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Media Releases, Events and Photos
2009
Fashion Show, Mujers a Mujeres presents envelope to Carole Thacker and Maruca Dinsmore from the 2009 Volunteers for Breast Cancer Prosthetic Clinic, La Penita RV Park. The Money raised from the Fashion Show is under the umbrella of the Jaltemba Foundation.
Foundation Presents Scholarship Awards on Behalf of the Fran Milski Education Fund
Arely Montserrat Espinoza Ortega Medical Student
Celene Guadalupe Manzano Longoria Tourism student
Mariela Becerra Castrejon Psychology student
Jaltemba Foundation Receives Community Award The Horseshoe Tournament Organizers presented the Jaltemba Foundation with a community service award in recognition of their contribution to the area. (L to R) Jimmy Howell, Shirley Lewis, David Howell, Carole Thacker
(LtoR) Jimmy Howell, Jomie Thompson and David Howell
Horseshoe Tournament Presents Jomie Thompson 10,000 pesos from the Horseshow Tournament Money Organizers for the Horseshoe tournament donated 10,000 pesos from the horseshoe tournament to Jomie Thompson for medical expenses she incurred in a vehicle accident in December. The Horseshoe tournament and The Robert Howell Memorial Fund are under the umbrella of the Jaltemba Foundation.
Money from the Fashion Show funded this years Clinic Helping Women Cancer Survivors The women come in buses, by van, or on foot. The mood is somber as they enter La Penita Recreational Park. They come from all over the state of Nayarit, many bearing signs of recent chemotherapy, seeking a chance to regain their feminine appearance through the generous effort of four key Canadian seasonal residents and dozens of local international volunteers. These women breast cancer survivors leave the free clinic with tears and shy smiles after being given a fitted prosthesis that raises her self-esteem and helps her maintain her dignity. These women do not have health insurance or enough money to purchase the prosthesis that costs a minimum $500 US. Without the help of the wonderful group of volunteers, the survivors faced a life of disfigurement and cruel stares.
Several certified post-mastectomy fitters, associated with Nightingale Medical Supplies in Vernon, B.C. flew into Mexico to volunteer for the week-long clinic. Gail Hawke, (owner), Ester Dawson, Gloria McKay, and Jackie Jackson are pictured below. These ladies in turn trained other volunteers so that there were eight private fittings occurring simultaneously. It is touching how each of the impromptu fitting rooms included gentle objects, such as fresh flowers, Mexican art, and rugs in an effort to put the women at ease.
Fitting rooms, left. Jackie & Jomie, above. It was decided that instead of rotating locations, the Cancer Survivor Prosthesis Project will be held yearly at the LaPenita RV Park. The co-chairs for next year are Judy Krajnc and Marusca Dinsmore. The RV Park’s woman’s sewing group obtained a pattern and has made dozens of immerseable prosthetics and donated them to the cause. A special thanks goes to the park manager, Carole Thacker, and her staff that worked so hard to make the event possible. Volunteers setting up Volunteers sewing and recipients waiting
The gift of a prosthesis is priceless to the cancer survivor. This project is the united effort of many caring international volunteers that are giving back to their adopted community. “Who are the heroes, anyway? The very brave, or just the ordinary folks?” In the Riviera Nayarit area, the heroes are your neighbors. Contact Judy to volunteer or for more information: joekrajnc@hotmail.com Thanks to the 2009 Volunteers for Breast Cancer Prosthetic Clinic, La Penita RV Park *Any omissions are not intentional: please inform Judy or Tara
Judy Kranjne Project co-chair for 2010 Maruca Dinsmore Project co-chair for 2010 Abel – (truck on main avenida, LaPenita) donated fresh fruit and veggies for participants Betty- made and donated 100 sandwiches Carole Thacker, Park manager, for donating the use of facilities, tables & chairs for clinic Karel Mattingham, Sharon Hunter, Debbie Phillips Sheila Dryden Doug Dryden Jackie Jackson Lore McDonald Judy Porteous DorothyWells Mary Bell Sally Nelson Rick Timmen Lorraine Timmen Karin Marchant Patti Johnson Judy Huber JoAn McBride Shirley Lewis James Franklin Karen Franklin Klara Schubert Susan Slon Donna Iserf Gail Hawk Jodie Jahnke Brenda Campbell Judy Entwistle Sharon Kilborn Otilia Molina Heather Erickson Ana Karen Aguilar Patricia Lewis Lynda Colbourne Maureen Thomas Ester Dawson Gloria McKay Nancy Schnerr Janet Martin Shaun Whiting Marioun Shryer Jean Allan Cindy Wagner Sharon Grant Florentina Cruz Lozano Anayeli Lugo Cruz Cecilia Lugo Cruz Andy Mcbride Maria Guzman Garcia Gary Woollard Rich Howell Faye Hodson Ken Sloan Bart Entwistle Stan Wagner Larry Schnurd Barry Schryer Bill Allan
Group of ladies arriving by bus from Santiago with volunteers
Excerpt from the Sarape (The La Penita RV Resort Newspaper) BREAST PROTHESIS CLINIC WHAT A GREAT SUCCESS!! The women (and men) of La Penita Trailer Park can be proud of their achievements! G' Day I really mean 3 great days. The volunteers, team work and the residents of the park are the backbone and make the charity endeavors successful. The Cancer De Mama was yet another event that all of us can be proud of. Full bus loads of women were parked at the Pemex. The guys from the park used the park van and drove all the ladies from the Pemex to the park. They made the run, back and forth for most of the day. Food was prepared by the breakfast ladies and no one left the park hungry thanks to them and Abel, the veggie guy who donated vegetables and fruits, and Ramon who donated water. Carol gave in so many ways, I fear that I'd never be able to cover everything. We fitted 274 ladies. We shared hugs, tears, and blessings woman to woman. Even though we spoke different languages it didn't hold any of us back. The language of smiles, laughter, tears, and even dancing is universal and needs no interpretation. I wish to thank everyone who donated their time and efforts. Without each of you we couldn't have pulled this off. The clinic took a massive effort and many people to be successful. We'll be having another clinic next February and will need to bring more bras and prosthetics. Stay tuned in for more information. Once the numbers are crunched and I have the data I'll post the items that we'll need for the clinic next year and we'll also need help in transporting them from the U.S. and Canada. Available for purchase in the park are Breast Cancer Cookbooks. They cost 100 pesos and 70 pesos go to the Cancer De Mama fund. They can be purchased at site 100 Sincerely, Judy Krajnc and Maruca Dinsmore
Friday December 7, 2007 Jaltemba Foundation in the Works A working committee announced today plans to create the Jaltemba Foundation and wants to share this information with the public. The Committee is inviting the public to attend an Information Session poolside at Hacienda Del Mar, Av Sol Nuevo #39, Rincon de Guayabitos (beside the Bridge for Life) on Monday December 10th at 10am. Coffee will be served. A short presentation will be followed by their regular weekly meeting. “We are very excited about the creating a lasting legacy for the community,” says Dorothy Bell one of the founding members. “We have big plans and are diligently working towards setting up the legal and accounting frameworks in Mexico, Canada and the US to make this a reality.” The committee formed in early September and agreed that one of the main objectives of the Jaltemba Community Foundation will be to assist sustainable projects through an endowment. Sue Moss, one of the lead organizers emphasizes that the Jaltemba Foundation is being organized for charitable and educational purposes and that the committee is developing it in a transparent and legal manner. “We want to help support innovative and visionary projects,” says Moss “and to do that we are creating the legal body that will have the proper accounting checks and balances for the government and for the community we serve.” Currently the committee has developed a mission statement and bylaws to be the core of the Mexico, Canadian and US foundation requirements. They have short-listed potential lawyers and accountants and they have the funds available to work their way through the labyrinth of paperwork. Ken Snyder, one of the lead proponents of a tri-country organization, is working with a group of accounting experts to help co-ordinate the framework. “We intend to make gift giving to our area tax deductable in each of the three countries and have the ability to apply and receive funds for specific projects from private, corporate and government sources. Individuals and loose-knit organizations just don’t have the capabilities.” The committee believes the Foundation will not compete with or replace existing organizations already in place. “There are wonderful individuals and organizations that are doing a great job in the community” says Bell. “We want to work with them and be able to facilitate methods to raise even more funds from outside sources for our community.” RSVP via Email:
Donate to the Jaltemba Foundation for a community for the future Jaltemba Foundation
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(Left) Nayarit recipient of a donated Canadian prosthesis emotionally thanks volunteer, Gail Hawke, at the La Penita clinic. After dealing physically with life-threatening cancer and surviving, these women deserve an opportunity to look normal in order to resume their social and family lives. As a breast cancer survivor herself, founder Jackie Jackson says “I was fortunate in that we could afford to purchase a prosthesis (that is not covered by Canadian health insurance), so my emotional recovery could begin right away. I was horrified to learn that there was very limited help for the Mexican women. I decided I would seek donations at home and bring the prosthetics to the Riviera Nayarit area when I came for the winter.” The first year, 1996, Jackie gave away 28 prosthesis. As word of the project spread, many of the local international community and Canadian medical personnel have gotten involved. This year, 500 are being distributed to deserving Mexican women.
