WELCOME TO PROPER WALK & SAFARI 2025
Thank you for your interest in the Makindu Children's Program's signature fundraiser, PROPER WALK & SAFARI. Led by Michael Farley, the following travelers are raising funds for the children of Makindu and will embark on this 17th Adventure for a Cause in July. Your donations will help feed, educate and care for hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children in eastern Kenya. The travelers will meet, eat, dance and play with the kids at the Children's Center. They will also do a Service Project Day repairing and painting benches, and planting seedlings in the shamba.
To support your traveler and the children of Makindu:
- Select DONATION AMOUNT below or to the right
- Click WHICH TRAVELER DO YOU SUPPORT? and select from the automated dropdown menu
- Click the green button NEXT
- Choose payment type and provide prompted information
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE 2025 TRAVELERS:
Anne Bennett Morrissette is a dedicated fundraiser for the Makindu Children's Program and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. As a mother of two, she understands the importance of nurturing and supporting children in need. With a passion for creativity, she enjoys drawing painting, and has even earned a private pilot's license, all while making time for morning jogs. In 2012, she had planned to participate in the Proper Walk for the Makindu Children's Program but was unable to do so. During that time, she created a heartfelt painting of one of the orphans, and prints were made to raise funds for the program. The original was sent to Makindu. Anne is thrilled to finally embark on this adventure to visit the children and continue supporting their growth and well-being.
Anne & Wes Newsome are the niece and nephew-in-law of Michael Farley. Anne grew up listening to Uncle Mike"s stories of Africa and Kenyan music. There has always been a plan to visit Makindu and always a reason that is it not the right time to go. College, medical school, weddings, children. They realized that life does not slow down and the time to go is now. In between children and work, Wes got this experience in 2017 on the Proper Safari. This year they will travel together on this adventure of fundraising and service. Anne and Wes live in North Carolina with their 3 daughters.
Catherine Fleischmann is traveling to Makindu for a second time. She currently practices retirement in Davis, West Virginia. The Makindu Children’s Program has a huge space in her heart. The Adventure for a Cause checks off many boxes for truly living a best life.
Dean Hocking was born and raised in Clarkston, Michigan. He received his undergraduate degree at Arizona State University and then moved to Boulder, Colorado to complete a postgraduate degree in oriental medicine. He currently resides in Charlottesville, Va, alongside his two sisters and mother. Dean works at Eventide Event Rentals, the sister company of the Catering Outfit located in Charlottesville. He enjoys hiking in the blue Ridge Mountains, rock climbing and tinkering with vintage sports cars. The 2025 Proper Walk will be Dean’s second experience with the Makindu Children’s Program. He looks forward to
participating in many more walks in the years come.
Francisca Beer, born and raised in Belgium, has roots in Congo, a connection she explored during her teenage years spent in Congo. Francisca is a Finance Professor at California State University, San Bernardino. She combines her love for travel with her passion for women's development in Africa. . She has supported many student trips to Tanzania and Ghana. Last year, she was invited to Cameroon to provide a seminar on economics. Her travels have taken her across Europe, Asia, and Africa, always aiming to make a difference
Jane Callen, MA, MSW, LCSW-C, is a private-practice therapist in Bethesda, MD, specializing in trauma and grief. She volunteers in hospice and as a first responder, and is a Commissioner of Fire & Emergency Services. She also runs a weekly, year-round farm market with the goals of supporting local farmers and small, minority- and women-owned businesses. Jane enjoys spending time with her family, dogs, and in nature. She loves reading poetry and dancing with friends, which led her to Makindu, through Tom Marvel - a great friend and dancer. She is super excited about joining the Makindu effort.
Janine Colli
ns lives in Danville, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works at Kaiser Permanente in the Human Resources organization. She currently serves on the boards of Tri Valley Animal Rescue and Blue Star Moms. Janine is married to Scott and has a son and daughter. Andrew is in the US Army and Claire is in college. When she is not working and volunteering she likes to travel, garden and go to the opera.
Jolene Redvale is a neurodiverse and passionate educator, who facilitates learning experiences for all ages, especially with a place-based focus. Her style of encouraging personal growth has had positive impact during her careers as a museum educator, resource interpreter, adjunct lecturer, nutrition consultant, academic advisor, and in her role as an Heirloom Winter Squash Product Specialist at her local pumpkin patch. An insatiable biophiliac since childhood, she keeps a life list of wildlife she has snuggled which so far includes opossums, great horned owls, various native snakes, alligator lizards, giraffes, kangaroos, American kestrels, a Gila monster, okapis and more.
Kimberly Collins, Ph.D.: I am a professor of public administration, a political sociologist and a border scholar. I have traveled extensively through Latin America, Europe, and parts of Asia. This will be my first visit to Africa, and I look forward to learning about the community and supporting the Makindu Children’s Program. My passions are music, travel, gardening, cooking, and my family & friends.
Mighty Joshua: I have been raising funds and awareness for Makindu Children’s Program for many years. I met Michael Farley 24 years ago and became interested in the MCP. I look forward to raising more funds and awareness of the kids of the Makindu, as I prepare to travel again to Kenya on my 7th Adventure for a Cause.
Michael Farley first arrived in Makindu, Kenya, as a US Peace Corps volunteer in 1977 for the Ministry of Agriculture and lived in a mud hut. The people of Makindu treated him with kindness and generosity, even though they had very little. In 1998, he met Winnie Barron and learned of her efforts to help and support orphaned children in Makindu. In 2002, Michael organized and led the first Proper Walk in Northern Kenya to raise both funds for the Makindu Children’s Program and awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and has led 15 additional Proper Walks & Safaris since. He has served on the Board of Directors for many years, currently as Past Chair.
Walter Slawski: I was blessed to meet Michael Farley in 2005 and came to learn about Michael’s amazing adventures and Makindu Children's Program. I was enamored by how impactful the grass roots efforts were for the children and community of Makindu. As a child I was fortunate enough to spend some years in my mother’s native Zimbabwe and fell in love with both the continent and the people of Africa. Proper Walk & Safari 2025 will mark my 5th trip in support of MCP, and the first as a board member! Thank you for your support of these incredible kids.
Donor Wall 7
Linda VidaSunnen | $500
I am so happy to support this worthwhile project.
Pamela Grogan | $200
Marina | $50
GREAT JOB DR. BEER!
Kathy | $100
Nefertiti Long | $519.52
GotInfo
God bless you as you go on this journey.
Anonymous | $3,705
Go Jane Go! from Brookmont Dance Party