1) URGENT
– Please check your PASSPORTS and
apply now for them if you need to. Here is a website for more information about
how to do that, the application, etc. I will need to supply this information to
the travel agent in order to purchase our tickets. http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
2) VACCINATIONS: To have the most benefit,
see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time
for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent
malaria, if you need it. Check with your health care provider to find out what
vaccinations you might need. Here is information from the CDC that you can read
for yourselves http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/ecuador.aspx
3) FUNDRAISING – Invite all your friends
and family to our Ecuadorian Dinner on March 17th @ Homer Crouse
Hall at St. Pius. Tickets are $25 for adults/ or $15 with a donation of new
school supplies (see list in next paragraph) or $10 per child. Make your
reservation by clicking
here.
4) In
2010, we asked parishioners to donate SOCCER
JERSEY’s which we took to Quito with us. Also, Madre Miguel has informed me
that there is a great need for SCHOOL
SUPPLIES, particularly pencils, pens, scissors, glue sticks and
construction paper. I’d like to do this
again. Would someone be willing to
coordinate this drive at St. Matthias and/or St. Pius? Call me for more
information! St. Matthias’ drive will be over the weekends May 19/20 &
26/27. We will also be hosting a CAR WASH on May 27th at St.
Pius following all their morning Masses (from 7:30-1pm)
5) SPANISH WORKSHOP/MEETING Many of you
know, I have taken over 3 years of Spanish at Cañada College over the past few
years. I can “get by” but am nowhere
near being fluent. (Fr. Craig is much more fluent than I!) I do believe that
language is one of the primary ways we will be able to connect with the people
at the WBC, so thought it would be cool to learn some basics. I have spoken to
my Spanish Professor, Dr. Sarah Harmon, PhD who has agreed to partner with me
and do a ½ day workshop for our
group of conversational Spanish. This workshop will be held on May 5th
from 10-2pm at St. Matthias. At the end of the workshop, I will go over all the
guidelines, have participants sign Code of Conduct forms, talk about travel
requirements, etc. FINAL PAYMENT
will be due May 5th as well. I will e-mail forms with the amounts due the week prior so that you can
bring checks with you that day.
6) BLESSING – at the 10:30 am on June 10th
the group will be blessed and commissioned for the trip. Please plan to attend
Mass that day to be blessed. We will have a brief meeting after Mass as well to
go over any last minute requirements and pack the items that we will be
bringing with us.
7) BLOG – If you are interested in reading
about the 2010 trip, you can check out the blog, sabrinaspence.blogspot.com. I
will be updating this daily while we are in Ecuador so you can stay up to date
with our comings and goings.
--Sabrina
Spence
