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District 5300 |
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District 5300 |
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Project Background (The Project, The Tarahumara Indians, Links)
News
March 18, 2005
February 2, 2004
August 10, 2003
July, 2003
May 1, 2003
April 13, 2003
October 13, 2002
August 8, 2002
July 27, 2002
June 8, 2002
April 7, 2002
February 27, 2002
January 24, 2002
November 25, 2001
District 5300 Mexico Project Update, July 2001
July 13, 2001 Press Release Announcing second trip to Choguita Village
January 22, 2001 - Trip to Choguita Village Huge Success
January 13, 2001 Press Release Announcing
trip to Choguita Village
Links
Tarahumara Indian Hospital Fund
Google
Search of Tarahumara Indians
Father Luis G. Verplancken, S.J.
(1926 - 2004)
ARRIVING IN THE SIERRA TARAHUMARA IN 1952, FATHER VERPLANCKEN HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE SOULS AND BODIES OF HIS RARAMURI BRETHREN. HIS DAYS HAVE BEEN FULL FROM EARLY MORNING TO LATE NIGHT FOREVER CONCERNED WITH UPLIFTING THE LIVES OF THE RARAMURI. IF WE BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRIT GUIDES CREATURES ON EARTH, BUT WE JUST CANNOT SEEM TO PROVE IT, WE CAN THINK OF FATHER LUIS.
Father Verplancken passed away to his heavenly reward on Sunday morning, September 26, 2004. A funeral mass was held in Creel, and Chihuahua, where he was cremated. His remains were taken to Sisoguichi, near Creel, for another service and burial in the Sisoguichi cemetery on Tuesday, Sept. 28th. This was where Father Verplancken started when he was first ordained in Mexico.
The North Las Vegas Rotary Club donated $3,000 to the Tarahumara Clinic in Creel, Mexico to purchase two pediatric Oxygen Concentrators and two oximeters. The Clinic was in dire need of this equipment to care for the Tarahumara Indian Children who come to the Clinic for care.
The club donated this money in December, 2003 and the equipment was delivered in January,2004. We hope to have a photo of the plaque that will designate the North Las Vegas Rotary Club as the benefactor of this equipment. Check this site later.
There is a new volunteer working with the Indians in the area. Her name is Hattie Medvie. She is from Great Britain and is another wonderful asset to the area. Photos to follow. If you have been checking this site for the past few years, you will note that volunteers stay a year or two and work in the village with Father Luis Verplanken. The last two volunteers that we worked with were Miguel Cassis and Sandy Brown. Miguel went back to Cornell University to complete his PhD.program and Sandy went back to Washington D.C. to continue her career in the political arena. Sandy stayed 2+ years and really didn't want to leave, but she had to go back to her job
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“LET THE SEWING BEGIN”
The latest development in the District 5300 Mexico Project is the exciting news that the Women’s Center building is completed and the sewing machines have arrived.
In July of 2002, the Southwest Rotary provided $2,000 to begin the Women’s Center in Rejogochi which is the town next to Choquita.
Previous photos show the progress of the building which was made by hand with local materials. All of the bricks were made by the Indians.
In March of 2003, the North Las Vegas Rotary provided $1,000 and the Paradise Club donated $700. Part of this money put the roof on the building and provided additional farming equipment.
In July,2003 the Southwest Rotary Club provided $1000.00 to purchase sewing machines for the Center.
The building is now complete and the sewing machines were delivered to Creel and then transported to the Women’s center. The Tarahumara women and a volunteer from the United Kingdom are moving the materials in and putting baskets, beading, woven belts and additional crafts on the shelves where they will eventually be boxed to sell in the markets in Creel and beyond.
What an exciting venture to see what happened in a short time with a little help from the Rotary Clubs of Southern Nevada. We have seen a building grow from the ground up and now see a future where this small village on the top of a mountain can begin to bring in some income. We have enabled women in poverty to provide income to their families and hopefully raise their living standard.
Thanks again to all of the club members who assisted in making this dream become a reality. This is another example of what Rotarians can do to improve the lives of people in the world.
Pictures Inside the Women's Center
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This is the one of the Singer Treadle Sewing machines that was purchased for the Women's Center. |
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The Volunteer with two Tarahumara Women. Please note the shelves and the baskets that are already in the Center. They are just moving into the Center and very proud of the new sewing machines |
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This is the inside of the women's center that we have been helping. The tall woman is a volunteer who has been helping them become oriented to the new machines and other items in the center. |
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Getting settled into the new Center |
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Unloading the new Sewing Machines |
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This is a close up of the Woman's Center. |
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This is the Woman's Center from a distance. |
Continuing Support for the Tarahumara Indians from Las Vegas Rotary ClubsThe Southwest Rotary Club donated $1000.00 to be used to purchase two sewing machines for the Women's Sewing and Craft Center in Rejogochi. Joe Daniszewski has been instrumental in motivating the Southwest club to continue to support this project. The Women's Center will allow the women to make and sell their crafts, which include beading, baskets and clothing. Three Las Vegas Clubs were instrumental in providing the financial resources ( $3,700) to begin this Women's Center. These were the North Las Vegas, Paradise and Southwest Rotary Clubs.If your club is interested in providing any type of support, large or small, please contact Charlotte Leas at cleas1013@cox.net
District 5300 ROTARIANS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE TARAHUMARA INDIANS
IN THE COPPER CANYON AREA OF MEXICO.April, 2003- The North Las Vegas Rotary sent a check for $1000.00 to be used for the Women's Center in Rejogochi and for family farms in Choquita.
May,2003 The Paradise Rotary Club sent a check for $700.00 to be used for the Women's Sewing Center.
If any other club would like to assist with any of the Wish list projects, please let me know at cleas1013@cox.netor 702-656-2543.
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Click on pictures to enlarge |
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This is the completed outside of the building that is to be the Women's Center at Rioghachi. ( the village next to Choquita). You may recall the photos of the bricks that were being made last fall. The bricks dried and they put them together. |
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Another view of the Women's Center. The woman coming out of the building
is one of the women from Creel who is a teacher for the Tarahumara Women.
Note here Tarahumara Skirt. This photo was taken in March by Ted Holder of District 5730 who has been assisting us with these projects. |
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Another close up of the building and the two volunteer teachers who will help the women learn how to market their crafts. |
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Another view of the inside of the building. Note the way the light comes through the building where the bricks and mortar meet the rafters on the ceiling. This will most likely be the extent to which the inside will be developed. Also note the dirt floors. there may or may not be any floor covering placed on top of the dirt. ( lack of funds) Again the two volunteer teachers. |
Update on the Farming Project and the Women’s Center Project
In early September, Ted Holder and 16 Rotarians from District 5730 made a journey to visit Choquita and surrounding Village.
As you may recall, the North Las Vegas Club, the Paradise Club, and the Southwest Club had all paid for projects for the Tarahumara Villages this year.
In the Spring farming equipment and supplies provided “family gardens” for 10 families.
The Southwest Club provided “start up money” to assist with setting up a Woman’s Center in Rejogochi. The following photos were taken by the visiting Rotarians who shared in the ceremony which was a celebration of giving thanks for the gardens and the food grown. It was also a celebration recognizing Michael Cassias for his two years in the village assisting with the farming projects.
There was dancing, a Shaman blessing the food altar and the dancing. The dancers were painted and this took about three hours for each persons. There was a race with two of the village runners. This race lasted about 3 or 4 hours.
Keep checking on this site for additional updates on our Mexico Project and how it has grown.
Click on pictures to enlarge Shaman blessing the altar and area Shaman blessing the altar and area People gathering Shaman Shaman Family Gardens Family Gardens Altar with food from the family gardens Cornelis, one of the men who works in the garden Water pump and storage tower Racers Dancers with body paint. All instruments are hand made by the person using them. Dancers with body paint. All instruments are hand made by the person using them. Dancers with body paint. All instruments are hand made by the person using them. Miguel is the PH.D student who came for two years from Cornell University. He is on the right. Miguel is the PH.D student who came for two years from Cornell University. He is on the right. People at the ceremony People at the ceremony People at the ceremony Food from the gardens The gentleman in the middle is the Indian Governor The gentleman in the middle is the Indian Governor Michael Cassias again in full dress Foundation and adobe bricks for the woman’s center at Rejogochi Foundation and adobe bricks for the woman’s center at Rejogochi
On August 5, 2002 the Southwest Rotary Club of Las Vegas added a generous donation to the projects that have been taking place in the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. The club donated $2,000 to assist in the development of a women's cooperative in Rijogochi, which is a village near Choquita where The Rotary Clubs of District 5300 have been doing projects for the past 2 years.
The community has started making the adobe bricks to build the women's cooperative. It takes about three days of sunshine for the bricks to dry. The village has been getting some rain (which they are VERY grateful for, but this hasn't allowed much drying time for the bricks.) They had hoped to have a basic adobe structure (minus doors and windows) built in a matter of weeks, -this hasn't happened, since they are now in the heaviest part of the rainy season.
The cooperative will allow the women to come together and do their crafts, which can be sold. They will also have the opportunity to learn to use Sewing machines, which will allow them to make clothing for the children and themselves and not have to sew everything by hand.
We will provide photos on the website as soon as they become available.
A big thank you from Father Luis Verplancken S.J. who has been caring for the Tarahumaras and helping them to be able to provide for themselves. All of the projects that we have funded have been part of the goal of "teaching them to feed themselves", build their self-esteem and dignity. We are certainly on the right path.
In April 2002, the Paradise Rotary Club and the North Las Vegas Rotary Club provided money to the Village for 10 families to do a Farming Project. On July 17th Ted Holder, District 5730 made another trip to Choguita and took these photos of our most recent project.
Click on pictures to enlarge Community Garden Community Garden Family Garden, 10 x 10 meters Newly planted Apple Trees Newly Planted Apple Trees for Family Family Garden Women from Rejogochi who are planning the Community Center. They have already elected offices for their center. Their center is being supported by the Southwest Rotary Club New Water Tanks Installed
Water storage tanks that District money installed in Choguita. Both of the storage tanks have pumps that operate the motor pump with solar power. They are being used very successfully to pump and store water in Choquita. The pumps were installed in March, 2002.
Click on pictures to enlarge
Mexico Farming Project in Choquita Village
Two Las Vegas Clubs involved in the project.
Paradise Rotary Club
North Las Vegas Rotary ClubEach club donated $2,000 towards the project.
The Project will provide the following farming tools to 10 families, each will receive a
Shovel
Pitchfork
Pickaxe
Rake
Wheelbarrow
Fencing
TubingMichael Casaus who is a Ph.D. Candidate from Cornell University is supervising this project. He will be assisting and teaching the Tarahumaras in Choquita. He is volunteering a year of his time to teach the Indians farming methods.
This project will cost approximately $3,400.00. Rotary District 5730 will provide additional money to provide greenhouses to help in the project.
District 5730 from Levelland, Texas will again assist us in getting the money to Michael Casaus in Choquita.
Ted Holder from District 5730 will be going to Mexico again in May and will take photos of the area and the families that are involved in this farming project. We will have these photos on the website. Check it often.
Click image to enlargeOn February 8th, 2002, the North Las Vegas Rotary Club had a visit from 13 members of the Amigo Rotary Club of Chihuahua, Mexico. The visiting Rotarians were:
1.-Raul Heiras-President 2001-02.
2.-Salvador Baca-Pastpresident 1991-92
3.-Jose Acosta-Pastpresident 2000-01
4.-Flavio Garcia
5.-Jesus Valdez
6.-Enrique Gonzalez- Pastpresident 1997-98
7.-Xavier Lozoya-Pastpresident 1989-90
8.-Leopoldo Rivera-Pastpresident 1992-93
9.-Arturo Treviño
10.-Raul Zapata-Pastpresident 1988-89
11.-Mauricio Baca
12.-Humberto Garza-Pastpresident 1993-94
13.-Rodolfo Lozoya-Pastpresident 1998-99 International Service President Committee
The Amigo Club Rotarians came to the North Las Vegas club at the invitation of Charlotte Leas and Annette Hardy who had visited their club in January and July of 2001. The Amigo Club members wanted to invite the North Las Vegas Rotary Club/District 5300 to "sister" with them on a Matching or Humanitarian Grant to continue the work with the Tarahumara Indians in the Sierra Madres. The Amigo Club has completed 12 grants since 1988 to provide for the Tarahumaras in the Copper Canyon area. The projects have ranged from X Ray equipment for the Children's Hospital in Chihuahua, equipment for the Down Syndrome Institute, equipment for the Deaf children, funding for the study and cure of epilepsy, as well as Fire trucks and dehydrated food for the Tarahumaras in the Region. They have also provided some water pipes to transport water from pumps to one of the Tarahumara villages. These 12 grants have totaled more than $209,000. These grants were obtained with the assistance of sisters clubs from 8 areas, both in New Mexico and Texas. They are inviting this District or some of the clubs in this district to "sister" with them on a grant. The North Las Vegas Rotary club will meet and discuss this invitation at the next Board Meeting, but if there is interest on the District level, we are willing to coordinate such an effort. Let us know if your club is interested in participating and what sort of project that you are leaning towards. After seeing the needs on the two trips that we took to the area, it seems that water, electricity, food and medical are still the greatest needs. The drought that they had for the past 7 or 8 years seems to be over, but there is a lot of growing to catch up to the demand for food in this area.
The sign that we prepared here in Las Vegas to be placed on the water storage tank that we recently helped develop with our $4,000 donation was hand carried back to Mexico by the current International Chair for the club, Rudolfo Lozoya.We have just been notified that our last shipment of Dehydrated soup and beans has finally arrived in Mexico. It had been held up at the Mexican border for quite a while. "Thank you for your generosity and hard work in raising the money, collecting the funds and buying and sending the foodstuffs. This will make a huge difference in the lives of many." This thank you came from Creel where the food will be distributed.
The water storage tanks are in and being filled at this time. If you recall the balance of the funds that we raised in District 5300 was to be used for a water storage area or to help with a water source. We were able to build the water storage tank for $4,000.00 (American money). We will have photos on the website soon and a Rotary plaque is being prepared and will be taken to Choquita on February 20th by the Rotarians for District 5730 who have been our hands into Mexico. They are taking a group of the Hunger Plus folks and will take our sign and install it for us. They also promised photos of the storage tank and the Rotary Sign.
The North Las Vegas Rotary Club and the Las Vegas Paradise Club will partner and sponsor a Cinco DeMayo Fund Raiser. We will have baskets made by the Sierra Madre Tarahuma Indians for sale or silent auction. Date, Time and location to be announced later. Stay tuned for more exciting news about this event.
A Check was just sent to Fr. Luis Verplancken in the amount of $3,875.00 to cover the cost of the solar pump, water tank and pipes to send the water to the tanks to be installed in Choguita, Mexico.
We have asked Fr. Luis to take photos and we will place them on the website later when the completed water tanks are in place. Thanks again to the Rotary Clubs of Southern Nevada for supporting this ongoing project.
Last update, Monday, March 05, 2007
