Allan Badner

Email: badner@pvnet.com.mx

Starting with our December General Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 11, two representatives of our funding programs will be invited to report on their current programs and how our money is being put to use.

This will illustrate how essential the IFC funding is to the needs of the community. The floor will be open to questions. It will also give the representatives the opportunity to describe their future plans and financial needs. The IFC puts over ONE MILLION PESOS ANNUALLY into the community and our failure to produce will seriously affect the well being of many Vallarta and environs families.

Your support by volunteering your time and talents to the IFC is essential to assuring the continuing success of our club and its’ funding programs. The following Committee Chairpersons are desperately needed: Newsletter, Community Service, Social, Publicity and Facilities. All committees require assistant chairman and helpers. If we have to ask you, please respond positively.

Newsletter Chairperson: in charge of putting together the monthly newsletter. This entails gathering the reports of the various chairpersons, assembling articles and getting newsletter printed and distributed. Kirsten does the bulk of the work such as all the typing and computer input, so this position is really that of a coordinator.

Social Chairperson or persons: This is a very important job as the whole fabric of the Club is bound by the social interaction of its’ members. This position can be done as a co-chair or even three or four chairs. The club social events for the year are: two potluck dinners at monthly meetings, Xmas party, Valentine’s Day party, two ladies luncheons, and any other events upon which the chairpersons decide.

Community Service Chairperson: The Community Service programs are the Food Program (Don Powell), Rehab Program and the Folkloric Dancers. These programs are all self-operating and therefore the Chairperson only has to represent these programs on the Board and visit the programs once or twice during the year.

Publicity Chairperson: This chair is responsible for publicizing our good works through releases to the local English and Spanish press. This chair is also responsible for publicizing our activities to our membership. Much of the work will be done by Kirsten such a e-mailing all our members with email. The remaining non-email persons will have to be contacted by a small phoning committee organized by this chair.

Clubhouse Assistants are really required.  Kirsten gets flooded with people coming in to pay dues, ask questions, and require help of all sorts. We could use volunteers to come in during office hours, 9:30 AM to 1:30 AM or part thereof and man the desk so that Kirsten can do her work. Arrange your times with Kirsten

The partnership between the International Friendship Club and Don Powell and the English-speaking congregation that meets at the Mexican First Baptist church began in the spring of 1995. At that time the IFC asked Powell if he could build a kindergarten in Mojoneres, the colonia nearest the municipal dump. Don and Ed Murphy organized it, the IFC paid for the material and some labor, and the people of the community contributed their help. The original little brick school which started with 25 children has now grown to accommodate 75 children in 2 more classes built from wood and tar paper by the neighbors.

In Oct. of 1996, Powell went to City Hall and asked which areas needed the most help. They showed him a map and pointed out the 3 colonias nearest the dump: Mojoneres, Magisterio, and El Progresso. The church started feeding 80 families in the region enough food for a week. In December of 1996 the IFC said they would like to participate. The purpose of the IFC program was to reach families who needed assistance and encourage families to send their children to school. Many of the families in that area, including the children, worked at the dump sorting through the trash. Children as young as 3 years of age could sort out glass bottles and aluminum cans.

By sending their children to school instead, the families got a bonus of food, and the children could see a way out of their current situation. The teachers pass out the food to the families they know are most in need.

There are 3 groups participating in the program: The IFC, which funds the program, the Church, which also furnishes funds, labor and transportation, and the schools, which determine the families most in need.

We started with 160 families in Mojoneres, Magisterio and El Progresso and were feeding 300 families by 1998. Each family receives a total of 4 kilos of rice and beans. Assuming 5 people per family, that’s enough food for 3 or 4 days.