Treasurer’s Letter, July 2022
Greetings and thank you for visiting our site, It has been too long since we have provided information about us, so I would like to update you about our activity. While the pandemic has slowed us down, we continue with raising funds and sending them to Ghana for new wells.
In 2019, we received word from our partner diocese Goaso, Ghana, that they had reached their goal of sixty wells and wanted to shift our focus to the construction of a high school. We met and concluded that this project was not feasible for us. Around that time, coincidentally, we learned that Fr. John Aduseh Poku from the Konongo-Mampong Diocese in Ghana was being assigned to St. Hugh. Fr. John told us that his diocese also had a large need for clean water, so we now work to support that area.
During 2019, we held our three usual events: distributing piggy banks to the students of St. Hugh; staging a movie night on the school grounds for students and parishioners; and hosting our annual October dinner. The dinner introduced Fr. John to the community and netted $17,000. At the end of the year our bank balance was $51,587, enabling us to continue funding wells in 2020.
During 2020, we completed four additional wells at Oku, Drobonso, Bompa and Benim. Oku was a special project because it was in a swampy area without access to electricity. Not only was solar required, but a second borehole had to be dug to make it work. While this resulted in much greater expense than usual, the need there was also much greater.
Two more wells were authorized and funded in 2021 at Kokoben and Nkwantakese. These were completed in February, 2022. Funds were approved and wired to Ghana in June, 2022, for another two wells. We also held our Lenten piggy bank mission this year, which raised $5,744.
During 2020, 2021, and to date, we have provided $75,987 for our partnership with KonongoMampong. Our bank balance now shows $26,270, so we have the present ability to support several new wells as projects are approved.
In summary, because of your support, we are happy to report that we have completed six wells in Konongo-Mampong with two more funded and in process. We have not held our annual dinner in 2020 or in 2021, so we have less money to support our work. As you read this, consider helping to make up the difference. We are a completely volunteer organization. We pay no salaries and keep expenses to the absolute minimum. We appreciate any help you can give. May God bless you for your interest.
Sincerely yours,
Bob Dudley,
Treasurer, Grove for Ghana