NEWTON/SAN JUAN DEL SUR SISTER CITY PROJECT NEWSLETTER SPRING 1998

CARLOS GUZMAN TO VISIT NEWTON IN MAY;

1OTH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET PLANNED

Our intrepid in-country Treasurer and Coordinator-of-Everything for the last ten years, Professor CARLOS GUZMAN FLORES has accepted our invitation to visit Newton in May, to help us celebrate the Sister City Project’s Tenth Birthday. Without Carlos, Newton’s construction projects would be impossible. It is he who assures that school supplies get distributed to those in greatest need. Despite the long hours he puts in and the miserable teachers’ salaries in Nicaragua, he has never accepted a penny of compensation (although we have offered it). He is also a gracious host and masterful cook for many visiting Newtonians. We’d like Carlos to meet school and municipal officials, students, and as many Sister City members as possible. COME CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AT A POTLUCK FUNDRAISING BANQUET IN CARLOS’ HONOR ON MOTHERS’ DAY SUNDAY MAY 10th AT THE WOMEN’S WORKSHOP IN NEWTON HIGHLANDS. SEND INYOUR RESERVATION FORM TODAY!

*****************************************************************************************

RESERVATION FORM FOR MAY 10 BANQUET

Yes, I want to join The Sister City Project and Mayor Cohen in honoring Carlos Guzman at a Potluck Fundraising Banquet and 10th Birthday Celebration on SUNDAY MAY 10 at 6 P.M. AT THE NEWTON WOMEN’S WORKSHOP (Columbus Street off Lincoln, right behind Cafe Abruzzi, Newton Highlands).

MUSIC! RAFFLE! PHOTO S OF SAN JUAN! GOOD FOOD! MOTHERS!

I am willing to bring: appetizer__, main course__, veg/salad__, dessert__

Name__________________________ Number in party_____ Phone_____________

Clip form and mail check [$20 per person, $10 students] to Betsy Barker,

49 Woodcliff, Newton 0216. Don’t forget date, time and address! Bring Mom!

PLEASE INCLUDE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION IF YOU HAVEN’T MADE IT YET

OPTOMETRISTS PLAN 1999 OPTICAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN IN SAN JUAN DEL SUR... Following discussions with the Sister City Project, the Massachusetts Chapter of VOSH (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) led by Dr. Philip Richmond of Newton, has begun planning for a first-ever 8-day optical health intervention in San Juan del Sur early next year. The goal will be to give eye tests and recycled eye glasses to as many as 800 urban and rural residents of the region.

A team of optometrists and ophthalmologists, headed by Dr. Joseph D’Amico, may also perform some simple operations, as well as training brigadistas de salud (para-professional healthcare promoters) in basic optometrical screening techniques. Donated eyeglasses are already being collected--the first batch a gift from The Deaconess-Waltham Hospital. All the used glasses we can collect and “read” (determine prescription) in the next two months will be sent down in the June Shipment (see below).

The VOSH team will be joined by a Nicaraguan ophthalmologist, Dr. Robert Cañizales. Currently practicing in Miami, Dr. Cañizales worked in public health in the 1970s with San Juan’s remarkable priest, Fr. Gaspar García Laviana. Cañizales’ specialty is treating glaucoma with a portable laser machine.

San Juan has no optometrists; few adults and virtually no children wear glasses; widespread correctable eye conditions go neglected.

WE ARE PROUD TO JOIN WITH VOSH IN THIS GROUNDBREAKING EFFORT!

MATERIAL AID SHIPMENT LEAVES JUNE 6th

Along with eyeglasses for the VOSH project and equipment for a dental lab that PROJECT STRETCH will be furnishing at the Centro de Salud (government-run healthcare facility), as well as superannuated power tools from Newton North, we want to send toys, dolls, shoes and clothes to the folks who worked so hard to build the school at Las Parcelas. Starting on May 1, you may bring clean, used toys, dolls, shoes and lightweight clothing for men , women and ESPECIALLY children [including light sweaters & jackets] to either the Barkers (49 Woodcliff, Newton Highlands, 244-6949) or the Gullettes (68 Pembroke, Newton Corner, 965-2164).

--DONATIONS SHOULD BE IN CARDBOARD CARTONS, NOT BAGS

-- DO NOT SEAL CARTONS; BRING EXTRA CARTONS IF YOU HAVE THEM

-- CALL IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP LOAD THE TRUCK ON JUNE 6

-- ALSO ACCEPTED: SPORTS EQUIPMENT, RAIN GEAR, BOOTS, ART SUPPLIES, CHILDREN’S BOOKS IN SPANISH, UNOPENED PAINT

DAVID & ELISA AROND SUPPORT DISABLED IN SAN JUAN

In February, pediatrician Dr. DAVID AROND and his translator/assistant (and daughter) ELISA, a senior at Newton North, made their third trip to San Juan to assess primary healthcare needs and offer some pediatric care. In addition to seeing dozens of patients, they tackled a new problem: children with disabilitiies.

Soon after their arrival they met with a new group, Parents of Families with Disabled Children. David and Elisa encouraged adults caring for special needs family members to continue to meet for mutual support, and emphasized the importance of regular checkups (many of the disabled children and adults had not seen a doctor for years, if ever). They spoke the the school superintendent about home tutoring, and urged parents to let children socialize. By a stroke of luck, David and Elisa found a local physician, DR. CLAUDIA GRANJA, who has agreed to provide ongoing special needs medical care.

They were also able to secure the use of an examining space and laboratory services from the director of the Centro de Salud (Health Center), and the mayor helped in various ways, including arranging transportation into town for patients from rural areas.

For Elisa, this third visit to San Juan del Sur taught many life lessons--about medicine, human relations, culture, and how to improve her Spanish. Her experiences were amazing, including some stressful and heartbreaking, highly emotional interactions with those wonderful, caring and devoted families. For David’s part, he was happy to have the opportunity to renew friendships and share his medical expertise with the San Juan del Sur community. The both look forward to returning!

NEWTON SOUTH STUDENTS, TEACHER PAINT THE TOWN GREEN!

Spanish teacher Kathy Knight and her husband George accompanied eight Newton South high school students on a week-long visit to San Juan del Sur in February. The students--Andrea Brooks, Cindi Cohen, Rebecca Leeman, Emily Macht, Daniel McCarthy, Sarah Robbins, Emma Sellers, and Josh Zaharoff--lived with families in town, and during the day went out to urban and rural schools throughout the district. Blackboards in San Juan are actually built-out slabs of smooth concrete that need a coat of flat-green paint every year.

Kathy writes: “We painted 57 blackboards as well as the entire interior of the school at Collado. We did some art type projects with the children and their parents at various schools and bought and distributed materials for a number of preschools and elementary schools, dealing directly with individual teachers. We also contributed the $250 worth of paint we needed to do all those blackboards.

“We certainly enjoyed the beautiful beaches and the untouched beauty of Nicaragua after a hard day of painting in the 98+ degree weather, and the people of Nicaragua were the highlight of the trip. The students learned much about life and about themselves.

“I have traveled with students almost every one of my 29 years teaching in Newton, and I have never enjoyed a trip as much as I did this one. Thank you all in the Sister City Project for giving us this wonderful opportunity to broaden our horizons, I am looking forward to Carlos’ visit and hope that we get to spend some time with him while he is here. Let us know what we can do to help with Carlos’ visit and the big anniversary celebration!”

SISTER CITY PROJECT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

After ten years of tireless and heroic efforts, Betsy Barker will be stepping down in 1999 from most of her Sister City duties. Betsy has been our treasurer and record keeper, has managed our mailings and fundraising, and has played a major role in preparing our annual shipment of material aid to San Juan del Sur. Of these activities, she wishes to limit her focus to the material aid shipment. It is unlikely anyone would volunteer to do everything Betsy has done. Therefore, we have divided Betsy’s job into three parts, and are asking for volunteers for each of these areas:

1. Treasurer: receive and deposit donations, and pay bills, filing receipts; send notes of thanks for each donation, and forward donation information to Membership Archivist. Work from home, flex-time, most work in March/April. Annual commitment.

2. Fundraising Coordinator: organize annual “Phonathon” volunteers. Work from home, ca. 20 hours in January/February.

3. Bulk-Mail Coordinator: [We already have a group of volunteers for this!]

Betsy has generously offered to train the new volunteers, beginning in September 1998. No special skill needed beyond a conscientious eye for detail. Computer skills helpful but not essential. If you are interested in exploring either of these two remaining commitments, give Betsy a ring at 244-6949, 9am-10pm.