Crafts for a Cause seeks Millerton fundraiser venue

MILLERTON — The COVID-19 virus has shut down many things, but not the generous hearts of retired Webutuck Central School District teachers John and Jean Roccanova of Ancramdale, as they quietly continue their work to help the community of Nambale in Busian County in Kenya while expanding their efforts to support needs closer to home. Now their Crafts for a Cause sale, held annually in the village of Millerton, at which John sells his custom-made wood crafts to help Kenyan schoolchildren through important programs, is looking for a new home. 

In normal circumstances, these two retired educators, who have raised $71,000 during the past 11 years, would continue to center their efforts on improving education in the economically challenged area in Kenya. But in speaking of their nonprofit this past week, John said in addition to providing help where needed nearby, “the immediate focus of Grow Against Poverty is the predicted famine that could affect the region because of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“Three-thousand dollars was sent to Grow Against Poverty-Kenya in June that helped purchase maize flour, rice, mung beans, soap, face-masks, a community hand-washing station and jembes (hoes) for 103 families, many who live on less than $1 a day,” he said. “Over 700 people were impacted by this donation.”

While recognizing that it is currently more difficult to raise funds to be sent overseas as so many are in need close to home, John added that just days ago, “a generous anonymous donation” combined with funds raised by the sale of his handmade woodcrafts, was sent “to purchase seeds, fertilizers and grain storage bags for the upcoming ‘short rains’ planting season. Families will also receive maize flour, rice and mung beans. The goal is to reach 1,000 people.”

The charitable work was recognized in an article John wrote for the “Shoptalk” section of the August 2020 issue of Woodworker’s Journal. In the magazine, he wrote, “Classrooms have been built and we’ve outfitted a 12-station computer room. We’ve started a meal program, which is now community-funded, and we’ve planted school organic gardens as well as tree seedling nurseries. These will soon become self-sustaining.”

A major achievement of the charity was the donation of 50 bicycles, helmets and safety vests to the Pedal Power for Kenya Education program. Students, many of whom must rise at 4 a.m. to make the 5 to 6 mile journey to school, were able to borrow the equipment before the school had to close due to the pandemic this spring. Schools aren’t scheduled to reopen until 2021 due to the health crisis. 

The program has resulted in better attendance and has led, in part, to seven of the students being accepted into university programs, up from four the previous year. Its success has inspired other schools in the Kenya region to try to implement similar programs.

In order to fund the program, John continues to create a number of beautiful and dramatic handmade items in his woodshop — large and small — from community donations of raw materials and other supplies. Those are sold at an annual Crafts for a Cause event held in the village of Millerton, which usually takes place in the late fall. For many years, the fundraiser took place at the historic one-room Irondale Schoolhouse at the Main Street trail head entrance of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Last year, the sale extended to a month-long event culminating on Christmas Eve thanks to cafe owner Pete Hathaway’s generous donation of the use of his storefront on South Center Street, which is now closed.

While John is not sure of what form fundraising activities will take this year, as the coming months continue to be uncertain at this time of COVID-19, he is hopeful someone in the Millerton area might provide a similar venue for the nonprofit’s use.

For more information about Grow Against Poverty’s work, or to donate, go to www.growagainstpoverty.wixsite.com/kenya or www.globalgiving.org/projects/pedal-power-for-kenyan-education/. To reach the Roccanovas, call 518-329-2021.