program_coordinator's blog

We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the individuals who studied and/or volunteered with us this year. You have all done tremendous work. Because of you El Nahual was able to purchase land to expand our programs through the (near-completed!) construction of our new community center and celebrate the fifth anniversary of Manos de Colores, all while continuing to provide children and adults in Pacajá with free and creative education in English, art, Spanish, mathematics, cooking, and so much more!

2009 is drawing to a close, and we hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your loved ones. Here at El Nahual Community Center, we are celebrating the end of a wonderful, productive year full of milestone achievements in our history as an organization! We hope to ring in the New Year in our brand new community center, which is nearly completed thanks to the generous donations of our volunteers and their families. We must stress that our work could not continue without your help. Thank you so much!

It´s been a special week at El Nahual as we gear up for the holidays! With a mere 24 hours of planning, our Christmas party for the niños went off flawlessly on Tuesday. Games, snacks (thanks Pati!) and music blasting from the salon all afternoon—good times! Even Santa Claus made an appearance to give everyone candy and new pencils so they won´t keep having to borrow ours. Pictures to be posted soon!

The countdown is on for the visit to the nursing home on Friday. The kids have each made a Christmas ornament as a gift for the ladies at the home and we’re hoping to take some cake and jelly (Jell-O to North Americans), too.

Thanks to the hard work of one of our former volunteers, Ethan Birchard, you are currently viewing the new and improved El Nahual website, which we hope will be more user-friendly. Check back frequently to read our weekly blog, browse through our photo galleries, and keep track of what´s going on every day at the center via our calendar. It is a work in progress, so bear with us over the first few weeks as we get a few kinks sorted out here and there, and please leave your ideas for improvements in the comments section!