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LEXINGTON-WASPAM SISTER CITY COMMITTEE
P.O. Box 283,Lexington, MA 02173 USA
December 14, 1994
Dear Friends:
We are writing to tell you about the activities of the Lexington-Waspam Sister
City Committee during the past year and about our plans for continuing these projects
in the coming year
During 1994,the committee focused its energies on schools in the North Atlantic
Autonomous Region,in which Waspam is located. In response to a request for
educational materials from the Maureen McCourtney School for children with special
needs,located in Puerto Cabezas, the committee collected and shipped 10 boxes of
goods. Once again, the Lexington school children generously contributed to this effort
by donating items and filling collection boxes left at different school sites. Outreach
programs continue to be conducted by committee members Donna Bosco and Matt Foti
in the Lexington schools and various community organizations. Such programs enable
members of the Lexington community,particularly school children and teachers,to
learn about the Waspam area and its people directly from individuals who have been
there.
As we mentioned in an earlier communication,the Sawmill Project with which
we began proved too difficult for us to handle,given our relatively small size and our
distance from Waspam. We are therefore dissolving that project and are in the process
of selling the mill in Puerto Cabezas. Freed of our concerns about the sawmill,we are
able to focus on small,but effective,projects for which we are much better suited. In
addition to the school supplies project mentioned above, the committee initiated
another school project, described in the following paragraphs.
This year, the committee undertook to pay the salary of an elementary school
teacher,Ms. Lucrecia Pedro Patron, in the Sumu town of Awastingni,in the
municipality of Waspam. This teacher had been working as a volunteer prior to 1994.
Her qualities as a teacher were observed and appreciated by committee member Ken
Hale during a visit to Awastingni in 1993, and the community was eager for her to
receive a salary and to be advanced to the status of professional teacher This
advancement required additional training,and the committee agreed to fund Ms.
Pedro Patron's participation in courses set up by the Ministry of Education during the
annual break in the school year,the cost being primarily that of room and board in
Puerto Cabezas.
During 1995, the committee will continue the two projects begun in the current
year (1) the collection and shipping of school supplies, and (2)the support of Ms.Pedro
Patron. We hope to expand the first of these projects to include supplies for the school at
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Awastingni,where Ms. Pedro Patron teaches. During 1994,Ms. Pedro Patron received
the standard salary for a beginning teacher in Nicaragua,augmented by an allowance
for travel and subsistence (for trips to Puerto Cabezas in order to pick up her salary),
giving a total of$1375.00 for the year In addition,her expenses in connection with
professional training in Puerto Cabezas amounted to$581.00.
Although the amounts involved here are not great,they are not insignificant, and
they must be obtained if the project is to continue. Ms. Pedro Patron's salary will
increase,and the cost of food and lodging will also increase. In addition,expanding the
delivery of school supplies to include the Awastingni Elementary School will entail
additional cost, above that required in 1994.We hope,therefore,that you will be able to
help us again with a donation.
For whatever you can give,we thank you according to the Sumu custom
employed by Pastor Netario Mclean of Awastingni last January when we concluded
our discussions of the arrangement regarding Ms. Pedro Patron:
Tingki arungka kalanin ki: tingki, tingki, tingki, tingki.
That is to say "One must give thanks four times: thanks,thanks,thanks,thanks."
Sincerely,
/11
Marge Middleton
Co-chairperson
LWSCC
Please send your tax-deductible contribution to:
LWSCC
P.O. Box 283
Lexington,MA 02173
$100 _$50 _$25 _other
Your name and address:
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