Here is a quick overview of the online auction:

• $3326 was raised in promised bids!
• 87 items were available online
• 968 people visited the website during online auction Feb. 1-15
• 207 bids were placed
• 75 items were sold

Top three items sold:

1. One-Week Intensive Spanish Immersion Course for 2 persons at La Catalina Natural Language School sold for highest price at $300.

2. Casa de Flores 1 week rental at $200

3. Gift certificate for Carol Lopez art at $170.

Please remember that we also have our 8^th annual “A Night under the Stars” silent auction and party coming up this Saturday, February 25^th from 6pm-10pm in La Manzanilla’s main plaza.

Finally, we would like to express sincere appreciation to all the many donors who helped make the online auction possible.

And a huge Thank You and hats off to all who attended! If you didn’t have a chance to participate and would like to give a donation, please contact us at la_catalinafoundation@hotmail.com. 

To view photos of the event, visit our facebook page by clicking here. 

We appreciate your support! 

This second and larger classroom is being built because the increased participation in our free educational programs means we have outgrown the capacity of the first classroom. The old classroom will be converted into a computer lab and the new classroom will hold our community classes including afterschool art, English, literacy and music programs, DIF counseling programs for kids, adult English classes, our annual summer day camp and more.

Having a computer lab has been a goal and part of LCEF’s strategic plan since 2005. In a community survey administered in September, 2011, learning English and Computer Literacy were ranked as the highest priorities to prepare local youth for a prosperous future. This new lab will be designed for 15 computer stations and will provide training and lab time for students, adults and teachers in the community. 

Hugo Brambila, whose children also attend LCEF’s programs, is the dedicated foreman of our construction team and is working to give us the lowest costs for the project. This second classroom is being built in three phases as the required funds are raised:  

You can help with Phase 2 of the project and be a part of building better opportunities for the locals of La Manzanilla, brick by brick!

You can choose from three donation levels to support the construction:  

1. 50 bricks with cement, sand, mortar and labor – donation:  $65US

2. 100 bricks with cement, sand, mortar and labor – donation:  $130US

3. 250 bricks with cement, sand, mortar and labor – donation:  $325US

We need a combined amount of 3000 bricks with material to complete the walls.  However, as donations come in we will be able to begin building the walls and moving  the classroom closer to its completion.

You can make your donations through Teachers Without Borders for a US tax receipt or through Paypal.  See our Donations page for more details and links.   

New 2011-12 Scholarship Recipients with their proud parents at the Centro Educativo

Additionally, all of last year’s donors were pleased with the progress of the student they sponsored and the management of the Wings program and have committed to support twelve continuing scholarship students. This makes a total of 21 students in our Wings Scholarship program! From only one scholarship offered in 2007 to 21 in 2011, we are so happy that more and more kids from our village are able to achieve their dreams each year!

To see funded students, please click here.

 A big thank you to our 2011-12 new and continuing scholarship sponsors: Nelson Ames, Gary Ockenden, Jan Engemoen & Graham Hill (scholarship 6 group), Jordan Reese, Bonnie Smith, Gabriela de la Vega, Shanna McClarnon, Valerie & Dave Denford, Tom Beninger, Dave & Debbie Dagoli, Helping Hands Bookstore, Universidad de Londres, Ann & Tim Edwards, Paul & Sylvia Brock, William Albritton, Jean & Brian Harvey and Larry & Judy Buttress.

Current Wings Scholarship recipients doing extra course workIn 2007, two of our founders

This year LCEF is looking for sponsors for 10 students who do not have the financial means to continue on to middle school or to high school.  As a sponsor, you have a unique opportunity to make a difference in a child´s life and also to make a lifelong friend along the way.

To find out more about sponsoring one of these inspiring middle school or high school students, please see our scholarships page or contact us.  We hope to hear from you soon!

Through our U.S. fiscal sponsor, Teachers Without Borders, $800.00 has been donated to La Catalina Educational Foundation!  These funds were raised through Gypsy Fire, a Gypsy music and dance performance held in August of 2010 on Thetis Island, B.C., Canada.  We would like to thank all the volunteers, residents, and friends of Thetis Island, B.C., Canada who attended and donated to this show.  A special thanks goes to the following people:

Baraa Safaa (Star Performer); Charlotte Aaberg, Carole Dickison,  Lynette Harper, and Sheelagh McKenzie (Dancers); Bill Sharp (Musicman); Jane LeBaron (Coordinator); Lon Wood (Master of Ceremonies); and Sven Aaberg & Bruce Finlayson (Photographers).

The idea of Gypsy Fire came about in February 2010 when Charlotte and Carole were visiting Mexico.  Juan, a Mexican construction worker who had been injured from falling from scaffolding, needed help with funds for an operation. Charlotte decided she would like to help Juan and asked her friends to join her in a fundraiser.

Sadly, in February 2011, when Charlotte and Carole went to deliver the funds to Juan, they discovered he had been hospitalized, but were unable to locate him—yet they still wanted their funds to go to an important cause in Mexico. Upon attending the fundraising show ‘A Night under the Stars’ in La Manzanilla, and discovering what a benefit the La Catalina Educational Foundation is to the local people, they decided that this is where the Gypsy Fire donation should go.

This donation, together with 38,000 MXN pesos ($3400 US) raised at ‘A Night under the Stars’ event, will go towards building improvements and programs at the Costa Alegre Educational Center.  Thanks again, Thetis Island, for caring and making a difference in our little community of La Manzanilla!

The event was lots of fun with a delicious Mexican buffet and a whole host of amazing performances by local folkloric dance groups, LCEF kids, Danzare Eventos, Triskele Celtic Duo, kids dances led by Annette, kids guitar performances led by Myranda, Blue Bay performers, Lora Loka singing and dancing, and the musicians Jonathon, Pablo, Scotty, Denise and Ted.

For photos of this event (kindly taken by Jeanne Harvey) please see our facebook page.

The total revenue from the Silent Auction & Party was $29,510 pesos and the Online Auction raised $45,984 pesos, for a grand total of $75,494 MXN Pesos!  A full budget will be available shortly on our website.

These funds will go directly to support the free educational programs offered by LCEF, the continued construction of the Costa Alegre Educational Centre, and the local public schools.  For more details on our programs please click here.

We would like to express sincere appreciation to all the many volunteers and donors who helped make this night possible!  For a full list please click here .

 Thank you once again to everyone who volunteered, donated goods and came out for the great event!

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or would like to be involved next year!