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In this Issue:
- From the President
- Activities and Events
- Program Updates
- Alliance Updates
- From Our Members
- General Info
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Activities and Events
- Upcoming Mixers
- Let's have a Picnic!
- A Day in Paradise!
- Join Us for Coffee
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The month of February is like another new season here in Costa Rica and San Ramón.
The public schools started a new semester on Monday the 6th so the early morning walk-drive-bus rush began again. The coffee harvest wound down at the end of January and the many seasonal harvest families are gone.
Our weather is brisk, cloudy at times, with low foggy clouds, very warm sun, and sometimes stiff winds…and it gets cool at night. It’s a fun collection of many elements including some great sunsets through and between the clouds. Overall life feels and looks like it has really returned to a more normal pace after the years of isolation. It makes me smile to see all the signs of life in town, in the country, on the roads, and at the airport too. It’s high season and high time for friends, activities, community, and programs.
At CAA our members and programs continue to expand and deepen at the same time. It is exciting and fulfilling to be supportive, engaged with others of CAA, the community around us and with our programs. In this newsletter you will see updates, progress, and next steps we are taking. We have awarded and celebrated our scholarship students and are welcoming new and continuing students. We have group and social activities coming and our volunteer and service programs are celebrating some milestones. It’s wonderful. On top of all these, you our members, supporters, and friends are making time and financial commitments that are allowing us to focus on feeding families and supporting children. We thank you all so much and hope to see you at one of our upcoming activities.
~Terry Handler
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Sustainability Committee Report—Recurring Donations with a Bonus!
In 2022, CAA partnered with Global Giving, a US-based charitable crowd-funding platform, to provide a safe, easy, and convenient way for CAA members and friends to donate online to support our philanthropic activities. In addition to providing a variety of support tools and programs to help smaller grassroots organizations like ours become more knowledgeable and effective in our fundraising efforts, Global Giving also provides several special incentive fundraising campaigns throughout the year (like last November’s Giving Tuesday) that we can participate in to help increase donor engagement.
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One great program which Global Giving offers year round is the Recurring Monthly Match Program. When someone commits to a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more to a project, after the fourth consecutive donation, Global Giving will provide CAA with an extra bonus donation equivalent to donor’s monthly donation amount. For example, if you make a monthly recurring donation of $25 for four consecutive months, in the fifth month Global Giving will provide CAA with an additional bonus donation of $25.
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CAA has a number of members and friends who are currently participating in this program by making a recurring monthly donation to one or two of our projects or, in certain cases, to all three of them! Needless to say, we are extremely grateful for their commitment and believe the program provides significant benefits to both the donor and CAA. The benefit to a donor is that once they determine an amount that fits within their budget, they can “set it and forget it” and know that their efforts will be amplified by Global Giving. The benefit to CAA, is, of course, the obvious one of the donors’ contributions plus the Global Giving financial boost. Of equal importance, however, is the fact that recurring monthly donations provide CAA with a level of predictability to our ability to support our projects and make commitments on an ongoing basis to our local recipient organizations.
If you would like to participate in this program by making a recurring monthly donation to any or all of our projects, you can do so below. We thank you for your generosity and support!
Feeding Hungry Families www.globalgiving.org/56450
Brighten the Lives of Children www.globalgiving.org/57142
Give the Gift of Education www.globalgiving.org/18714
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At our February meeting, your board:
- Discussed re-formatting our financial reports to provide more meaningful and concise information to Board members;
- Heard an update from the Education Committee regarding the scholarship awards event and the start of new school-year activities;
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- Recognized the need to consult legal counsel regarding the appropriateness of our existing consent form given current regulations;
- Discussed the status of membership renewals and the importance of getting membership information to the Membership Team promptly;
- Explored additional organizations who would benefit from the funding available for food support;
- Discussed revisiting the dates for our upcoming social outings
- Reviewed the restart of our Spanish Conversation Groups including a revised format and new instructor.
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It’s time to renew your membership!
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CAA members are connected to a rich network of friendship, support, and opportunities to participate in the life of our community AND they help improve the quality of life for others in the greater San Ramón area. It costs only 5,000 colones and it’s easy to join! Just follow this link for payment options: https://www.actionalliancecr.com/join-caa.html
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You can also give your 2023 dues to any Board member at coffee or the mixers.
We welcome first-time members Lillian Beaudoin, James Cox, Cat Frey, and Marcia Sprague and say THANKS to those who have renewed their memberships.
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Upcoming Mixers!
This month’s mixer was at Tribu506.
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IN MARCH, we will meet at Cheper’s on Thursday, March 16, from 3-6pm.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/haKVbWfFdshftY4b7
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chepers
APRIL’S mixer will be on April 20 at El Establo, the MAY mixer will be on May 18 at Felipon, and the JUNE mixer will be on June 15 at Octubre 29. Mark your calendar!
We hope to see you soon!
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Let’s Have a Picnic!
CAA members and their friends are invited to an all-day gathering on March 29 from 9am – 4pm at the wonderful and scenic Las Musas Park just west of San Ramón. Enjoy the park’s waterfall, pool, and restaurant, and trails and catch up with other CAA members. Bring games, puzzles, cards, et cetera to share. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The park restaurant offers a wide variety of comida tipico and also cocktails, wine, and beer. You can also bring your own food for consumption outside the restaurant.
We would love to see you there. Cost to enter the park is 2,500 for adultos mayores; 3,000 for others.
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/AQKN2QWXyZTxNpLb9
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CREMUSA/?ref=page_internal
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A Day in Paradise!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR FRIDAY, MAY 12! We are making plans for a trip to Vila Paraiso for a day of relaxing, trail walking, conversation, and of course delicious food. We will rent a bus to save us from driving to and from Piedades Norte.
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Join Us for Coffee!
Thursday morning coffee at Café Delicias is a tradition for gringos living in or visiting San Ramón. Please stop by between 9-11 to visit with friends or make new ones. Ask questions, share information, and maybe enjoy one of the restaurant’s famous cinnamon rolls with your fresh hot cup of Costa Rican coffee. Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/Heutyt5iRi3iMvdLA
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Eight More CAA Colegio Graduates from our 2022 Class; Now We Focus on the Class of 2023!
Now that February is here, school bells are ringing as students begin the new school year. The Education Committee, along with smiling students and parents recently gathered to award scholarships to 25 beca students. All 25 recipients had been carefully vetted by our social welfare professionals for need and grades and all are well-known to many education committee members who have been following their progress from escuela to colegio for the past 10 years. This year’s colegio graduates received awards, and several have been accepted by UCR.
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After participating in several activities designed to illustrate their interconnectedness, each student was provided with vouchers for shoes, school uniforms, and school supplies. Without this aid many would have had to drop out of school and look for work.
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Student grades are monitored during the semester and if grades drop, our social services intern can intervene to determine why grades have fallen. We often learn that family illness and other family issues are the cause. These students are counseled and encouraged to raise their grades; several of our students have done so with this help.
At the conclusion of the award ceremony, a number of students and parents remained to share their gratitude for the program and their pride in their children, which was matched by the satisfaction of the Education Committee and their social workers.
If you would like to contribute to our San Ramón students who need your help to be successful in school, go to www.globalgiving.org/18714
~Lynette Lewis, CAA Education Committee
(For additional details about the accomplishments and future goals of our students and this program, please click here.)
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English Conversation Club
ECC is a program that gives ticos who already speak intermediate English an opportunity to practice their English and gringos the chance to ask and get answers to things they've always wondered about, such as, “What street do you live on?” “What does ahorita mean?” “How much coffee is too much?” and “Can I call a female a mae?”
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Spanish Conversation Groups
Register now for Spanish conversation groups, meeting in person at the library for six weeks starting Tuesday February 28. Meet at 11am or 12:30pm for 1.5 hours. Minimum group size is four people.
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We have partnered with a highly recommended instructor who currently gives private lessons to some CAA members. Chelsea Rodríguez brings a ton of experience helping English speakers learn Spanish and we encourage anyone to join the conversation groups to practice valuable communication skills, improve pronunciation and learn common phrases in Costa Rica.
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E-mail spanishconversation@caacr.org to sign up for beginner or intermediate level and get bank deposit information, or pay cash to any board member before Feb 25.
Cost is 18,000 colones. This is only 3 mil per class, per person (approx $5) so don't hesitate to take advantage of this special rate for CAA!!
Nos vemos pronto!
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Árbol de Esperanza is a non-profit organization in San Ramón that offers a structured empowerment program to help local women move from poverty to autonomy and self-sufficiency. To learn more about Árbol de Esperanza, visit their website at https://www.arboldeesperanza.org
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Hogarcito Birthday Buddies
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Blankets for Babies Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary!
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Each month for the past five years, Blankets for Babies has supplied 20 newborn packets stuffed with handmade necessities and more to the moms of underprivileged babies born in the San Ramón Hospital!
That means, not counting the recent addition of onesies, lined rubber pants, and baby carrier slings, the Blankets for Babies group has made and delivered:
1200 mats (360 yards of plastic sheeting)
1200 blankets (600 yards of flannel)
1200 toys (dogs, bears, monkeys, elephants, rattles, et cetera)
1080 crocheted hats over 4.5 years
480 masks for moms during Covid-19
And SIX THOUSAND burpies! If all those burpies were placed on top of each other, the stack would be more than 100 feet tall!
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Some of our labor and material contributions this month: 240 toys ready to be stuffed, sheeting material for blankets, and onesies.
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Many many volunteers have donated countless hours, mountains of supplies, and millions of colones. We love and appreciate them all!
CAA added Blankets for Babies as an alliance last year and provides support so BfB can continue giving these items to the hospital.
A big thank you to everyone who comes the first Friday of every month to work on these items. They work for several hours and then share a delicious potluck lunch.
For information about Blankets for Babies San Ramón or to contribute to this program, please visit the Blankets for Babies page https://www.actionalliancecr.com/blankets-for-babies.html on CAA’s website.
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The total amount raised to support the Christmas Toy Drive this past December was $600. Thanks to all who contributed!
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You Might Need a Bigger Bookshelf
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Keven Murphy brings a variety of non-fiction books, novels, and short story collections to sell at Thursday morning coffee and the proceeds benefit CAA. Each book is only 1000 colones!
Aaaand…a list of available books is now online at https://www.libib.com/u/kevenamurphy !
Peruse the list and then email her at booklover@caacr.org so she can bring the book(s) you want to coffee. She will also accept a limited number of donated books to add to the collection but let her know in advance how many you are bringing to Café Delicias.
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Expat Dementia Zoom Support Group
The Expat Dementia Support group meetings every Saturday at 10 am on Zoom. It is open to all members of the expat community in Costa Rica dealing with issues of dementia and related conditions. For more information contact Debra Hammen at debra.hammen@gmail.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/4380700485322109
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Have a Good Story?
If you have a funny or Informative story about moving to/living in San Ramón we’d like to hear it! Please email it to editor@caacr.org and we will consider it for an upcoming issue of the newsletter. Photos will make it even better!
Did you Know?
Any CAA member can attend Board meetings, which are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 2pm at Coopenae. If you plan to attend and observe your Board in action, please email Terry Handler at president@caacr.org so we set up enough chairs. Please discuss any items you would like added to the agenda with Terry at least a week before the meeting.
Have a Question?
Many of our friends, members, and neighbors are reading this from afar or perhaps from a forwarded copy. Please reach out to Board or Team members (email addresses at the end of this newsletter) if you have questions about specific programs or CAA in general or have suggestions for improving our organization. We love to hear from you!
The CAA newsletter is published on the Monday following the second Tuesday of each month. The deadline for article submission is noon on the second Tuesday of the month. All articles submitted to the newsletter are subject to editing and prior approval by the Board.
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Helpful Links for
San Ramón
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Expat-Focused
Organizations
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Bloom’s - Social club for expat women
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CAA’s MISSION STATEMENT
The Community Action Alliance of Costa Rica (CAA) is an organization of expats and costarricenses in the greater San Ramon area volunteering together for community and individual enrichment. CAA aligns with organizations in the community, creating relationships and providing resources for community betterment and development initiatives. CAA provides its members opportunities for community integration, networking and socialization.
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CAA is an organization composed of individuals with diverse religious, political, and personal beliefs and, as such, does not support or promote any particular ideology either in its publications or at its events.
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Board Members (boardofdirectors@caacr.org)
- Terry Handler, President
- Janice Brown, Vice-President
- Martin Rojas, Secretary
- Al Sargent, Treasurer
- Wagner Galo, Fiscal
- Scott McAnally, Vocal and Chair of Education Committee (education@caacr.org)
- Mary Lou Hofmann Vocal
- Vocal 3
CAA Email:caacrorg@gmail.com
Communications Team: info@caacr.org
Volunteer Coordinator: linda@caacr.org
Sustainability Team: sustainability@caacr.org
CAA Web Page and inquiries: https://www.actionalliancecr.com
CAA Facebook Page: Community Action Alliance of Costa Rica
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