dollars from the Abell
Foundation. Many, many hours of community effort from all kinds of folks
of all ages, transformed the decaying building into a beautiful renovated 19th
brick gem. A library committee raised money and bought the founding stock
of books; a grant was received for the installation of a computer lab and the
basement of the building was transformed into a after school learning enrichment
program.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>The VLP now served nearly a hundred low-income students from the community,
many of them from the Margaret Brent Elementary School. We have a
beautiful rebuilt learning garden, as well as programs for adults and senior.
Last year, Darran White Tilghman, the Development Director secured a 21st
Century Learning Grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will allow the
VLP to expand its learning programs.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>But the library cannot survive without major community support. Every
year, the VLP holds a fund raising event for the community called, "Read Between
the Wines." It is a gala party with food and wine, an auction, music and
dancing. David Wells from the Wine Source, long one of our important
beneficiares, contributes the wine.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>This years event , Read Between the Wines, is being held this <B>Saturday,
October 18th at 7PM. </B>It is always a lot of fun and Otto and I look
forward to it with eagerness.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If you have not already purchased a ticket -- they are $50 now and $60 at
the door, please, please consider so doing. It will be a fun evening where
we can all get together, eat some tasty food, drink some lovely wines and just
"get down" and have a great time while we are supporting this wonderful
organization. But, even if you can't attend, it would be wonderful if you
could buy a ticket.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>We know that economic times are very tough and that their is a tremendous
pull on our charitable giving. But, Otto and I think this is a very good,
immediate and local way to make a charitable contribution that will immediately
improve the lives of some young people who need our help.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If you want to know more about the Village Learning Place Programs, and/or
would like to purchase a ticket, feel free to call <B>Darran White Tilghman,
Director of Development at the VLP. Her number is: (410) 235-2210
x204.</B></DIV>
<DIV><B><BR></B></DIV>
<DIV>We thank you very, very much for taking the time to consider this and to
help the VLP reach even greater numbers of children in our neighborhood.
And we so hope to see you on Saturday night.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>With loving gratitude,</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Sarah and Otto Begus <SPAN
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