www.rotarysma.org                                                                                                    San Miguel de Allende, Gto., México

In the brief two years of its existence, this Rotary Club has become a valuable and reliable conduit of funding from other Rotary clubs to the north for their international project needs.  Here is a listing of our funded projects, some of which are completed and some in progress.   Other projects are pilot programs which could evolve into many future projects.
 

• Water Harvesting Project - San Miguel Viejo – This is a pilot program at the village of San Miguel Viejo whose water is contaminated with excessive levels of fluoride. This project centers on the collection of rain water as a substitute for contaminated ground water for drinking/cooking needs. The West U Rotary Club of Houston, Texas has partnered with us in the funding of this matching grant proposal. If it is successful, other similar water harvesting projects will be implemented with the help of partner clubs who wish to provide direct funding.

• Diabetic Retinopathy Camera & Diabetic Laser Machine – There is a severe diabetes problem in Mexico--especially in this area where 13% suffer from diabetes and 10% of those are in danger of losing their eyesight. Two machines are used for treatment:  a detection camera which costs approximately $20,000 USD, and a laser machine for $ 32,000 USD, used for repairing the rear of the eye and saving eyesight. Commitments for the funding of these two expensive pieces of equipment have come from the Tallahassee RC and the St. Francisville RC of Baton Rouge , Louisiana.
   

•  Stirling Dickinson Rural Library Project – With the help of the Tallahassee Rotary Club, we are planning to submit a request for funding a $ 13,000 USD to furnish a library building/ community center in Col. Cruz de Palmar. The grant will include books, magazines, tables, chairs, racks, and computers. This project, coordinated through the Biblioteca Publica, will hopefully attract other non-profit organizations to provide additional services to that community.
   

• Computadores Pro Jovenes – With matching grant help from the Trail Rotary Club of   British Columbia and their Interact Club, we plan to purchase 75 used computers,  Spanish software and keyboards at cost of $20,000 USD.  CPJ is a relatively new, but successful program, which focuses on refurbishing computers which are then donated to local schools and students with special disabilities.
   

• Casa de los Angeles – This day care center provides a safe, nurturing environment for the children of single working mothers who come from the outskirts of town to sell their wares in the market or to work in homes/restaurants in town. Our matching grant of $ 29,000 USD will provide the funding to furnish a new day care center in Col. Santa Julia. We have partnered with the Peachtree Rotary Club of Atlanta, Georgia, to fund this project.
  

• Casa Hogar Santa Julia Don Bosco – Together with the Rotary Club of Tryon, NC, we are improving the living conditions in this young girls' refuge through a matching grant of $ 11,800. Most of the young residents have been orphaned, sexually abused or abandoned by their families.

•  Casa Hogar Don Bosco – Providing school uniforms, educational supplies, and educational costs for the 30 girls, ages 12-21, of a San Miguel de Allende orphanage for a two-year period.  The Don Bosco Casa Hogar Orphanage is a Catholic institution offering services to girls who, due to the absence of one or both parents or because they have been abused, come to Casa Hogar.  The goal is to care for the girls in a home-like atmosphere where their education and overall growth are based on family values, with special emphasis upon self-esteem, responsibility, discipline, and gratitude.   The orphanage, located in Centro in San Miguel in loaned facilities,  receives no governmental or church funding and relies entirely upon the generosity of volunteers and benefactors. The girls also make and sell tamales to help support themselves.   This $12,000 USD project was generously funded by the Rotary Club of Mill Valley, CA. 
   
•  Sylvan Learning Center Book Project – 125 English-language primary school books to the Biblioteca Publica (Public Library) in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for the Sala Infantil (rural library system).  The books were donated by the Sylvan Learning Center of Washington, Mo.  The Rotary Club of Washington, Mo. paid for the shipping charges to Laredo, Texas.  The Midday Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende was responsible for Mexican duties and shipping from Laredo to San Miguel de Allende.    A special thanks to Rotarian Jessica Piepenbrok, Director of the Sylvan Learning Center of Washington Missouri.

   

• Pontoon Boat Project –  A project with the Rotary Club of South Padre Island, Texas  to supply a motorized pontoon boat to ferry school children and workers from an isolated village of Don Juan across a lake to San Miguel de Allende.    The community of Don Juan, and several surrounding communities, contains some 200-300 persons.  These communities are isolated from San Miguel de Allende by a rather large lake.  To reach San Miguel with its schools and employment opportunities requires an extremely long walk.   There is no bus service.   For this reason, many of the children of Don Juan do not attend schools, and a number of the adults do not work.

  The pontoon boat was purchased in Texas and was shipped to San Miguel where it is being given to the Don Juan Community Association, which is also responsible for the construction of docks on both sides of the lake.  School children are always to be provided with free transportation.  Project Cost: $2500 USD.   A special thanks to John Wilson and Miguel Gil, and The Rotary Club of South Padre Island, TX.
  
  

•  Visit by 7 students from the Interact Club of Trail, BC, Canada to work on projects in San Miguel de Allende the first week of July 2006, including Casita Linda and the three orphanages.   Starting on July 1st, we had a week of activities planned by the Vocational Committee, headed by David Bossman, to acquaint the Canadians with the needs of the community. All members chipped in, from generously hosting the youngsters and their chaperons in their homes to participating in their activities. On their last evening in SMA at a wonderful party held at the Lawton's, the Interactors left us with a cheque for $1000 Cdn towards a Casita Linda home.

• Arcadia Rotary Club of Phoenix, AZ – Project to supply more than 500 Spanish language books to the Biblioteca Publica (Public Library) in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and for the Sala Infantil (rural library system). These books were shipped to San Miguel through the auspices of the Arcadia Rotary Club of Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Public Library system also donated many of these used books. Generously funded by the Arcadia Rotary Club of Phoenix, AZ and the Public Library of Phoenix, AZ.   This gift fills a real gap at the Library. Mexican children (aged 5-12) need books in their own language and these fine textbooks supplement an already good collection. The rural school Libraries will also benefit from this project as many of these 300 one-room schools have few books available. 
  
  Norm & Betty Peterson paid all of the shipping costs for the 100 + pounds of books from Phoenix to the Texas border. Lacy Hauser helped to provide the books at very low prices. The Arcadia Rotary Club, under the leadership of President Tom Horvath, provided the funds to pay for the books. 

  Ali Zerriffi, President of the Biblioteca Publica of San Miguel, wrote the following letter of appreciation c/o David Bossman, Vocational Services Chairperson. “Many thanks again for the Rotary support to the Biblioteca. I believe that we are going to start the new year with a wonderfully enhanced collection. Midday Rotary’s donations added to the budget established last year and are a definite part to the enhancement of service we strive to give to the community “
  
   

• Adopt an Eye Project  – Thanks to the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club, CA, for the donation of $400 for a corrective eye surgery.  The surgery is to be scheduled for Marco Antonio Tovar Jaime, age 6, who lives in Colonia El Castano de Aloajo section of San Miguel.   He is one of 7 children in the family.  His parents work a small plot of land that they inherited, raising the typical corn and beans.  When there is little rain, his father hires out as a helper in construction (they generally mix concrete by hand), and earns almost nothing for his efforts.  The father has no real job.  
  
  Thanks also to the Tryon NC Rotary Club for the donation of $400 for a corrective eye surgery, which was performed on 29 June 2006 for Sandra Vazquez Peralta, age 10 years old, who lives in Colonia La Laguna Escondida in the San Miguel de Allende area.  She has 5 brothers and sisters and her family works on their small piece of land growing corn and beans. 
  
  Several other donations were received.  Nancy Fernandez donated $400 USD for a surgery.  Peggy Purcell, also of the Rotary Club of San Miguel donated $400 USD towards a corrective surgery for one cross-eyed boy.  Unfortunately, correcting one eye emphasized a problem with the boy's other eye.  However, Farley Wheelwright, also of the Rotary Club of San Miguel, came to the rescue with a $400 USD donation and the little boy has has had his second operation.  Another donation of $400 USD was received from Alfonso and Olivia Amaro of the SMA  Lions Club for the gift of another eye operation in the Adopt an Eye program.
  
   
• Suzuki Music Program – Project to purchase and refurbish 50 musical instruments and to pay for instructional classes for the girls of Casa Hogar Santa Julia, Casa Hogar Don Bosco Sollano, and for the boys of Casa Hogar Mexiquito, to bring music to these disadvantaged children and for providing much needed resources to the Suzuki Music Program. This $17,148 grant was generously funded by the Rotary Foundation, the Chagrin Valley Rotary Club, the Interact Club at the Chagrin Falls (Ohio) High School, and the Suzuki Children's String and Piano Program of San Miguel.  After the program is implemented, the Interact Club, plus the Spanish Club, and the String Club at Chagrin Falls High School will do a follow-up mission to the three orphanages in San Miguel de Allende.

  This  project involves the three orphanages in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for physically and sexually abused children.  It has been shown that learning to play a musical instrument increases their self-esteem and confidence.  The project will provide some 30 musical instruments (violins and cellos), instruction books, music stands, and chin rests.

   
   

• Casita Linda – Gift from the Midday Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende of $1200 USD to construct one home.
  
  Impressed by the Casita Linda project, the Trail BC Rotary Club followed up yet with another grant for $2000 CND for a motorized cement mixer to help speed up the building process. Gordon Logan who has been very active with hands-on work on Casita Linda is not only administering the funds for this project, but with his encouragement has had other Rotarians from our club out there on the campo, painting, scraping, climbing ladders, and all in all enjoying the work of providing homes for the poorest of poor working together with the Casita Linda volunteers.
  
  Another donation of $1200 USD was made by Nancy Fernandez, a member of our club who splits her year residing in the US (Rotary Club of Eureka, CA) and in San Miguel.
  
  In January, a further donation of a Casita Linda house was made by Don Kwait of Beachwood, Ohio and a member of the Chagrin Highlands Rotary Club.