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| entreamigos Newsletter |
February 2009 |
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 Dear Friends,
As I write today, I am pondering progress and the definition and realization of progress for the community of San Pancho. Walking around town one would think that all is progressing just fine, the stores are amply stocked, there is a new gallery opening every week, restaurants are as unique and impressive as ever, there are more cultural happenings and much more to do.
But I, and those that work with entreAmigos live in a different world for much of our day. A world where despite apparent prosperity, there are kids without enough to eat, families that don't have the luxury of education, rising problems of homelessness and striking disparities of those that have and those that don't. The quality of education in the schools is astounding for what it lacks.
The increase of shantytowns reflecting the lack of sufficent housing for the influx of labor necessary for the new constructions and the current Municipal plan to cut down the trees on Ave. Tercer Mundo and replace them with palm trees are murky representations of progress that reflect the growing pains of our process.
As I write, the road in front of entreAmigos is being ripped apart and the mango tree that shielded and shaded our children in their art classes will be no longer. A mango tree nearly in the middle of the street, a symbol of quieter times past. EntreAmigos also, will be moving soon from our location as our lease is up and we long ago grew out of our space. We have not yet found a home but trust that providence will find its way.
The challenge for San Pancho is to not be swept up or away by the progress. We must try to be present in the moment, to ask ourselves why we choose to live here and what we want this community to represent and then...and this is the hard part, to ACT ON IT. For me, entreAmigos is the action that I have to give. entreAmigos means "among friends" and is about joining elbows to bridge the disparity and come across the other side a better, stronger and healthier community. It is my sincere intention that entreAmigos provides an opportunity for action in the way that is personal and meaningful to the many, many people both mexican and foreign, resident and tourist, who choose to participate.
Everyone must answer their own call to San Pancho, there is certainly no correct answer but as you taste the salty winds of change, I challenge you to stand tall and breathe deep, be present in this time and remember that you, in your action or your passivity, are an integral part in the shaping of this community.
take care,
nicole
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entreAmigos has a new website!!
Please take a minute to discover all of the activities of entreAmigos in our new website at www.entreamigos.org.mx This huge undertaking represents nearly a year of work by our dedicated friend and volunteer, Jill Mitchell. We are exceptionally grateful to have the opportunity to share the work that we are doing in San Pancho with a broader audience and we hope that our website will grow to be a point of connection and exchange for the San Pancho community.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
The website has some great features that will help you keep up on activities in San Pancho, including the often requested Community Calendar. Now you will have one place to go to see what's happening in San Pancho. All community orgs and individuals are welcome to announce their activities. To do so, please send us an email at info@entreamigos.org.mx
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Now you can see all of the current volunteer opportunities in one place! Please check out our Volunteer pages on the new website.
Again, a grand THANK YOU TO JILL MITCHELL, for making this website a reality for entreamigos! |
Upcoming Events for EntreAmigos
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 entreAmigos GENERAL MEETING... please join us!
What does this graph represent? Come to the entreamigos General Meeting and learn all about how we manage our programs and your donations. The entreAmigos general meeting has been rescheduled to Wed. February 18th at 5pm. Please join us to learn more about entreAmigos in San Pancho. We will look forward to the opportunities and challenges facing us in 2009. Everyone is invited to attend. This is a bilingual meeting. |
 Children's Art Festival Fundraiser Benefit!
Please join us for the entreamigos Gala Fundraiser event Thursday, Feb 26th at 6pm under the arches at the Bodegas. This beautiful event will highlight the work of child artists in San Pancho. The evening will include live music, an Art Auction and Sale, as well as several small presentations. The cost of tickets this year is $150 pesos and should be purchased in advance at entreAmigos. A grand thank you to NAEF Cuisine for offering to cater the event! Beer and Wine will be available for sale. Donations and purchases can be made in cash or U.S. check, credit card payments can be arranged using paypal. entreamigos is a 501(c)3 non profit.
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| Recent Happenings at entreAmigos |
 Scholarship Kids make big strides!
In the current school year, 80 children received backpacks, school supplies and uniforms as part of the entreAmigos scholarship program. All of the scholarship students are invited to take advantage of entreAmigos free tutoring, computer classes and other assistance and are required to come to a weekly meeting held at the Library. This year 30 kids and their familes have proven their commitment to improve their education by forming part of the Scholarship Club in the Library. These kids get concentrated homework help, dedicated computer time and commit to extra-curricular projects. We are proud of our scholarship kids and the giant strides they have taken!
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 A Recicla Parque in Corral de Risco Kindergarten!
Because one just wasn't enough... entreAmigos working in partnership with the organization PEACE and together with teachers, students and community members built our second children's Playground using recycled materials. The ONE DAY BUILD was a grand success with the park being completed and more than 200 people attending. Thank you to Molly Fisher and PEACE for taking the initiative and acquiring the funding to make it all happen!
We currently are processing several requests for Recicla Parques in surrounding communities. |
 Recycling celebrates 1 year anniversary!
The Recycling program in San Pancho is celebrating its ONE YEAR anniversary!! There have been many challenges along the way but we are excited to be recycling more than ever in San Pancho. The recycling program in the elementary school is continuing to generate a huge response among the children and their families, we feel that we have taken leaps and bounds in recycling education and action here in San Pancho. As we celebrate our anniversary we also are looking towards the future sustainability of the program and reaching out to offer education and training to other interested communities.
RECYCLING PROGRAM SUPPORT: The Recycling program will continue to run under the umbrella of entreAmigos programs in 2009, but will be transitioned to become entirely independent. Entreamigos, together with representatives from Alianza Jaguar, Accion Ciudana and others will form part of a Recycling Board of Directors to oversee and give direction to the program. The Recycling program is soliciting financial support and offering home pick-up and other benefits to community members. Please pick up a brochure at entreAmigos.
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| Generosity and Opportunity! |
 Holiday Food for the Needy!
A grand appreciation to everyone who joined us for the Holiday Food Giveaway and especially to Chris King for helping Santa Claus be alive and well in San Pancho. We had lots of fun and delivered food and presents to 20 needy families. The general consensus was that there was much more to be done... looking forward to starting earlier and working even harder next year! |
 BIG Donation made by KIDS!
The cool kids at Roseway Heights K-8 school in Portland, Oregon, inspired by their teacher Meghann Kabza, raised $1400usd in pennies to give to charity over the holiday season. The Kids donated half of their earnings to entreAmigos and the other to a local orphanage. WOW! what an inspiring example of the power of kids for the good!! |
 Generous Offer by Local Realtor
Some of you may remember our very first fundraising art benefit event hosted at the beautiful home of local residents Dianne and Ron Neumann. Recently Ron opened a new Real Estate office, Sayulita Coastal Properties, and didn't forget entreAmigos while doing so. He has offered to give 10% of any commission earned in his office to entreAmigos for properties listed or sold in San Pancho. If you choose to use the services of Sayulita Realty, please mention that you are friends of entreAmigos. |
 Goodbye. We LOVE you!
We send out giant hugs and good wishes to two of our long time staff members who will be leaving this month. Our beloved Plantate, the librarian and core staff at entreAmigos will be leaving (at least for awhile) to have her first baby. We are thrilled for her and thinking of her at every moment.
This month also marks the move of "Abuela," a grandmother to all and our dedicated bookkeeper. She moves to new opportunities in Ajijic and we wish her the very best.
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 Please don't forget...
As always, I want to extend a thank you to the many people that help entreAmigos do our work everyday and the many people who read this newsletter and send us your kind words and thoughts.
Please don't forget that entreAmigos relies solely on your donations, we have no current endowment or grant and although heading towards sustainability we are not there yet. The building, our staff, our projects and the difference that we can make depend on having a minumum stream of support. As times become more difficult and you make priorities in your spending, please don't forget the important work that we are doing at entreAmigos.
To make a donation please send a check, payable to entreamigos to: entreamigos P.O. Box 3231 Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 or using your credit card or bank account please visit www.paypal.com and enter entreamigos.sanpancho@gmail.com as the receiver address. or stop by the entreAmigos gallery store anytime. Donations can be given to anyone at the desk, please be sure to sign the donation list so that a receipt can be provided. | |
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entreamigos
AMAZING
VOLUNTEERS!
As always, entreamigos enjoyed the expertise and energy of some amazing volunteers in the past few months.
A grand thanks to Federica Collignon from Italy, who joined us to give art and theater classes to the children and now will be staying on to continue art education at the schools as well as helping to produce the Children's Art Festival Benefit this month.
Thank you to Dee Dee Camhi and the 15 students who took her English Introduction Teaching class, many of whom will now be teaching english in San Pancho schools.
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Thank you to Nicole Richardson for donating a huge quantity of jewelry making tools and materials and for giving a two day workshop to San Pancho adults. Thank you to the Adelman Family for making the connections that made it all possible
And again, a thank you to the dozens of volunteers that work everyday helping entreamigos continue our work in San Pancho.... From library organization to attending the store or working on texts and ideas via email we LOVE our volunteers and wouldn't be able to do what we do without you!
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Please Donate 
entreamigos needs your donations in order to continue to provide opportunities for the children and families of San Pancho.
and enter entreamigos.sanpancho@g
ail.com as the receiver
To donate with a check or to send materials or supplies:
entreamigos
P.O. Box 3231
Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352
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| Thank you! |
| Once again, Thank you to everyone who has helped to make the activites of entreamigos possible.
Take care,
Nicole Swedlow |
| Contact and Donation Information |
| For questions and suggestions regarding entreAmigos in san pancho please contact:
entreamigos is located on the main street of San Pancho about 1/2 block from the beach. Officially our address is: entreamigos, Ave. Tercer Mundo #24, San Francisco, Nayarit.
Looking forward to seeing you soon! |
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