New Scholarships Announced!

 July 11, 2016
 
We are delighted to tell you our good news. First, we just received word about our scholarship recipients for the coming school year in Chiapas. Last year we had 19 girls and women and ALL of them are continuing! In addition, there are four new girls. Of these 23, six are at the university level. Four of those have been on scholarship with us since the 6th grade. The fifth is an adult woman in her late 30s who started out nine years ago. She had been raised on a finca, which is almost like being raised in slavery. Children were put to work as soon as they were able and were not educated. So Mari was illiterate. She started out to get a primary school certificate through an adult education program (three years), continued to secondary and preparatory (six years) and is now entering university. We are so proud of her dedication and perseverance. And the 6th is a new addition, whom Linda and I will meet in August.

More information will be added about programs, etc, when we come home from Chiapas next month.

We can't thank you enough for your support!

Judith

2016 MEN WITH GUITARS!!

Wow! Men With Guitars played to a capacity crowd on Saturday, June 4. We were delighted with the huge turnout, and attendees raved about the musicians and the music.
Mujeres owes a debt of gratitude to board member Steve Gilchrist, who organized the event. 

Performing musicians in order of appearance were: Dale Hilderbrand, Bill Tiderman, Forrest Gilchrist and Kevin Munro, and Jim Faddis and Rick Meade. People in the audience sang along and danced in their seats. At the end of the evening, all the musicians took the stage. (see photo) 

Getta Rogers was our MC for the evening. Gracias, Getta!   Larry and Rene Bauer donated their skills and sound system for the evening ... they were much appreciated!

Mujeres is always so grateful when folks volunteer their talents, their time and their efforts to help us fund our programs. And doubly grateful when people come out to enjoy the event and support education for women and children in Chiapas.

Olympic Theatre Arts was helpful in ensuring that the evening was a success. Publicity thanks go to Diane Urbani de la Paz (http://www.go2openlive.com/men-with-guitars.html), Chris McDaniel at the Peninsula Daily News, the Sequim Gazette, and some supporters who shared information on their neighborhood email lists.

Judith

MEXICAN BREAKFAST MARCH 6, 2016

 We are delighted to tell you that our breakfast two days ago was the best attended by far!  We served 181 delicious breakfasts!  To all of you who attended, thank you so much.
Our cooks were board members Molly Rivard and Steve Gilchrist as well as volunteers David Fox, Marilyn Gilchrist, Gail Mabbutt and John Bridge. 

Our servers were board member Cathy Van Ruhan, and volunteers Mary Ann Deuth, Sandy Ulf, and Barbara Erben.  Board member Linda Finch and volunteer Rose Bridge were at the welcome table.  Volunteer Mark Spencer aided in clean-up duties.

Chefs Steve and David

Additional thanks go to Chris McDaniel at the Peninsula Daily News for a terrific front page article. Thanks to Barbara Brooner, Connie Alexander, the Windermere Realty reader board, KSQM, the Sequim Gazette, Margaret Cox and Florence Bucierka for spreading the word!  

Fred enjoying his coffee

A special thank you goes to Sunny Farms, who gave us a $75 gift certificate, and Raven's Brew coffee for their coffee donation.

We are so pleased that our breakfasts are fun, social events. It was a very gratifying morning.

Judith

LATEST TRIP TO CHIAPAS: JAN-FEB 2016

After missing the annual Chiapas trip last summer due to a health issue (check previous posts to see Linda's trip report), I was delighted to start 2016 by making the trek south.  I scheduled the trip to coincide with the women's bi-monthly workshop, but also was there for their annual assembly.

I visited the Zinacantán and the Crucero children´s programs. Both were going very well.

I was thrilled to attend a talk given by Martha (on scholarship with us since 2007, now in university pursuing a nursing degree). She spoke about nutrition, and did an excellent job.

(left) Martha in 2007, age 12
(below) Martha giving nutrition talk, age 21




The 100 toothbrushes and a dozen hard glasses cases donated by Soroptimist International of Sequim were distributed to the women.  An organzation called Restoring Vision (restoringvision.org) had donated 100 pairs of graduated reading glasses and I carried 33 pairs down with me. The women were very enthusiastic. Because the annual assembly was on February 6th, many older women were there who don't usually attend.
The women tested the glasses' strength by threading needles. See photo below.

Two mid-year scholarship recipients made the long journey in from Yajalon to receive their certificates. I was delighted to meet 12 year-old Sara and 14 year-old Zaida, both of who are very enthusiastic about continuing their education. They will be helping with the new Yajalon Children's Program. On our scholarship page, you can see photos and learn a bit more about the girls.

To read more about our two new 2016 programs, please go back to the Mujeres' home page and click on "programs."

Remember, our Mexican Breakfast is fast approaching! ( Sunday, March 6, Sequim Prairie Grange, 8:30 until noon)

Judith

2015 DIA DE MUERTOS DINNER & AUCTION

Ten years of Mujeres!  We felt like celebrating and celebrate we did at our annual Día de Muertos dinner and auction on Saturday, October 24. We appreciate all of you who attended and also those who attended in spirit!

Cort and Kia Armstrong

Dinner is served!

Thanks go to Kia and Cort Armstrong for their music and auctioneering! 

Linda

Cathy

 Board members spoke about what Mujeres means to them. A common thread was that we have all seen the results of our efforts in the women and children with whom we partner in Chiapas. Mujeres has been a labor of love and caring, and we are so grateful for your support.

Steve

Molly

 Molly and Steve cooked and organized a dinner that got raves from everyone. Molly's recipe for Mexican Squash Casserole is at the bottom of the blog. We had many requests for it and Molly is delighted to share it. Cooking for this event is no small task, and Molly, Steve and the kitchen crew can't be thanked enough.

Soroptimist Kathy Purcell presenting their annual check to Judith

Additional thanks go to our wonderful volunteers who are so generous with their time: Courtney Anderson, John Boetsch, Rose and John Bridge, Janet Bruening, Florence and Michael Bucierka, Leslie Campbell, Marti Campbell, Bev Carbis, Linda Crowley, Elaine Churchill, Mary Ann Deuth, Dave Erickson, Beth Fetrow, David Fox, Pat Gritman, Jennifer Horton, Marilyn Gilchrist, Rhonda Karls, Connie Kinyon, Dianne Knox, Sheila Martin, Joan Miller, Carrie Rodlend, Eric Rust and Sofia Saetta.  Also, thanks to our auction donors, who have been privately thanked, and to Marsha Robin for the great Halloween basket that served as our raffle item. A shout goes out to Kathy Purcell for taking photos. A debt of gratitude goes to the Sequim Masonic Hall and to Raven's Brew Coffee for their annual coffee donation. One more thank-you to board member Martha Rudersdorf who lovingly painted the bench in our live auction. She was unable to attend.

MEXICAN SQUASH CASSEROLE

3 cups of tomato sauce made from fire roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper

6 cups of cooked winter squash, mashed. I used butternut but any will do. Add ¼ cup butter and 1/2 tsp salt if you want, I did!

1 14 oz can of whole chili peppers, opened up, any seeds discarded

12 corn tortillas

3 oz cotija cheese, grated

2 cups grated 4 cheese Mexican cheese blend

Assemble in 9x13 pan …………………….Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes or till bubbly

Oil bottom and sides of pan with 2 tsp of olive oil

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly, in bottom of pan, a bit more if needed

Lay 6 corn tortillas flat on sauce, overlapping a bit to fit as even as possible

Spread 3 cups squash on tortillas

Sprinkle 1 cup grated Mexican cheese on squash

Lay (drained) chili peppers over cheese

Sprinkle half of the grated cotija cheese over chilis

Dot with ½ cup tomato sauce

Lay 6 tortillas

Spread 3 cups squash

Sprinkle 1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese

Top with 1 ½ cups tomato sauce

Top with remaining cotija cheese

Cover with foil, ready to bake!

In gratitude for a terrific Board of Directors, wonderful supporters, and an inspiring cause.

Judith

AUGUST 2015 CHIAPAS TRIP

Yvonne Starkey, Mujeres supporter, and I, Linda Finch, board member, went on the annual summer trip to Chiapas.  As always, the trip is informative, invigorating, and offers a much cherished time to spend with the women in the cooperative.  

We arrived a day before the women's meeting and found ourselves immediately at the optometrist with seven women getting eye exams and glasses. After the eye exams, we delivered the dental supplies donated by the Soroptimist International of Sequim. The night before, we had purchased the school supplies that we always give to the scholarship recipients, so we presented those as well. This year there are seventeen recipients.  Their studies range from secondary to university level.

At the bimonthly meetings, there are always informative, fascinating workshops presented.  This year an excellent presenter, Marta, talked to the women as a group and later to just the scholarship recipients about violence against women.  Marta's opening question to the women was "What do you like about being a woman?"  It was very telling that not a single woman could think of a positive aspect of their gender! As a part of this presentation, we walked a couple of blocks to a university where there was a memorial mural for a woman who had been murdered near the school. 

 Later that afternoon, three young university women doing their community service did a workshop on color theory. This sparked interest among the women who are all amazing weavers.  The following day Alfredo gave an excellent talk on how the government works, some of its flaws, and the importance of women becoming a part of the process.  We missed the talk on nutrition but it is very gratifying to see fruit being offered as dessert rather than marshmallows and lollipops which were the standard fare several years ago.

Linda with toothbrushes

We visited the children's Saturday program in Zinacantan.  As a retired math teacher, it warmed my heart to watch young Erika's lesson on long division using manipulatives as well as paper and pencil computation.  Her mother, Maria Teresa, worked with the younger children (3 to 6 years) on letter formation and drawing skills.

The highlight of our visit was a day's outing to  to see the adult literacy program in action.  The small community where it takes place is on a mountainside.  A river runs through it and it is surrounded by rich plant life. In the classroom, one young woman was there with her baby.  An older woman was struggling with letter formation.  But the room was filled with students determined to get an education no matter what.

As usual, Carmen, the cooperative coordinator gave 125% in making our visit worthwhile.  It is incredible to compare the confidence and education of the women with how they were in 2005!.  We should all be proud of the accomplishments of the last ten years.

I want to thank Yvonne for accompanying me on this trip.  May you always have a steady supply of those delicious churros, fresh from the street cart!

 

Linda 

August 27, 2015

Alternative Gifts International: Partners Again!!

Mujeres received wonderful news when Alternative Gifts International (www.alternativegifts.org) selected us once again to be one of the non-profit agencies for their catalog. We had been unbelievably fortunate to be included in their catalog for five years running, and when last year we were not chosen, we certainly understood. There are many other very worthwhile organizations deserving of AGI's help, and we were so grateful for their long-standing partnership with us.

We applied for the 2015-16 cycle last fall, but with the idea that it would probably be a while before we were considered again. Much to our surprise and delight, we were chosen again! 

The AGI cycle is about 16 months long. From the time an organization is selected, 16 months passes before a check is received. In the meantime, AGI is very busy putting their catalog together that highlights 30 different organizations. If you are unfamiliar with AGI's work, please go to their website, click on "
Give a Gift" and be impressed!
Alternative gifts are a loving, caring, thoughtful way to do gift-giving: by honoring the person who receives the gift and giving a gift that really makes a difference. 

Mujeres has appreciated AGI for years. We hope you will, too, by checking out their website and by giving meaningful gifts.

Thank you, AGI, for honoring Mujeres once again.

The Mujeres' Board,

Judith, Sandy, Cathy, Martha, Molly, Steve and Linda

GARAGE SALE A SUCCESS!

On May 16, Mujeres had its 7th garage sale!  Two years had passed since our last one, so we were ready!
Thanks to all who donated! We really had the quality items we requested and shoppers were enthusiastic and complimentary. There was a steady stream of people all day, starting about an hour before we were officially open! We netted (after newspaper ads) almost exactly $1100. All proceeds went into our general fund for scholarships, programs and projects.

 More thanks go out to Linda and Tim Finch,
Rose Bridge, Martha Rudersdorf, Steve Gilchrist, Bob Pasco, Olympic Cellars (for loan of tables), and all the attendees.

Enthusiastically,

Judith