Your Union, the Union of Taxation Employees would like to introduce you to our “Charity of Choice” and ask you to consider making a direct donation or payroll donation to the “International Children’s Awareness” organization through the GCWCC.  The following is an excerpt from their website www.icacanada.org (the website is in English only).

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S AWARENESS (ICA)
CANADA

International Children's Awareness (ICA) Canada is a small, non-profit organization committed to long-term development throughout countries in need. At any given time, ICA has a handful of projects being completed and is working to obtain funding to begin other projects.

ICA projects help small community groups and families in developing nations. ICA works carefully to screen and select projects. Currently all projects are being completed in Cameroon, Ghana and Romania.

The scope of ICA is intentionally "small". We believe this makes us unique:

*ICA focuses on relatively inexpensive projects that are usually overlooked by larger, better known non-profit agencies;

*Our projects range in cost from a couple hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars; regardless whether you're an individual, a small group, or a large organization, there will be a sponsorship choice that is right for you. Furthermore, ICA believes that it's important for kids to get involved with humanitarian projects. Having choices available that are inexpensive provides kids an opportunity to sponsor a project through to fruition and get a sense of accomplishment;

*By focusing on a few projects at a time, ICA can commit to ensuring proper quality control, ensuring that your money is spent effectively;

*Project sponsors have access to complete information and updates about their project.

*ICA is a registered Canadian non-profit organization (Registration # 88785-8660-RR-001). We follow all federal guidelines and contributions are fully tax deductible.

*ICA is staffed entirely by volunteers.

The UTE has funded this organization through donations for the last two years by individual members, resolutions passed by the Presidents Conference and Executive Council, as well as, donations voted on by our members at their Annual General meetings.  We would now like to ask our 26,000 members to also get involved with this worthy organization by diverting their very generous donations through the workplace campaign to ICA Canada.  

Our Presidents Conference has heard and seen the works of this organization from Captain Ed Smith, the brother of one of our Ottawa members, via slides and speeches from him.  He heads up the organization and leads the group to do the work, more specifically each year in Cameroon.  As stated by the Organization, they are staffed entirely by volunteers, which means that 100% of your donation goes towards the projects and not salaries or administration costs. 

Knowing that it also takes person power to make these projects happen, as well as money, the UTE recently passed the following resolution:

Be it resolved that UTE:

• Create a line item in our budget for the “ICA International Fund” ~$10,000 including promotional items;
• Make an annual donation of $500 to ICA;
• Request our members to use the United Way to direct some or all of their donation to ICA
• Sponsor a student who wants to go with Captain Smith to Africa.  This would be approximately $5000 and the Honours and Awards Committee would solicit names and pick the person;
• Subsidize a member with $2500 to go with Captain Smith to Africa
• Develop a joint promotional item(s) with ICA and a portion of the sales would go to ICA. 

The UTE Honours and Awards Committee will be detailing how our volunteers will be chosen very shortly.

At this time, I ask that you consider donating to this very worthy organization through the current and future GCWC campaigns.

In Solidarity,

Betty Bannon
National President, UTE

ABOUT UTE'S SPONSORSHIP OF A STUDENT & SUBSIDIZING OF A MEMBER TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S AWARENESS CANADA:

During the recent September 2006 Executive Council meeting, recommendations from the Executive Committee were presented and adopted unanimously by the Council.  The recommendations are as follows:

• That the Union of Taxation Employees each year sponsor a student to accompany Captain Smith of the International Children’s Awareness (ICA) and his team to Africa to assist in the job of bringing fresh water to the villages of Africa.   The funding for this has been estimated at $5000.00.  The trip is usually in February.
  

• That we also subsidize a member in good standing of the Union of Taxation Employees with $2500.00 to also go to Africa and assist in this work.
  

• That we develop a joint promotional item(s) with ICA with a portion of the sales going to ICA.
  

• That UTE make an annual donation to ICA of $500.00, and encourage our members to use the United Way to direct some or all of their personal donations to the ICA.
  

To cover the funds that the Union of Taxation would be using for the above initiatives, we have created a new line item in the budget of $10,000 called “The ICA International Fund”.

I would like to now give you some guidelines and requirements for the sponsoring of the student and the subsidizing of a member.

Both the student and the member must be at least 18 years of age or older and have an up to date Passport.  They must receive all of the required inoculations prior to leaving for Africa and will be required to sign a waiver with the Union of Taxation Employees, exempting the Union of any liability for accidents or injuries that may occur.   There may also be certain paperwork that is required by ICA.

All applications must be sent to the Honours and Awards Committee by November 30^th of each year, along with an essay of why you would like to be a part of Captain Smith’s ICA team to Africa and the International Children’s Awareness projects. 

For 2006, the applications should be sent by e-mail to duncans@ute-sei.org  by fax to 613-234-7290 or by mail at UTE National Office, Honours and Awards Committee, 233 Gilmour Street, Suite 800, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0P2.

For further information on what activities you would be involved with on the project, you can email Captain Smith at  Smith.erc@forces.gc.ca.

In Solidarity,

Terry D. Dupuis
Chair,
Honours and Awards Committee