This is a day of small miracles, a happy day for me, Maria, Sue Silverstein, loving parents, and three brave and hard-working young women who have overcome almost every imaginable obstacle to getting accepted by the college of their choice. They are preparing to work hard and advance their lives in the best of American traditions.

Sue Silverstein calls them her children; I feel they are the children of the Army Of Good.

Folasade, whose family is from Nigeria, is going to Siena College to begin her studies as a physician, Kloreeen to the University of Albany, and Dah to Russell Sage College.

We met these three at Bishop Gibbons a few years ago at Bishop Maginn.

With the help of Army Of Good Patron Kathleen Houlihan, we paid the tuition for all three and helped them to go to Bishop Gibbons and prepare for college.

All three are refugee children; they have experienced the traumas of the refugee.

They have worked unbelievably hard to advance their educations and reward their family’s courage and dedication.

Of the three, Folasade (whose nickname is “nicest kid in school” will need some urgent help to fulfill her dreams of going away to college. Siena is the right college for her and she has been rewarded with a generous scholarship. But she must live on campus; the distance is too great.

The college is three hours away, and her mother can’t afford the cost of living.

We are working to see whether Siena would agree to make the donations tax-deductible if they went directly to the college on behalf of her tuition. We are in talks with them. I’m very focused on this now; it is one of those things that must happen.

I am determined not to fail her now.

Folasade is one of the most deserving people I know; I mean to see it through. Over the next day or so, I hope to hear back from some donors who can help. If not, we will go it alone; we haven’t failed yet.

There is always a way to do good.

We plan to raise what we can for her first year. After that, she can apply to be a resident advisor to cover her board from that point on.

I’ve undertaken to begin an Army of Good Fund-Raising campaign for Folaslade; I’ve interviewed her twice; her mission is to learn how to heal people; she’ll need $7,000 to board at the school. I’ll try to raise that amount, but whatever we can raise will help her.

I’ve promised her we will do everything possible to get her to live in at the school she needs and wants to attend. She is desperate to go to Siena.

Sue Silverstein says she is among the most deserving students she ever met.  I know her to be extraordinarily generous and kind.

If there are any angels out there who can contribute, please think about it. I feel morally bound to finish what we started; Folasade is on a path-altering journey.

I am talking to a donor or two to see what we can raise right now; I’ll meet with Folasade next week and then figure out what we want and need to submit to get her to Siena—no need to send donations yet.

Congratuilations to Folasade, Floreeen and Dah. You deserve to celebrate today and be congratulated. You are heroes to me and many others.

More later.