From the Band
More...From the Band
Dispatchers-
October 2008. Looks like Fall is finally upon us.
A new season means it's probably time to give your wardrobe a little jolt. Head over to the Official Dispatch Store and check out our 2 new t-shirt designs, a little teaser for what we'll be bringing you this Holiday Season.
As you are also aware, it's almost election time. We hope you've been paying attention to all of the coverage these past few months and educating yourselves about the candidates. Needless to say, this is the biggest election of our generation and we all need to get out there and VOTE! Registering to vote could not be easier, and deadlines are fast approaching. Visit our friends at Headcount.org to register and get information about absentee voting. We'll see you at the polls November 4!
Finally, be sure to check out all the guys while they're on tour this fall. Find tour dates for Braddigan as he tours thoughout the US, as well as overseas in Laos and Vietnam, Pete Francis, who will be out with Keaton Simons, and State Radio, out with Bongo Love on the Take the Country Back tour.
Until next time,
**TEAM DISPATCH**
From the Foundation
The Latest News From Zimbabwe
On September 15, the Zimbabwean government and the opposition party signed a power-sharing agreement. With this agreement, the ruling party will retain the Presidency, while the opposition leader will become Prime Minister. This will ensure freedom of expression and aims to prevent further political violence. Currently, the two parties are at an impasse and unable to agree on cabinet members. The mediator of the agreement, Thabo Mbeki, has resigned as President of South Africa. Once a new government is formed, the U.S. and the European Union have promised substantial financial support to rebuild the country.
Inflation has surpassed 11 million percent. This past Monday, higher denomination bank notes were introduced and limits increased on daily cash withdrawals. The South African currency, the Rand, is becoming the currency of choice.
There are reports that schools have no teachers and students have been asked to stay home. In the south, school fees were increased from $50 a term to $1,500.
USAID is projecting an extreme food shortage this fall and expects the country to run out of cereals by early November. Read the entire report here.
Our Work
Manuel has returned to Harare and is working with a speech therapist. He is making great progress. He is walking and communicating in Shona. Elias is incredibly proud of the progress and so grateful for your support!
One of our supported organizations, the Elias Fund, is traveling with Bongo Love on tour for the next two months. Through October, Bongo Love will be opening for State Radio. Follow the travels of the guys at the blog of events.
SocialVibe
The Dispatch Foundation has partnered with SocialVibe to help raise money and awareness for Zimbabwe. Sign up to get started and choose The Dispatch Foundation as your cause, then recruit all your friends at school. Here’s the deal - the High School that recruits the most new members to SocialVibe by November 15th will receive a check for $10,000. So, sign up at SocialVibe and download the badges to your social networking pages – Facebook, MySpace, iLike, etc. Every time someone clicks on your page, you raise money for the Dispatch Foundation.
And, the Dispatch Foundation is offering incentives to fans who raise the most money. The prizes include free VIP tickets, meet and greets with band members, and merchandise so please sign up and see what you can do!
**TEAM DISPATCH**
