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Grameen Foundation : Get involved : Friendraise : Volunteer Stories

Volunteer Stories

Volunteer Kevin Gormley

In improv comedy, one never knows where the scene will go next.

Big Laughs for Small Loans

On April 5, 2007, Grameen Foundation supporter Kevin Gormley organized the “Laugh and Learn Comedy Night,” an event that featured a talk on microfinance given by GF president Alex Counts, a comedy show, and a reception featuring Bangladeshi food. Over 100 people gathered at The Comedy Spot theatre in Arlington, Virginia for the night to learn more about microfinance and poverty reduction.

About ten Grameen Foundation staff attended the performance, mingling with the audience as they sampled Bangladeshi food and answered questions about microfinance. Grameen Foundation newsletters and other materials were distributed so that people could learn more. Liz Demery, owner of the Comedy Spot, said that she was “happy to help a good cause” and was impressed by the turnout. All proceeds from the event went toward the Grameen Foundation, raising a total of $1000 by the evening’s end. Read more of Kevin's story.

3 Peaks Challenge Participants

Taking on the 3 Peaks Challenge

On June 15-16, 2007, a team of 11 hardy souls from Learning Tree International completed the “3 Peaks Challenge” to raise money for the Grameen Foundation in memory of a colleague, Dave Williams, who passed away on December 14, 2006, after a lifetime of doing what he could to make his part of the world a better place.

One of the most well-known and toughest challenges in Britain, “3 Peaks” involves ascending the three highest peaks in the UK, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales, requiring a total of more than 10,000 feet of climbing within a time as close to 24 hours as possible. The group at Learning Tree was eager for the challenge and, inspired by the memory of their colleague, the team donated every penny raised to support the work of the Grameen Foundation, one of Dave Williams’ favorite charities. The type of contribution made by the Grameen Foundation made perfect sense to Dave - helping people to help themselves escape from poverty.

Participants in the “3 Peaks Challenge” included: Nick Purcell, Tom Holt, Richard Chappell, Daniel Valente, Richard Nunns, Rob Hildred, David Orledge, Colin Howell, Steve Lynch, Robin Johnston and Daniel Ayton. We would like to thank Learning Tree International, a world leader in hands-on training for management and technology professionals, for their efforts and support.

Engaging Communities in Boston

I selected and helped organize and publicize a diverse group of events, starting with a dynamic presentation by Mr. Counts at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Weston. After surveying the large downtown, socially-active churches in Boston, I was also able to secure an engagement at First Church in Boston Unitarian Universalist, where Mr. Counts was the featured speaker during the Sunday morning sermon. Building on those earlier connections, in June 2007, I organized a dance event at Arlington Street Church in Boston in celebration of Grameen Foundation’s 10th anniversary, made possible by the efforts of Social Action Committee Chair Laura Pattison. I’m very glad I decided to get involved, and have the satisfaction of knowing I’m helping spread the word about Grameen Foundation to an interested and active audience here in Boston.

Read more about Marian's volunteer story and download our toolkit to see how easy it is for you to get involved too!

Grameen Foundation : Get involved : Friendraise : Volunteer Stories