Buenos Vecinos de Boquete Newsletter February 2018
The Boquete Has Heart Event is a Great Success
Buenos Vecinos and Amigos de Animales were the big winners at the Casino Night fund-raising event sponsored by Boquete Has Heart. BVB raised enough money to support ten of its existing client families for another year, and AADAB raised enough funds to help spay and neuter hundreds more animals in the Boquete area. Thanks go to the attendees who filled the Animales Event Center and to our generous donors who gave us over fifty fabulous silent and live auction items. If you were not there, you missed a chance to win exciting tours and getaways to destinations all over the world including Spain and Bonaire, fun adventure packages including a sports fishing day tour, hotel and restaurant certificates, catered parties, offers for health and beauty services, valuable memberships and original artwork and crafts.
Manna Pack Rice Supplement, the "Golden Nugget" in BVB's Monthly Basket
Click on the link to this short video to see why Manna Pack is a "super food". Donated to BVB by Phillip McGuigan through his Amigos de Boquete Foundation, this nutritional dehydrated rice and vegetable product is supplying much-needed nutrition to children, elderly and handicapped clients. VIDEO HERE
Ana's family enjoys the sleeping mats, made from plastic bags, by "The Bag Ladies".
Best Wishes to Karen Hill
Karen Hill, long-time and valuable member of Buenos Vecinos leaves us this week to begin her next adventure in Bend, Oregon. We will miss her warm smile and her remarkable dedication to helping build the BVB organization and make it run more effectively. Karen has also played a pivotal part in the Boquete Health and Hospice organization where she has helped develop many important programs. She and Craig will leave a void in the Boquete community, as well. Farewell and thank you, Amiga!
Family of the Month Update
2013 2017
Here's an update on Aida's family who were featured in one of BVB's first newsletters in 2013.
Five years ago, Aida, then 65 years old, was caring for her two grandchildren Danila, then 11, and Davis, then 9 years old, after their mother died. Aida also took on the responsibility for three great grandchildren Yorlanis 4, Cyndil 5, and Santiago who was 3 years old. Aida made a home for them in her cinder block house located in a mountain village above Potrerillos. The outdoor kitchen featured a wood-burning cooking area and, with all those mouths to feed, the kitchen was in continuous operation! When Buenos Vecinos started making food deliveries, Aida was especially grateful, since she was not yet eligible to receive the $100 government stipend for Panamanian residents who are 70 years or older.
Aida now receives that stipend and it helps, but five growing children eat a lot of food! Aida's health is deteriorating and her energy is flagging, but she is determined that all of her charges are attending school and achieving good grades. During the summer, the two oldest boys work at a trapiche (sugar mill) making sugar blocks from sugar cane juice. With only this limited income and her pension, the amenities and the challenges of daily living have not changed very much for Aida's family. However, Buenos Vecinos has watched this family grow stronger and more energetic year by year. Good nutrition and Aida's unwavering love and care for this family are the key ingredients that make it all work.
How to help?
If you would like to help our clients and the efforts of Buenos Vecinos de Boquete, we would appreciate your donation of any size. It is important for you to know that we are a small all-volunteer force with no administrative or overhead costs. Every dollar of your donation goes to the purchase or storage of food for our clients.
Buenos Vecinos de Boquete's wholesale purchase power enables us to furnish our clients more food than they could purchase on their own in the store with the same amount of money.
When you make that important decision to help feed the less fortunate in our community, you have truly become a "good neighbor". When you donate $360 a year or $30 a month (about the cost of a daily latte), you will become a Coconut Foundation member as an acknowledgment of your concern and generosity. Donate Online: http://www.buenosvecinosdeboquete.com/how-you-can-help We use PayPal for easy and secure transactions.
If you prefer to donate by cash or local check, please contact Louise Orr panamaleo@gmail.com for arrangements.
Thank you!
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