Men With Guitars, Garage Sale and More News!

May 11, 2013 marked the second annual Men With Guitars concert, organized by board member Steve Gilchrist, and held at Olympic Theatre Arts in Sequim. Participating performers were Cort Armstrong, Larry Bauer, Jim Faddis, Forrest Gilchrist, Steve Gilchrist, Steve Koehler, Ron Munro and Noel Price.  The evening was  a rousing success and the evening netted Mujeres $1462.

Steve Koehler

Jim Faddis and Cort Armstrong

 A huge thank-you goes out to all the musicians, to Kelly Thomas for her time, expertise and sound-system equipment, to Sue Ellen Riesau for being our MC, and to all volunteers.

Ron Munro and Noel Price

 

Grand Finale "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

Our 6th Annual "Quality" Garage sale was held May 17 and 18. Thanks to all those who donated items. worked tirelessly to price, organize and "man" the event, and to Linda Finch for the use of her house once more.  Despite drizzly, chilly weather, we had a great turnout and netted $1416.  

On Friday, May 10, Linda and Judith went to Port Townsend and met with Sarah McMonigle, dental hygienist and Reina Barreto, Spanish professor at Peninsula College. With Linda doing the filming, we made a video of how to properly brush and floss your teeth. We have been taking brushes and toothpaste twice a year to the women of the cooperative and in August we will show the video and give the women the opportunity to use disclosing tablets and then practice brushing and flossing. We are appreciative of Reina and Sarah's time and willingness to help us with this project.

The women and children in Chiapas are grateful to all of you, as are we, for your loyal support.

Stay tuned for more news coming soon...

Judith

Grant Received through Students for International Development at BYU Provo!

What a wonderful surprise!  In February, the Students for International Development at the Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, contacted us and suggested we apply for the grant given at their annual Hunger Banquet. Every year they give this event to increase student awareness of world poverty. This year their theme was empowering women.

Four weeks after the grant was submitted, we received word we were one of the three finalists whose projects would be presented at the Hunger Banquet on March 16. The banquet attendees text their vote after the presentations. And several days after the banquet we learned that we had won! 

We will be receiving a check for $2600!!

We are so grateful to the students in this program for apprising us of this opportunity and also for the work they are doing to educate young people on significant world issues. Keep up the good work, BYU students!

Judith

Mexican Breakfast plus International Women's Day

On March 3rd, Mujeres de Maiz OF hosted the first ever Mexican Breakfast fundraiser at the Sequim Prairie Grange.  The breakfast featured tortillas, black beans, salsa, eggs, and cheese, with tasty condiments and orange slices, along with coffee donated by  Raven's Brew Coffee Company.  Over $1,000 was collected for the foundation's projects.

A fine crowd of over 100 diners came over on that Sunday morning  to
enjoy the tasty meal, prepared by Molly Rivard, Steve Gilchrist, David
Fox, Jim Reed, and Marilyn Gilchrist.  Other volunteers who helped with
the serving, cleanup, and hosting, were Linda Finch, Cathy Van Ruhan,
Sandy Reed, and Rose Bridge.

So many nice comments about the breakfast were received, we may have to do it again next year!

International Women's Day was celebrated on March 6th at Olympic Cellars winery in Port Angeles with a program that included Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation.  The evening consisted of a soup and bread pot luck and a presentation by board member Molly Rivard.  Her talk described the origins of the foundation and the ongoing programs which benefit indigenous women. A portion of the proceeds of the wine sales was donated by the winery.

Representatives of another local non-profit group, Serenity House, also
presented an explanation of their work.

The proceeds from the program were divided between the two non- profit organizations.  Thank you to Olympic Cellars for hosting this event.

 

Steve Gilchrist

Sequim Sunrise Rotary Rocks!

We are delighted to announce that this morning (March 15, 2013) Sequim Sunrise Rotary President Bud Davies presented Judith with a $1000 check that will go toward funding our new Children's Program in Ocosingo. That program is budgeted at $1800 for the year.  The Ocosingo Program is almost exclusively focused on Math and Spanish (the children's second language.)  The primary school in this community is a multi-level (grades 1 through 5) with only 2 teachers.  The students are not getting the attention or the instruction that they need to progress. Two of our scholarship recipients, Viky and her daughter, Gabriela, proposed this program to help the children not fall behind in their schoolwork. And although the program serves as part of the community service requirement for the scholarships, Viky and Gaby are very invested in their community and are enthusiastic about doing this.  Viky is also the person who conceived and organized the Altamirano literacy program that is now in its 4th year. 

We are so grateful to the members of the Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club for including Mujeres on their list of international recipients.  We would like to send out a special thank-you to Arthur Buhrer for his advocacy on our behalf with the club. We are in his debt.

Judith

JANUARY 13, 2013

January has been an exciting month for Mujeres.  The purchase of the house that will serve as a center has gone through and the keys have been turned over to the cooperative. Our coordinator, Carmen, and some of the compañeras have spent this entire weekend painting interior walls. In May, the final payment will be due.
Between the loyal supporters of Mujeres and patrons of Oakwood School in Los Angeles (headed up by teacher Mickey Morgan), there can be no doubt that fundraising for that second payment will be successful. I can't tell you how much this means to me personally.  It's a true cause for celebration and I can hardly stand it that my next trip is the end of July....so far in the future!

Other good news is that the Mujeres' board has voted to fund the proposal for the 3rd Children's Program. The wonderful success of the other two programs, one in its 4th year and the other in its 3rd, was an inspiration to the mother-daughter team (both scholarship recipients) who made this proposal. This program won't be quite as  widespread in its goals as the other two.  Instead it will concentrate on Spanish and Math skills. The primary school in this community  is multi-level with only 2 teachers and children are not receiving much individual attention and are falling behind and at risk for dropping out.

The first round of composting latrines will be in the community near Yajalon and the pre-building workshops are already starting. A thank-you goes out to those of you who contributed for a latrine. We'll keep you posted!

Linda (r) and Judith at Edmonds UU

On the homefront, Linda Finch, Steve Gilchrist and I visited Edmonds Unitarian Church on Jan. 6.  We look forward to our annual visit.  The Edmonds UU congregation donates a month of their offertory to us every year and we owe them a big debt of gratitude!

Cathy Van Ruhan and I attended the Olympic UU Fellowship in Port Angeles this morning where I was privileged to have been asked to give the morning talk.  I love talking about what we do, so "The Ripple Effect of Empowering Women" was right up my alley.  It was good to see a lot of familiar faces. Thanks to Connie Alexander for arranging this.

Trinity Methodist of Sequim requested a post-service talk on January 27, and I look forward to that. Thanks to Pat Gritman for being instrumental in making this happen.

Lastly, my book is out and soon there will be a link on our home page. After a bit of reimbursing takes place, proceeds will go to Mujeres.  somewhere for my soul to go: a place, a cause, a legacy  is available at Friesen Press. For information about the book, and how to order, go to:

http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000007948183

As usual, it is difficult to express how grateful we are and how grateful  the women of the cooperative are. It is indeed a good thing that we are doing together. 

Judith 

DECEMBER TRIP YIELDS GREAT NEWS!

Juana and Yoli with graduation cards

I made the trip to San Cristobal alone this December. I was able to attend the bi-monthly workshop for all three days and also to share in the Christmas posada with the women and children. I also had the chance to talk at length with several of our scholarship recipients.  One afternoon I made the trip out to the community of Zinacantan to have dinner in the home of the two sisters who have both just completed their university coursework. Juana, with a degree in Computer Science, graduated on December 20.  Her sister, Yoli, finishing up her English degree, is waiting for the results of a comprehensive state-mandated test, and her graduation will be in February or March.  









The best news is that Carmen, our coordinator, heard about a prospective house for sale that could serve as a center for the cooperative. (The plot of land they had attempted to purchase in the fall was thwarted when the owner sold to a higher bidder.) I was very fortunate to see the house while I was there, and of all the properties I've seen in San Cristobal in the last 3 years, this was the most suitable and the most reasonable price. Our capital campaign will resume shortly, after a 2 year hiatus.

Knowing that the women and girls will soon have their own space and will no longer have to pay rent was the best Christmas present I could have had.

Other Chiapas tidbits:

•  The composting toilet project will begin in Yajalon and workshops are being scheduled. Thanks go out to all of you who have given toilets as gifts!
•  A new Children's Program was proposed and the Board voted to fund it. This one is a bit different from our other two Children's Programs as it will focus strongly on Spanish and Math.
•  The members of the cooperative completed a workshop on planning and produced a very comprehensive document which addressed their focus and goals for the 2013.

It was a gratifying trip.
Thank you all for you support.

Judith

2012 Día de Muertos Event

Last Saturday, on November 3, we celebrated Día de Muertos with our 7th Annual Mujeres de Maiz Dinner and Auction at the Sequim Prairie Grange.  It was a great success!  Our kitchen crew with head cook and board member Molly Rivard at the helm created a memorable vegetarian dinner. Many folks said it was our best event dinner so far! Many thanks are due to the cooks!

From left to right: Bob Pasco, Molly Rivard, Gail Mabbutt, Martha Rudersdorf, David Fox, Bonnie Bless-Boenish, Steve Gilchrist (not pictured are Dave LeRoux, Neilu Naini and Rick Rodlend)

More thanks to our terrific volunteers:  Beth Fetrow, John Boetsch, Barbara Wieseman, Barbara Brooner, Auctioneers Florence and Michael Bucierka, Jenna Hall, Hannah and Madeline Patterson, Rose Bridge, Carrie Rodlend, Kathy Cooper, Bev Carbis, and Kathy Strozyk. Thanks also to donations from Nash's Organic Farm and Ravens Brew Coffee. More thanks are due to all those who donated auction items, and you are too numerous to mention! A special nod to Mervin Manufacturing of Carlsborg who donated two snowboards.Thanks to Dan Maguire for the sound system.  A big hug goes to all our Soroptimist sisters who attended the dinner and to President Shelle Paulbitski, who presented us with a $500 check!

The evening was dedicated to one of our original board members, Carol Bell, who passed away in June, 2012. I'm sure her spirit was with us last Saturday.

As you know, this is our most important fundraising event of the year and our supporters are wonderfully generous. We served 107 dinners. Look right for happy diners!




I want to mention our awesome board. Putting on an event such as this is no small task. Thanks to all.

From left to right: Mary Norton, Cathy Van Ruhan, Linda Finch, Steve Gilchrist, Martha Rudersdorf, Molly Rivard (not pictured: Judith Pasco)   (All photos courtesy of Barbara Brooner)

Judith Pasco, November 6, 2012