Monday, October 31, 2011

Last Garage Sale for the Year!


BMETS will be holding its last garage sale for the year on Saturday 3rd December from 9 - 3pm at 8a Russell Rd, Leura. Good quality donations are sought. Please deliver to the sale address above. For more information call Suzie on 4784 1718.
All funds raised support projects for women and children in East Timor.

Book Sale Success


The BMETS Book Sale once again reached new heights at the weekend selling over 300 boxes of books and raising over $13,000.

BMETS Sisters, Ruth, Wendy and Jennifer were the backbone of the sale sorting, cleaning, packing and moving around 400 boxes in total.

As usual it is a real team effort with support from the entire group and with help from Brothers Steve, Bob, John, Tom, Jake and Rick.

"I can't believe that we sold so many books over two days. It surpassed our expectations" said Ruth."Of course we can only do it with the generosity of our donors who provide excellent quality and such a range of titles. I would like to thank the buying public who kept us busy all weekend bringing out new books by the box load."

All funds raised from the Book Sale will support projects for women and children in East Timor. For information about the group and what we do, call Suzie on 4782 5133.


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Book Sale, CWA Hall, Megalong St, Leura 29 & 30 October


There is still time to clean off your book shelves to donate to the annual BMETS Book Sale, which will be held on the weekend of Saturday October 29th / Sunday October 30th 2011 at the CWA Hall in Leura. We are collecting donations for the next two weeks!

This fundraiser raises over $10,000 for our projects in Timor-Leste - your read books are another's new pleasure and we turn your generosity into scholarships and literacy strategies.

Donations can be left anytime on the front veranda at 8 Westbourne Ave, Wentworth Falls. Please contact Ruth on 4757 1953 for more information.

Please no text books, encyclopedias, videos or magazines.

And put the dates in your diary to attend - books are well sorted, categorized, mostly $1.00 each and we will have over 10,000 of them! We will replenish the stock all weekend

Many thanks for your support

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Elsa Pinto - Congratulations and thank you.

I really want to share you about this news, maybe you heard already
form Mana Judy. I just want to let you know that I already graduated
and completed my studies. I graduate on the 18th of August 2011. And
guess what? I got the highest mark in my faculty of Agriculture, I am
the best student. You all can imagine how happy I was! And I'm still
happy until today! Although it takes quite long time, yet finally I
made it!!!!

Dear sisters, thank you so much for your support, without that
scholarship, I am not sure that I could finish it and graduated on
18th of August 2011. Maybe it will take me longer and longer!!!! Thank
you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Now, I am working for a local company that deals with coffee, it
called Alter Trade Timor (Alternative trade). It's about people to
people trade. We organize farmers group here, buy coffee from them
with good price and export to Japan. It's not only about coffee but
it also about social services; we also accelerate some social program
in the community we deal with. Keep the relationship for all time, not
only coffee season. It's quite related to my major Social Economic
Agriculture, so I like it. Yet, I also still want to find another job.
I have been working here as part time since last November, I want to
get some ideas about organizing farmers group.

Now I have a very big ambition to continue my master studies. I want
to study and get more knowledge. I am not satisfied if I could only
finish my fist degree. First degree is the beginning, now I have to
move forward. Not many young women can do their master study. I have to
work, get
some experiences and apply for a scholarship. The other important
thing for me is to improve my English skill. I really need to prepare
myself for that.

Yeah, more or less this is some new update form me. I apologize for
taking quite long to let you know about this news, because after
graduated on the next day I went to Ermera and just got back to Dili
on 25th of August.

Thank you very!
Much of Love to you all my sisters,

Elsa Pinto

Monday, October 03, 2011

Book Sale, CWA Hall, Megalong St, Leura 29 & 30 October

The Annual East BMETS Booksale is scheduled for Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October at the CWA Hall, Megalong St, Leura (next to the Bon Ton Cafe).

A huge variety of books, CDs and DVDs can be found at very affordable prices. The majority of books are $1 so you can afford ot stock up o n your reading for the coming year.

We are still seeking donations. Call Ruth on 4757 1953 to arrange delivery of your items.

We hope to see you there!


Trek For Timor Kangaroo Valley

A message from our intrepid walkers - Anne McKenzie and Mary Waterford...................
Hi friends and supporters
We may not have been the fastest (40/47 teams) but I think La Lao Halimar
sang the loudest, had the most fun and, to top it off, had the NUMBER 1
support team at Saturday's Kangaroo Valley Trek for Timor! We started
singing on Friday night and didn't stop until we went to bed Saturday
night.... yes some of it was tuneless but all in good spirits and well led
by our woman of song Josie!

All donations over $20 are tax deductible. go to
http://www.kvrp.org.au/page1/page10/page10.html
Read more about the lighting project at
http://www.kvrp.org.au/page4/page5/page5.html

We (Jem, Josie, Mary, Kay and I) were on the track at 10 past 6 on Saturday
morning fully decked out in our rain gear as it was drizzling. We were happy
though as the day before it was 32d and windy. Drizzly and cool was great
even though we missed all the beautiful views along the way.

We loved walking in to our first checkpoint, an hour ahead of time, to
Maggie with a big sign and Maria with a big gluten free cake, and all the
comforts of home (including hot water and face washer) - yes we were spoilt
rotten and this goes some way to explaining why we took a while - it was so
hard to leave such luxury and pampering.

One of our highlights (being the very fine chorus that we were) was the
"Corridor of Surprises". This was a relatively flat section near the end of
the 2nd section and 2 very talented people had put together a "guess the
song" corridor. Each of the 11 sculptures was brilliant in both thought and
execution. (you can see us climbing the "Stairway to Heaven" and trying to
blow out the "candle in the wind"). Once guessed then we had to sing them to
the next one a few hundred metres up the road. We only missed one (can you
guess it? attached) but we still took to the podium anyway!

We were unsupported at checkpoint 2 but the wonderful T4T organises put on
soup, hot drinks and good cheer for everyone. The event was beautifully
organised even though they had to contend with all sorts of dramas - the NP
lighting a fire the day before and closing part of the track (due to rain
could reopen at 10am on the day!), the weather (cold for their very
courageous and dedicated volunteers), and various other little hiccups we
learnt of after the event.

The river crossing was fun. I SOOOO nearly made it across without getting my
boots wet but took a tumble off the last rock and had wet boots (changed at
next chpoint). Mary made it and everyone else took sensible precautions and
took their boots off!

We arrived at Jack's Corner to an engineering feat - a tent heaven! I nearly
wish it had have been raining so we could REALLY appreciate it. Maggie,
Maria and Amanda again waited on us hand and foot (and we loved it).

We finally lifted our very full and satisfied tummies off the chair and
headed out on our last 12km section most of which we did in the dark and to
the sound track from the Sound of Music. The track was good (apart from the
odd wombat hole... not sure if any walkers were lost down these) and so we
practically ran home to the chaff bag! Unfortunately we were so fast, and
there was no mobile coverage so we couldn't warn our support team of our
speed. We finished an hour earlier than we thought and of course we all
walked in to our own version of "We've been walking 'round the mountain all
day long...." and were greeted by a very excited Bush Lemons Tart team
(Jocelyn, Jen, Sharron & Angela) who finished 3hours earlier but WAITED for
us to arrive! It was great to be cheered in (totally forgot to get a pic
though).

With only 1 fall, a few blisters and a few tight bits we were very happy and
proud of ourselves. You can imagine what we were most looking forward to...
yep a long hot shower. But ... there was a blackout at the caravan park and
we had to settle for a warm sponge bath. I quite liked it as it reminded me
of what we were doing this all for.... Timor. I bathed like this for 4
months when there and was happy to do it again!

If you haven't already donated I would encourage you to do so. This is a
great event for a wonderful cause we are doing well in our fundraising but
would love to come in the top 3 fundraisers as THIS is what this event is
all about!

All donations over $20 are tax deductible go to
http://www.kvrp.org.au/page1/page10/page10.html
Read more about the lighting project at
http://www.kvrp.org.au/page4/page5/page5.html

You too could have this "feel good" feeling next year at the BM T4T. Save
this in your favourites http://www.trekfortimorbm.org.au/. From my
experience I can say it is a fantastic way to get fit, feel good and get
close to group of friends!

Thank you so much for your support, La Lao Halimar are very proud and we had
a ball!

Love to you
Anne & Mary.

Fundraiser for East Timor