Community and Service

BCA MIDWEST: CELEBRATING COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY AND SERVICE

Tita Nyuga Galega, Interim President

The BCA Midwest Chapter includes members in the states of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. We are delighted to have half of our membership participate at this year’s convention. This past year we have built on by ensuring that our different groups in Denver and Kansas City continue hold regular meetings. In the Denver area, we have taken it a step further by gathering together as a family to celebrate holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. As part of the Christmas festivities our Kansas City members celebrated with a get together and a sharing of gifts to the kids.

In the spirit of volunteering and giving back to the community, members in Denver partnered with a local charity A Little Help to assist seniors in need in the community in June 2017. Members visited three homes to provide ‘a little help’ to home bound seniors. Together with our kids, we helped senior citizens with their home cleaning chores including cutting grass and brushes, cleaning and hanging shower curtains, changing light bulbs, assembling a lawn mower and just providing good company for these often isolated and lonely population. We want to thank BCA-USA for introducing this concept of giving back to the community, because it really feels good doing an act of kindness just for the sake of it. A little help goes a long way. For these seniors, the help meant a lot. Our kids loved it, and we believe we are sowing seeds in them that they will water and build into their character as they grow. We look forward to more opportunities like this in the future.

Over the summer our Denver members

Members of Nda Chǎŋti, Denver, Colorado, volunteerin June 2017

organized events to ensure the kids had a memorable summer. In June, members in Denver also participated in the Annual Walk 4 Hearing Loss – in support of one of our members. And the annual back to school celebrations for children in our Denver area included a fun day out at an outdoor pool and a visit to Cave of the Winds – a famous and historic Colorado touristic site.

In August 2017, we welcomed an additional member to our family BCA Midwest. Ma Edith Doh of Denver gave birth to baby Kah Navoma.

Though relatively small in numbers, our chapter members continue to be engaged and involved in BCA-USA activities. Four of our chapter members participated at the 2017 Leadership Summit in Las Vegas. We are also pleased to have our members serving in different committees. • Tita Nyuga Galega - Interim Chapter

President & Vice Chair of Culture Committee • Ni Jude Fokwang - Vice Chair of Social &

Awards Committee • Ma Lilian N. Fokwang - Chair of Publications

Committee • Ni Julius Ndangam - BCA IT Admin

This year we are delighted to have successfully coordinated with our sisters and brothers in Kansas City to adopt a Midwest chapter uniform which we would unveil at the convention. Many thanks to Ma Luvlyn Galega, Ma Mado Ndangam and Ma Nyem Fokwang for spearheading this initiative.

Our chapter is proud to celebrate the graduation of two of our kids in Kansas City, Missouri. Valerie Nahnyonga Titalanga graduated from high school at the same time as she earned an associate degree in engineering from the Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Missouri. Ni Felix Nanjo Titalanga also graduated cum laude with a degree in Computer Engineering from the Missouri University of Science Technology. Join us in congratulating them for such outstanding academic performances. We wish them the very best in the next steps.

The Midwest that spans from the hills of Colorado to the plains of Kansas is on good footing and working together to truly bring all sons and daughters of Bali together in the years to come. We look forward to a very successful and memorable reunion in Dallas this year.

Name: Kenna Fokum School: North Andover High school; Chapter: New England

Name: Dayela Lima School: Pebble Creek High Chapter: South Eastern

Name: Segala Fon Tita School: University of Central Oklahoma Degree: Biology, Pre-Med Chapter: Oklahoma

Name: Sona Fokum School: Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, High School Chapter: Great Lakes

Name: Ashley Gwananji School: Kerr High School Chapter: Southern Texas

Name: Alexis Fombutu School: University of South Florida Degree: Biological Health Sciences Chapter: South Eastern

Name: Nagela Nukuna School: Georgia Tech Degree: Industrial and Systems Engineering Chapter: Eastern

Name: Lekunga Enanga Titalanga School: Chamberlain College of Nursing Degree: BSN Chapter: Eastern

Name: Keith Ndango Nyuykighan Gwanmesia School: Caesar Rodney High School Chapter: Eastern