Thanks to dahamsta for letting this fly. I'll be brief and concise (quite a departure for me).
As most posters know I work in sports and am based mostly (now) in Russia. Last year I finally found out where my little girl goes to school (kindergarden) and the Director and staff there were excellent in letting me know how she is getting on (that she loves sports, is athletic and a voracious reader made me pretty happy). As it goes in Russia you normally have to bung them something, but the people there were really decent and so I promised to help them as I could with getting sports equipment and gear for the school. Some I got 2nd hand (or unused/new) from contacts here and in Europe. We got a donation from the FAI and Umbro, plus footballs, cones and goalposts from the local club (who I work with). They cater for kids from 2-7/8 and are in a pretty underfunded sector of the city.
Getting cash donations is all but impossible and the local government did their bit by painting part of the school and cleaning the little swimming pool and making it functional again (it'd been out of operation for 10 years) - it was down to some arm twisting before the last government elections here.
So to get some cash in I figured to e-publish a manuscript I'd written years ago when I was living between Germany and Dundalk. It's basically about a school football team and is a mix of stories from trips to Europe I or team mates took in 1986-88. Anyone who went to a certain North Dublin City school (close to the dead centre of Dublin) will know immediately the teachers involved.
Anyway, if anyone wants to buy a copy, or even spread the word/links, it would be terrific.
Just before anyone asks:
It can be downloaded or read online
I've put 2 links - the US site and the UK site (anyone in Ireland has to use the US site) - anyone in Germany, France, Italy, Spain will be directed to the appropriate Amazon site.
The kindergarden is number 229 in Novy gorod, Ulyanovsk, Russia (where Lenin is from)
There are 2 funds - the kindergarden itself and it's KidSport fund
50% of all that comes in goes to the 2 above funds
50% is split between my daughter, Annalisa (for a savings account) and my son Timur (likewise)
And finally, for any other questions I'll pm or email references in the city government, or english speakers involved with the school.
ps If things continue to go well with this first part, the 2nd part will have prizes for purchasers - including courtside tickets for the US Open 2012 (basically player tickets), signed tennis gear and a signed shirt (probably washed first) from Lokomotiv Moscow.
Thanks All, Spud
28/04/2012, 1:12 PM
Spudulika
I can't seem to edit this post, though in response to 3 emails:
1. It's 2.99e, $3.85, I can't find the price in sterling but I believe it's close to 2stg.
2. Yes, there's a 2nd part which will go out in June and will be about 2.40e (the 3rd part won't be until September/October).
3. It is great to have a review posted up, whether on Amazon, here or elsewhere, good or bad, once it gets something for the kids I don't mind.
End of the work week here now (Saturday is a working day because of the virtual weeks holiday we have coming up), though it's only kicking off as we have a glut of clients in for a tournament this week. Not fun.
