Last year the Wasilla Sunrise Rotary Club began to develop a relationship with the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Mayan Families. Our club's international service chair, Candace Cieslo, has personal experience and connections with Mayan Families and has made multiple trips to their rural Guatemala location. This past February, Candace led a group of Wasilla Sunrise Rotarians to Panajachel for several days to volunteer, learn the local culture and the challenges they face. Our team brought children's Spanish books to help promote literacy as well as other school supplies, shoes, medical supplies and personal hygiene items. Debbie Bushnell donated her vocational skills as a registered nurse at a local hospital during her stay at Panajachel. Mark and Christine Lee took it upon themselves to personally sponsor children's education; this is in addition to the impoverished family that Wasilla Sunrise Rotary committed to sponsor.
Last year's effort was largely successful. In addition to Wasilla Sunrise Rotary Club's contributions and the District Grant match, other Rotary Clubs in the Mat-Su Valley donated funds to our cause. The Colony High School Interact Club donated items from a hygiene drive they held specifically for Mayan Families. Students from three Mat-Su Valley high schools, including Fronteras Spanish Immersion, Colony High School and Wasilla High School also contributed.
This coming year, our Rotary Club is excited to continue to assist Mayan Families. We are looking forward to sending another group of Rotarians to Guatemala to help a community with significant need and to promote international understanding. While our volunteers will assist in any way we can, we would like to continue to focus on educating the underprivileged youth as well as women's and children's health.
Mayan Families' mission is to "facilitate sustainable development programs in impoverished communities throughout the Lake Atitlán region of rural Guatemala. Our objective is to stimulate long-term progress through school sponsorships, health initiatives, vocational training and microfinance, while providing emergency aid to those in critical need." The Wasilla Sunrise Rotary Club feels Mayan Families' mission has much in common with Rotary's Areas of Focus. With the help of District Grant, we are confident we can build on our previous year's success and make a significant difference for a Guatemalan family, and community.
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