[Noticias] 2011 has been a year to remember for GHA, & it's only March!

Greetings to all,

I wanted to take a moment & share a little GHA news with you.  Even since we have written this, some amazing things are transpired, but you'll have to stay tuned for those details.  For now, enjoy a few of our adventures so far this year.  Be sure to see some of the stories more in detail on www.TheVolunteerRevolution.org

2011 has been a year to remember, & it's only March! TheVolunteerRevolution.org | March 10, 2011

With the start of the new year, has come the start of an incredible journey.

2011 has been an incredible year for GHA, our volunteers, our partnering organizations, & the communities in which we have been working.

Since the beginning of January, GHA has had the pleasure of working with@ 60 new volunteers!

To start the year, we hosted students from the College of Saint Rose, from Albany, NY.  They have since contacted us to add GHA as an accredited program for their students; I think that was a pretty successful week!  Their service project was a summer camp of sorts for the Casa Hogar Trisker Children's Home.

College of Saint Rose

Our 2nd group of the year came from the Students without Borders Academy out of Canada.  They were our largest group to date with 31!  Add in our staff, and it took a 46' cargo canoe to get us all to our service location.  We focused on smokeless stoves from Contextual Solutions & 3 new rainwater catchment systems for the indigenous community of Salt Creek.  When the students were asked by their coordinating professor about their experience, the response was humbling.  "They changed our lives, we want to come back & help them."  In a closing discussion their leader said they'd like to spend a month with us next year instead of just a week! (see more)

Students Without Borders Academy

Our 3rd group we welcomed from the Shasta Valley Rotary Club & the Rotary Club of Boquete, Panama.  Rotary was the source of an $11,700 grant, which funded 21 rainwater catchment systems!

Rotary Club Representatives from Boquete, Panama & Shasta Valley, CA.

Our 4th group, came from "The Global Citizen Project".  Focused on childcare, fund-raising,  & smokeless stoves; this group of women came with a mission!  Follow the rest of Charyn's mission here.

The Global Citizen Project

We've also been blessed by some incredible individuals volunteering with us this year.  One just left, and he's already coming back in April... see you soon Dave!

GHA volunteer, Dave Bandes, helping deliver 7 new tanks for clean water!

Now, a little snapshot of some projects…

E. Lee Robinson Medical Clinic:

Many of you are aware that we are building a medical clinic for the Casa Hogar Trisker Children's Home in Boquete, Panama.  We have had a few delays due to requests for additional permits.  However, our staff is on it & will have every detail in order quickly.  We have chosen to dedicate this facility to the Robinson family of Hillsboro, OR.  In Memory of E. Lee Robinson  (see why here).

21 New Rainwater Catchment Systems:

How do you change the lives of more than 600 people for the next 10-15 years at an average cost of just over $1/person/year?  We thought of one way... deliver & install rainwater catchment systems for indigenous families throughout the Bocas del Toro Region of Panama...  got your interest perked & your toes wet?  then dive in for more (here). 

Smokeless Stoves:

GHA volunteers & supporting organizations have been working hard.  With new commercial stoves made for the Salt Creek School on Isla Bastimentos, & a demonstration for Peace Corps Volunteers in the Bocas del Toro Islands has led to many new request for residential molds & commercial stoves for more schools.  Looks like its going to be a busy year for stove volunteers.  A few benefits of using the smokeless stove from Contextual Solutions:  stoves consume smoke before it is released in secondary combustion, burning smokeless reduces respiratory issues for women & children, concentrated heat cooks faster, the thickness of the stove walls reduces the risk of burns, efficiency of fire uses less wood, less wood = reduction in de-forestation, the list could go on.

Smokeless Stove from Contextual Solutions, (Africa Prototype)

Books from Ben:

How do you get a child excited about reading?  In the Bocas del Toro region, you just give them a book.  This project distributes & establishes small libraries throughout indigenous villages in the Bocas del Toro islands.  Want to know more... then you'll have to read more  (here)!

Project in Coordination with "One Library at a Time"

Building & Strengthening Relationships:

One of GHA's focus has been & will continue to be to, "Prove ourselves, not to sell ourselves." With new partnerships with the College of Saint Rose, Students without Borders Academy, multiple Rotary clubs, the Global Citizen Project, numerous Peace Corps volunteers, a new high school in Panama City, with others currently being cultivated... I'd say we are building a very strong foundation for the days ahead. Want to join "The Volunteer Revolution" with GHA?  We welcome all individuals, companies, organizations, & donors who share our fundamentals. 

Email us today: info@gogha.org

GHA in the news:

Featured cover story for another local paper, The Bocas Breeze  (read more).

The Bocas Breeze Cover Photo

Gratitude:

A recent email in response to the water project in coordination with Rotary, Contextual Solutions, & the Peace Corps that we just had to share with the world... "I have been involved with a lot of NGO's
over the years and one of my great sadnesses is the competition and
ego that I often see, that would make any level of collaboration an
impossibility.  This collaborative effort, however, has brought hope
and joy to my heart.  It took all parts of the puzzle of course, but
GHA's involvement was central and critical.  GHA's willingness to do
whatever it took to see this project through has been tireless.  The
attention to the details and behind the scene work has made this
project seamless. .. The commitment and dedication has been
exemplary.  Without the attention to detail, and dedication
to all aspects of this project, this would not have been the success
that we all are sharing in.  A job very well done indeed."

Welcome to a couple of new Board Members,

Dunham Cobb & Stephanie Rudat:

Dunham Cobb

For Dunham's bio (click here)

Stephanie Rudat

For Stephanie's bio (click here)

A Special Thanks from Team GHA!

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I hope you will continue to follow our adventures & that our paths cross soon.


cheers,

d. robert pickett

www.TheVolunteerRevolution.org