nate’s blog

“The event was all we hoped for it to be and more.

We had people of all ages come, especially Ottoson and High School students. Some of the participants even traveled from across the state to compete in this charity tournament involving the wildly-popular Nintendo Wii game, Super Smash Brothers Brawl. In total, we had around 100 competing players, and probably just as many extra spectators and parents come. After costs and prizes, we raised around $400 to add to our previous $2600 fund from the Battle of the Bands event of one month prior. The total $3,000 will be sent to the Valentino Achak Deng foundation in Sudan which is building several schools in South Sudan where there are no schools for hundreds of miles.

This tournament, however, was not aimed solely at raising money, but more importantly at beginning to educate and alert the American people and our local community at what is going on in Sudan and why the Genocide must be stopped. Many people at the event, particularly the younger Ottoson Middle School students, approached some of the STAND members and told us how they now finally understand what a genocide is and how they want to be involved with the club once they reach the high school. Noting this, the STAND club has decided to dedicate some of its time in April or May to visit the Ottoson Middle School and initiate a dialogue between its students about Darfur and how they can be of some help to one of the poorest and most desolate of locations in the world right now.

After spending the greater majority of the year fund raising, STAND is now turning its efforts into more political and social means as peace can only be achieved when the leaders and governments of the world use their influence and power to pressure Sudan into putting down its weapons.

Thank you once again,
Nate”

On this blog I’m going to start posting some of my personal correspondences with organizations, clubs, and some forms of the media. Because I am personally involved with many of these, I feel it may be at least useful or educating to some of you who are interested. I will especially be posting things that have to do with the Genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

In June I was elected president of the STAND club for the 08/09 school year. The club is dedicated to bringing awareness of the genocide in Sudan to my community, and providing aid and relief to help the innocent of Sudan continue to live and fight on. Now, my plans are to combine the power of the internet with the club and to essentially (and quickly) create a website where the user can (1) read about what STAND is (2) find out about STAND’s upcoming events and fundraisers, (3) search through a list of volunteer opportunities at the nearby South Sudanese Community Center, (4) find out where and how they can donate to the cause, and (5) take a look through our gallery of pictures and videos we will take over the year. Building the website, though, is not only important to show to people what STAND does, but to develop an authentic reputation for the club, so more serious donators can trust where their money is going.

Look for the link on this blog as soon as the site is ready.

Think of NateBessa.com as my twitter. I’ll blog about my progress as a student, activist, photographer, investor, employee, and web developer here. I will only be blogging whenever I have something to say, though, so subscribe to the RSS feed to know exactly when a new post is up.

- Nate