14. • Wow. I just had a most incredible experience. One of our
guides that we have know for a long time took us on a walk to
a poverty stricken area that is just minutes from our resort.
We didn't even know it existed. Unbelieveable experience. I
was in tears and couldn't help it. We gave away 20 peso bills
equal to 60 cents and people were fighting to get to us. We
had a suitcase of used cloths. I couldn't believe how they
were crowded around just to get a used t shirt. Please bring
lots if you can. West Jet allows one 50 lbs suitcase per
person that you can bring for free. I've been to orphanages,
schools, poor areas etc but I've never seen anything like what
I saw today. Wow. We brought 300 lbs of humanitarian. It is
almost gone already. I have saved some of it for other weeks
but it could be gone today! Toys, cloths, hats, shoes, treats---
anything.
46. Passing out clothing to
the restaurant staff.
Over 450 workers
received clothing for
their families.
47. VISTING IN THE
COMMUNITY
Former staff at the resort, now
unemployed. She is a single
Pictured above the
bathroon
For the community.
48. Left is outside and inside of a home we
visited on our way to the Santo Doming
Outdoor kitchen and laundry
49. Inside Jack and Louise’s
living-room, packed
to go January 2012
50.
51. We paid for a pasta night
and our friend, Amarilis prepared
food for 300 children.
52. Four of Louise’s grandchildren give
away hundreds of their own toys and stuffies they broughtJack, Norma, Abi and Zach ZoBell from Magrath, donating their toys to the c
53. Passing out hygiene kits made b
Laura Webster and the
Mountain View School to the
people in Maggiolo
61. INSIDE OUR DISTRIBUTION FACIL
OUR DOMINICAN DIRECTORS,
AMARILIS AND JOSE LUIS
AMARILIS RUNS OUR DISTRIBUTI
FACILITY AND JOSE LUIS IS OUR
PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION
MANAGER.
THEY ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR
AT NO CHARGE TO THE FOUNDAT
62. In addition to our foundation projects, at our own expense,
each year we personally take about 5000 pounds of school
supplies, clothing, shoes, hygiene kits, toys and household
items to the needy in the Dominican Republic. In the past we
have gone to various communities and given these away.
Now our foundation has built a distribution center and we
have initiated a
“Pay-it-Forward” program. Now people volunteer at the
63. After seeing the very littered condition of the streets in almost every community, Louise
suggested
a community clean-up as a possible service project. Though she was told it would never
happen,
it has and continues to happen twice a week in the community of Javillar. Our Dominican
director will
be taking the program to other local communities. We participated in and witnessed the
first clean-up.
70. I was not prepared
for what we saw. I
had to be mentally
tough to get this
project completed.
71.
72.
73. People lined up to redeem the food
vouchers for the food packs we purchased.
74.
75. For the first time,
we took someone
with us that could
translate for us.
76. We learned that the condition of the school had
become dangerous for the children. The floor h
fallen in and the walls were in risk of falling dow
77. We determined that
doing the much needed
repair on the school would
become our next major
project for our foundation
78. On November 14, when we returned to bring Christmas to the children we
brought our foundation directors with us to make assessments. The children had
never seen a Christmas tree and each got a decoration to put on it. They were so
excited.
79. Permits were acquired, supplies were
purchased, workers were hired and only 10
days after the initial assessment, work
began on the project, November 24, 2012.
Little did we know when we
brought Christmas decorations,
just to bring a little joy to the
children, that the real gift would
come with the rebuilding of their
school.
Our project manager saw the
immediate necessity of repairing
the school.
80. Soon the many children who also wish that they could attend
school will have that opportunity!
91. The land we
recently
purchased to build
a school near
Javillar. This land
was kindly
donated by
Sandra Nelson
from Stirling.
This school will be in operation from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm six
days a week. Here we will be having classes for children
from age 3 through grade 4 during the daytime. In the
evenings it will be a vocational school where we will teach
trades, life skills and English.
92. After taking shoes to this baseball
team,
the children asked if we could help
them get a back-stop. Because of
the great initiative they have shown,
(even using their meager lunch
money to help) we have agreed to
help them with this project.
We have received a few donations
to help with this and will be sending
93. This lady asked for help in
rebuilding her home. Community
leaders concurred that the home
is in dangerously bad condition and
that the woman is in dire need.
Work started on this project
April 3rd 2013. If we raise sufficient
funds, the home could be finished
as early as April 24, 2013.
She confided in our director that
she has been praying for 11 years
for
someone to help her with her home.
94. We are rebuilding a tiny home fo
this family. Initial funds for this
were donated by Donella Sewell
from Cochrane (pictured above)
We are raising additional funds
to complete this project.
95. We will be rebuilding
the home of Carlos
and Elizabeth Gardner
and adding to it a grocery
store so they can earn
a living and a distribution
center for our foundation
The car wreck you see below was his friend’s ca
His friend was seriously injured and Carlos has
been doing his job as well as his own for 5 mont
working 16 hour days.