For those of you who don’t know, the woman pictured to the right is Wendy– a true Wesleyan treasure! She used to work at Summerfields but nowadays you can find her swiping cards at Usdan. What makes her deserving of her own Wesleying post is how she regularly goes beyond her job description to brighten students’ days.
I meant to write about this last semester (oops!) when I ate lunch at Usdan with my friend on her birthday. Right after swiping my friend’s card, Wendy wished her a happy birthday, which was sweet of her. Even sweeter, she reached behind her and pulled out a little bag of candy as a gift! Being that I ate almost everything in the bag, I can confirm that there was some good stuff in there: Blow Pops, Sweet Tarts, Pixy Styx, etc. Here’s a really crappy picture of the bag and its contents:
Wendy recently resumed contributing to happy birthdays after taking a break late last semester. She also told me (back in February) that she was paying for all of the candy out of her own pocket but that she was maybe going to be reimbursed. Either way, Wendy’s birthday goody bags are a great example of why she is such a beloved member of the Wesleyan family. Even without the candy treats, Wendy always makes me smile with her sincerity and friendliness. Hopefully, this post can bring Wendy some recognition for being such a great part of many people’s Wesleyan experience. If you appreciate her warmth and generosity, show her some love next time you see her!
Please join us for a short lecture by Ted Kennedy ‘83, on disability law. Followed by a Q & A and refreshments!
You may have noticed that Wesleying looks a little different, and I’m here as a simple guide. First off, I should note that there aren’t really any new features on the site, more just a reshuffling of visual mumbo jumbo. You’ve no doubt immediately noticed the new header which does not have a silly looking cardinal on it nor childish handwriting. Furthermore, there is now information both above and below the header image. Above you will see the featured posts, with pictures and titles, both of which link to the articles. Underneath the new header you see a menu which has replaced what was formerly at the top of the right hand sidebar. This menu includes the filters (events only and non-events only), the submission pages, as well as the RSS feeds for Wesleying (for posts and comments). Finally, at the top of the righthand sidebar you now see the upcoming events, followed immediately by the weather.
Amcha Ghar, which means Our Home, is a local Non Governmental Organization located in the farthest most suburb of Mumbai, India. Its overall mission is to provide a safe home for orphaned or semi-orphaned girls from the streets of Mumbai and to get them off the streets, where many of them are or have been sexually exploited. Women often bring their daughters to the organization when they feel they cannot adequately protect their daughters from street life. Not only is Amcha Ghar a welcoming home for girls, but the organization’s founders Susheela Singh and Anthony Dias have also started a school for the girls as well as one for the community at large. They strive to get the girls off the streets at an early age as well as educate them and in still in them a sense of self worth and confidence. Many of the older girls have gone on to get jobs and assume positions of responsibility, providing them with the financial independence they need to succeed and decide their own fate. Amcha Ghar is a strong example of the innovative nature of local initiatives on the ground. It responded to a need – a home for semi-orphaned girls – and has grown to become a central institution in the community they serve. They can take up to around 30 girls and unlike an orphanage; the organization is run as one big family. The girls have responsibilities in the home, but receive the love, dedicate and care that they need to believe in themselves and their capabilities. They also have an extension house for the older girls pursuing higher studies, enabling them to focus on their work and their goals. This organization greatly depends on outside funding to sustain their invaluable work to the community. 
Anna Mendes ‘10
Relay for Life is coming to Wesleyan for the first time THIS SPRING (April 24-25)! It’s time to join and start raising some money for the American Cancer Society!
