We think these teen volunteers are pretty cool for all the hours they contributed to improve their community.
Summer heat didn’t slow our work. Border Partners moved forward in three important ways recently: the Promotora action, ongoing and special summer activities, and a new teen program.
Building Promotora Team
Finding qualified personnel is critical to accomplishing good work. This can be more difficult in rural areas like Palomas. So, we were excited to welcome a new promotora to the team. Carla Chavez, who has training as a nurse, joined our Promotora group and is learning how to perform their multiple tasks.
Promotoras’ August Checklist
And, just last month, these Promotoras accomplished so much. They:
- checked blood pressure and glucose for 78 people and administered tests for COVID to 15 others at their office,
- prepared and delivered 175 hot Meals on Wheels for 26 isolated seniors,
- conducted 23 Zumba classes,
- organized and presented a five day “Summer School” for 48 children with classes focused on health, nutrition and physical activities. One of these classes, for instance, taught the children how to manage their strong emotions.
Ongoing Projects and Some New Ones
Meanwhile, we kept working in our typical routine and added other special summer events to enrich lives in Palomas:
- Garden staff tended the community greenhouses – harvesting and distributing impressive quantities of zucchini, chard, celery and spinach. This produce fed kids at lunches during the summer school. And, homebound senior citizens feasted on fresh, healthy veggies in meals the Promotoras delivered to them.
- We organized weekly summer soccer family tournaments. Typically around 38 children and 40 adults participate on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 5-8 p.m.
- We also sponsored and conducted a community bike ride for 28 children and 18 adults.
- To promote learning, we opened the Education Center each weekday afternoon. During August, 37 children came to use the internet there for their chool work and other learning projects.
Border Partners’ Teen Volunteers
Teen volunteers helped with the summer school and Meals on Wheels, contributing 86 hours this month. This post features photos of volunteers Cassandra Maldonado, Arely Corona, Giovani Lovato, Brandon Chavez, Jennifer Ibarra, Ruben Bailon, and Jaqueline Gonzales Vanessa Leyva.
For the first time, Border Partners welcomed eight student volunteers who together contributed 86 hours to help with Summer School and preparing Meals on Wheels for seniors. We’re so grateful for their help. And, we’re pleased to provide them mentoring and work experience that they can build on going forward.
We’re proud of all these accomplishments and are happy to anticipate new things happening soon. We’re always aware that so many help us make a better life possible in Palomas.