I hope that your Thanksgiving was a pleasant one with family and friends. Please accept our best wishes for the December Holidays and the New Year 2010. I know this is the season when many people and organizations are asking and need help. In your generosity, please continue your FOI memberships. All our dues go to FOI charities except that used for FOI's three yearly newsletters and website maintenance.

Two people who were part of our PCV lives, especially in South India, died. Haroon Sulaiman Sait on August 5, 2009 at his home in Bangalore. He was 73 and will be remembered for his famous "Regent Guest House" on Brigade Road in the 60s and 70s where many India PCVs ate, slept and imbibed. Also from Bangalore, Rashid Minocher, 78 died on November 3, 2009. He was a good friend and knew many of the early poultry Volunteers in Karnataka and Kerala states in the 60s. An obituary for Haroon can be found at In Fond Remembrance page. Also on the website is a piece on Haroon's "Regent Guest House" and another on the Minocher 100 year-old Bungalow and how it has been transformed over the years.

The day after Thanksgiving was dedicated as a National Day of Listening, a time for recording oral history between two people. This reminded me that none of us are getting any younger as the last of us left India in the mid 70s. I thought it might be good if we share with others our stories (written or oral) before they remain untold forever. No guidelines except they should be done in good taste. Make length short or long, use prose or a poem, in writing or audible (digital) and maybe include a photo. Please do consider this seriously. We learned a lot in Peace Corps that changed how we have been living the rest of our lives. Think about passing your experiences on. It may help those younger than we. These stories could be submitted to NPR's Story Corps (which airs every Friday), a collector of oral histories. For more information see National Day of Listening. Please send your FOI contributions to me by email FOIndiaSlattery@aol.com or George Nepert by mail to address on the last page of the newsletter.

George's "Lucky Dozen" In the last FOI Newsletter, George Nepert (I-26) reported on a charity that he had started. The student sponsorship called the "Lucky Dozen" evolved from George's January '08 trip to see FOI-sponsored charities. While in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu he met Sister Mary Therese who is principal of an all girls school of 2200. Many of her children walk long distances to attend her school and are eager to learn. As Sr. Mary Therese walked with George along the mountain paths to see the children, he witnessed the wonderful love given to the work of the school. In the 2008 college study year, eight girls were able to start their first year & now in their second year of studies thanks to "Lucky Dozen". For July 2010 school year, five more girls have college sponsorships, thanks to FOI folks. The FOI Board seeing this response, voted to include the "Lucky Dozen" scholarship program as the fifth FOI charity. Thanks to all you for supporting this important educational opportunity for girls. Topis off to you George! If you wish to make a contribution this new FOI endeavor, please see last page of newsletter (or go to FOI website) for details for giving.