Humanitarian Ventures through Collaboration

"The principal goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers." _ Jean Piaget

One of the goals in a community is to develop youth who have character and as a result can address challenges along the way. However a community needs to offer challenges for these youth to run with and find methods to go beyond their potential. Students Jack Weed and Krish Nara from Barrington Middle School and John Dever from Barrington High School are taking on a leadership challenge to host a dinner on April 6th for 100 people at Salem United Methodist Church. All proceeds of the dinner will benefit the Migrant and Refugee Ministry at St Anne's Church that provides help with rental assistance, meals, winter clothes and furniture.

In order to accomplish their mission Jack and John will help with sales, organization, technology, hosting, serving and cleaning up after the event. As officers of this project they will try to recruit other youth volunteers, seek donations from sponsors for the event and engage the community through marketing and PR. Award winning cook Zein Bertacchi will prepare a homemade meal for this humanitarian venture. Zein and her band of fellow volunteers have raised over $250,000 in the last 20 years for local and global charities through serving food at chess events and dinners. " Jack and John will discover what it takes to organize, serve a meal and be involved through understanding the impact from the funds they collect. Learning to appreciate the privilege of serving with other dedicated volunteers will be a valuable lesson as well.

Both Jack Weed and John Dever have won the President Volunteer Awards from the White House for their outstanding work. Krish Nara joins their team as an enterprising, dedicated volunteer and as a nominee for the Presidential Youth Award from the White House for 2025. The Peter Wulff Center aspires to help youth reach beyond their potential by driving their ambition to be smart, compassionate leaders of tomorrow. With the help of adult mentors they create social entrepreneurial companies where they can mobilize their talents and skills in a wide variety of ways to benefit humanity. John, Krish and Jack serving as Youth Advisory Board Members for the Peter Wulff Center. The center educates, trains and finds employment for over 300 youth from underprivileged families living in the slums of Delhi, India.

The Barrington community comes together through adult and youth volunteers who support the project, collaboration with St Anne's and Salem church and local businesses, awareness of the needs of others around us and learning from each other as we "practise our humanity" (Yo Yo Ma) This worksymbolizes the courage, enterprise, initiative, determination, humor, energy, confidence, optimism, and zest that unites a community.

Event Highlights:

 Dinner & Desserts prepared by local chef
 Guest Speakers
How You Can Help:
 Attend the event and show your support - $40 per person

 Make a tax deductible financial donation to aid migrant families/asylum seekers through St Annes or Salem Church. Salem UMC is EIN: 58-1289675

 Volunteer your time or resources (small-scale furniture, household items, Spanish skills)

RSVP by Mailing a check for $40/person to Salem Methodist Church, 115 West Lincoln Avenue, Barrington IL 60010 Make it payable to Salem UMC with “April 6 Migrant Dinner” in memo section.

Service Learning and its cognitive, social and cultural impact on the brain and society.

Introducing The Peter Wulff Center

Sharing the privilege of learning through raising funds. If all children grow up to access learning the net pool of knowledge would grow extending benefits to society and civilization.

In 2010 a group of youth and adult social entrepreneurs set their goals to start a computer center in the heart of the Govidpuri slums in Delhi, India run by the non profit, Project Why. The children named the computer center after teacher Maggie Gruber Black from Barrington IL. There were a variety of innovative methods used to raise funds and soon 9 computers were operating for 350 students to begin their lessons in math and technology. Ten years later only 2 computers were still operating so a group of social entrepreneurs led by 10 year old Jack Weed a student at the Barrington public schools decided to help raise funds for replacing the broken computers. He collaborated with adult volunteers and raised funds to sponsor an evening of fundraising through hosting cooking lessons and dinner.

Here is a video of the computer center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmyDix4rvT0&t=34s&ab_channel=KiranFrey

On July 12th the Peter Wulff Center at Project Why will raise funds for a computer to allow more children access to computers and learning.

Jack was deeply touched by the children from the slums expressing their gratitude through photos. But through his act of service he understands his unique position where he has the support and iengagement of his community. Zein Bertacchi a talented cook and enthusiastic volunteer has supported his role as project leader and will teach Middle East cooking lessons followed by a gourmet meal on the 12th.

The Peter Wulff Center is open to ideas, volunteers and funds and offers teaching internships in Delhi, India.

More information is at www.peterwulffcenter.org

It all begins with mobilising higher functions such as curiosity, empathy and entreperneurship.