Spring 2011:

One Book One Marin: A Community-Book Club ABRAHAM VERGHESE's

CUTTING FOR STONE

Ethiopian Health Care: What has Changed, What Needs to be Done

Join Donna Sillan, MPH and Tsegaye Bekele of Common River for a presentation on the current state of health care in Ethiopia, how little has changed over the years and their efforts to improve it. Ms. Sillan and Mr. Bekele have just returned from a month in Ethiopia.
· Mon. Feb 28- 7pm Inverness Library
· Tues. March 15 - 7pm Novato Library
· Thur. April 7- 7 pm Fairfax Library

DISH COFFEE TASTING AND COMMON RIVER PRESENTATION

Time Thursday, March 3 · 10:00am - 11:00am
Location Dish Mill Valley, 507 Miller Avenue Mill Valley

Created By Equator Coffees and Teas

June 2010:

Tracy Novick's "Summer of 2009 Adventure" Presentation

Tracy Novick, god-mother of Common River, hosted an evening at her home to present the photos from last summer. She shared her experience and encouraged more Mill Valley residents to volunteer and support Common River.

Introduction of Aleta Wondo Coffee at the new Whole Foods, Mill Valley, CA: June 6

Another spectacular Whole Foods has opened in Mill Valley. Common River had a booth at the vendors fair and poured coffee to over 1,000 sippers! Aleta Wondo Coffee is now also available in San Rafael, Novato and Sonoma Whole Foods Markets.
Visit web album: AW Coffee at Whole Foods Market

Eskender Aseged of RADIO AFRICA & Kitchen

Eskender Aseged of RADIO AFRICA & Kitchen hosted a beautiful fund-raising evening at his home in San Francisco, CA on June 5. RADIO AFRICA & KITCHEN is a sustainable nomadic restaurant, created by Eskender, originally from Ethiopia. View Web Album: RadioAfrica & Kitchen by Eskender Aseged fundraiser for cow milk.

April 2010:

Dutch Consulate Business Breakfast

Dutch Consulate Business Breakfast: invites Common River and Aleta Wondo to present to the Dutch community at their monthly business breakfast at their spectacularly modern new office with killer views. Several members who attended the breakfast came for an Aleta Wondo Coffee tasting at Willem Boot's Coffee Studio in Mill Valley in May.
View web album: Dutch Consulate Coffee Tasting

February 2010:

Paso Adventures:

Dale Sillan Morris of Paso Robles, CA organized many meetings and events for Common River to speak. Santa Lucia School hosted an informational session at the Atascedero Library for Common River. Donna and Tsegaye also presented at the Templeton 4-H Club and Templeton High School's Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
View Web albums: Santa Lucia School: Our Model School in Templeton, CA
and Templeton 4-H Club

January 2010:

Hollywood Intro:

Diane Sillan Isaacs hosted an Ethiopian Common River dinner at her home with many artists, film, and food people attending.

November 2009:

Introduction of Aleta Wondo Coffee at Whole Foods, Mill Valley

Two demonstrations at Whole Foods market were held to introduce Aleta Wondo Coffee to the Mill Valley community. The response was overwhelmingly positive, so the coffee now available for sale at the market.

Web album link: Aleta Wondo Coffee at Wholefoods Market

October 2009:

HALLOWEEN PARTY FUND-RAISER

Mani Sigaroudi, a true ambassador of Common river, organized a wonderful Halloween Party at the Mill Valley Golf Club to raise funds for Common River. Pilar graced the crowd with her gorgeous jazz voice and Charly Wolf worked as DJ! Mani wants to make this an annual event!
See web album: Halloween Party, Mill Valley Golf Course 08

July 2009:

Jazz Benefit Concert by "Two for the Road" Derek Kudrow and Ingrid

An evening of Jazz was held at the Club House on Mt. Tam, where Derek and Ingrid sung beautiful American jazz standards. Pilar, a Mill Valley favorite jazz singer, sang her heart out.

April 2009:

TELLURIDE ACADEMY: Hands across Ethiopia

Mudd Butts is about expanding one's personal boundaries, playing new roles, exploring new emotions and relationships. Mudd Butts International is about pushing the personal boundaries ever wider, moving out of the physical and social comfort zone and becoming a part of a third world village for two weeks. MBI, as it is called, has been to villages in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, Central and South America, and now Africa. Two-hundred twenty-three students, age 11-18, have been on one or more of these life-changing excursions which involve living with a host family, totally immersing oneself in the culture and spending four hours a day creating a performance piece for the host school community. MBI has been creating teen ambassadors for 16 years; some are already beginning to change the world we live in. They have a priceless experience as young teens, learning how everyone in the world lives, loves and laughs and comes together when the time and place are right.

Our 16th international trip went to Wondo Genet, Ethiopia, a landmark community five hours due west of Addis Ababa. Read the full articlehere.

April 2009:

Youth Give Festival

Participate in Youth Give Festival in downtown Mill Valley

February 2009:

Edna McQuire School Dance

Edna McQuire School dance provides $1,000 to buy a cow and build shelves for the school for Aleta Wondo children.
View slideshow:Edna McQuire School

February 2009:

Tam High School

Present to Tam High School: Introduction of Common River: Leadership class with Will Scott, Tam High alumni. Powerpoint presentation and Q and A.

January 2009:

Marin Horizon School

Marin Horizon School students in Mill Valley, formed a shoe and de-worming medicine drive to prevent and treat water-borne diseases, including worms.

January 2009:

Kieu's opening night of Far from Finland

A restaurant started by Donna's daughter Kieu in her kitchen. Home-cooking and serving by Kieu Brewer to raise money for the children of Aleta Wondo. Please visit the restaurant! Call for reservations at: 415-559-6527. View Far From Finlandphotographs.