| NEXT W/NP Meeting - March 31, 2012 Stevens Point, WI | March 2012 |
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Dear Friends of W/NP,
We hope 2012 has started out well for you. It's been a busy time as the Learning Centers in Nicaragua are starting up, new classes are being developed, ambulances and fire trucks are being rounded up, medical equipment is collected, and over 50 W/NP volunteers have traveled to Nicaragua since January!
A membership reminder went out recently, if we missed you, below are links to renew or become a member of W/NP.
Click here for Membership Letter Click here for online membership
The strength of W/NP is in it's members who willingly share of their time and resources, your value is immense. 
The articles below illustrate the positive outcomes that result fom people working together.
Sincerely,
Amy L. Wiza |
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LEARNING CENTER PROGRAMS and SEWING WITH NANCY |
 | | Lynda Pracht and Nancy Zieman |
Commitment, Dedication and Enthusiasm are core characteristics found within the Learning Center Program participants. There is a winning combination when you mix volunteers who offer support in various ways with volunteers who are eager to learn, share their experience and become involved! Recently Lynda Pracht, a Wisconsin volunteer of 13 + years, shared her story on the nationally televised program, Sewing with Nancy. "Lynda and her volunteers teach sewing and other skills to the women of Nicaragua, Wisconsin's Partner country. Hear the heart-warming story of how the skill of sewing has enriched and improved the lives of the volunteers and the students."
- Wisconsin Public Television
 I am dropping you a line to let you know how I heard about the Chica Nica doll dresses. I saw them on Sewing With Nancy on our local PBS station in January. Sewing with Nancy appears here in Amarillo on Saturday morning. I love the show. Getting the dresses in the mail yesterday was such a treat. I am absolutely amazed at the skill and talent displayed. I totally agree with the concept. If we empower the women by teaching them a skill, we have a chance of saving the family and the country. Women are powerful entities. The success of the world seems to rest on the shoulders of women. Thank you so much for helping women to succeed. This project is wonderful. - Debbie from Texas
To the left is Maria, sewing Chica Nica Doll Dresses Click here for more info on the Chica Nica Project Click here for info on how to purchase |
| News and Article links | |
Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners (W/NP) regularly offers opportunities for the people of two cultures to get to know each other better. Through our network of contacts and previous trips in Nicaragua we provide a secure, rewarding and comfortable travel experience. W/NP has been working with Careli Tours over 10 years, and we are grateful for their continuous support and outstanding services. The Careli staff is top notch and represents well the uncomparable Nicaraguan spirit! Careli tour guide, Juan Carlos Mendoza, was featured recently in an article about Nicaragua.
  
 America's leading active-lifestyle and adventure-travel magazine dedicated to covering the people, activities, gear, art, and politics of the world ...
NICARAGUA by Stephanie Pearson Outside Magazine November 2011 Channel 13 news cast of recent UW-Stout Farmer to Farmer volunteers Wisconsin Foodie Link - featuring Alterra Coffee - Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners has been selling Alterra coffee as a fund raiser for nearly 10 years now. The Wisconsin Foodie TV program invites you to meet coffee roasters from around the state of Wisconsin and learn the story behind a cup of coffee. Click here to purchase Alterra Coffee from the W/NP website or email our office to order: wnp@uwsp.edu Project for People news article - connecting people and working together is a strength of W/NP. Joining like minded people together in Wisconsin and Nicaragua and consolidating efforts is a win/win for everyone. It's been a delight to work with the Projects for People organization, and seeing the impact their efforts are having on the San Miguel school and Cardenas community is very inspiring!
Dog Meets World in Nicaragua! - Thanks to a connection from the DC Partners of the Americas office (Matt Clausen) W/NP has joined in the Dog Meets World project. "Giving a personal photograph to a stranger is one of the best, easiest and kindest things people can do for one another. It is an incredible vehicle for person-to-person diplomacy." Founder, Carolyn Lane PJ Jacobs Jr High Students collect items for Nicaragua Linda Weber and Moises Guillen present to Wisconsin students about Nicaragua
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| 2012 Chica Nica Learning Center Committee |
Monthly Learning Center meetings are held at the Managua office, it's an opportunity to provide updates on current projects, announce new classes, recruit new members, learn a new craft or skill (each meeting has a workshop included), and get to know one another. We would like to introduce the Nicaraguan elected committee for the year 2012. President Suyen Martinez, Vice President Petronila Solis, Secretary Reyna Umana, Treasurer Angelica Maria Ampié, First Vocal Irene Largaespada, and Second Vocal Karla Velasquez. This committee consists of three (3) members from the Chica Nica committee and two (2) members from the Learning Centers group.
Click here to see Chica Nica Project Brochure
Click here to see Learning Center Project Brochure
Click here for more photos from the February Meeting
How many people are willing to travel 18 hours by bus to attend a meeting?
Below is an interesting story, one woman's thoughts about the meeting......
"I traveled to Managua on the 27 of January to be at the meeting of the new committee election and the yearly plan activities. I left home which is in Rosita in, RAAN the Atlantic Coast at 6 a.m. and got to Managua at 12 midnight. The next day I left from one of my relatives´ home in a taxi at 9.a.m to the office. I thought I was going to be late, but fortunately the meeting started a little late. I was there from the beginning to the end. I like to be present at these meetings because the activities or workshops for the year are planned and I am able to choose which ones I will attend to then multiply in my community. I also wanted to know the news the commission from Wisconsin would bring us.
I got back home very satisfied because there are new courses I or a representative will attend during the year. I also got happy because the opportunity to express my community needs was given to me." - Rosa Torrez
The next monthly meeting is scheduled for March 31st and the topic will be "basic electricity" taught by Carmen Navarrete. |
| Global Giving Project Reports |  W/NP has two projects listed with Global Giving, it's an opportunity to spread the word to audiences outside the current W/NP sphere. We regularly get comments and inquiries regarding the projects and appreciated both the initial support required to get the projects listed and also the continued support to keep the projects going.
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| Appleton Partners | |
The Appleton Partners have an Annual trek to Nicaragua where they meet with their counterparts, attend graduations, work on current projects and plan for the coming year.
Click here for more photos
 
Click here for January 2012 trip summary |
| 2012 Eyeglass Project in Bluefields |
The Annual Eyeglass Project went to Bluefields this year, special thanks to Dr. Brad Martin, Mike Ramierz and the Bluefields Lions Club for their excellent coordination. "This was a very interesting trip traveling by boat to Bluefields and and also by boat to two outlying villages of Kukra Hills and El Bluff. 1935 people were served during the 5 days of distributing eyeglasses." - Dr. Brad Martin
Click here for 2012 trip report Click here for more photos on Facebook
 
Mike Ramirez (in Lions vest above) related that, years ago, the Bluefields area was famous for it's music culture, and produced some world-class musicians. This rich musical heritage has been in steep decline in more recent years, and the one of the goals of the Bluefields Lions Club is to restore a strong music education program. They are hoping that we can provide them with some used musical instruments, still in good condition, for student use.
Our Wisconsin-Nicaragua eyeglass group is indebted to these fine Nicaraguan Lions, who organized our eyeglass mission and were with us throughout our five days of work in Bluefields. It would be great to assist them in return.
- Dave Schaefer, District Governor, Wisconsin Lions District 27 E-2
Click here for more details on request |
| UW Stout Travel Group | |
January 2012, Dr. Ann Parsons led a group of pre-health profession students to Nicaragua as part of a Physiology of Disabilities class. The students learned about healthcare in Nicaragua, were exposed to a wide variety of disabilities and medical conditions. The combination of online study/discussion with faculty-led travel in Nicaragua provided students with opportunities beyond course objectives.
 
More photos on WNP Facebook page
" What a fantastic trip and my first experience in a developing country. This trip has been so good for me on so many levels.... I really enjoyed the diversity of this trip and the things that we did. I really enjoyed Juan Carlos becasuse it really gave me a snap shot of all the things that make up Nicaragua. From so many levels art, culture, history, natural resources, business, and how Nicaragua is growing as a country. I enjoyed everyting about the trip." - Tom |
| 2012 Meeting Schedule | |
Next Meeting: Saturday, March 31 - 9:30 a.m. Board 11:00 a.m Volunteer Mtg
- Executive Committee Thursday, April 26 - 11:00 a.m.
- Executive Committee Thursday, May 24 - 11:00 am.
- BOD & Quarterly Saturday, June 16 - 9:30 a.m. Board 11:00 a.m Volunteer Mtg
- Executive Committee Thursday, July 26 - 11:00 a.m.
- Executive Committee Thursday, August 23 - 11:00 a.m.
- BOD & Quarterly Saturday, Sept. 15 - 9:30 a.m. Board 11:00 a.m Volunteer Mtg
- Executive Committee Thursday, October 25 - 11:00 a.m.
- Executive Committee Thursday, November 15 - 11:00 a.m.
- BOD & Quarterly Saturday, Dec. 8 - 9:30 a.m. Board 11:00 a.m Volunteer Mtg
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New sign at the Gotita de Amor preschool in Estelí | |
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| Thanks for checking out the updates from W/NP, we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the next meeting, March 31, 2012 |
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