NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERS: THE ANNUAL REPORT 2009
ANNUAL REPORT 2009
Youth Ambassadors 2009: Three Bolivian youth participated in a five-day study tour of Washington, then visiting Raleigh from February 26 to March 5. Fabricio Suarez from Cochabamba stayed with Jeff Shirley and his parents Graham and Kim, Nineth Miranda from Chuquisaca (Sucre) with Lauren Passarelli and her mother Sheryl. and Fiorela Palomino from Tarija with Caitlyn Dixon and her parents Steve and Shannon. There was a welcoming Social on February 27 at the home of Carolyn Checkley. They attended Broughton High School and participated in area cultural activities. The Bolivian students attended classes with the host students and participating in various extracurricular activities. At a farewell social, March 6, at Cathy Spargo’s home, the Youth Ambassadors made presentations about their experiences in the US. They returned to Bolivia on March 7.
Cochabamba Partners Elections
At a Cbba Partners meeting in March, the new directory members for 2009-2010 were elected. Janet Morales, President. Marlene Mercado, Vice-President, President-elect. Guillermo Zubieta, Secretary; Cinthya Esprella, Recording Secretary (minutes) with Melisa Quispe’s assistance.
Membership Subcommittee
The membership committee was activated under co-chairs Cathy Spargo and Celia Fuller. Their goals: updates the membership packet, place calls to new members, arrange socials events. Inquires about the partners should be sent to this committee.
Medical Team Visit to Cochabamba March 20 – April 7, 2009
The team members were: From the Plastic Surgery Department of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University, Malcolm Marks M.D., Chairman, Joe Molnar M.D., Associate Professor and Chief residents Bill Kortesis M.D. and Christina Plikaitis M.D; Benson Timmons M.D., Plastic Surgeon, Gastonia; Cindy Jackson of Burn Care International; Natalia Zapata Myers, Assistant Nurse; Andrew Timmons, student at UNC Chapel Hill; Carlos A Vargas M.D., Team Director; Willma Vargas, Team Director’s Assistant and Laura Marks.
March 20, at 5:30 p.m. we attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Cbba POA,
Steve Gibson the NC POA gave a report of his activities with Mauricio in Cochabamba.
At 7:30 the Cbba Partners had a dinner, farewell for Steve and welcome for Carlos and Willma.
Saturday, March 21. – Steve Gibson, Mauricio Ramirez, Willma and Carlos, were guests at a school where the YA’s from 2006 and 2007 explained their project to teach the students about trash control and recycling so it can be used at the school and at their homes. The Youth Ambassadors are now very active members of the Cochabamba Partners.
March 23.-Carlos Vargas had meetings at Viedma hospital, with the Hospital Director, the Director of the Pediatric Department, the O. R. supervisor and Burn Center Director. 2 Operating Rooms were prepared.
The medical team arrived Friday, March 27. At Dr Wilma Benavidez’s home the team planned a workshop on data collection of burn Injuries for Friday, April 3 in Cbba.
In Cbba, the Partners and the Cbba Norte Rotary Club prepared a dinner/work meeting. The schedule and assignment of responsibilities were discussed and approved.
Six suitcases of surgical supplies and surgical equipment with a value of approximately $40,000 were donated to the center. Dr. Molnar and Dr Timmons were “instrumental” in obtaining the donations to the Burn Center. There was an inaugural ceremony attended by Viedma Hospital personnel and city authorities from the Prefecto’s office.
From March 30 to Friday, April 3.the team of Plastic Surgeons worked every day from 8:00 am to 8:30 or 9pm. They operated on 46 patients and performed 109 surgical procedures. At the Third International Congress of Burn Injuries, (March 31 to April 2. 6:00. – 9:30 pm), Dr. Marks, Dr. Molnar, Dr. Timmons and Cindy Jackson as well as professionals from the Burn Center participated as lecturers. Approximately 80 health professionals attended the lectures. On Friday morning (March 23) a Burn Data Collection Planning Workshop, sponsored by the NC-Cochabamba POA, was held at the offices of SEDES Cbba with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Health, SNIS-VE, SEDES La Paz, SEDES Cbba, Epidemiology Unit, Hospital Viedma, Dr Benavidez and Dr Molnar, members of the of the Prevention Committee of the International Society of Burn Injuries.
At the closing ceremony, with the participation of hospital authorities and Cbba Mayor Terceros, the team members were presented with gifts and certificates. Carlos Vargas presented Elena Jimenez a plaque from the NC POA Partners recognizing her dedication to the Cbba Partners. A group of 10 to 12 children recipients of surgeries, still with bandages in limbs, neck and heads, entered the room carrying banners expressing their gratitude for the procedures they received. There were no dry eyes in the room.
The team members left for Santa Cruz on Friday evening to spend the night in that city and board the plane back home on Saturday April 4. There were many radio and TV interviews during the week.
Willma Vargas had a busy week with daily presence at the Center assisting the volunteers. With Laura Marks they interviewed several burned children and their families. Willma made plans with Dr Marks for the Center head nurse to visit the Burn Center at Wake Forest University to learn new techniques of burn children treatment. Willma and Laura also visited the Focolar Center with Janet Morales and the “Albergue”, a facility where patients from out of town stay when they require daily out patient treatments.
Steve Gibson’s Trip to Bolivia – March 12-24
After a trip to Tupiza Steve arrived in Cbba. With Mauricio they worked for 3 days at a school in Llallaguani. The old school was converted into to dorms for the students and teacher’s quarters. On March13, Steve witnessed the cooking and serving of the Stop Hunger Now meals. Mauricio and Steve were informed that the Anzaldo and Arampampa municipalities paid the customs the required fee. Mauricio and Steve agreed to start plans to prepare the meal packets in country using some very inexpensive or donated items produced in Bolivia with the help Carla Quiroga who now is in the food science department at a private university. Back in Cbba Steve visited SAR, a public school for which YA’s do volunteer project and CEOLI. Steve spent a day with FTF beekeeping volunteer Juan Carlos. After a month in Bolivia Steve was back at home.
Mid year meeting, June 20.
At the Board of Directors meeting in the morning, Kitty Stalberg provided the 2010 annual plan.
A Grants and New Funds Opportunities Committee was established with George Wilson, Larry Nelson, and Rodney Swink and possibly Bill Hasse as members of the committee.
The Membership committee with co-chairs Cathy Spargo and Celia Fuller is very active keeping the database, welcoming new members and providing information prospective members, and more.
At the general membership meeting, there was a talk by Cooper Swanson, returned Peace Corps Volunteer. He was in Mizque, Cochabamba as an intern with Self Help. He left Bolivia when the Peace Corps were asked to leave accused by the Bolivian government of spying. He spoke about his experiences, helping set up a tourism office for Mizque and establishing a library of 3,500 books and eight computers with Internet connection.
We welcomed Joe Repp as the Duke work-study student who will work with Partners, assisting with Member Relations, with tasks such as researching internship opportunities in Cochabamba for interested North Carolina students and possible grants that would jointly fund NCPOA and DCID (Duke Center for International Development) projects. He worked a year in Chile. He visited Cbba and met the Partners. He is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science with a minor in Economics, Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Sallie prepared and presented to the Missions Committee at the First United Methodist Church in Cary a PowerPoint illustrated report on the medical team visit to Cbba in March to give feedback because the church has been so financially supportive of the medical mission to Bolivia.
UNC/Duke Students Return from Volunteering in Bolivia
Several students from Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill went to Bolivia for volunteer service-learning experiences in 2008 and 2009. The NC and Cbba Partners would like to capitalize on the experiences of the visitors. We planned to invite them to make presentations at the Year end Meeting.
Report sent by Janet Morales, Cbba Partners president
Art and Culture: (Silvia Quiroga): Coordination with Hank Graden for Art Weber’s visit in October 2009; coordination with Lizzi Bowles (President La Paz Partners – Utah) in the calendar of events and workshops in La Paz and for Art’s visit to Cochabamba. Travel application for Mrs. Dany Balderrama (CBA) with the program TIR
Health: (Luis Quiroga): Coordination and preparation for the arrival of the medical team as well as a special ceremony of appreciation for Dr. Carlos Vargas and his esteemed and distinguished Medical Team for their valuable support of the children’ health in Bolivia. With Dr. Luis Quiroga director of the Museum of the History of Medicine, we placed security bars to a window to protect the museum.
Campaign of "Prevention of Oral Cancer" by Marlene Mercado with SEDES and an exhibit on "Education in oral health", in coordination with the University UNITEPC
Education. (Johnny Villazón): We asked Ms. Roxana Neri, President of the Association of Private Entrepreneurs to participate in a project of Environmental Protection that will continue to the year end.
Women and Family. (Claudia Jimenez): Training young leaders ("New Chaska’s"). The young people who participated in workshops on "Strengthening Family", with topics such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and domestic violence prevention, will go to schools and colleges to teach their peers.
Democracy and citizen participation (Elena Daza Jimenez): The Volunteer workshops will prepare teachers and students at the Ushpa-Ushpa school: Workshops will last two evenings.
The SAR has continued instruction of children and youth in the prevention and care of emergencies.
Sports: (Marlene Mercado): Planning for educational seminar on "Prevention of injuries in sport”; Contacted the Ministry of Sports Department to coordinate March Krotee’s visit.
Farmer to Farmer (Mauricio Ramirez): Steve Gibson’s visit. See Steve’s report. We express our special appreciation to Steve for the work done in our city and country for all these years
Youth Ambassadors: The YA’s are included in activities such as the medical team visit; the workshops of Claudia Jimenez, educational fairs to exchange plastic bags for paper. We will continue the project at the School Liborio Cadima on "Education for the treatment of domestic garbage and debris. We are in constant contact with Cecilia Cordova, head of the Program in Bolivia and we received a visit from Elizabeth Auciello of the Washington office who had an agenda to work with our youth
National, 3-Partnership Meeting in Bolivia: On August 12, Matt Clausen was in Cochabamba to coordinate a meeting with the 3 Bolivian Partnerships. Topics covered were: training center for volunteers (Cbba and La Paz POA), successful projects from each chapter, integrating youth into Partners, a report on Citizens for Justice and national coordination among the chapters.
Teacher in Residence. Danny Balderrama.
Daniela (Danny) Balderrama, teacher at CBA in Cbba, was selected as this year’s TIR. Thanks go to Hank Graden, Judy Page, Karen Brown, and Deborah Wilkes for coordination of Danny’s activities in the Raleigh area and Marian Beane and Nancy Pfingstag in the Charlotte area. Daniela arrived on Oct 7.
The schedule prepared under the leadership of Hank Graden addressed her interest in English education and in Environmental issues
Some of the activities related to English teaching, were:
Seminar at NC Society of Hispanic Professionals at Meredith College; Several days at UNC Charlotte-English Language Training Institute; In the Sanford area: Deep River Elementary School – hosted by ESL Dept – to observe classes; She was guest speaker at East Lee Middle School, hosted by ESL Dept; She went to Southern Lee High School with Deborah to observe ESL/ Sheltered-content classes. Another visit was to an adult ESL program at Central Carolina Community College and on Oct 29 -31 she attended the Carolina TESOL Conference, Research Triangle, NC.
Related to her environmental concerns, her activities included:
Meeting with Laura Fieselman -Sustainability Coordinator, Meredith College Fellow; Visit with Bianca Howard-Solid Waste Services; Education program at Wake County Recycling; Environmental Project Development-NC Museum of Natural Science with Kim Smart (Prairie Ridge).
She also visited the Tryon Palace and a NC beach with Hank and Ellen Graden. Home-stays and hosting provided by: Karen Brown, Heike Meissner / Suleyman Sumer and Linda Higgins in Sanford
Members of the NCPOA joined Danny at a farewell Social at Carolyn Checkley’s home.
Nov.12-14. – Higher Education & International Volunteer Service Conference. Washington, DC.
Joe Repp and Sallie Abbas attended from NCPOA, and from Cbba POA were Janet Morales, Mauricio Ramirez, Diana Valdez, Phoebe Johnson, and Lucy Vasquez.
A report of the Washington-DC Meeting by Sallie can be found in the NCPOA Newsletter.
During their visit to NC following the meeting, the Cbba Partners had multiple activities:
Mauricio Ramirez made contacts for FSD. With Joe Repp and Hank Graden, met with 12 students of the Morehead-Cane organization and visited NCSU Veterinary School.
Janet Morales, and Diana Valdez met with three students from EWB regarding building a bridge in a small town in Bolivia and students from NCSU. Diana gave talks at a recycling program at NCSU, and also Raleigh Recycling. Judy and Steve Gibson and Janet Morales joined Carlos Vargas at his house in Belmont. Janet, Carlos and Willma visited the Care Partners Center in Asheville, which provides rehab and home-health, adult day-care, and orthotics/prosthetics care. Dr Charlie Vargas, Carlos and Willma’s son is the Hospice Medical Director and at a meeting with his team, he offered assistance to explore the possibility of introducing the concept of Hospice in Cbba.
Phoebe Johnson, and Lucy Vasquez visited programs for Senior Citizens. This included Glenaire Retirement Center, the Cary Senior Center, Youth Detention Facility in Raleigh, and Haven House (a non-profit agency serving Wake County that. Donna Kurst of Cary hosted them, and then they travelled to western NC to visit Al Greene at Appalachian State University.
Arts Management Specialist Travels to Bolivia
Arts and Culture Subcommittee Chair, Art Waber travelled to Bolivia. He spent five days in La Paz as a guest of Elizabeth Bowles, President of Bolivia-Utah/Partners, visited the Museo de Etnografía y Folklore; presented a management workshop for professional theatre directors, choreographers and composers, met the coordinators and participants of the “Emprender Educando” project, Maritza Wilde (director, FITAZ international theatre festival), Mario Benavides, and Ivette Garzón.
In Cbba Art activities included meetings at the Centro Patiño, CBA, Instituto Laredo, Cbba Symphony, Hospital Viedma, SAR, and Warmi. He held a two-day arts management workshop for professionals.
NCPOA Wreath Sales
Thanks to Rodney Swink efforts and in spite of the challenging economic times, the NCPOA netted (revenue minus expenses) $1,309.80, just short of our annual goal of $1,500.00.
Annual Meeting December 5, 2009
Kitty S. gave an update on Annual Plan revisions and the NC & Cbba Letter of Understanding.
New Project: Seminar in Bolivia with participation of the 3 Bolivian Partnerships, to improve autism. The University of North Carolina is developing a proposal.
Hank presented information about the changes in the new Y A’s Project, for April 13-28, 2010.
The Nominating Committee presented the slate of Board Members for the Annual Meeting.
The Board approved NCPOA joining the NC Center for Non-Profits, which provides membership services, such as help with accounting, fundraising, recruitment, etc.
Since returning to Cbba, Danny Balderrama has passed along the good news that teachers from the CBA will be excused from a class to attend the Cbba Partners meetings.
Awards of appreciation were given to Judy Page, Karen Brown, and Deborah Wilkes for participation in the TIR visit; and to Cathy Spargo, Celia Fuller, Stephanie Lamb, Carlos Vargas, Hank Graden. Rodney Swink, Carolyn Checkley,
The Guest Speakers were: Anne Wolfley of Witness for Peace spoke of land reform, the US war on drugs, and the Autonomous Movement. She suggested a resource the Website www.ain-bolivia.org of the Andean Information Network (AIN). Chris Nickell spent May through August with FSD in Bolivia, working with the Fundación Pro Habitat with a sustainable waste-management system for the barrio children who brought in recyclables to trade for school supplies. Maria Gibbs, Philip Danser, Ben Gagne, Ming Lee, the four Duke students from Engineers Without Borders talked about a bridge and water irrigation project in Obrajes, near Cbba. Next phases: site assessment (summer 2010), design and implementation (2011).
Officers for 2010: Carlos A Vargas finished his term of office as President and becomes Past-President /Advisor; Kitty Stalberg moves into the position of President. No vice-president was chosen. Sallie Abbas serves as both Secretary and coordinator of the Website; Judy Gibson is Treasurer. Hank Graden continues as Chair of the Board; other Board members are Don Hopkins, Rod Brooks, Lyle Blevins, Cathy Spargo, Martha Keravuori, Heike Meissner, Rodney Swink, Larry Nelson, Ben Timmons, Steve Gibson, Bill Hasse, Celia Fuller, Stephanie Lamm, Virginia Freedman, Judy Page, Mary Helen Ferguson, George Wilson, March Krotee.