Gunner Inglorious

Last November 29, 2008 a gathering of friends, family and college scholars trooped to Bantayog ng Bayani to watch and enjoy the Gunner Inglorious.

Quite a different experience - to watch 1 man tell the life-story of a world war 2 veteran who at that time was mere 22 years old. He told the story in an animated way and he did paint quite clearly the different emotions and scenarios by mere acting on his own with a chair on a side. I was so caught up with the story that I did not notice that time was almost over! The live performance took the audience to experience the events as they occur – the squalor, the agony, the futility of war, but also the ability of the human spirit to find humour and heroism in the midst of adversity.

Thank you to all the sponsors who gave 20 college scholars the chance to watch the show. The scholars came from Pathways to Education and the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's Scholars Program for Indigenous People's Youth.

And thank you Michael for sharing your gifts of energy and creativity to us. May God continue to bless you!!

see more pictures here
About the Artist -

Michael Burton is a playwright and he wrote the one-man show of Gunner Inglorious after reading the book written almost 50 years earlier. He has also written and performed Being Beethoven in New Zealand.

He had series of workshops on TRANSFORMATIVE SPEECH as a tool for self-transformation held recently at Institute for Steiner Ideas in Practice (I.S.I.P.)

A View from the Heart

Last November 8, 2008 we had our MADAGASCAR project held at TRINOMA. It was a celebration of kinship and friendship - many borne out of personal history and affiliation. But the web of support weaved from these relationships for The Kolisko School and the children were borne from each one's heart, moved by the call to help.

The 200+ children and their teachers/guide/parents from partner communities were there because of the choices people made to help. Thank you for those choices...you have blessed the children and The Kolisko School.

Special Thanks to the Ninong and Ninang of The Kolisko School -

World Chicken
Theresa & Chris Bech's Bobon Beach Resort (Bobon, Eastern Samar)
Roberto Dumaual
Jose Sevilla and Liwanag Candles
Navarro Family

And A BIG HEART-FILLED THANK YOU to the the Ninong and Ninang of the children -

Assumption HS Batch 1982 (Chiqui, Connie, Tinet, Michelle M., Michelle G, Beth, Marissa)
Lazatin Family (Mela and her sisters)
Philamcare Information Techonology Group
Nancy's RRJ Apparel
DLS-CSB SDEAS and COSCA friends (Matt, Dhonn, Oca, Toni, Ria, Ferdi, Bobby Du, Tin, Candy & Alfie)
PAGASA Friends (Chiqui, Paula, Bob, Jason)
TeamEnergy Friends (Ethel, Cathy, Atty Factor, Joyce, Ambo)
Atty Grace Andres
PJ Construction
Marissa Raquiza
Margie Tajon
Atty Rose Alberto
George Chiu

Carol Mercado

Arlene Artajo

Gayia Beyer

Pogs Yalung and Friends
Dr. Elmer and Helen Fernando
Friends of Malou & Robert Medrano (Dr. Tere, Camara, Dr. V, Arlene)
Hannah Arena and her friends (Cherry, Geoff, Ms. Ui, Bluethumb team, Lloydee)
Friends of Noemi Jara (Kenny, Romi, Sam, Mildred, Henry)
Tes and Ed Sobeng
Simon and Izza Pascual

The happy children and their parents/guides/teachers came from the following partner communities and organizations -

HOPE Worldwide Foundation
KIDS Foundation
BATINO Elementary School (Deaf Program)
Bo. Obrero Elementary School (Deaf and exceptional children)
Laura Vicuan Drop-in center for streetchildren
Drop-in Center for streetchildren managed by Don Bosco Salesian Sisters

Special thanks to all the family and friends of KoFE and The Kolisko School who all helped to make this project successful. The strength of numbers only made a difference because each one of you took to heart the call. Thank you.

Thanks to Allan Velasco and Jason Quiones. Your pictures will make it possible for the children to reach their ninongs and ninangs. You may find them here

Again, thank you to all our friends and family, our ninongs and ninangs. Writing this message made me feel once again the heartwarming kindness that overflowed those weeks of searching that made November 8 a truly special day for all of us. Thank you sooo much for giving each of us the chance to be blessed by God through you. May you be blessed, always.

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To celebrate the National Heroes Day 2008, KoFE will be hosting Gunner Inglorious a one-man performance of Michael Burton. This show is based on a personal account of Jim Henderson, war veteran and novelist, who at age 22 served as a gunner sent to fight for his country in the 2^nd World War. This one-man-play has been performed a total of 106 times mostly in New Zealand, and the last three performances shown recently in Davao. This unique performance takes the audience to live through the events as they occur – the squalor, the agony, the futility of war, but also the ability of the human spirit to find humour and heroism in the midst of adversity.

The benefit show will be on the eve of National Heroes Day November 29, 2008, Saturday at Bantayog ng mga Bayani at 230pm and 430pm. Come and join us as we give honor to those who have been casualties of war and serve as a prayer for peace and the abolition of warfare. Email admin.kolisko.school@gmail.com or text 0917-6048725