Miss Becky's Blog

3rd Annual SMILEY's FUN RUN - 2008

In honor of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, the 3rd Annual SMILEY’s FUN RUN will have an “Olympic” theme this year, as we continue to light the “torch” of friendship and love between our American Family and the students of the Special Gao Chun School in Nanjing, China, by supporting the SUNSHINE Project AND encouraging HEALTH and FITNESS! This year's FUN RUN will give participants an opportunity to learn more about the true Olympic spirit of sportmanship and the hard work required to push our bodies to perform well.

The students at the Gao Chun School will set their date and carry out their FUN DAY in China under the direction of the Sunshine Project leaders in Nanjing. We understand that the school has a new playground this year where the FUN RUN will take place.

Members of the Ken and Becky Mitchell Family in America will carry out their FUN RUN in the different locations where they live in America, according to this plan:

* Each participant (adults and youth) chooses which “Olympic” event they will do from the following: Walking /Jogging . . . Running . . . Biking . . . Swimming

* Each participant chooses a goal, how much distance they will walk, run, bike, etc. It can be any number that will be a good challenge for that individual. All who complete their GOAL will receive a Smiley’s Fun Run "medal" just like the "Olympic" winners received!!!

* Each “family group” will plan and carry out their own event on a day that works best for them in the area where they live.

* We (Ken and Becky) will donate $$ to the SUNSHINE PROJECT for every mile completed during each family FUN RUN event as well as for the "total miles" completed by the students at the Gao Chun School.

* After completing your run, walk, bike ride or swim, we encourage all to do something FUN together that you enjoy . . . be creative and share what you do!

* Please complete your FUN RUN by early November and send your report and pictures to Nana/Miss Becky at: missbecky@xmission.com

WATCH for reports of completed FUN RUNS as they come in.

Keep Smiling and "Move It"

2nd ANNUAL SMILEY's FUN RUN -- China Edition

On October 27th, 2007, the same day American friends were participating in SMILEY's FUN RUN, the SUNSHINE Project leaders along with the children and teachers of the Gao Chun Special School, near Nanjing, China were also completing their FUN RUN field day AND earning money for the SUNSHINE Project to support the special school. (Click on Sunshine Project -- Nanjing, China to learn more about the project.)

Note the sign on the fence . . .

Aren't those SMILES great????

Note the long shelve, white t-shirts this year. The project leaders had them done in China to save to costs of shipping them from America! They look great!

After completing the "running" and reaching their goals, everyone was set for FUN playing games and doing races with the "smiley faced" equipment sent from America.

LOVE that SMILE!!!!

Aren't those GREAT SMILES!!!!

Here's more SMILES with two project leaders in the center back. Note the "smiley faced" sticker on some of their shirts!

Here the children's DRUM band perform. It's so AWESOME to see what these deaf children can DO -- Thanks to their great teachers!

Here's the report from Weina Hua, one of the SUNSHINE Project leaders. Weina is in this picture on the back row, on the right of the only lady with blonde hair.

"We have now (come) back from the trip. It's wonderful. You will see from some of Jinghong's photos (above). It's a very fine day (we had rain yesterday). And we had a very suitable tempearture to wear the t-shirt. The kids are so happy to have the awards from American grandparents. They all reached their goals they settled. Many of them have been keeping on running since last year's Fun Run. Many kids have made progress. They are sunshine covered kids growing up healthy and happy."

For your information, Amercian Grandparents agreed to pay $10 to the SUNSHINE Project for every one of the children who reached their running goal -- 96 children did, so $960 will be transferred to the SUNSHINE Project account in Nanjing, China.

A special THANKS to all the Project leaders and supporters in China who helped make this FUN RUN there possible. It is our hope that it will be an ANNUAL event to promote HEALTH and FITNESS as we work together with American Friends to raise funds to support the SUNSHINE Project.

Keep MOVING, Keep RUNNING and most of all Keep SMILING!!

2nd Annual SMILEY's FUN RUN is a Great Success

The 2nd Annual SMILEY's FUN RUN in America was held in Logan, Utah on Saturday, October 27th, 2007 with Ken (Smiley) and Miss Becky's grand children, a niece and nephew and our dog, Pingle.

Our two oldest grandsons, Baylor (11) and McKay (10), help Miss Becky to place "smiley face" balloons" and mile signs at different location in town early that morning! We followed the same route as the year before, but the focus this year was on FUN, so we made stops along the way for FUN activities and snacks!!!

In fact the "RUN" began with FUN at the Golf Course where we all hit golf balls!

Jake (our nephew), Baylor and McKay all like to play golf!

Gavin (4) was the youngest participant in Logan this year . . . he also loves to hit golf balls!!!

It's time to start the RUN . . .

GET READY . . . GET SET . . . GO. . .

Britt (9) and Gavin slow the pace and "walk" . . .

Jack (5), Gwen (7) and Gavin enjoy the autumn leaves along the way.

At the high school field we stopped for a quick, fun soccer (football) game with "smiley faced" balls.

Here's one of the SMILEY's FUN RUN signs pointing the way to go as we walk/jog through the city of Logan, Utah.

It's a BEAUTIFUL fall day in Logan . . . great for the FUN RUN!!!

FUN stop at our favorite Bakery for a snack and a rest!

At the next corner we are met by our youngest daughter and son, Kara and Brady. Kara missed her flight the day before from Boston, so Brady had to go to the airport to get her and they joined us when they got to Logan. (Kara is sort of hidden behind the children -- she is wearing a green hat and glasses.

On we go and it LOTS more fun to "walk" in the leaves AND . . .

even MORE fun to "play" in the leaves!!!

The next FUN stop was at a playground at one of our favorite parks. Here Gavin swings as others

play on the new climbing wall . . .

Gavin gets a ride in the wagon that we pulled for our water bottles, snacks and equipment . . .

On the way back to Ft. Smiley (our home) we stopped at a neighbors garden where I had placed pumpkins

for EACH of the children to select one.

Here we are all back at Ft. Smiley . . .

We had lots of FUN and covered a distance of over four miles!!! But the FUN did not end here. Kara and Brady took the children ice skating while I made preparations for a special Cousins' Halloween Party. The children dressed up in costumes, decorated their pumpkins, played games and took went on a walk in the dark with flashlights!!!

The donations from America totaled $2,000 (about 16,000 RMB) for the SUNSHINE Project. The goals of the project had been met!!!

2nd Annual SMILEY's FUN RUN

Dear Friends,

Since SMILEY's FUN RUN was such a fun, good experience for our family and friends, especially the Chinese children at the Gao Chun Special School, we have decided to make it an ANNUAL event.

The purpose of the FUN RUN will be to have FUN together as we

* Promote good health and fitness for family and friends,

* Raise $$ to support the SUNSHINE Project in Nanjing, China, and

* Put SMILES on the faces of all who participate!!!

It will be held each year in the fall around Ken/Smiley's birthday in honor of the first FUN RUN, where we were able to pull off the most "spectuar suprise" of Ken's life!!!

Our "Top Secret Mission" was accomplished AND our grandchildren loved it. Months ago they started asking what we were going to do to celebrate Pappy's birthday this year? That got Ken and I to thinking and we have been in contact with the Sunshine Project leaders in China to set it all up.

The 2nd ANNUAL SMILEY's FUN RUN will be held on: Saturday, October 27th 2007 in Logan, Utah and at the Gao Chun Special School near Nanjing, China AND anywhere you live, for example our son K.C. will be "running" in Las Vegas and is inviting some young friends to participate as a service project.

The FUN RUN will be 7 miles again here in Logan, or whatever length that would be a good goal for you and yours. Some of our younger grandchildren will "run" a shorter distance, with some stops along the way to do some FUN activities. We post a report of our FUN RUN on my BLOG after October 27th.

We have challenged each of the Chinese children and our grandchildren to set their own GOAL for what they want to accomplish this year and EACH will be rewarded for reaching their GOAL!!

The SUNSHINE Project leaders in China are printing t-shirts for the children there to save shipping costs --- our family will use our shirts from last year. We are sending some "smiley" prizes for each of the children who complete their "walking, jogging, running" goal.

I'll also be posting several articles on health/fitness on my BLOG at: http://www.xmission.com/~kmitch/becky/ that to be used by the Chinese teachers to promote greater knowledge and awareness of the vital role exercise and positive emotions (love, caring, & happiness) play in our health, overall well-being and fitness.

If you live in Logan, you are invited to come "walk/jog/run" with us at 10:00 am on October 27th. If any of you want to do something for your health and "walk/jog/run" where ever you are, we would appreciate knowing and receiving your pictures so we can share with the Chinese children, all those who participated.

We are inviting our grandchildren to make any donation they want to the Sunshine Project, rather than giving Ken or I birthday gifts. AND it has to be money that they have "earned" themself, not just given them by their parents. We want them to learn early to care about others and learn to give!

Donations of any amount to the SUNSHINE Project will be welcome:

In China donations can be sent to:

JIN JIAN (Jane is her English name)

Bank of China in Nanjing, HuNan Road Sub-Branch, PR China

Account number 4447802-0188-052027-3

Jin Jian, is the treasurer of the SUNSHINE Project and if you have any questions please call her at 13851986887.

In America, donation checks can be sent to:

Ken & Becky Mitchell

149 East 700 North

Logan, UT 84321

Phone: 435-752-2466

If you would like to learn more about the SUNSHINE Project, please go to my BLOG and click on the Category "Sunshine Project - Nanjing, China."

Hope you all have had a good summer and are enjoying beautiful fall or autumn weather now. It's very beautiful here in Logan, we are especially enjoying cooler temperatures after a hot, record setting summer.

KEEP MOVING AND SMILING!!!

Much love,

Ken and Becky Mitchell

TOP SECRET MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Dearest Friends ...

Sorry to have been silent for so long, but I've been away from home and was unable to post things on my blog until I returned to my home in Logan, Utah.

Our TOP SECRET ADVENTURE was a great success! As I've reported, we SURPRISED Ken/Smiley the morning of September 21st at the Logan River Golf Course and about 25 people (family and friends) began our RUN together ... most finished the 7 miles that day ending at our home (Ft. Smiley) on 700 North.

All 120 students, teachers and workers at the Chinese school, which changed it's name to Gao Chun Special School, because they now have 38 mentally disabled students along with the 55 deaf students, participated in SMILEY's FUN RUN on Saturday, October 28th. A report of this event from Weina Hua, a Nanjing University professor and one of the leaders of the SUNSHINE PROJECT, who traveled to the school that day and participated in the event with the children, follows this article.

A big CONGRATULATIONS to all the participants from the Gao Chun Special School as in five weeks they have walked/jogged 2884 miles and together with their special guests jogged 150 miles during their FUN RUN!!!!

We have more than reached our GOAL of 7,000 total miles in seven weeks.

American Team: 3850 miles

Chinese Team: 4550 miles

TOTAL MILES FOR THE PROJECT = 8,400*

*We'll have more miles to add to the project when Richard and JoAn Criddle report the miles that the people in their Church were doing on their FUN RUN, October 28th. When I get that, I'll update this report.

It has been fun and heart warming to see the different ways that people got their miles: My 86 year old father contributed 7 miles by walking on a treadmill 10 minutes at a time; a friend on a cruise walked around and the deck counting the laps, which totally 24 miles; some families and couples worked as teams; one friend organized her family and friends into a team they called, "The Striders" and they did 1,465 miles for the American team; our son's dog, Pingle, walked/jogged over 60 miles with me; many of our Chinese friends "jogged" to work and others walked or climbed mountains, beaches and even ancient city walls!

Donations are still coming in from both China and America, but at this time we have almost $3000 American dollars. When the American dollars are exchanged for RMB or yuan and added to the yuan collected in China, there be more than 24,000 RMB. That amount of money is VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT in China and will really "make a difference" in the lives of so many special Chinese students.

THANKS to all who participated --- there were over 200 people involved! ... it's always amazing to see what can happen when people work together!!! MANY, MANY THANKS!!!

It was really GREAT to surprise Ken -- he did not know a thing about the project until that morning at the golf course. Here are his feelings expressed in a letter to our family:

Dear Family,

How do I express my soul to each of you for the "Smiley Spectacular" you all pulled off last Saturday? Please know that your love touched my heart and soul more than I can express.

Becky, thank you for doing it the "right" way...If it must be done it was so gratifying to know that those daef children at Gao Chun will benefit. With that in mind it's not so bad turning SEVENTY!!

Speaking of "seventy" the only parts of me that feel like seventy are my heels!! But I can still play hoops and golf!

Amy, McKay and Kara, you are so kind to make the trip. (Amy and McKay flew in from AZ and Kara from Boston). K.C. and Holly, thank you for doing your "miles." (in Las Vegas) Brady, Jason and Missy thank you for your help. You just got caught being 'handy' for Becky's 'plans!! Scott thank you for your support in so many ways.

"A day to remember" for sure and I'm very humbled and grateful that each of you would support Becky in this celebration. I won'd mind if you do it again in TEN YEARS!!!

Sincere love to each...a lot of love was expressed and that's the important results...

Ken, Dad, Pappy, Smiley, Move It

Our challenge to all of you now is to continue to MOVE IT -- walk, jog, run, bike, swim, whatever you like to do to stay healthy, fit and active your whole life!! And with your "moving it" .... KEEP

SMILING!!!!

Sincere THANKS and LOVE,

Miss Becky

SMILEY's FUN RUN at Gao Chun Special School

On Saturday, October 28th, some of the SUNSHINE Project leaders and students from Nanjing University traveled to the Gao Chun Special School to help the children with SMILEY's FUN RUN that day.

Hua Weina, Nanjing University teacher and one of the leaders of the Sunshine Project, along with Yang Hui and two of her deaf classmates (I love their SMILES!!!!) who have already graduated from this school and are now attending college in Nanjing. Yang Hui was one of the oldest children at the Gao Chun school when the SUNSHINE Project was started. She returned that day to visit with her friends, see the new campus and to participate in SMILEY's FUN RUN!!!!

Weina Hua, sent the following report and pictures:

"IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY. The Gao Chun Special School (the school changed its name since there are altogether 38 mental disabled students and 55 deaf students) has a new campus. It is much bigger and good in teaching and living condition. More teachers now in school.

"All the kids took part in the Smiley's Fun Run and had running games after the line running. The school had sound now with the mental-disabled students shouting 'Come on!' The kids were very happy today. And they were even happier to have the prizes with candy, balloon, toys, bouncing ball, and so on from Becky and JoAn."

The school in YELLOW today!

The youngest students are off and RUNNING!!!!!

Jin Jian (Jane), Sunshine Project leader from NJU leads the way as everyone "runs"!!!

Some of the children needed help in the running.

After the line running, there were running games! (I LOVE the sign!!!)

Jane plays the game!!! Look at the SMILES!!!

Here comes Weina ... she's a good player too!!

Here the children open their prize bags of smiley-faced toys, candy, pencils, balloons, etc.

Weina says, "The kids sent gifts to US grandparents, most of which are picture with greetings. Among them a box from a boy with four chocoletes. It would be no surprise if it came from our students. But it is from a boarding school deaf boy, who maybe thought it is very valuable and he sent to grandpa across the ocean and hope he would have a fully recovery (they all know that Ken had a heart attack before). And another box with 4 paper folded cranes also meaning fully recover soon. And some students wrote English meaning Missing You." (The Director, Teachers and Students of this school have always shown such great appreciation for what we have been able to contribute to their school.)

Eating lunch in the new dinning hall --- much nicer and so light! Weina reports, "There is some space in the school to plant vegetables

for their lunch. It is also very good!"

Yang Hui communicates with the students in sign language.

Weina ends her report with these special words about the teachers at the Gao Chun Special School: "We are much moved by the teachers' work. These teachers are really the contributers to the kids, especially those who are responcible to the mentally disordered kids. I couldn't explain very well in English, but I should say they are greater than us university teachers." The characters painted on the walls at the school show the spirit of the teachers and leaders there:

Body Disabled Gives You Special Potentials

Special Education Helps You Have A Unique Life

I'm sure the teachers at the Gao Chun Special School are most wonderful and dedicated to their students. BUT all of you leaders of the Sunshine Project are excellent teachers too and give so much of yourself not only to your students but to the students at Gao Chun. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your work and effort in making SMILEY's FUN RUN such a special experience for everyone at Gao Chun Special School. TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER -- Working together we can really accomplish WONDERFUL things!!!

SMILEY'S FUN RUN -- Logan, Utah - October 21, 2006

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE REVEALED . . .

On Friday, the day before the BIG SURPRISE, Ken was assigned to officiate a high school football game, a long way from our home. That was really good because Ken left town early in the afternoon and did not return home until late that night, allowing family members to gather in Logan to prepare for the event. Our daughter Kara flew in from Boston that day and daughter, Amy and her son, McKay flew in from Arizona. McKay was so excited about coming that he called to tell me that he was about to get on the airplane, but Pappy (Ken) answered the phone. McKay asked to talk to Nana (that's me) and Pappy told him that I was in Provo and to call my cell phone. When Ken asked McKay how come he was calling in the middle of the day, shouldn't he be in school -- McKay made up some story that he was on his way to school late that day because of a Pep Rally or something. Often McKay will call and talk to us as they are driving somewhere, so Ken was not suspicious AND Ken later said he really didn't understand what he was saying about a "pep rally" ... but then he often does not understand the grandchildren when they are talking on the phone.

The morning of October 21, 2006 a layer of fog lay on the floor of Cache Valley where Logan, Utah is located ... the valley is surrounded with mountains. The fog was due to the cold temperatures and the mositure in the air, as it had rained all day and most of the night before our FUN RUN.

The layer of fog covered the lower part of the valley that included the Golf Course where we intended to start the RUN. This picture shows the Temple, a special landmark in our city. It is in the middle of our town, on a hill so you can see it from all points in the valley. Our RUN took us past the Temple, which is over a 100 years old. The Temple is a very special place for us and four of our five children were born in a hospital that was located just across the street from this place at the time. That hospital was removed when a new one was built about 20 years ago.

Here is Lindsay, a niece; daughter, Kara, my sister, Dianne (mother of ten children); Emilee, niece, Katie, niece holding her baby and son, Brady. These three nieces are all Dianne's daughters. We are gathering at the Golf Course for the start of the RUN ... the fog still in the air and you can how cold it was.

The sun arrived before Ken did, but you can still see the fog coming off the water areas and the frost on the grass in the shadow of the Club House. It became a beautiful fall day in our valley as the sun touched the earth the frost melted quickly and the fog was gone so we started SMILEY's FUN RUN in the warmth of SUNSHINE --- so fitting for the SUNSHINE to come out as we "ran" for the SUNSHINE Project!

A friend picked Ken up following a basketball meeting and drove him to the Golf Course. We were all waiting in the parking lot and Ken just stared at all of us, wondering what is the world we were doing. I came and opened the door of the car inviting him to get out. He was surprised to see me as he thought that I was in Provo at my Dad's home.

At first all he saw was a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY sign and lots of people singing Happy Birthday to him -- there were four of our five children, a daughter-in-law, four of our eight grandchildren, Pingle, our dog, several nieces and cousins from Salt Lake City, my two sisters from Colorado and California, one brother-in-law and several friends and neighbors. At first he was a little embarrassed, because he does not like to draw a lot of attention to himself, but when I told him about SMILEY'S FUN RUN to not only celebrate his 70th birthday, but to raise funds for the Sunshine Project, he was really pleased and touched.

Ken starts SMILING and LAUGHING as he realizes what is happening. Here he hugs our daughter, Kara, who flew in from Boston the day before. Ken had returned her phone call the night before and Kara had thought it was a friend calling her and when he asked where she was, she answer she was in Utah!!! Realizing her mistake, she quickly said something like she couldn't hear him well, her phone had a bad connection, so she would call him back. She waited a while and called him and told him that she had taken some medication that had made her confused and she was not feeling well, so she would talk to him the next day. Ken believed what she said because he knew that she was suffering some bad backpain and was seeing a doctor about it. When Ken saw her that morning, he said, "So you really were in Utah!" That is why she is laughing so hard and he SMILED as he began to understand it all!!!

We gave Ken a shirt and here he is with Richard Criddle, his golfing buddy, who had brought him to the Golf Course. Richard had his jacket zipped up covering his FUN RUN shirt when he picked up Ken.

Here's Ken with the Birthday sign we made for him and it was the first thing he saw with all the people at the Golf Course. McKay and Baylor, our two oldest grandchildren, are helping to hold up the sign.

Turning the Birthday sign around, we see the FUN RUN sign we made the night before. McKay and Baylor are still the sign holders, while Ken/Smiley talks to our daughter, Kara and our son, Jason who had been at the basketball meeting that morning earlier with Ken. Jason left the meeting called us to let us know the meeting was over and our friend went to get Ken, as he had asked Ken to help him with a project that morning and had told him he would pick him up after the meeting. Then Richard drove Ken to the Golf Course!!!

The FUN RUN begins on the Golf Course Road with the children leading the way. Pingle, our dog is really pulling Kayla, a niece, along. After we got to the first corner, we rolled up the sign, as Baylor and McKay wanted to "run" ... the rest of us "walked and talked" and had a great time.

The course of the FUN RUN to covered seven miles ... Starting at Ken's favorite Golf Course, where he LOVES to play golf and "hunt" for lost balls, to finish at Ft Smiley, the name Ken gave our HOME some years ago!!! Our FUN RUN would take us pass most of the special places in Logan where we and our family had spent time and had many special memories of.

We first passed a park where Ken and our children had played ball games, then a small Zoo, where a bull elk was bellowing and charged us, but ran into a fence before he reached us. You can see the fence was just before this row of trees!! It was exciting for the children, they loved seeing such a big animal so close.

Our son, K.C. and his family who live in Las Vegas did the FUN RUN there that morning, shirts and prizes for the children had been sent ahead of time.

As we were "walking" along K.C. called my cell phone from Las Vegas to report that he had completed his miles that morning -- K.C. and his wife, Holly, each completed 70 miles for our project. Ken/Smiley talked to him on the cell phone as we walked and told him how surprised he was -- he had no idea about what we had been doing. OUR TOP SECRET MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED!!!

While K.C. ran his wife took their little girls, Allie (1 1/2 years old) and Savanah (four-years-old) to the park where Savanah rode her bike and Holly pushed Allie in the stroller getting some more "miles" for our project.

The Las Vegas Mitchells had finished their FUN RUN before we had completed the first mile of our's in Logan. In this way ALL of our children and grandchildren participated in SMILEY's FUN RUN...that was REALLY special to Ken!

Our walk took us pass many interesting places and several different friends along the way including these horses:

Two of our granddaughters who love "horese" and are taking horse riding lessons and had to stop and pet the horses.

We walked pass the Logan High School Football field where our sons played high school football and Ken has officiated many football games, including several Little League games (for younger boys) just two Saturdays earlier. This is the school where Ken currently coaches basketball. Then into the center of our town we stopped for some water and snacks.

We did not have time to stop at Ken's favorite bakery, which he finds hard to pass on his way home from golfing!!!

This building, the Tabernacle, is located on the Main street in the middle of our town. It is a special place where all our children were baptized and we have attended many church, community meetings and concerts there.

We had "walked" for over two miles, when my sisters and their children turned around, returned to the Golf Course to get their cars and headed to Provo for a Birthday Celebration for my Dad that day.

It had really warmed up and we were enjoying a beautiful fall day.

Many of the streets are lined with trees in our city and it was fun to walk in the leaves that had fallen on the sidewalks.

Our two oldest grandsons along with our daughter Amy were "running" most of the route and way out ahead of the rest of us. The two grandsons wanted to "win". I had already told Baylor when he asked what the "winner" would get, that everyone in the FUN RUN was a "winner." Everyone who finished the SEVEN miles were winners!!! That was a really big challenge for the children. All the grandchildren received a bag of "smiley-faced" toys, pencils, notebook, candy, etc. when they finished, just like all the children at the Gao Chun school will receive when they finished their FUN RUN the next Saturday on October 28th.

The Three Mile marker was right in front of the Temple and then we continued walking pass Adams School, the elementary school that all our children attended, which had been built the same year that Ken was born! Up that street led us to the foot of Aggie Hill, the top of that hill is the campus of Utah State University.

This is the "Aggie Hill" ... the letter "A" is on the top of the tower on Old Main (the main administration building on campus -- President's office is in this building as well as teaching classrooms.) The small building on the left-hand side of the picture is the "Media Services Building" where Ken's first office was when he was hired at Utah State University to be the Sports Information Director.

We "walked" across the campus, pass all the buildings that Ken had worked and played in ....

This is the Field House, which has an indoor track, basketball and tennis courts, fitness and weight-lifting equipment, etc. This is where Ken would play basketball at noon most days when he was working at USU ... the group he plays with call themselves the NBA -- Noon Basketbal Association. Even after retirement, Ken returns at noon to play "hoops" at least three days a week.

This is the USU Football Stadium. Ken's job included serving all the media or press people at the football games -- notice the "Press Box" at the top of the bleachers -- that was where the press/media people would sit, broadcast the games from and Ken would see that all their needs were met. This location was the FIVE MILE Mark in our FUN RUN. Our daughter, Kara, rode in a car because of the pain she could not walk ... she would meet us at each MILE marker and give each child a "smiley-faced" sticker for each mile they did.

We headed for the Finish Line (Ft. Smiley) and passed our first home when we moved to Logan.

When we moved to Logan we only had one child and this small home was just right. It was located on 600 North. After the birth of two more children, we needed more room and moved to a larger home just a couple of blocks away on 700 North. That is the home we have lived in ever since.

Our son, Jason pulled a red wagon giving the children turns to ride and take a little rest. Ken talked with some friends who were not able to come to Logan for the event.

Pingle, the dog, in her shirt, completed the whole seven miles, walking at the end with Ken.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED --- The Finish Line . . . Ft. Smiley ... 149 East 700 North ...

Baylor and McKay were the first to arrive, with Amy very close to them. It worked out well, as Amy is preparing to "run" in a race in Las Vegas in December, so she really wanted to "run" more than "walk", so she stayed with the boys. They were sooooo excited to have been first -- a tie -- they jumped up and down and wer giving each other "high fives", my neighbor reported who was waiting and watching for us to come. She helped put out the water, fruit and muffins for people to eat when they arrived. Some neighbors and friends stopped by to see us along the way and others came to our home giving us donations for the Sunshine Project.

Here are the GRANDKIDS: (from left to right: Jake, Baylor, Kayla, Gwen, Britt and McKay) celebrating their accomplishment -- note the "smiley-faced" stickers they got at each of the mile markers. These were my special "Secret Agents" in our Top Secret Adventure ... they all did some training miles to prepare, helped me make the signs, blow up the balloons, prepare the shirts for shipping, and more AND kept it a SECRET from Pappy-Ken-Smiley!!! After the race I paid them eacn $1.00 for every mile they had completed, including the 7 done that day. Each of them put some of their money in the donation box for the SUNSHINE Project.

It was truly a wonderful project for our family and we did have lots of FUN!!! That afternoon, Britt said, "I want to have a FUN RUN for my Birthday." When I asked her how many miles she wanted to do for her FUN RUN, she replied, "Nine. Because I'll be nine years old." I hope that they will all continue to be Active and Healthy and Fit because it will all so much Happiness and Joy to their lives! That is also my hope for all the children at the Gao Chun Special School.

A special THANKS to EVERYONE who helped us accomplish our Top Secret Mission -- over 200 people participated and no one gave it away -- MANY, MANY THANKS. Ken/Smiley was completely SURPRISED and TOUCHED that so many people in China and America participated. As we "walked" along on the FUN RUN I told him about each of you and what you had contributed. I'm making a special "Birthday" book for him with your pictures and information. The thing that made him most happy was being able to help the special children in China that we both love!

SMILEY's FUN RUN in Logan was a WONDERFUL, SUNNY DAY, full of LOVE and JOY; FAMILY and FRIENDS that will remain in our HEARTS forever.

Share a little SUNSHINE!

The purpose of The SUNSHINE Project is to bring SUNSHINE (light, warmth, happiness, hope and love) into the lives of deaf and disabled Chinese students by sharing our friendship, love and resources to help them gain education and training to become positive, happy, contributing members of society.

The SUNSHINE Project was started with the efforts of Nanjing University teachers and students, member's of Miss Becky's NJU 4-H Club and BYU Teachers; Richard and JoAn Criddle, and Ken and Becky Mitchell.

How we bring SUNSHINE to students of the Gao Chun Long Xiao School:

1. Provide money to pay the tuition and/or boarding fees for students whose parents can not afford to pay.

2. Purchase needed teaching equipment, such as scanners and printers for their computers, projectors to use in the classroom, provide Internet service, buy milk for all the children's morning snack and started a library of books for the children to use outside the classroom.

3. Nanjing University teachers and students will carry out a variety of fieldtrips and activities at the school with the children, sharing love, fun and friendship giving them experience with the outside world. Each semester at least one activity day is planned and carried out at the school. This fall, SMILEY's FUN RUN at the school will be that activity day. T-shirts for each child have been sent AND a bag of "smiley-faced" toys, candy, balloons and other surprises will be given to each child when they complete the RUN that day!

Here are the Teacher and Students Leaders of The SUNSHINE Project, from Nanjing University.

From Left to Right, Back row: Gao Fenghua; Jin Jian - the treasurer; Zhou Ying (Candice) student leader; and Weina Hua. Front row: Li Xin (Bola) student leader; Miss Becky and Jing Hong Yang. Picture taken at a planning lunch/meeting before we visited the School in the Spring of 2004.

These wonderful Chinese leaders have kept the Project going and growing since Ken and Becky Mitchell AND Richard and JoAn Criddle, BYU Teachers in Nanjing, returned to America, after working together to get the Project started.

Here is JoAn Criddle with some of the younger children the first day we visited the Gao Chun School. Richard and JoAn have continued to contribute money and support the project, just as Ken and I have, since we returned, because we know how important it is to these special children.

Richard and JoAn have been a great help in the Top Secret Adventure -- I could not have surprised Ken as we did without their help -- in fact it was Richard who brought Ken to the golf course where we started our FUN RUN. Richard and JoAn also sponsored a FUN RUN for the people in their Church to raise money for the Sunshine Project AND to promote good health and fitness!!! They are also the leaders of a great project where they take donated eye glasses to third world countries, conduct educational clinics and give glasses to those needing them... I'll tell you more about that project later on my blog.

The SUNSHINE Project is a project of LOVE. One who visits that school can really feel LOVE there. The director, teachers and workers REALLY LOVE the children and work hard to serve them well. The children LOVE being at the school where they have friends, can learn and have fun. On the wall of the school is this symbol.

This is the painting on one of the walls at the Gao Chun School. In Sign Language this hand sign says "I Love You". This symbol was on the back of the t-shirt that we used for the FUN RUN. I hope it will always remind us of the importance of LOVE.

Thank you for the LOVE you have shown by your participation in the Top Secret Adventure:

1. LOVE for the students and teachers at the Gao Chun Special School ...

2. LOVE for Ken/Smiley and giving him a Birthday surprise, never to be forgotten ...

3. LOVE for your own health and fitness

Your LOVE has added warmth and SUNSHINE to the world --- YOU have made a Difference!!!!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Miss Becky

P.S. "What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. They are but trifles, to be sure, but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable." -- Joseph Addison

KEEP SMILING AND HAVE A HAPPY DAY!!!!

Deaf Student and Teachers Train for SMILEY'S FUN RUN

All the students and teachers at the Gao Chun Special School of Deaf and Disabled students have been participating in the TOP SECRET ADVENTURE. They are walking/jogging together each day and reporting their miles.

   

Teachers and older students help the younger ones.

In three (3) weeks the Students and Teachers at Gaochun School did 1,290 miles!!! They send their reports on e-mail to Miss Hua who translates them and sents me the total miles.

The Students and Teachers will participate in SMILEY's FUN RUN at their campus on Saturday, October 28th. Some of the Chinese Teachers/Leaders of The Sunshine Project at Nanjing University will travel to the school that day and help to implement the FUN RUN.

There will be a special "SMILEY's FUN RUN" t-shirt for each of the children to wear during the "run". When the children have finished the RUN there will be a fun, bag of prizes (toys, balloons, pencils, etc.) as a reward for their efforts.

It is our hope that the teachers and students will continue to "walk/jog/or run" each day to keep their bodies in good health.

Look for a report and pictures after October 28th of the FUN RUN done at GaoChun Special School.

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE -- WEEK SIX REPROT

Week #6:

Chinese Team: 1,039 miles this week for a total of 2,218.5 miles

American Team: 546 miles this week for a total of 2,941.5 miles

TOTAL MILES = 5,160

We are getting closer to our Goal of 7,000 miles! Congratulations to the Chinese Team. The students and teachers at the Gao Chun school did 560 miles last week!! Yea!!!

This is the final week of preparation!! SMILEY's FUN RUN will take place next Saturday, October 21st all over the world ... There will be runners participating in America (New York, Boston, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Texas, Kentucky and California) and in China (Beijing, Nanjing, Gao Chun, Zibo, Jinan, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and HongKong).

The children and teachers at the Gao Chun school will do SMILEY's FUN RUN on Saturday, October 28th. Those in China can choose which day they want to do their "FUN RUN" because many friends in China did not start the project the same time that those of us did in America.

There have been over 200 participants in our Top Secret Adventure. Please e-mail your miles after you complete your FUN RUN ... Every mile COUNTS!!

Check my BLOG later in the week for more information about SMILEY's FUN RUN here in Logan, Utah.

Keep SMILING and MOVE IT!!!!

MONEY (donations/registration fees) for the SUNSHINE Project

Part of our TOP SECRET ADVENTURE was to raise MONEY to support the SUNSHINE Project in Nanjing, China. This money is used to provide special experiences, such as SMILEY's FUN RUN, for all 93 children in the school as well as to provide teaching/learning equipment and materials and funds where needed so all deaf children can attend the school.

In China, please have one person in each city collect the money for the SUNSHINE Project and transfer it to:

JIN JIAN (Jane is her English name)

Bank of China in Nanjing,

Account number 4447802-0188-052027-3.

Jin Jian, is the treasurer of the SUNSHINE Project and if you have any questions please call her at 13851986887.

In America, donations can be sent to:

Richard Criddle

1005 Eastridge Drive

Logan, UT 84321

Please make out the check to "Becky Mitchell" but mail it to Richard so Ken will not know of it until after the FUN RUN!!!

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP ... 100% of the donations goes to the school and children!!!!

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE -- WEEK THREE REPORT

Week #3:

THANKS to all who are participating ... we have a TOTAL OF 1,183.5 MILES:

American Team: 1,069 miles AND Chinese Team: 114.5

Several Chinese friends have e-mailed me this week and tell me they will participate so more miles should be coming from that team soon.

One very exciting thing, is the report from a teacher at Nanjing University, who is one of the adult leaders of the SUNSHINE Project, telling me that the teachers and students at the Gao Chun School for the deaf students will all participate in the Project -- they will be a great help to us in reaching our goal of 7,000 miles.

This is truly a Project full of LOVE ... Love for Ken/Smiley; Love for others (the deaf children) and LOVE for yourself.

The hand sign for "I Love You" is on the wall of the Gao Chun school where the children perform for us everytime we visit there. I like to give this "sign" to my grandchildren after I walk them to school ... it's a good way to start the day to know you are loved. We'll be giving lots of "I Love You" hand signs on SMILEY's FUN RUN!!!

I've appreciated receiving messages about the positive effect of physical exercise in individual lives ... one young woman saying that she feels more active in her work and more refreshed. Others have commented on the distance. I know that seven miles may be the longest you have ever run at one time ... I know it will be hard, but that is why we are training now, so we can do it and have a good experience. The best part will be feelings of success in reaching a goal and accomplishing something hard! Together we can do it!!

When you report your miles, let me know what city you will be in "running" for SMILEY's FUN RUN. I know that there will be runners in Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. What other cities?

"Move It" -- this is our "motto" It is also one of Ken's nicknames. The people he plays basketball with call him "Move It" because he is always calling to them to "move it" as they play "hoops". You will see in the following article that "moving it" (walking, jogging,) is one of things suggested by two American doctors to keep our HEART HEALTHY!!! What do you Chinese doctors think about these 10 suggestions?

Thanks again to all of you for your participation. Have a good week and "move it"!

I LOVE YOU,

Miss Becky

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE - WEEK TWO REPORT

WEEK # 2 . . .

It has been exciting to "communicate" with several people (both Chinese and American) regarding our TOP SECRET ADVENTURE and many have committed to participate.

Here's the miles that have been done so far that I know of. Notice that the 1st week's total has been changed as reports came in after I had posted the numbers last week. Here's the latest:

AMERICAN TEAM -- with participants in the states of Utah, Arzonia, Nevada, California, Oregon and Minnesota reporting a total of 514 miles.

1st Week -- 201 miles

2nd Week -- 313 miles

CHINESE TEAM -- Only one person has reported mileage so far, but many people have responded that they will participate. There have been some problems in communication and getting my e-mail messages through, but I'm confident that now these special friends know of the project, they will adding miles to help us reach our Goal of 7,000 Miles.

Right now there are 35 Americans participating and about 25 Chinese people who have said they would participate.

Let me introduce you to one of the newest recruits, PINGLE, our son's family pet dog. She is very friendly and likes to be with people. Since our son's family has moved to our home, she mostly sleeps at the side of our bed (Ken and I). Pingle loves to follow Ken around the yard when he is working out there ... if he stops for a few minutes to do something, she will lay down and wait for him to go again.

Pingle LOVES to go walking/jogging with me ... here we are on the sidewalk in front of our house in Logan, Utah. She seems to know when I'm getting ready to go for a "run" and she will come and stay right with me until we go. At first she would pull very hard and want to go faster than I wanted to go, but now we've become quite a team and go the same pace. The law requires that the dog by on a lease (or type of rope) to keep her under control. I will record the miles she does with me each week now! Last week she "jogged" 10 miles with me .... go Pingle!!!!

Since our Chinese friends use a different system to figure distance, here is information for you to convere the distance you "walk/jog/run" to miles:

One mile is equal to 1.609344 kilometers, or roughly 1.6. One kilometer equals 0.6214 miles, and of course, 1,000 meters equals one kilometer.

400m = 0.2485 miles (~1/4 mile)

800m = 0.4971 miles (~1/2 mile)

1000m = 1km = 0.6214 miles

1500m = 0.9321 miles

1600m = 0.9942 miles (~1 mile)

1609m = 1 mile

3000m = 3km = 1.8641 miles

3200m = 1.9884 miles (~2 miles)

5000m = 5km = 3.1069 miles (~3 miles)

10,000m = 10km = 6.2137 miles (~ 6-1/4 miles)

Marathon = 26 miles, 385 yards = 42.1950 km

50km = 31.0686 miles

100km = 62.1371 miles

So for Chinese friends to "walk/jog/run" 7 miles on October 21st, you will need to do 11,263 meters OR 11.263 kilometers!!!!

Please report your weekly distance in MILES ... send report to me at: missbecky@xmission.com (you can click on my name [Becky Mitchell] at the end of this article and it will automatically come to me at that address.

Thanks so much for your willingness to take on this project AND for keeping it a surprise for Ken/Smiley ... remember it's TOP SECRET!!! Have a good week and enjoy your workouts!!!

Love and Hugs,

Miss Becky

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE . . .

Would you like to be a "Secret Agent" and help us carry out an exciting ADVENTURE to recognize and honor Ken (some of you know my husband as "Smiley") on his 70th Birthday, which will be on October 26, 2006.

Our mission will be to WALK, JOG OR RUN 7,000 MILES IN 7 WEEKS TO SURPRISE AND HONOR KEN/SMILEY AND TO RAISE MONEY FOR OUR SUNSHINE PROJECT IN CHINA.

You may not know that Ken had a "heart attack" last May ... he's OK and we are very grateful for the MIRACLE of modern medicine and the doctors tell us he should have several more years to enjoy on this earth. (The complete story is posted on this BLOG in the article entitled: "Smiley's HEART Miracle" and can be found by clicking on the category "Miracles" or "My Family".

We are very grateful that Ken is doing really well physically, he was back to golfing less than a week after the "heart" experience. He's done some jogging, lots of outside work in our backyard, some "hoops" and is now busy officiating American high school football games. This experience has made us more grateful than ever for the blessing of healthy bodies. I know he would not have done so well, if he had not been "jogging", playing "hoops" and staying activity the past several years of his life.

To encourage better fitness and heart health in our family and among our friends, we will celebrate Ken's 70th Birthday AND raise funds for the SUNSHINE Project that we started in Nanjing, China in 2003 (complete information and pictures of this ongoing project are also posted on my BLOG ... go to the category "Sunshine Project.)

TOP SECRET ADVENTURE--is the name of our project, because Ken doesn't know anything about it ... we want to SURPRISE him ... so PLEASE DO NOT SAY OR WRITE ANYTHING TO HIM ABOUT THIS. Please reply to this e-mail address only: missbecky@xmission.com

THE EVENT: We are planning a special running/jogging event called SMILEY'S FUN RUN, here in our hometown of Logan, Utah. It will be on Saturday, October 21, 2006 and we'll Walk, Jog, or Run seven (7) miles. For "fun" we are using the number 7 because Smiley will be 70th years old! Ken does not know anything this. One of his friends will make a "golfing" date with him that day and when he arrives at the Golf Course, a number of friends and family members, will be waiting to "surprise" him. We'll begin SMILEY's FUN RUN there and other family members and friends will join us along the way. We'll "jog" past many special places in Ken's life including the high school where he coaches basketball now and the university where he worked for 30 years. The "finish line" of the "run" will be at our home for food and celebration with friends, family and neighbors!!!!

It will be very meaningful to Ken/Smiley to have so many of the people he loves participate in this physical fitness activity, because he KNOWS how important regular exercise is to keeping your heart healthy...especially now!!! Also, recent research has concluded that the NUMBER ONE thing you can do to keep your brain healthy, young and smarter, is to "Move It" ... get regular aerobic exercise. (See article on my BLOG entitled "Seven Ways To Make Your Brain Smarter" under the category: "Art of Living".)

You do not have to live in Logan, Utah to participate in this event ... you can select any seven mile route and Walk, Jog or Run it that day. Those of you near a university campus could use the track at the sports field (four laps around equals ONE mile). Not all of our family or friends will be able to come to Logan, but they are planning to participate where they live, for example our daughter, Kara, will run in Boston, K.C.'s family will run in Las Vegas and friends will be running in Provo and California.

THE SUNSHINE PROJECT -- It is common in America to raise money by getting donations and participating in special running events or marathons. We have had family members and friends do this in the past. We'll raise money for the Sunshine Project, by inviting friends and family to make a finanial donation to the project as a Birthday Gift to Ken. Each participant in the FUN RUN will pay a "registration fee" which will also go to the project.

TRAINING MILES COUNT -- Now is the time to begin training and preparation for this event ... it's SEVEN weeks away. When Ken and I ran a marathon, which is over 26 miles, we trained and prepared for over three months. So if you start this week, you can be "ready" by October 21st to do SEVEN MILES. Remember you don't have to RUN the whole way ... a combination of walking and jogging is best AND you can even WALK the entire way if you want, but it should be fast walking to get your heart rate up!!!!

It would be so AWESOME to have American and Chinese people BRIDGE the huge ocean that divides our countries, and come together, "heart to heart" bringing SUNSHINE into the lives of these special deaf children. If we were to build such a BRIDGE, from American to China, it would be about 7,000 miles long. Our GOAL in this project would be to meet in the middle of that imaginary bridge by counting all the "training" miles each individual does, along with the 7 miles of the FUN RUN! That means the Americans need to total up 3,500 miles and the Chinese need that same amount. Working together WE CAN DO IT!!!! Start this week with your preparation and record the number of miles you are able to do each day ... if you did 10 miles a week by the time of the FUN RUN you would have done a total of 70 miles!!! Our group goal will be to do 7,000 miles in 7 weeks!!!!

YOU are INVITED to participate in this TOP SECRET ADVENTURE in any or all of the following ways:

* E-mail me your Birthday wishes and thoughts for Ken/Smiley, giving an update on your life and what you are doing now and send a current picture of yourself. I'll print it out and put in a special Birthday Book we are making for him. Please send to me at: missbecky@xmission.com .... do not tell Ken, this is part of the "secret".

* Register to participate in SMILEY's FUN RUN, by sending me an e-mail message (missbecky@xmission.com) with your Chinese name, English name, correct e-mail address and the location (city or area) that you will be in on October 21st to do your "running". I will e-mail you back giving you the name of the contact person in your area. You will need to pay them your "registration fee" which is your "donation" to the SUNSHINE Project. The amount of the fee is whatever you can pay from 7 to 70 RMB. (In honor of Ken's "70th" Birthday, we use the number SEVEN as offen as we can!) People can give any amount they can that ends in seven, for example 7 yuan, 17 yuan, 27 yuan, etc. This "donation" or registration fee tells us they are committed to participating in the FUN RUN. All who successfully finish the seven miles that day will earn a prize.

* Begin your TRAINING now, by "jogging" each day ... except Sunday. We've found that a day of "rest" is really good for the body and I run much better on Mondays when I've rested my body on Sunday. Research also shows the same health benefits for those who do six days of aerobic exercise and those that do seven days. It is also good to "rest" your body the day before the race ... that's what runners do when they run marathons. Record (write down) the miles that you do each day.

* EACH SUNDAY REPORT YOUR TOTAL MILES FOR THE WEEK TO ME ON E-MAIL at: missbecky@xmission.com. I will post an UPDATE each Sunday on my BLOG giving the total number of MILES for both the American and Chinese teams, so you can see what progress we are making toward the Total Goal of 7,000 MILES. Be sure to check my BLOG each week to get the latest information on this project! When you go into my BLOG, go to the listing of Categories on the right hand side of the screen and click on ADVENTURES -- TOP SECRET ... that will be the best way to get the latest update on the project.

* After, finishing the FUN RUN, on October 21st, REPORT the total miles you "ran" that day to me on e-mail OR to your contact person.

* You are welcome to invite other friends to participate, sharing the opportunity and blessings it will bring.

By your participation in this project you will be giving a special

* GIFT to Ken/Smiley, a

* GIFT to the deaf children in Nanjing China, and a

* GIFT of better health and fitness to Yourself.

TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER, HAPPIER PLACE -- KEEP SMILING!!!

P.S. ... Remember to keep this a "secret" from Ken/Smiley

SUNSHINE PROJECT UPDATE

The following report and pictures were sent by Hua Wei, one of the special ladies who has continued to direct the project since we've left China. Thanks to all who have continued to support this effort and bring SUNSHINE into the lives of these children.

GAOCHUN DEAF SCHOOL .... 06/03/06

The Children's Day this year is not on a weekend, so we planned our annual trip to the Deaf School today (06/03/06).

The girl named Lv Xiaohong and the boy who is good at sports, named Wan Qiwang graduated already and was admitted to

a high school for deaf students in Nanjing.

There are more students this year than ever before at Gaochun since the school has now

added more than 10 mentally disabled kids. Altogether there are more than 70 students now in the Gaochun Deaf

School.

This year another PROJECTOR has been placed in the classroom, so there are two projectors now

supported by our Sunshine Project. The teachers praised a lot for these two instruments since they

find them very useful in their teaching.

Another girl supported by the Sunshine Project, named Yang Shuwen, was honored as one of the Ten

Disabled K-12 Students in the Nanjing Region, while one of the 100 Best of Most Excellent K-12 Kids.

The school has three new teachers this year. The kids have some new performance.

 

Deaf Student performing for us.

(From Left to Right: Jing Hong, Bola [student leader] BYU Teachers Mrs. & Mr. Rusts, Hairong, Miss Yuan & Hua Wei)

We have another couple of BYU teachers, the Rusts, to be with us today. They were performing games on the stage and making

dumplings with the kids. Jinghong's daughter, Hairong, who is now a high school student also joined our trip.

And another faculty member, Miss Yuan, form the Network Center of NJU also joined our team.

More students performing ... a new teacher on the right.

Their computer lab really is looking nice, especially compared to what it was like when we started the project.

The school's teachers hope to have another Projector next year from our project, but Jinghong and I are not sure

about our budget. We said we will try to raise more funds and wait until we have enough support. But what

becomes more urgent is that the money from the Hong Kong people is less this year. Anyway we will try to work

hard.

************************************************

This is the end of Hua Wei's report and I would just like to express my thanks to her and all those who traveled to the school and who donated money to the project ... you are making a difference in the lives of these special children. My daughter Kara, who is currently working on a PhD in Education, was able to visit the school last year and she was so impressed with the project. She is giving some support and is encouraging us to continue to support this project, as well.

I have a good project in mind for raising some funds as we each work on becoming more physically fit and "smarter" .... Look on this site for more details to follow.

More about the SUNSHINE Project

An UPDATE on the SUNSHINE Project:

Visit to the School:

On Saturday, April 19th, over 20 NanJing University students, along with some NJU teachers, family members and friends of Ken and Becky Mitchell, the BYU China Teacher at NJU that year, traveled by bus to the Gao Chun Long Xiao School for deaf children.

We took with us a student with computer skills to connect the printer and scanner that we had purchased for the school. He also serviced the computers and promised to return to provide proper care for the computers, on a volunteer basis.

The deaf children led us on a tour of their school and classrooms, we put name tags on all of them, and the University students paired off with the students, communicating in writing and body language.

The deaf students performed for us, and we for them:

We shared lunch, played a variety of games, including baseball, made “rainbow” bracelets with the children and the older children accompanied us on a short field trip in their town.

The above students were some of the ones that we sponsored ... they could not have attended the school without the money we donated to the school.

At this time we discussed with the Director of the school other needs. We were given information sheets on ten deaf children who will not be able to return to the school the next year, unless we could get the money to pay their fees. These fees include their board and room as well as school costs. We also discussed their need for some projectors in the classrooms.

Both the deaf students and the university students had a WONDERFUL experience on April 19th. Before the next Saturday, five of the deaf students had written letters of appreciation to the University students, who have replied and sent pictures, etc. Future visits were being planned.

SARS Prevents Visits . . . Due to the SARS problem, both the NJU and Deaf School campuses were locked down and no other visits were permitted. The students and teacher hope to resume regular visits when the fall semester begins. But the following things have still be accomplished:

Library Started . . . NJU Teachers purchased and sent several new books to the school to begin a little library. Other books will be added at others times:

Ten Students have been sponsored: NJU Students, Teachers, Friends and family members from America and Hong Kong have sent the money to pay the fees for 10 students to attend the school for the next school year. The cost is $175 or 1400RMB.

Future Plans . . .

· After the SARS problem was over the NJU teachers delivered the money and other items, clothes and school supplies, that we had collected to the school. They are continuing to find and purchase some audio-visual equipment for use in their classrooms.

· They will plan with the NJU students future visits to the school for activity days and perhaps bring the older children on a fieldtrip to Nanjing, etc.

· Will continue to communicate with the school director to plan for and purchase needed audio-visual equipment for the school to use.

Our goal: Bringing more SUNSHINE into the lives of these special children.

SUNSHINE PROJECT VISIT -- 2004

SUNSHINE Project Visit – March 13, 2004

Return to China -- In February 2004, Miss Becky and Smiley (Ken) Mitchell returned to China to teach for one semester in Beijing at Peking University. One of the things that make this such a wonderful experience was the opportunity to meet and visit with many of our former students and friends in China.

Visit to Gao Chun School -- The wonderful Nanjing teachers (Hua Wei, Jin Jian, Yang Jinghong, Gao FengHua and student leaders organized a special visit to Gao Chun School in March of 2004. Ken and I took the night train from Beijing to Nanjing and had a wonderful reunion with many special students and friends there. Several helped us prepare materials to take to the deaf students, including puppets and “snowballs.”

Here deaf student shows one of the puppets that the NJU students made and presented to the school.

Here are the 18 students that our project supported this school year -- without the funds we provided, they would not have been able to attend the school this year. Adult and student project leaders are also in the picture.

Note in the picture that many of the students are giving the "sign" for "I Love You". There was lots of LOVE and Sunshine shared that day!!

One of the Teachers demonstrated the projector that our project purchased for the school this year. The teachers all loved it and found it a great teaching tool.

One of the highlights of this visit was getting the school, ONLINE. The NJU computer students got them connected and we paid for DSL service. As you can see here, the students LOVED it. Many of them have continued to communicate via e-mail with their NJU student friends.

(See hand "sign" for "I Love You" on the back wall. Some of the students performed and . . .

The students from a middle school in Nanjing who joined our group performed as well as. This group had raised money and collected clothing to bring to the school.

Everyone liked the performances.

One of our NJU graduate students arranged for a TV station to send a filming crew to cover the story of our visit and the SUNSHINE Project. Here they are interviewing one of the oldest, most talented boys, who is using "sign language" to communicate -- he can speak a little.

This is the entire group of students and visitors.

It was a WONDERFUL day for everyone. We played games, (the students especially liked UNO), did some crafts, played some sports, ate lunch, communicated one on one in writing and made some special friendships. It was the first time for some of the visitors to come to Gaochun school. They were very impressed with the school, especially the children and teachers and many promised to continue to support our project. A special THANKS to all the NJU students and teachers who made this special day possible ... TOGETHER we are able to "make a difference" in the lives of these special children.

Several of the NJU students expressed to me how good it felt to share "sunshine" with others. One of the NJU students who had visited the school the year before, decided to volunteer once a week in Nanjing at a school for deaf students close to her, so it did not take as long to get there. She plays with and "loves" a five year old deaf boy and they have become good friends. She told me, "I feel good when I make someone else happy."

That's the secret of HAPPINESS ... to forget about ourselves and love, serve and care about others ... then HAPPINESS and JOY will come to us!!!

Foreign Teachers Seeded SUN PROJECT

SUNSHINE Project visit to Gao Chun Long Xiao School for deaf children, March 13, 2004:

This Nanjing University journalism student, holds a flower made by the deaf students which was presented to her and the name tags that we used ... note the "smiley face". She wrote the following article about the SUNSHINE Project and our visit for a Chinese Newspaper. She also did the English translation for us, which follows:

Foreign Teachers Seeded “Sun Project”

The Gaochun Special Education School was in the sunshine on Mar. 13th. The students were welcoming the “Sunshine Deputies”, including American teachers Ken Mitchell, Becky Mitchell, Mr. Nielson, Mrs. Claton, and the staff and students from Nanjing University and Nanjing Foreign Language School. People gathered and held a party in the school hall. On the stage, children were singing Seed A Sun by sign language: “I have a wonderful wish, wish I could seed a sun.” Off the stage, the “Sunshine Project” has seeded the sun of love and hope here.

“Sunshine Project” was initiated on Christmas Day, 2002. Associates of “China Teachers Program” of “David M. Kennnedy Center for International Studies” Mr. Ken Mitchell and his wife Becky Mitchell, Mr. Richard Criddle and his wife JoAn Criddle with their Chinese students discussed about doing something for the Chinese children. They raised an amount of money and donated it to the Gaochun Special Education School with the help of NJU teachers Hua Weina, Yang Jinhong, Jin Jian and Gao Fenghua. This benevolence was named “Sunshine Project”. Thanks to the project, over 50 thousand Yuan and some educational devices such as projector, copier, and scanter have been donated to the school; a little Reading Corner has been built up to facilitate the students’ study; 18 students who were initially too poor to go to school could go back to the classroom again. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Criddle also called for help from their relatives and friends after they went back to U.S.A last year. And now more and more warm-hearted people gathered into the “sunshine”. Liu Cui’er, a Hong Kong doctor and many students of Nanjing University and Nanjing Foreign Language School have participated into this activity.

Li Xin, a student majoring in Business Administration at Nanjing University, drew 200 yuan from the National Scholarship she has won and contributed it to the “Sunshine Project”. Zhu Guang, from the Mathematics Department at Nanjing University, has come to the school for the third time. He and his classmate Kong Linhong helped the students set up ADSL to facilitate their surfing the Internet. The students in Class 10, Grade 2 at the Nanjing Foreign Language School has brought lots of books and 400 yuan, and also with their well prepared entertainment programs.

In the hall, every student was wearing a card printed a smiling face and a smiling face ring, which were both made by Miss Becky. She hoped the students could communicate by smiling. Beginning with smile, “Sunshine Deputies” brought out their gifts such as candies and books; their partners presented their self-made Lucky Stars and Paper Roses. When the party reached its peak, Miss Becky played snowballs with the children. The children were so happy, smile on their checks, and sunshine in the hall.

“I love children very much,” said Miss Becky with a smile, a colorful hand made necklace around her neck and several paintings and calligraphic works in her hands. Those were all gifts the disabled students made for her. Miss Beck said, “I will continue to help them till they graduate and become a person useful to the society.” She showed the photos of her family to the students Yang Hui and Lv Xiaohong and said, “I have seven grandchildren, and now I have the eighth and the ninth child. You are the members of our family.” Yang Hui and Lv Xiaohong received the photos and happily took photos with their “foreign grandmother”. Yang Hui expressed “Thank you” and “I love you” by sigh languages. Yang Hui, 20, once wanted to enter the high school but quitted because of financial problems. Now she fortunately became one of the objects of the “Sunshine Project”. She smiled and told her wish, “I want to enter the Nanjing Special Education college to major in designing.” Her dream is to become a fashion designer.

The “Sunshine Project” not only sent sunshine to the disabled students, but left sunshine in the heart of the participators. Zhou Yin, a Politics major at Nanjing University who’s kept in touch with Yang Hui for almost a year, said, “They seldom communicate with the outside world and lack confidence. I hope to spend more time with them and help to build up their confidence.” Wang Jianni, from the Nanjing Foreign Language School said, “I think this activity is meaningful. It makes you learn to help others when you live under a relatively normal condition.”

Mr. Ken also expressed his admiration to the students, “If I could not speak and listen, I would not know what I should do. But they are all so happy and active. I truly admire them.” He expected more people to participate into this project, “I’m happy to see so many students come this year. Maybe there will be more next year. It’s true that every city and every place have this kind of need and we can’t help everyone, but it’s better to help one than to do nothing.”

The “Sunshine Project” has seeded a sun in the Gaochun Special Education School, more care and help from the society are expected, as was sung by the children in the Seed A Sun, “It’s enough to seed one sun, one sun is enough; it will grow many, many suns. And every corner of the world will become warm and bright.”