Back to School Supply Drive

So, like I said, thanks to the generosity of many people including Samuel and Nelly Montas, Jimmy and Yolanda Depalo, Kenneth Montas, Natalie Montas, Kelly Barrett, Steven and Marisol Williams, Curtis Larsen, Laura Dee, and Brandon Diaz, we have been able to collect almost $900 to use to support the San Cristobal community.  We decided to use the funds for the children of the community, and, continuing the ideals of the camp, we wanted to connect the funds to the school somehow.  At first we thought about buying backpacks for the students (remind me someday to tell you about my brilliant idea to use returned LL Bean backpacks).  But, then we heard that the government wasn't going to be able to help the children buy school supplies this year (http://www.noticiassin.com/2014/08/algunos-ninos-no-podran-asistir-a-clases-por-falta-de-utiles-escolares/) so we decided to focus on school supplies instead.  

We sent the money down to Carmen and Doña Yolanda and they were able to buy a bunch of school supplies – in bulk, mind you.  That way we were able to buy notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers and pencil sharpeners for over 200 students in San Cristobal.  La Doña decided to split the donations between the local school where the camp was housed and another school closer to the river where there is even greater need (If you go back a few entries, you can see us giving out books to children in that area a couple of years ago).

So, that’s where we stand.  We were all pretty sad that we couldn’t get down to run the camp this summer. But, we already have plans to go down next summer and once this “Back to School Drive” campaign wraps up we’ll begin gearing up for that.

That’s all for now. I’ll keep you posted as to our doings this winter. Or, at least that's my intent.

What's Going On?

So, for the sixteen 'Campamento Las Margaritas' followers (Margaritaheads?) I don't need to tell you that it’s been over two years since my last entry. Fear not, though, there’s been lots going on with El Campament. So, let’s get right to it.

First of all, I had hoped to do lots of blogging this summer because we had BIG plans to run Summer Camp III at the school in San Cristobal. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.  Early in the Spring Chikungunya Fever broke out in the D.R http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28678164 .  Lots of people, including many of Tanya’s family members got quite sick (thank goodness they have all recovered).  We waited and watched the news and talked with lots of people in the DR (actually, Tanya did all of this. I just sat around watching the Red Sox – but let’s not get into that right now), hoping that the fever would run its course before August. But, it never did. In fact, it got worse over the summer.  Considering we were bringing lots of people down with us (including three Paris cousins and the granddaughter of a friend of my parents – don’t ask – whom we had met only once) we ultimately decided not to go.  Sad day for the Campamento…

But, I’m really getting ahead of myself because well before all the drama I just described, when we were all beginning to think about the camp, Tanya, Samuel, Nelly, and I decided to expand the work we were doing with the Campamento. So, we formed “La Fundación Las Margaritas”, have set up a website (lasmargaritasfoundation.org), and are now an official non-profit organization.  Wahoo!  This idea has helped us to raise funds that we originally had planned to use for the camp. But, if you recall, the camp is not running this summer so we are directing the funds to the local San Cristobal school where the camp was held.

You know, I think another entry is warranted to describe what happened next, so read on McDuff… But, before you do, here's a teaser: