Friends of Danang: Supporting Acts of Human Healing

Vietnamese Dinner, Sunday, April 26, 2009

2009-04-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

We're hosting a fundraiser Vietnamese dinner at the Bethel Park Community Center on Sunday, April 26 from 3pm-6:30pm. Tickets are $25 each and they include a dinner of pho, coconut shrimp, vegetable fried rice, spring rools, bok choy with garlic, seasonal fresh fruits, dried coconut and a hot tea with apple cider and cinnamon.

Though we missed 2008, we've held these as an annual event--and it's been very successful in the past: Great food, a wonderful cause and a lot of fun.

Tickets will be available at the door. Bethel Park Community Center is located at 5151 Park Avenue in Bethel Park, PA (15102). For more information, call 412-481-6133.

Book Event on April 15

2009-04-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Event: Meet & Greet Australian Photographer Roger Costello
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Location: Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Duquesne University (Forbes Ave. on the Duquesne Campus)
Time: 3pm – 6pm
As a young man in the Australian Army during the Vietnam War, Roger Costello witnessed the destruction of Vietnam. These memories drive his dedication to The Friends of Danang, a nonprofit organization of citizens and Vietnam veterans in the Pittsburgh area that raises money to fund projects that benefit the people and, more specifically, the children of the Danang area.
"Places and Faces: Vietnam" was published in Vietnam in order to benefit that country as much as possible. "It's a moral issue for a lot of us. As a young man, I helped destroy that country. It's for my own soul and to help the children of the country that I do this." Vietnam is no longer the war-ravaged country many Americans imagine. About 70 percent of the population was born after the war. "I want people to see the diversity of the country. Look at the places; look at the faces and colors. It is a country that needs to be discovered."

March 12 Meeting at Bella Notte

2009-03-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

Our March meeting will be held just down the street from Enrico Biscotti at Bella Notte Pizza, Pasta and More. The dinner meeting starts at 7pm and Bella Notte is serving dinner (including tip) for $15 per person. Hope to see you there!

Roger Cranville blogging from Danang

2009-02-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

Roger Cranville of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance is blogging from Vietnam for the Pittsburgh Business Times. He is on a trade mission fact-finding trip with business and education leaders from the Pittsburgh area. His entry from Danang is here.

Congratulations, Drs. Kelly and Demos!

2009-02-14T04:58:00.000-08:00

The Allegheny County Medical Society recently honored Friends of Danang member Dr. Ed Kelly for his work as a physician volunteer. Dr. Kelly is a retired orthopedic surgeon who is the medical director of the Catholic Charities clinic in downtown Pittsburgh. Dr. Jack Demos, the founder of SurgiCorps, a group that performs free surgeries in Vietnam and other countries, was honored for his international volunteer work.You can see the photo and read about it here.

Group of Pittsburgh leaders to visit Vietnam

2009-02-04T03:16:00.000-08:00

A group of business and community leaders from Pittsburgh is headed to Vietnam in mid-February. Read the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story by Ron DaParma here. WDUQ News also had the story on air this morning and has a blog post about it on their blog.

Our February Meeting

2009-01-30T15:14:00.001-08:00

Our February meeting will take place on Thursday, February 13 at 7pm at Enrico Biscotti. Hope to see you there!

Save the Date: Vietnamese Dinner

2009-01-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

We'll be holding a Vietnamese dinner fundraiser on Sunday, April 26 at the Bethel Park Community Center in Bethel Park, PA. Hope to see you there!

Sister Cities in GlobalPittsburgh News

2009-01-08T09:57:00.001-08:00

You can read "New Sister City Sparks Vietnam Investement Opportunities" in the December 2008 issue of GlobalPittsburgh NEWS...it's available in pdf format here.

Thanks to Thomas Buell, Jr. of Verso Communications, who edits and produces the newsletter. (Tom also wrote about the Vietnamese community in Pittsburgh in a recent issue of Pittsburgh Quarterly.)

For more on GlobalPittsburgh, visit www.globalpittsburgh.org.

Pitt News stories

2009-01-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

Estelle Tran, Assistant News Editor of The Pitt News (University of Pittsburgh) recently wrote these two related stories about the Pittsburgh/Danang Sister Cities agreement and Friends of Danang:

Sister cities 'date' before pairing up

Friends build bridge in Vietnam

Many thanks, Estelle!

Meeting tonight!

2009-01-08T09:37:00.001-08:00

Our January meeting is tonight (Thursday, 1/8) at 7pm at Enrico Biscotti in the Strip District.

December Meeting--Location Change

2008-12-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

Our December 2008 meeting will be held at Thanh's house (not at Enrico Biscotti!) on Thursday, December 11 at 7pm. If you need more information, please email us at friends@friendsofdanang.org.

KDKA-TV story on the sister cities

2008-12-03T03:31:00.000-08:00

KDKA-TV's Harold Hayes had a story about the Pittsburgh-Danang Sister Cities signing on December 2, 2008. You can read the story and view the video here.

Sister Cities!

2008-12-02T13:30:00.001-08:00

It's official: Danang and Pittsburgh are sister cities. Click here to see a photo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pittsburgh Quarterly article

2008-11-28T06:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to writer Tom Buell and publisher Doug Heuck for providing the Adobe Acrobat version of the Pittsburgh Quarterly article, The Vietnamese Are Here. The article is republished with the permission of Pittsburgh Quarterly, www.pittsburghquarterly.com.

La Roche Magazine

2008-11-26T15:37:00.001-08:00

La Roche Magazine's Fall 2008 issue features a story about La Roche alum and Friends of Danang member Noreen Doloughty. You can access either the PDF version or the HTML version from the main La Roche Magazine page.

The Vietnamese Are Here

2008-11-24T17:13:00.000-08:00

There's a story by Thomas Buell Jr. in the Winter 2009 issue of Pittsburgh Quarterly about the Vietnamese community in Pittsburgh. It's coupled with some great photographs by Cami Mesa--including some smiling faces from our recent spaghetti dinner fundraiser with the Bethel Park Rotary. The story is available in print only, but here's a bit about Thanh Armagost and Friends of Danang:

At one of the group's recent monthly meetings at Enrico Biscotti in the Strip District, which is owned by another FOD founder, Larry Lagattuta, Armagost announced that she and her family have prepared more than 800 Vietnamese egg rolls for an upcoming fundraiser.
"I love to do it, because you have helped so much for the people of Vietnam," she told those in attendance, several of whom said afterward that they were moved by her comments. "Thank you all for everything you have done. It is very special."

Pittsburgh Quarterly is available at newsstands throughout the city.

Let's Say Thanks

2008-11-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

Our friend Tom Bergandy passed along this link to the Let's Say Thanks campaign. Sponsored by Xerox, this web site lets you choose and send a postcard, for free, to a U.S. service member currently serving overseas. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, please consider visiting the site and sending a postcard.

Message from Tony Accamando

2008-11-22T05:43:00.001-08:00

Tony sent this message to our group, via Deb Tulak, following the Veterans Day breakfast, where a plaque was presented to him.

11-13-08

Dear Friends,

You may be surprised to receive this email from me, but Deb made assurances that the World Wide Web would be the best communication choice possible for this brief communiqué.

I just want to express my heartfelt appreciation to each of you for the plaque presented to me at the Veterans Day Breakfast. While it was certainly not necessary, it is most appreciated. And how you kept it a secret from me!

The words chosen by T.J. on your behalf were more fitting for a king than a friend; but to you, all I ever want to be is a friend. The past ten years have provided for George and me an opportunity to work closely on projects in Danang which were never envisioned whenever we made our Vietnam sojourn in 1997. And for all of us these projects have provided many years and numerous helping hands on behalf of the children of Vietnam.

We have always held that the Friends of Danang provides an opportunity for each of us to extend ourselves for the benefit of others while at the same time enjoying each other’s company. You are an amazing group of individuals who collectively have indeed accomplished great acts of human healing. I consider myself privileged to be associated with you, to work in concert for our shared goals and to be a part of meaningful extension of good will to a former adversary. It is you who should receive an award from me. I thank you for the recognition, I thank you for your commitment to causes greater than our own self interest, and I thank you for your friendship.

In appreciation,

Tony

Faces and Places: Vietnam

2008-11-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

See Vietnam as you've never seen it before in Faces and Places: Vietnam.

The photography and production of this full-color, hardbound book has been graciously donated by photographer Roger Costello. All of the proceeds of the sale of each book, $25, will benefit the children of the Danang area of central Vietnam.

The book makes a great holiday or special occasion book for veterans and anyone who enjoys seeing the world through a photographer's eyes.

To view examples of Roger's work, visit his Grandview Photography site.

Books are available by contacting Roger Costello.

A great big Thank You!

2008-11-18T15:46:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who supported our Veterans Day Breakfast on November 11, and the Debbie Corr Jewelry Sale/Vietnamese luncheon on November 16. We're thrilled that both events were very well attended, and we thank you for your support, your kind words and your generosity. A special thanks to Brian O'Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the events calendar staff of Pittsburgh Magazine, and the the lovely ladies of the WQED Multimedia family. Hope to see you all next year!

Happy Veterans Day

2008-11-11T17:09:00.001-08:00

Brian O'Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote a column today about Friends of Danang. Click here to read the column.

November Meeting--Date Change

2008-10-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

In November, we'll be meeting the first Thursday of the month, November 6. It's a departure from our usual second Thursday schedule. We're moving the meeting up so that we can work out the details of three upcoming events: our Veterans Day breakfast, an amateur boxing program called Fighting for Veterans taking place the evening of Veterans Day, and our Vietnamese luncheon/jewelry show on November 16.

Debbie Corr Jewelry Show and Vietnamese Luncheon, November 16

2008-10-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

California jewelry designer Debbie Corr returns to Pittsburgh for her fourth annual jewelry show to benefit the charities of Friends of Danang. Debbie's unique designs and reasonable prices make this a very popular event, and Debbie's generosity makes this a successful fundraiser for Friends of Danang.

This year, in addition to the jewelry show, Friends of Danang member Thanh Armagost and her family will be preparing an authentic Vietnamese luncheon. It will be available as both takeout or eat-in for the entire time of the jewelry show. The luncheon will feature Vietnamese salad, fried rice, egg roll, coconut shrrimp and tea/coffee.
This will take place:
Sunday, November 16, 2008
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Chatham Hall Clubhouse
655 Pennridge Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15211
(on Mt. Washington, a few blocks from the McArdle Roadway/Grandview Avenue intersection)

For more information, call (412) 481-6133 or (412) 849-3600.

Here's a photo of Olga, one of our supporters, modeling her purchase at last year's show:
You can view more photos from last year's show here.

Reconciliation and Healing: Remembering Vietnam

2008-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

La Roche College, located in the North Hills in suburban Pittsburgh, is hosting three events as part of their "Reconciliation and Healing: Remembering Vietnam" program. The first is a photographic exhibit on Monday, October 6. The other events take place on Tuesday, October 14. The morning event includes a panel, film, and discussion, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at which Friends of Danang member Noreen Doloughty will be discussing the Friends of Danang "Bridge of Reconciliation" project. At 7 p.m. on October 14, there will be a discussion and a film about Agent Orange. There events are free and open to the public, and you can find more information here.

POW/MIA Vigil

2008-09-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh's Vietnam Veterans Inc. holds an annual POW/MIA vigil. The 2008 vigil took place at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall on Saturday, September 20 through the night and ended with a closing ceremony at 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 21.
Tony Accamando of Friends of Danang was photographed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at the candelight vigil. You can view the photo here.
Below is a photo from the closing ceremonies on Sunday, with Friends of Danang member T.J. McGarvey at the stage.

Veterans Day Breakfast Tickets

2008-09-17T03:10:00.001-07:00

TIckets are available for our Veterans Day Breakfast:

Please join us for breakfast at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center (in Chatham Centre, near Mellon Arena) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. with the breakfast program beginning promptly at 8 a.m. The program will conclude at 9:30 a.m., in time for you to be able to attend the Veterans Day Parade in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Tickets for the breakfast are available for a $35 donation for an individual ticket, or a $350 donation for a table of ten.

Dr. R. Bruce Bickel, president and founder of Transformational Leadership Group, will be our featured speaker. Dr. Bickel is a 1966 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. As a pilot, he was shot down during a military operation in the skies above Vietnam. He has been described as not being "the stereotypical war hero with an inspirational message; he is far more complex and deeper in his thinking about management, ethics, leadership and motivation."

You are invited to pay tribute along with us to all veterans on this day set aside in their honor. We will also share information about the latest humanitarian project in Vietnam that will be supported by Friends of Danang.

Reservations suggested. For more information e-mail Friends of Danang or call Tony Accamando, (412) 298-9940.

More on the Veterans Day Breakfast

2008-07-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Friends of Danang Veterans Day Breakfast is gathering has grown to be the largest Veterans Day breakfast in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is anticipated that over 500 veterans and their supporters will attend this breakfast, which takes place near the starting point of the Veterans Day parade in Downtown Pittsburgh.
This year is the tenth annual Friends of Danang Veterans Day Breakfast and we are pleased to announce that this year, hospitalized veterans from our area's veterans hospitals and nursing homes will be our honored guests.
Please consider advertising in our program booklet which will be distributed at the breakfast. The proceeds from the advertising sales will be directed to veterans' projects and will provide the funds needed for our hospitalized veterans to attend the breakfast.

Program Booklet Advertising Sizes and Pricing:
Full Page, 8 1/2" x 5 1/2": $200
Half Page, 4 1/4" x 5 1/2": $150
Quarter Page, 4 1/4" x 2 3/4": $100
Business Card, 3 1/2" x 2": $50

Ad Deadline: October 1, 2008

Payment and event information: (412) 235-4054 or friends@friendsofdanang.org

Ad production and submission information: (412) 788-0460 or John Dziak at Washington Reprographics, johnd@washingtonreprographics.com

Thanks!

Save the Date: 2008 Veterans Day Breakfast

2008-07-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Friends of Danang 2008 Veterans Day Breakfast
Tuesday, November 11
8 a.m.
Pittsburgh Marriott City Center (Chatham Center, across from Mellon Arena)
Featured Speaker: Dr. R. Bruce Bickel, DMIN, DD

Welcome!

2008-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the Friends of Danang blog. We are working on finalizing the details of our next project, one that's ambitious--but also will provide opportunities for everyone who's interested in helping improve the lives of children in the Danang area of Vietnam. The needs there are great, but even the smallest gestures of support make a difference. For example, in some places in Vietnam, a family's monthly water bill is fifteen cents. And yet that is beyond the reach of so many families.

As one who has been lucky enough to visit Vietnam twice, I wish I were able to bottle the sheer joy I found in the children I met, and somehow be to bring that back home with me to share. Being able to help them is tremendously rewarding--and I hope you come back to read more posts and learn more about Friends of Danang and the work we do.