Thank you, Lifecore Foundation

Balay ni Charie wishes to thank Teri Kidd and the Lifecore Foundation for their generous support of our school supplies program. This comes at a time when many areas of Capiz are flooded in the wake of typhoon Quinta. This means that many children may have lost their school supplies and will need replacement for them as soon as the schools reopen after the Christmas break.

"And it's not just about being able to write a check. It's being able to touch somebody's life." Oprah Winfrey

Thank you Lifecore Foundation. Many children will be touched by your generosity.

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Merry Christmas

During this time of giving, I would like to thank you, our generous donors and friends, for supporting Balay ni Charie. You have brought miles of smiles to the children in Capiz.

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself." Norman Wesley Brooks

Wishing you all a blissful Christmas.

Lawis Day Care

It's been a year since I visited Lawis Day Care Center in Roxas City. The last time I was here, the teacher had indicated they needed chalk and clay. One of the children's projects is shaping clay into various objects. But I didn't have any clay. I did have a pail of big colored chalk which was donated by Rosemary Driscoll. I gave this to the teacher along with color pencils and crayons.

Each of the three or four-year old kids received a notebook and pencil from Balay ni Charie. According to the teacher, the kids are learning to write their names. There are 2 sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon and around 40 kids come to the Center daily. I must remember to bring clay next time.

Balay ni Charie is now on its 7th year of "humanitarian" service to the Capiz community, thanks in large part to our generous donors.

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Image by Charie

Calaan Elementary School

Calaan Elementary School is about 3 kilometers from Panitan, Capiz. There are 82 students from Kindergarten to 5th Grade. There is no 6th grade. The kids probably have to go to another school if they wish to continue with their studies. The Principal is Mrs. Fe Delfin who welcomed us along with all the teachers at the school. The children from the 2nd grade were the best spelling bees and the kids in Kindergarten were the loudest in singing ABC and Twinkle, twinkle little star. It was a good morning at Calaan.

Many thanks to Celita Conlu and Jacque Conlu for lending me their car and driver so I could get to Panitan which is about 30 minutes from Roxas City.

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Images by Charie

At Ameligan Island Elementary School

Loading school supplies onto a banca

It was in late August when we visited Ameligan Island Elementary School in Pontevedra. The town of Pontevedra is about 35 minutes by car from Roxas City and another 20 minutes by banca along the Panay River. I wasn't prepared for the open seating. Thank goodness my friend brought an umbrella to protect us from the scorching heat. The Principal, Amelita Ramos Bolaño, greeted us as we got off the narrow banca onto the shore.

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We distributed notebooks, pens and pencils to about 260 students from Kindergarten to 6th grade. After the school supplies were given to the kids, we had a spelling contest at every class so the children could earn prizes like pencil cases, crayons, pencil sharpeners and scissors. We also had fun reciting and singing nursery rhymes.

Thank you to all our generous donors especially Nieva Burdick, Gary Steele, Leda Albar, Teresa Smith and Ditas Fuentes. We couldn't have done it without your help. Many thanks also to Filomena Beluso who made all the arrangements so we could reach out to the children at Ameligan Elementary School.

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Images by Charie

Food for thought 2012

"It is vital that when educating our children's brains that we do not neglect to educate their hearts."  The Dalai Lama