A few weeks ago I started a 21 day meditation about gratitude. It just seemed like the perfect time of year to do that so every morning I sit for 20 minutes reflecting on some aspect of being thankful. When I think of all that The MoonCatcher Project has been able to do this year it’s pretty easy to be grateful.

Earlier this month, we made and delivered 600 lasagna dinners for our “Dining for Dollars” campaign. It takes about 50 volunteers to pull this off and they all do it with focus and good cheer. We keep the rooms pretty cold so that the food stays fresh and by the end of each day we are really chilly. No one complains and everyone has a smile on his or her face. Each of those volunteers is invaluable and I am grateful beyond words for their contribution.

Our partner from the Shashi Kiran Charitable Trust, Ruchika, just came back from India. She traveled to many places including Manipur in the far north eastern part of India. Ruchika describes Manipur as a beautiful place where many communities are struggling. She was able forge partnerships with local governments as well as the Global Shapers Hub in Imphal. A total of 11,000 MoonCatcher kits have been distributed to schoolgirls in Manipur. Our distribution problem is beginning to be solved and I am so thankful.

MoonCatcher sewing cooperatives in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda have sped up their production so hundreds more girls are receiving our kits. In Uganda teachers have been trained to give our girls and boys classes on menstrual and reproductive health. This helps take some burden off of Phoebe and also makes it possible to go into more schools. We are planing to help build a new sewing space in Uganda and hoping to do the same in Malawi if we can raise the funds.

The Zonta clubs of Schenectady and Montgomery-Fulton have given us $5,000 raised at their Witches’ Ball in October. This grant provides the seed money that we will use to start our work in Haiti. Wow and thank you! We had a great time at the fundraiser - and I of course dressed up as a tampon.

The First Reformed Church in the Stockade in Schenectady also awarded us $5,000. I can’t express how much we appreciate this.

In the middle of making lasagna I was called away by the Scotia Rotary to receive an incredibly humbling award. Covered with tomato sauce stains and wearing my “work clothes” I was presented with the Citizen of the Year Award. I had a lump in my throat and felt that all the many volunteers and supporters of the MCP should be up there with me to accept this. I can’t begin to do this alone. This award is for all of you with my heartfelt thanks. Let me know if you want to hang it in your office. We can pass it around.

Deepak Chopra talks about feelings of gratitude gladdening his heart. That’s a pretty good way of expressing how I feel. All of you Gladden My Heart. I hope your holiday celebrations are happy and joyful and that you too find plenty to be grateful for.