TMPI Officers |
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President & International Director |
Lucy Sumner |
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Vice President |
Gary Schulze |
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Treasurer |
Keni Kallon |
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Secretary |
Barbara DePirro Fishon |
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Board of Directors |
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Dr. Debra Kalabza - Balsamo |
Jane E, Evans |
Dr. Marianne McCreery |
Joan E. Nickels |
James Sheahan |
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| Our Mission Statement |
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The Magic Penny, Inc. is a New York State 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization created to provide financial support for educational, economic and agricultural programs in the Bompehtoke area of Sierra Leone, West Africa.
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| The Primary Objectives and Goals of TMPI are: |
- to fund and sustain support for primary school children in rural communities of Sierra Leone;
- to fund and sustain support for small scale capital projects, such as improving health care, drilling of drinking water wells, and promoting community gardening for producing fresh and healthy food crops:
- to fund and sustain support for rural electrification projects.
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| Above: Former Sierra Leone President Kabbah shown with The Magic Penny President and International Director Lucy Sumner and The Magic Penny vice-president Gary Schulze. [September 2005] |
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 LUCY SUMNER
Lucy Sumner was born and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa. After graduating from the Harford Secondary School for Girls, she came to the United States to study at Lebanon Valley College, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She subsequently earned a Master of Music Education degree from Howard University and a Master of Social Sciences from Long Island University.
During her years at Lebanon Valley College, Lucy came across the lyrics of The Magic Penny in her music methods class, and they have since served as inspiration for her. Over the years, she has taught the song to her general music classes. When her native country erupted into civil war, she was again inspired by those lyrics to found The Magic Penny, Inc.
Mrs. Sumner is currently President of the Harford Alumnae Association- New York/New Jersey Chapter, Chairman of the Caulker Descendants’ Foundation, Inc., member of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), Retired United Teachers of Harborfields (RUTH), and Founder, and President of the Magic Penny, Inc.
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 GARY SCHULZE
Gary Schulze served in the first Peace Corps group that went to Sierra Leone in 1962. He taught history at the Albert Academy and served as acting curator of the Sierra Leone National Museum in Freetown. While at the museum, he commissioned the statue of the Temne warrior Bai Bureh which later appeared on the Le. 2,000 banknote. He also made the replica of the DeRuiter Stone which is still on display at the museum.
Mr. Schulze returned to Sierra Leone in 1996 as a United Nations Election Observer for Sierra Leone’s first democratic Presidential & Parliamentary Elections.
His collection of African art is currently on display at the Queensborough Community College Art Gallery in Bayside, NY. The exhibition of over 200 masks and figures is titled: Patrons & Artists in Traditional African Art: African Sculpture from the Gary Schulze Collection.
Mr. Schulze works for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City where he serves on the Counter-Terrorism Task Force.
JOAN E. NICKELS
Mrs. Nickels graduated from the State University at Fredonia, New York with Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Music Education, and Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus with a Professional Diploma in Educational Administration.
A retired music educator in New York State, she is currently a board member of The Magic Penny Inc., a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the Retired United Teacher’s of Harborfields (RUTH) where she served as secretary 2001 -2003, the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association and the Huntington Historical Society. She is also a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
While teaching, Mrs. Nickels was a member of the Music Educator's National Conference (MENC), New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), Suffolk County Music Educator's Association (SCMEA), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and Phi Delta Kappa.
Mrs. Nickels is a founding member of The Magic Penny, Inc. and served as the Chairperson from 2003 - 2006.
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KENI KALLON
Keni Kallon is a native of Sierra Leone. After graduating from the University of Illinois and New York University Stern School of Business, he embarked on a long business career as a market research analyst with the Ciba-Geigy corporation, manager of strategic planning with the Hoffmann-La Roche Corporation and a variety of staff and management positions in a 25 year career in IBM Finance, culminating in the position of Program Manager in IBM Global Finance. He is currently serving as treasurer of The Magic Penny, Inc.
Keni is married and has two grown sons. He resides in Stamford, Connecticut with his wife.
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 JAMES V. SHEAHAN:
Retired director of community and state government relations for Siemens Corporation, Jim previously served as director of communications and public relations for Siemens Energy & Automation, Atlanta, Georgia. Earlier in his career, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa; as a lobbyist and publicist for MGM Films; as director of public relations for U. S. Industries, Inc., in New York City. Jim is active in several local and national organizations and serves on the boards of the Friends of Sierra Leone, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, the Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers, MedShare International and is a past Chairman of the Emory University Public Affairs Advisory Council. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and English from Providence College and a Master of Arts in History and Government from Boston College.
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