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20 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday March 7, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Urban builds her own grassroots campaign By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville's Marcela Urban defines grassroots fundraising -- she cares enough about something to do something about it herself. The plight of orphans in Romania outlined on television late last year so touched Urban that she did some research -- lots of research -- collected funds from her neighbours and is raising awareness to benefit the orphans. She is also sending them a care package -- 80 baby outfits she bought herself, mostly warm sleepers -- and hoping others will follow suit. Urban and her husband Michal came to Canada eight years ago from the former Czechoslovakia with their two sons, Michael, 13 and Alex, 9. Their daughter Victoria was born here 14 months ago. "Canada is a great country and we are lucky we can live here. And therefore I think we should help those who are not as lucky. I also decided to help these charities because, in my opinion, an abandoned baby is the saddest thing in the world," said Urban. The mother of three has collected money from her neighbours in southwest Oakville, her son Michael's school, Eastview Public School, and bought baby clothing herself. She has found a local company, Liberty CFS, Inc., to ship her care package, free, and succeeded in asking Rona Lansing, located at 399 Speers Rd., to set up a public donation box for collection of baby products -- new or gentlyused baby clothing, baby care products or toys. The conditions the Romanian children lived in so shocked Urban she is now doing her part to help. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER CARE PACKAGE: Marcela Urban and her daughter Victoria with the clothing and items she has collected to donate to children in Romania. She said she was appalled to learn that some babies lie in cribs in orphanages all day without anyone talking to them or touching them. "There was a message, if you like to help, go to www.romanianchild.org. Since I have a small baby, I decided to help in some way. I started a long search and found two charities working in Romania. I did the fundraising for them before Christmas -- raising $500 and my son persuaded his school to give $100," said Urban. "I would like to thank everybody from my neighbourhood who donated," she said. The charities she donated to run programs for abandonment prevention in maternity hospitals, and provide baby clothes, formula, and diapers in situations where poverty is a factor. One charity also runs two safe homes for babies with disabilities. "I admire the work these charities do -- one of them is running two Safe homes for abandoned babies with disabilities. They have volunteers who go to children's hospitals and orphanages and spend time with the babies and play with them,," said Urban. "Most importantly, they have a program for abandonment prevention in maternity hospitals, where they talk to mothers and persuade them to take their baby home. When there is a danger of abandonment because of poverty, they supply them with baby clothes, formula, diapers etc. They also finance foster care programs trying to place some babies with foster families," said Urban. Urban donated $200 to the Foundation For The Relief Of Disabled Orphans (f.r.o.d.o.) (www.frodokids.org) and its Christmas appeal. The organization provides treatment (typically surgery) to children, living in institutions, because they are orphaned or abandoned. The group is working in Romania and is an umbrella for more than 50 charities working in Romania, providing a voice for those who cannot speak -- (www.romanianchild.org). The $200 bought Christmas presents for children in orphanages and was topped up by another $100 that Eastview Public School's student parliament donated. Urban donated $300 to Romanian Relief, which is running the Safe homes for abandoned children with disabilities, providing care for abandoned babies in hospitals and trying to prevent abandonment by persuading mothers to take their baby home and supplying them with clothes and baby care items if needed. "I have found out that Romania has a very high rate of baby abandonment as the legacy of the past communist regime and because of poverty. Because the country banned international adoptions in 2004, some of those children end up living in institutions without love and often without proper care. If they are in some way disabled or ill, there is zero chance of them being adopted domestically. They often don't learn how to speak or walk even at the age when they should be entering school," said Urban. Romanian Relief, founded in April 2001, is a Romanian charity dedicated to helping underprivileged children and families in Romania. Come Bowling over March Break with family & friends! Win a Pair of Toronto FC Tickets Every Day from March 12th-16th Bowling. "Get a kick out of it" 905.607.2695 3055 Dundas St. W. Mississauga www.classicbowl.com