Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Update!

I realize that it has been a long time since I have posted an update on community center construction progress on this blog.  This is not because we are without news.  Quite the contrary, actually.  I have decided to post briefer updates on the CCC blog and I would recommend pointing your browsers there for more up-to-date information in the future.  However, even there I have been slacking.

At the end of November I came home for Thanksgiving and to check on a broken finger/finger issue.  As it turns out, my original plan to head back to Ecuador after a month or so of being home, was not possible.  I finally had hand surgery this past Friday, February 15, and I am working on recuperation while I've been substitute teaching in the Madison schools.

Meanwhile, I have been having weekly Skype conversations with Paco and Amy to focus our progression forward to construction, keep momentum going, and better organize ourselves as a very young and small organization.  I learned A LOT while I was living in Ecuador for 6 months, and I have been using that knowledge to re-group, re-focus, and make sure that we truly are working on a bottom-up, community-led initiative.

We held another Zumbathon event on December 3rd, which was awesome!  And I am thankful for individuals that keep stumbling across this page, or talk to one of us and want to help donate to make the center construction possible.  I am extremely happy to report that we have raised just over $8,100.00 for construction, and an additional over $12,000 in materials and labor donated by the local mayor in Ecuador!  Thank you for your generous, continued support!!  As we are hoping to really start construction in early summer, and then are looking for ways to maintain the construction, and work more on the sustainable development, job creation, and programming, your continued support is invaluable.

As usual, if you are interested in hosting a fundraising event, want to volunteer, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

Thanks again, you guys are amazing!!