Project Amigo - Board of
Directors
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- Catherine
Munson
- Will
Haymaker
- Joyce Palmer
- Jessie Boucher
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- Bruce Powell
- Sarah Ferris
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Project Amigo - About
Us
History
Project Amigo has a long history in Colima, Mexico. When Ted Rose
first visited the state of Colima, back in 1984, he went to hike on
a volcano. But, instead, he took the wrong bus and found himself in
a little poverty-stricken village. That mistake, and a few other
fortuitous events, led to his decision a couple of years later to
trade his comfortable life as the owner of an office machine company
for a life surrounded by wonderful, and very poor, children who
appeared to need a helping hand if they were ever to break out of
poverty.
In December of 1984, he and his wife Susan Hill went to Colima to
hold a Christmas party and beach trip for the 50 disadvantaged rural
poor children that Ted had met a few months earlier. The children
lived in an albergue (a room and board facility provided by the
State Education Department to help families send up to three of
their children to primary school).
In 1986 Ted and Susan moved to Mexico and set up a small typing
school at the rural albergue. Boys and girls in fifth and sixth
grades learned to type, and discovered that a skill like that could
help them find better employment in the future.
Project Amigo's involvement with the other three albergues in
the state began in 1990, bringing educational materials, access to
dental care and cavity-prevention programs, and stimulating field
trips to nearly 200 children each year. These programs were (and
still are) intended to keep children motivated to stay in school to
finish their primary school education. As support from friends,
Rotarians and Rotary Clubs grew, Project Amigo expanded its mission
and its programs.
Efforts to improve education and health standards at the migrant
labor camp in Queseria began in 1997. Over the years, Project Amigo
has built two classrooms, a kitchen, children's bathrooms, and
hired two teachers. Playground equipment, a protective fence around
the school grounds, and a roof over the veranda of the school have
been added with funds from Rotary Foundation matching grants and
donations from individuals and Rotary Clubs.
The State-run albergues were closed in 1999. Project Amigo continues
to offer incentive programs to needy 4th, 5th and 6th graders in
rural communities throughout the State of Colima.
The scholarship program in place today had its humble beginnings in
1996. It has grown from offering seven junior high school
scholarships to providing 100 scholarships a year for junior high,
high school and university.
Mission
To enable the poor children of Colima, Mexico, to achieve their highest potential by providing educational opportunities, material support, enrichment activities and medical and dental services.
To provide opportunities for volunteers from developed countries to help and become friends with disadvantaged children in Mexico.
To foster friendship and understanding between people from developed countries and people in Mexico.
Current programs and activities
- Enrichment programs - offered to poor rural primary school students to encourage them to remain in school. Programs include: annual Christmas fiesta with gifts of new clothing and shoes, day trip to the beach, and an outing to local ruins or museums. Mini-libraries and books of one's own (consisting of Spanish language fun children's books) are part of our effort to promote a love of reading in young students.
- Scholarship programs - scholarships to students who
maintain an 8.5 (out of 10) grade point average, maintain good
citizenship at school and perform community service activities
each month. Scholarships provide school registration fees,
uniforms and shoes, school supplies, transportation to school,
school lunches, and in some cases room and board. Each year, 100
deserving students receive scholarships to attend junior high,
high school and University. Nine college students to date have
graduated from the University of Colima. All of them are now
employed in their fields and leading their families to better
lives.
- Volunteer activities - more than one hundred fifty
volunteers (mostly from the USA and Canada) visit Project Amigo
each year, providing dental and vision services, reading and
enrichment programs, and physical labor in projects that allow
the visitors to interact with and make friends with the children
Project Amigo serves, and with the local Colima area Rotarians.
Work weeks provide opportunities for meaningful service vacations
that make a difference in children's lives.
Project Amigo - Board of
Directors
Project Amigo is a non-profit corporation incorporated in the State
of California. It is governed by a Board of Directors, who serve
staggered 3-year terms. During the 2006-07 year, the Board consists
of:
Catherine Munson
President of the Project Amigo Board, lives in Lucas Valley,
California. She is a real estate broker with her own company, LVP
MARIN REALTORS in Novato, CA which she has owned for 40 years. She
has served with passion and great interest on the PA board since
l992. Catherine joined Rotary at the Ignacio Rotary Club in l987 and
has been an enthusiastic member?especially in the international
area. Her other activities include the following board memberships:
The Buck Institute for Age Research, Marin Symphony Association,
Atlantic Pacific Bank and Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center
Conservancy. She is also manager of the McInnis Park Golf Center and
The Club Restaurant.
Will Haymaker
Serves on the Board as Project Amigo?s Treasurer. He is a real
estate broker for Will Haymaker & Associates,
Brokers/Consultants in Santa Rosa. Will is Past-President of the
Rotary Club of Santa Rosa, and is Chairman of the Endowment
Committee of St. Patrick?s Episcopal Church. Before his ?retirement?
he was President of Dataguard, Inc., a marketing consulting
company.
Joyce Palmer
Since retiring as a teacher of Math, Joyce has continued being
active in many community activities in Novato, CA. She is Program
Chairman for the local association of American University Women. She
is an alto in the Novato Music Association and still appears on
stage. Joyce has spent 40 years singing and touring with the
Winifred Baker/San Francisco Chorale (including several concerts at
Carnegie Hall). She enjoys the game of bridge, plays at tournament
level, and currently is a bronze life master. After the death of her
husband Clark in 2005, Joyce has carried on his work on the
Endowment and World Service committees of the Novato Rotary Club.
Her late husband was charter president of the Novato Rotary Club and
was also a charter member of the Board of Directors of Project
Amigo, and was a past president of the Board. "I am continuing
my enthusiasm for this outstanding project!" Joyce served as
Secretary of the Board for many years.
Jessie Boucher
Jessie Boucher is the founder and CEO of "Jessie et Laurent", a specialized catering company in the San Francisco bay area, which was founded in 1981. She enjoys her cross cultural marriage to her Parisian husband, Laurent, to whom she has been married for 25 years. Jessie is an avid artist who experiments in many different mediums, including mosaic, sculpture and collage. She brings her passion for working hard and playing often to make life all that it can possibly be, and believes that challenges represent the greatest opportunities for growth and fulfillment.
Bruce Powell
Director, sold his contracting business in 2002 in order to dedicate
more time to international service. Since then he has traveled
extensively throughout Central and South America with various Rotary
or Rotary-related projects. In addition to serving as a Director for
Project Amigo, he serves on the Executive Board for YouthLINC and is
the Chairman of the Board for the Hope Alliance. He has twice been
president of the Centerville/ Farmington Rotary Club, was Group
Study Exchange leader for District 5420 (to Mexico), and has been
Chairman of the matching grants committee for the same District
since 2004. Additionally, he has served his community as a planning
commissioner for three terms and served as a Bishop in the LDS
Church.
Sarah Ferris
Retired from Chevron Oil after a 30-year career, Sarah started as a
chemist in the Perth Amboy, New Jersey Refinery and held jobs of
increasing responsibility, traveling extensively and living abroad.
She retired as Vice President of Marketing for Fuel and Marine
Marketing, a division of Chevron. While with Chevron, she
participated in Junior Achievement and local school activities. She
is currently active with and on the Council of the Presidio Golf
Club in San Francisco. Sarah serves the Board as its Secretary.
