| Cash Donations: PAYPAL Checks Castaway Kids,Inc. Send to: Susan Schauf 6221 North Placita de Luis Tucson AZ, 85718 (520) 297-8414 susanschauf@yahoo.com In-Kind Donations: Sue Francis 226-1257 suekfrancis@gmail.com or Linda Rose 227-0178 lindalrose@gmail.com For more Information: castawykids@yahoo.com |
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| Email: Fred Wegener with questions or concerns: |
CHRISTMAS PARTY
OUR ORGANIZATION:
Castaway Kids, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation, and Castaway Kids
Mexico, A.C., a Mexican nonprofit corporation, are dedicated to serving the
children of Fatima, Sonora, Mexico. Fatima is the poorest subdivision in
Guaymas, Sonora, located on Mexico’s Northwest Coast. Castaway Kids
provides money, food, clothing, shelter, recreational facilities, medical and
dental care, computers, school supplies, hygiene kits and other necessary
goods and services to the children of Fatima. Our goal is for these children and
their families to become self-supporting so that they, too, may assist other
families similarly situated.
OUR CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
The Castaway Kids held its first meeting of the 2008-2009 season on
November 8, 2008 at the home of Susan Schauf. There were approximately 20
volunteers in attendance. The meeting began with a presentation from Adelante
Estudiante, a new organization in San Carlos dedicated to educating children.
The Castaway Kids were asked to include this group under the umbrella of
Castaway Kids Mexico, A.C. The San Carlos Performing Arts Council, a well-
established philanthropic group dedicated to sponsoring musical and theatrical
performances, as well as teaching the performing arts, also made a formal
request to be included under the umbrella of Castaway Kids Mexico, A.C. We
thank Terry Challis, Diane Wine and Jane Fleener for their presentations.
We were forced to table further discussions of these requests until after the
Officers and Boards of both the American and Mexican corporations have time
to discuss these requests. If approved, then the requests will be put to a vote of
the membership. If the membership approves, the last step is to refer these
requests to our Mexican advisors for final legal and accounting approval.
The meeting continued with a report on the proposed park in Guaymas. On
November 6, 2008, the Castaway Kids learned that the Mexican federal
government has a lien on the proposed park land, as well as on the building
situated on it, and that no gift of the land is possible until the federal lien expires
in May 2010. A short discussion ensued as to whether to forego the park
project completely or to, perhaps, buy a site for a park, knowing that the latter
option would require a major fund-raising effort. Again, these discussions were
tabled for lack of time, but will certainly be a hot topic in the near future.
The Castaway Kids have decided to stage a major fund-raising effort at
Mulligan's Islandfest on November 14 - 16, 2008, at the Paradiso Resort. The
Castaway Kids will be soliciting money for their Christmas party scheduled at
the Marina Terra Beach Club on Sunday, December 7, 2008. The Castaway
Kids will be asking for money with which to buy gifts for 120 poor Mexican
children who will be attending the party. Donors can sponsor a kid and pay to
stuff a backpack for $20 (U.S.) or 200 pesos. In addition, the Castaway Kids
will have two beach totes for sale. The small totes will cost $10.00 (U.S.) or 100
pesos. The large totes will cost $15.00 (U.S.) or 150 pesos. We are putting
out an urgent call for in-kind donations from the States, including
crayons, coloring books, stuffed animals, dolls, diapers and wipes. All
Americans crossing the border are now allowed to bring to Mexico a maximum
of $75.00 worth of goods, per person, over and above personal items. If
everyone coming to Islandfest brought just a few items, our cost to stuff these
backpacks would be substantially reduced. Shopping in Mexico for these items
can be very expensive. Coloring books range from $4.00 - $6.00 at Walmart in
Hermosillo. Similar coloring books can be purchased at Dollar Stores in the
U.S. for $1.00 each or less. The same price differentials are true for all of the
items listed above. Therefore, we ask that all Islandfest attendees please
remember the Castaway Kids when packing and planning for your trip to San
Carlos. A couple of packs of diapers and wipes, or a few dolls or stuffed
animals (especially those dressed in Christmas garb) are relatively inexpensive
and easy to transport, yet they mean so much to these kids who will have little
else, if anything, for Christmas. Please help if you can!! All donations, whether
in cash or in kind, are now tax deductible. The Castaway Kids appreciate your
support!!!
The meeting ended with the selection of committees for the Christmas party.
The committees include Decorations, Gifts, Food, Pinatas, Transportation,
Invitations and Entertainment. Anyone who is interested in serving on a
committee is welcome to contact Maris Kalmbach at ljaybach2@aol.com. We
need all of the help we can get!!
OUR DONATION CAMPAIGNS:
We are no longer accepting in-kind donations due to a tightening of procedures
at the Border. The Mexican government has recently instituted a new set of
guidelines for importation of in-kind donations for non-profit organizations.
These rules, when coupled with the recent violence in Nogales, Sonora, have
made it virtually impossible to import large amounts of in-kind donations. We
will, however, continue to accept tax deductible cash donations through checks
or Paypal. Directions for making donations are on this page. Donations made
in honor of loved ones will be posted on our Memorial Page.
OUR FUTURE GOALS:
TO BE ANNOUNCED
OUR NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of the Castaway Kids will be held on
Saturday, November 15, 2008, at 10:00 a.m.at the home of
Larry and Maris Kalmbach in Tecalai, at the end of Canada St.
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