In This Issue: -
Toys for Kids
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Client of the Month
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Didjano
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Meet Our Volunteers
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Here Comes Santa Claus
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Buenos Vecinos will once again be a participant in the Toys for Kids drive. We will have a donation box at our Thursday market table from now until Christmas. If you would like to make Christmas special for an underprivileged child who may not otherwise receive a gift, please bring an unwrapped gift with a $15 value to the market.
You may choose to give cash that our volunteer committee will use to purchase gifts. Our volunteers will also wrap and label the gifts for boy or girl and age range. Some of the gifts will be delivered to the Comarca by a group of volunteers from another participating organization.
Enjoy your holiday season knowing you've made the holiday special for a child in need. Our heartfelt thanks for your consideration. | |
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Meet Evelina Gonzalez and Benjamin Quiroz
Evelina Gonzalez (age 64) lives in Jaramillo Abajo in the greater Boquete area. Evelina lives with her husband, Benjamin Quiroz (age 82). They have five children. Two live in Panama City, two live in David, and one lives near by. Their house is made of cement blocks with a metal roof. It also has electricity and running water.
Between them, Benjamin and Evelina have several ailments. Benjamin suffers from Alzheimer's disease and Evelina has stomach cancer as well as osteoporosis. They need medications to ease their suffering. Their income is very limited and not sufficient for purchasing food and medications, in addition to paying the bills.
Evelina and Benjamin said they are very grateful for the assistance from BVB. | |
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As we near the end of our fiscal year, we look back at what we have accomplished with your support. We would like to share our results with you, our donors and supporters:
> Families served: 130
> Number of individuals: 500
> Number of children 16 and under: 175
> Number of children 3 and under: 31
> Families with disabled member: 65
> Average monthly expenses: $5,289
> Average monthly donations: $3,642
> Monthly deficit: $1,647
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 | | A Smile as Big as her Heart- Sherry Shirritt | | | | | | | | | | | |
Sherry and her partner of almost 40 years, Scott, have been here nearly a decade. Formerly a teacher as well as a developer of preschools, Sherry has several hobbies including singing in the shower and dancing. One of her dreams is to travel to Tuscany and learn to cook. Right now, Sherry makes a wicked peanut butter and jelly sandwich and admits cooking is not her forte. She enjoys eating at restaurants where the food is consistently good and the atmosphere is homey; one favorite is The Fish House.
Sherry works as a realtor and volunteers for two or more organizations. "I semi-retired to Panama from Calgary, Canada," she says, "to experience as many opportunities as possible, learn new things, and be a valued member of a community. I found that in Boquete." She grew up as an Army brat, never staying in one place more than a few years. This experience taught her to develop relationships quickly with people from all walks of life….the good, the bad, and the ugly. "I learned to accept folks for who they were," says Sherry. "The most fulfilling relationships I had were with the underprivileged and the children who needed a voice. I became their advocate."
A sense of "homeyness" is one of the reasons she has worked as a packer for BVB for about seven years. Many of our clients at BVB never experience a homey feeling. It was also a natural extension of what she did in Canada. "The mission statement of the organization makes my heart sing," says Sherry. "I enjoy working for the less fortunate. The smiles on the children's faces and the appreciation from the families makes it all worth it." | |
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"Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Put on your yarmulke, Here comes Chanukah" | |
Not exactly, we know. However, the Hanukkah and Christmas seasons are almost upon us. Stores here in Boquete specifically and the Chiriquà region generally have been putting up Christmas and Hanukkah décor and other items since about August.
Some people are starting to purchase gifts and hide them. Others are wondering what to get their friends and family for the holiday. If you fall into the latter category or if you have not purchased presents yet, please consider making a donation to Buenos Vecinos in a loved one's name. Making a donation in someone's honor will be a win-win situation. Nobody gets another "thing" they don't need and our families get nutritional items they do need.
You can donate in various ways. You can make your gift through PayPal at https://bit.ly/3XEqav4. It's easy to do and you don't have to have a PayPal account to do it. It can be a recurring monthly or just a one-time gift. If you prefer to make a direct deposit to our bank account, you can also contact Trish at BuenosVecinos79@gmail.com. | |
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Buenos Vecinos exists to help people who are unable to meet their basic food needs. We have provided emergency food support on many occasions and have been successful in helping families through hard times. We will help them with food support until the working age adults in the family can find enough income to become self-sustaining. | |
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