[meteorite-list] Russell's meteorites - presentation

From: STUARTATK_at_aol.com <STUARTATK_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:32:08 2004
Message-ID: <91.38377871.2d42b307_at_aol.com>

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Hi all,

Firstly, apologies for not telling you all about this sooner; it's just been
a crazy week with all the drama on and around Mars, my phone's never stopped
ringing with schools asking me to give them talks featuring all the latest news
from Beagle, Spirit, Opportunity and Mars Express. But finally, a week after
the big day, I have a chance to tell you about the presentation to Russell of
his meteorites last Friday afternoon.

It was a wonderful afternoon. Armed with a bag bulging full of meteorites
from the people on this List I arrived at the school an hour before the arranged
1pm visit of local press reporter and photographer, and who was the first
person I saw in the school lobby? Russell himself. And it was quite a shock. Last
time I saw him, in November, he looked very ill indeed - pale skin, slumped,
very ill looking... but the *new* Russell is a picture of health in comparison
- much healthier complexion, eyes much brighter and, best of all, a huge,
beaming smile :-) Still in his wheelchair, but much, much happier, and he greeted
me with a cheery hello and big grin when he saw the bag slung over my
shoulder. We had a quick chat, then I went to wait in the staff room with the
teachers. All twelve teachers in the school are female, so it wasn't too much of an
ordeal waiting... :-)

Eventually the photographer arrived, and we did a photo-shoot for the local
papers - the school, and Russell's parents, having been very keen to get
Russell in the paper as part of his therapy, cheering him up and encouraging his
recovery etc - which went very, very well. Russell was a real trouper, holding up
meteorites for the camera and beaming proudly and happily even tho he was
getting rather tired by the end of it. The photographer actually had him
*laughing* as he took his pics, joined by myself for a couple, then a couple of his
friends, and finally the Head Teacher (US = Principal) who was literally having
to hold back tears she was so moved by it all, and by Russell's changed
spirit. Then my reporter friend Andrea arrived, and interviewed Russell for ten
minutes or so - and all the time he refused to put down the meteorites, I'm sure
he's still holding them right now...

With all the media stuff done, we - that's myself, Russell, the head teacher
and other teachers - went up the corridor and into a large nearby classroom so
I could speak to the rest of the kids in the school, explaining to them how
all these amazing meteorites had come in for Russell from all around the world.
He sat on the sidelines, still smiling, still clutching his precious gifts,
and at the end all the other kids gave him a huge round of applause and crowded
round him to look at his new treasures, leaving one of the red-eyed teachers
to mouth me a silent "thank you"...

...but that thank you was appropriate for all the people who sent meteorites
to Russell, not for me, all I did was take in the mail. So, thanks guys, good
job.

In the past week, Russell's story has been featured in several local papers,
which has, I'm told, cheered him up and energised him even more. If anyone
would like to see a copy of the photo (just excuse my ugly mug in it, I asked
them NOT to use one of me, keep it just about Russell, but I don't know, maybe
the others didn't come out or something... ) and the article which accompanied
it, please email me and I'll send copies as attachments. I can't put them on my
website because it's playing up, but I'll happily pass on scans to anyone who
wants to see them.

The head teacher has asked me to pass on her personal thanks and best wishes
to everyone who was so generous with their time and meteorite collections,
too. I passed on the letters to Russell too, and I know he is planning to write
to everyone who sent him something, but don't hold your breath, he's still ill
and his days are rather full with various treatments, therapies etc... Just
keep an eye on your (e) mail boxes, one day there'll be a note there, you'll
see.

So, there you go. Russell has his meteorites, and everyone who sent one
should feel very, very proud that they helped make a very sick little boy smile
again.

Thanks everyone,

Stu

P.S. On a more personal note, people who've generously sent me samples and
specimens for my own Outreach work will, I hope, be pleased to hear that they
are all on display in a local museum right now, as build-up publicity for my
astronomical society's huge "MARS DAY" exhibition event next Saturday. Thanks
guys. - S

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Hi all,<BR>
<BR>
Firstly, apologies for not telling you all about this sooner; it's just been=
 a crazy week with all the drama on and around Mars, my phone's never stoppe=
d ringing with schools asking me to give them talks featuring all the latest=
 news from Beagle, Spirit, Opportunity and Mars Express. But finally, a week=
 after the big day, I have a chance to tell you about the presentation to Ru=
ssell of his meteorites last Friday afternoon.<BR>
<BR>
It was a wonderful afternoon. Armed with a bag bulging full of meteorites fr=
om the people on this List I arrived at the school an hour before the arrang=
ed 1pm visit of local press reporter and photographer, and who was the first=
 person I saw in the school lobby? Russell himself. And it was quite a shock=
. Last time I saw him, in November, he looked very ill indeed - pale skin, s=
lumped, very ill looking... but the *new* Russell is a picture of health in=20=
comparison - much healthier complexion, eyes much brighter and, best of all,=
 a huge, beaming smile :-) Still in his wheelchair, but much, much happier,=20=
and he greeted me with a cheery hello and big grin when he saw the bag slung=
 over my shoulder. We had a quick chat, then I went to wait in the staff roo=
m with the teachers. All twelve teachers in the school are female, so it was=
n't too much of an ordeal waiting... :-)<BR>
<BR>
Eventually the photographer arrived, and we did a photo-shoot for the local=20=
papers - the school, and Russell's parents, having been very keen to get Rus=
sell in the paper as part of his therapy, cheering him up and encouraging hi=
s recovery etc - which went very, very well. Russell was a real trouper, hol=
ding up meteorites for the camera and beaming proudly and happily even tho h=
e was getting rather tired by the end of it. The photographer actually had h=
im *laughing* as he took his pics, joined by myself for a couple, then a cou=
ple of his friends, and finally the Head Teacher (US =3D Principal) who was=20=
literally having to hold back tears she was so moved by it all, and by Russe=
ll's changed spirit. Then my reporter friend Andrea arrived, and interviewed=
 Russell for ten minutes or so - and all the time he refused to put down the=
 meteorites, I'm sure he's still holding them right now...<BR>
<BR>
With all the media stuff done, we - that's myself, Russell, the head teacher=
 and other teachers - went up the corridor and into a large nearby classroom=
 so I could speak to the rest of the kids in the school, explaining to them=20=
how all these amazing meteorites had come in for Russell from all around the=
 world. He sat on the sidelines, still smiling, still clutching his precious=
 gifts, and at the end all the other kids gave him a huge round of applause=20=
and crowded round him to look at his new treasures, leaving one of the red-e=
yed teachers to mouth me a silent "thank you"... <BR>
<BR>
...but that thank you was appropriate for all the people who sent meteorites=
 to Russell, not for me, all I did was take in the mail. So, thanks guys, go=
od job. <BR>
<BR>
In the past week, Russell's story has been featured in several local papers,=
 which has, I'm told, cheered him up and energised him even more. If anyone=20=
would like to see a copy of the photo (just excuse my ugly mug in it, I aske=
d them NOT to use one of me, keep it just about Russell, but I don't know, m=
aybe the others didn't come out or something... ) and the article which acco=
mpanied it, please email me and I'll send copies as attachments. I can't put=
 them on my website because it's playing up, but I'll happily pass on scans=20=
to anyone who wants to see them. <BR>
<BR>
The head teacher has asked me to pass on her personal thanks and best wishes=
 to everyone who was so generous with their time and meteorite collections,=20=
too. I passed on the letters to Russell too, and I know he is planning to wr=
ite to everyone who sent him something, but don't hold your breath, he's sti=
ll ill and his days are rather full with various treatments, therapies etc..=
. Just keep an eye on your (e) mail boxes, one day there'll be a note there,=
 you'll see. <BR>
<BR>
So, there you go. Russell has his meteorites, and everyone who sent one shou=
ld feel very, very proud that they helped make a very sick little boy smile=20=
again. <BR>
<BR>
Thanks everyone,<BR>
<BR>
Stu<BR>
<BR>
P.S. On a more personal note, people who've generously sent me samples and s=
pecimens for my own Outreach work will, I hope, be pleased to hear that they=
 are all on display in a local museum right now, as build-up publicity for m=
y astronomical society's huge "MARS DAY" exhibition event next Saturday. Tha=
nks guys. - S</FONT></HTML>

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Received on Fri 23 Jan 2004 12:25:27 PM PST