Lost Luggage

(From Mary Baughman) Because of Adventures in Friendship, I was able to participate in doing something very nice for someone else half way around the world.

The history ... in 2008 at the end of the summer working season, a young woman from Romania left her luggage on the loading dock at the train station. We surmise that she assumed that the luggage would be loaded for her. She was only 17 years old.

Miracle #1: It was turned over to the Sandusky Police Department. During that year, Evidence Officer Sylvan Wahl tried to locate the young woman. She had worked at Cedar Point for the summer. After repeated attempts, a year had passed and he had not been able to contact the young woman and arrange to return her luggage to her. All his attempts ended with a language barrier he was unable to penetrate.

Miracle #2: Officer Wahl is good friends with Jeanne Schrader of Main Streets Association. After a frustrating year with the result that the luggage would be given to Goodwill or destroyed, he confided to his good friend, Jeanne. Now, Jeanne is aware that my annual Kiwanis project is Adventures in Friendship. Thinking that I might be able to help, she called me and asked.

Miracle #3: Adventures in Friendship only had one Romanian who had ever been an active participant. This was in 2005. I remembered her specifically because she was a dental student and I was so pleased to have paired her with the family of Dr. Steven Miely, a local dentist. I looked up her e-mail address from 2005, and SHE STILL USED THE SAME EMAIL! Dr. Madalina Cremene is now a practicing dentist in Romania, and it took her exactly one day to make contact with Giorgiana Murdu and tell her to contact me about her luggage. She did, and sounded very appreciative, and I will forward you her letter from that time.

Miracle #4: Kiwanis Club was excited to hear about this event, and they offered to pay a part of the cost of sending the luggage back to Georgiana. Several police officers offered to contribute. Jeanne Schrader and Joe Baughman also offered to contribute. So did the owner of Package Central, who handled the packaging and sending of the items. All were hopeful that she would have the items by Christmas, since it appeared that may of the items inside had been purchased as presents for someone back home.

Miracle #5: The luggage contents reached their destination by the US Thanksgiving holiday, adding joy to the holidays of several local families. Georgiana was delighted and has sent us a thank you letter and pictures.

Hi,Thank you so much for your prompt answers. I don't find the words to tell you how grateful i am for all you are doing. Please send my regards to everybody and tell them that you really made me happy. Although it may seem that i don't have a lot of thing in the luggage, it is very important for me...i have there pieces from all my life.All those little stuff that are there mean a world to me, and you are bringing a big joy into my life. I am really very grateful that you send my luggage but i am more grateful that people like you exist, people who are making this sort of kindness. I left USA with such great memories and with the regret that i might never return...and now you make me have more regrets, when i see what great people i left there. You are making me the best birthday present (on November 2nd is my birthday). I will surely send you a lot of pictures but unfortunately the picture will not be able to express all the joy, the happiness that you brought to me. I will make sure that everybody from here will find about your great act of kindness you've done for me. You've made happy not only me, but all my friends who cannot believe that you are really sending me the luggage. Once again thank you so so much to all of you and keep doing such nice things, you will bring so much happiness. I'll keep on writing to you in order to tell you about me, my life and I am looking forward to find more about you. I have another big favor to ask:can you please send me the e-mails of all the people who made this possible. I would like to send them some good thoughts. Kind regards,the most happiest girl from Romania

Hi,I just got home and opened the luggage you were so kind to send. I cannot describe how happy you made me..seeing all my staff in my home, i almost couldn't believe it. Thank you so very much, thousands of thanks to all of you who made this possible...my nephews will be so happy that their toys from USA are in Romania now and Santa will be able to put them under the Christmas Tree. All my summer clothes were there, a lots of gifts for my friends, my pictures, presents for my family, so many memories...as i told you before I am extraordinary happy that my luggage is home but i am happier that you made this act of kindness and such people of value exist..i may reconsider going back to USA. I cannot stop watching all the things lying in my living room while my dog is smelling everything. I attached some pictures while i was opening the boxes but they cannot express the joy, happiness and gratitude that i feel. I tried to call Detective Wahl but he wasn't there so i left him a message. I hope he gets it. It was so nice of you to send me things from your Police Department. I will proudly attached them to my back pack and I will tell the story of my luggage and your kindness to everybody. Thank you also for the books with Ohio...it's such a nice memory to have from you, guys. Once again, thank you for everything. In my language we say "multumesc" for thank you so Multumesc din suflet,Georgiana

Festival of Lights 2009

Join us and see our display at this years festival of lights:

10th Annual Festival of Lights & Silent Auction

Fri, Nov 27-Thu, Dec 31, 5-10 pm, Sawmill Creek Resort
Santa will be there 6-9 pm
This annual event showcases area non-profit agencies, schools and businesses with festive lighting displays. The Festival starts with the Ringing Swinging Silent Auction held on Fri, Nov 27, 6-9 pm in the Lodge at Sawmill Creek, Wilderness Hall.

The Festival of Lights is sponsored by Sawmill Creek Resort, Barnes Nursery and other area businesses. It is a wonderful holiday event for the whole family. Come join us!

Festival of Lights

This weekend we will be testing our Christmas lights for the annual festival of lights at Sawmill Creek. For some photos of the display visit our website and festival of lights page at http://www.sanduskykiwanis.org/lights.html. We will be setting up the display The weekend of Nov 20th.

Sandusky Kiwanis 90th Anniversary

On Wednesday November 4th our club celebrated its 90th Anniversary of service to the Sandusky Ohio Community. We had a very special guest for our event. Former Sandusky High and Ohio State University Head Coach Earle Bruce was our keynote speaker. Thank you to the several division clubs who were able to join us in our celebration. Each of you should be commended on your work you do for your communities too! Thank you Heather, Ed and Pat for putting together our history slide show that ran during the meeting. Coach Bruce had some wonderful stories about local kids as well as stories about his coaching days. At the end of the evening our club presented Coach Bruce with a donation to the Earle and Jean Bruce Alzheimer's Foundation at OSU. All members and guests enjoyed a wonderful program and he motivated us all to go another 90+...and of course had most of us ready to beat Penn St ourselves (Other than our very own Penn St alum Ed S). THANK YOU COACH BRUCE!!!! Enjoy the photos. There are more available on our facebook site! Please join us there as well!

Updates

On Oct 28th we handed out candy for the annual Cedar Point Trick or Treat. This year over 5000 kids came through the community booths. What a great event!!!! We also had a fantastic dinner meeting for our clubs 90th anniversary with a very special guest speaker. Photos will be up on the blog shortly. If you want to see the photos before they migrate here please join our facebook page to view them!!!

Wendy Kromer Specialty Confections

Our speaker on Tuesday November 10th was Wendy Kromer. What a fantastic journey she has made from runway model in Paris to working with Marth Stewart and baking wedding cakes! She currently resides in Sandusky and runs her wedding cake business and city bake shop on 137 E Water St Sandusky Ohio 44870. For more information please visit www.wendykromer.com 419-609-0450. Thank you Wendy for sharing your stories with our club!