Thanks to Rotary organization donations, the Centro de Atencion Mutiple (CAM) – a school for special needs children – in Barra de Navidad this week was able to show off its new therapy pool, playground and washrooms.
Money raised from the local Costalegre Rotary Club was added to funds from the Rotary Club in Summerland Valley, British Columbia, and multiplied by Rotary International.
Visiting from the Summerland club, Karl Seidel said more than 400,000 pesos have been contributed toward the construction and rehabilitation project in the last four months.Project management was provided by a retired civil engineer from the Coastalegre club. His club first became aware of the school’s need through another B.C. resident, Crystal Zashabeta, who collected “Pennies for Shade,” and built a large palapa shelter in the school’s courtyard.
CAM serves disabled children with a wide range of learning and living difficulties and is federally funded. Fifty children are now attending and, according to the principal, Blanca Estella Gomez Quintero, individuals may attend the center for the rest of their lives, in order to develop new skills.
The CAM school will host a gala benefit in Melaque on Friday, January 25. It will be held in the street in front of Esmerelda’s Restaurant from 4 p.m. on. Information for the school is at www.camcihuatlan.org.
The Costalegre Rotary Club will follow with their 6th annual Chili Cookoff on Sunday, January 27, in the square in Barra de Navidad. Many festivities and the serving of seriously good food will begin around 3 p.m.