Our thanks to those who helped make Katie LaRoche’s trip to Belize a great success. Nicole Dawson – general preparatory support prior to Katie’s visit and setting the itinerary Emerson Guild – pick up at airport and general driving support Virginia Echols, Ann Marie, Chris Bennett and Arthur Usher – welcome social Oct 2nd Rosana [...]
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A message from Katie: Dear Friends and Partners: As part of my Miss Michigan commitment (and long time member of Partners of the Americas), I will be traveling for two months throughout Central and South America, visiting our partner countries. During this tour I will be actively calling attention to the tragedy of Human Trafficking. [...]
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The U.S. Ambassador met with Michigan Partners President Jan Watkins and members of Belize Partners Board during recent work trip in Belize. The group shared our mutual 45-year history and the many projects and programs completed over those years. Also discussed was the 2011-2012 Program of Work which includes re-establishing strong 4-H ties between partnerships, [...]
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Jan Watkins, President of the Michigan Partners of the Americas, has a busy summer schedule ahead of her as she heads off to spend six weeks with the Belize partnership. While there Jan will meet with a number of ambassadors to promote Partners and the projects that are in progress as well as those planned [...]
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In 2007, Katie LaRoche, currently Co-President and Student Liaison for Michigan Partners of the Americas, served as a student intern at the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center, a children’s home in Belize, which cares for orphans as well as severely abused and neglected children. Katie taught music, dance and sports to the children. In her [...]
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By Jan Watkins I had a great opportunity to work with several special needs adults who make jewelry to sell at local markets. Since I, as a crafter, include jewelry-making as one of my skills, I was able to share some techniques and ideas with my new friends in Santa Familia. Omar, pictured here, is [...]
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By Jan Watkins I had the privilege of attending and helping with the 2010 women’s Expo. So many of the different women’s groups that participated were those I’m currently working with or have worked with in the past. Each group had its own focus, whether domestic violence, child abuse/neglect, single mothers, former prison inmates, many [...]
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Michigan Partners chapter has committed to working with a women’s prison ministry in Hatieville, Belize. There have been some efforts made in the past that, quite frankly, have not been as productive as we would like it to be However, the 2010-2011 Program of Work will reflect a continued policy of trying to meet the [...]
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This 2010 trip gave me an opportunity to work with teachers at a small school in Belmopan, St. Michaels’s elementary school. During the Easter Holiday (yes, they can call it that in Belize), I volunteered to work with a group of students so they could enter the country’s Earth Day Competition. The challenge was to [...]
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At the beginning of this year two Michigan volunteers, Bonnie and Marlin Adams, traveled to Belize. This husband and wife team worked in two different program areas. Bonnie, a seamstress, worked with a couple of women’s home economics-sewing cooperatives, strengthening basic sewing skills and getting the women started on projects designed to make them some [...]
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Updates from Katie LaRoche