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June, 2004
Dear Editor,
We would like to express our thanks to Mexico and
everyone in Puerto Vallarta who have been so supportive
to the Mexican Schools Project.
Myself (Selena) and Bob (from
Canada) as well as Margarito and Eva (owners of the
River Café Restaurant
in Puerto Vallarta) all work together to organize the
facilitation, collection of donations, and refurbishing
(painting, cleaning, replacing broken windows, painting
murals etc.) of many school houses in the Cabo Corrientes
area, projects with DIF (municipal family services),
and other centres/schools in the Puerto Vallarta area.
We could not do this without the support of many wonderful
people.
To name just a few:
Mel and Barb Bornstein from the International Friendship
Club who were pivotal in the generous IFC donation
of $1,600 towards education. With this donation we
were able to purchase a one-year supply of basic school
kits for 260 students, 14 Teacher kits, and three sport
balls (basketball, soccer, volleyball) for each school
in the rural Cabo Corrientes region. Each kit included
pencils, pens, erasers, colour pencils, notebooks for
all subjects, scissors, crayons, glue, geometry set,
etc. These school supplies enable students to have
their basic learning needs met in order to further
their education. The schools receiving these basic
school kits include: Llano Grande, Aquiles Serdan,
Ejido Graciano Sanchez, Narajitos, Playitas, Corrales
as well as Mayto, Tehualmixle, Villa Del Mar, and Ipala
- all in the Cabo Corrientes region.
- Other amazing contributors are the owners of the
Papeleria la Economica in Pitillal (in the main square
where the church is). This small family business not
only sold us all the supplies for the kits at cost,
but also took an additional $500 US off the bill as
their own donation to the Mexican Schools Project and
the children of Cabo Corrientes. It is people like
these who make it possible to give these children a
brighter future. Last January, Papeleria la Economica
put together 109 student school packages and 6 Teacher
kits full of school supplies for the year, at cost.
This April, Papeleria la Economica supplied more than
double for 250 students and 14 teachers, at less than
cost, for the communities of all the schools mentioned
above.
- Many people in the P.V. City Hall are very supportive
of these types of projects for schools in the Puerto
Vallarta area.
- A big thank you to Allyna Vineberg at the P.V. Tribune,
Miguel Camacho at Ambito, and Edwin Treitler at The
Guadalajara Reporter for all their support.
- Also, the Comex paint store gave us a 30% discount
for paint and painting supplies for the mural projects
to brighten up learning environments of schools and
centres. These projects include:
- Refurbishing five one-room school houses in the
Cabo Corrientes area. If you ever get out to Cabo Corrientes
you will be able to see the schools with bright murals
on them done by the students at Aquiles Serdan, Narajitos,
Playitas, Corrales as well as Mayto. The community
memebers helped with the painting, and necessary repairs
to the schools (i.e.: glass replacements, window repairs,
cementing of the walls and floor to fill in holes,
etc.). The students chose designs and pictures for
the murals, that were then drawn on the wall for them
to fill in with their favorite colours. They all worked
very hard to create a bright new learning environment.
These school projects were and are done with the community
(not for the community) to help improve the educational
environment, promote learning, build self-confidence,
and give a sense of pride and completion.
- When we were not in Cabo
Corrientes we were working on other projects in the
Puerto Vallarta area such as the Proyecto Pitillal
Busca un Amigo (Centre for Children with Cerebral
Palsy) and the New Life Orphanage for boys in Coapinole.
We are aware of 500 schools in the Puerto Vallarta
area, over 20 more schools in Cabo Corrientes area,
the children's ward at the Clinica de Rehabilitacion
Vallarta - Sta. Barbara, other orphanages,
and some special need schools that may welcome the
opportunity to be painted and muraled with the children
in the future.
- Back here in Canada we have been approached by about
4 schools asking us if we would do a Powerpoint slide
presentation to show their students schools and students
in Mexico. The rationale is to promote awareness of
other cultures, to see for themselves similarities
and differences between the schools and children here
in B.C. Canada as compared to other areas in Mexico,
and lastly to foster the concept of helping others.
We did a presentation for
one school and the students were very taken with
the children in Mexico. They kids want their next
field trip to be helping to paint schools in Mexico
(that will involve a lot of fundraising). However,
for the present time the teachers and students are
very excited about adopting a sister school in Cabo
Corrientes and will be fundraising to help them build
a washroom at the school for the students to use
- "CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN". The school
here in Canada is also excited about writing some letters
to their sister school in Mexico, and donating some
of their toys, clothes, etc. This is another very exciting
project!
The owners of the River Café,
Margarito and Eva, are our main connection to the
land and people of Cabo Corrientes and Puerto Vallarta.
They help to arrange projects, lodging, act as translators,
and have been very generous in their donations and
connections in Mexico.
Most of all, thank you to everyone (mentioned or not)
who has helped us and continue to help us help children.
If anyone is interested in helping or donating, please
contact us either at our Mexican Schools Project web
site www.magma.ca/~selenag or
please send your donations to the International Friendship
Club, Attention Mel Bornstein, stating that you would
like your donation to be set aside for the Mexican
Schools Project as we (Bob and Selena) will be returning
to Puerto Vallarta in the Fall to do more projects.
You may also contact Mel for more information at barmelsouth@pvnet.com.mx
Thank you all again,
Sincerely,
Selena Goldberg and Robert Johnson
Editor's note: Selena
and Bob were featured in an article entitled "Do-Gooders Help Mexican Students" which
was syndicated across Canada. Readers' Digest will
feature them on the front cover and with an article
inside of the August issue.
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