Welcome to Dominic Oetinger, our CEO of the Hough School Chess Tournament. Students like Dominic Oetinger create opportunities for leadership themselves and others through their volunteering. Dominic will work with his mother to coordinate marketing, food sales, tournament directors and other volunteers at the 4th Annual Hough School Chess Tournament. A videographer will capture the spirit of our volunteers by filming the tournament.

 Picture of Dominic with GM Shulman and Ms Gruber and his trophy.

Make sure you hear his welcome speech with GM Shulman as we begin the tournament on Feb 25th at 10 am. We are proud to introduce students like Dominic to the rich world of service.

Austen Murrow, who is in her first year at University of Virginia, returned home to work with Ron Swanson and Chess Without Borders on the documentary “A Future for Meher”. Last year Austen and her grandmother spent 4 months living in Govindpuri in India and working with Meher and many other children from Project Why. Austen has remarkable footage of her experiences while she was volunteering there. As many of you already know Project Why is an organization that provides services to families living in the slums in Delhi, India.

Adding the new footage to the documentary helps the chess community stay updated and informed on the impact we have had through our network of people, and contributions. In the footage the children at Project Why can be seen wearing clothes sent from chess students in the clubs at Chess Without Borders. Many friends from Alexian donated the rugs the children are using in the schools at Govindpuri. Austen donated the white boards in the school. Meher can be seen saying hi to Nina Sethi (who taught there for a year) and thanking us for sending her to school.

We are grateful for grandparents like Austen’ s Grandmother who have filmed the video and volunteered for Chess Without Borders. The chess program would not have been possible without the contributions from many other grandparents.

Through their initiative and drive students like Austen make opportunities possible for younger students to create or follow. Chess Without Borders has won awards, honors and individual scholarships for the impact of this project. Next summer 4 teenagers will attend the UN Youth Assembly in NY qualifying because of our combined work done for this humanitarian project.

On the 25^th of Feb we are hosting the 4^th annual Hough School Chess Tournament. At this event we will film our chess students and volunteers. 100% of the proceeds will be raised for Meher’s continued education. Please email me at chesswob@gmail.com if you can make any form of contribution in terms of support, food supplies or financial towards making this a success. So far we have contributed almost $26,000 towards Meher’s surgeries and education.

Austen and Ron working on the documentary.

The Chess Without Borders program seeks to build character and a spirit of service through its example and when students like Alex Menikoff from Grove Avenue School chose to spontaneously think of others we feel the program has had an impact. Alex donated $10 from his own money for Meher displaying thoughtfulness and an alertness to his environment.  She is the little girl who was severely burned in a fire and the chess program has raised $ 25,971 to pay for several plastic surgeries and is now supporting her education. Alex’s donation will be used for her education. As a result of our efforts Meher has a future and she has responded to this care by achieving outstanding grades. For more information about Meher please visit www.secureafuture.com

Social Entrepreneurs Aidan and Zander Kitchen will direct sales of Meher’s CD’s

Chess Players and identical twins Aidan and Zander Kitchen will take a leadership role directing sales of the documentary  “A Future for Meher”. Guitarist and Businessman Ron Swanson will be the artistic director and adult volunteer helping to organize and implement this project.

This documentary was produced and filmed in Meher’s hometown of India and in Barrington. It briefly captures the ideas behind the fund raising conducted for Meher, a young girl who was severely burned in a fire as an infant and it introduces Meher, our chess players with their families at chess tournaments.  The documentary also shows Meher after some of her plastic surgeries were completed on her face and hands.

The CD is a description of the impact of the humanitarian work inspired by the chess community but taken on by a vast network of friends around the world.

Through this project that has raised over $26,000 for the education and medical treatment of Meher students have given her a future.

Zander and Aidan Kitchen at the Grove Chess Tournament

Dear chess players,

AoIG and Windy City Sport Club are bring the chess lovers another excitement:  a $1,000.00 dollars “5 mins – BLITZ” chess tournament on Sunday, December, 18^th , the entry fee is just $20.

http://www.aoigames.com/pdf/ACC-13.pdf

It will take place yet at Wheeling, IL location with limited space availability – so make your reservation as soon as possible.

Three best places under 18 years old will receive trophy awards!