Back in October , Blogger Wayne in Isla Mujeres came up with the idea to help the kids in Ursula Galvan in Veracruz State. This is the community that Blogger John and his wife Anita live. The plan was to knit hats for the kids there, where it gets cold in the winter. I jumped on board, as I enjoy knitting and wanted to give something to these kids, too.
But my son and his wife are expecting a baby at the end of the year and I have been knitting my little fingers to the bone working on projects for their little one…and have not knitted one thing for the kids in Veracruz. I decided I needed a different approach, and I hope it will be ok. Wayne knitted a bunch of hats. Blogger Theresa sewed some wonderful caps out of polar fleece, and a friend of Wayne’s sent some adorable dolls. People donated money through the PayPal link on John’s blog.
One of my passions in life is reading, and I know how important it is to own your own books at an early age. So I went out to the children’s bookstore, Casa Caracol in Mazatlan, and bought a bunch of books for the kids. I’ll be mailing them off tomorrow. I think I got some really interesting books for a variety of ages.
Jackie
November 30, 2008I too am an avid reader and love to give books to children. Whenever I have taken donations to Isla with me I have always included some books. One year when I was on vacation in San Diego I bought a bunch of Spanish children’s books at a bookstore in Old Town. Barnes and Noble even has a good selection of Spanish books for all ages of children.
Theresa in Mérida
November 30, 2008That is a fabulous idea. There is nothing more important than an early love of reading!
regards,
Theresa
Beth
November 30, 2008Excellent idea!!! I too, am an avid (if not obsessive reader) and try to instill the same in my children. Books will open up new worlds for those kids, now ideas, new possibilities. Bravo to you!!
1st Mate
November 30, 2008Nancy – Looks like we’ll be visiting Colima sometime early next year when we drive the Westie down. Thanks for the advance info.
Books are a great idea for the kids. They’re expensive in Mexico and for some of those children they may be their first books.
American Mommy in Mexico
November 30, 2008Books give and give and give. We brought almost all of our kid’s books with us this year. Just tonight I saw Oldest Son go pull a nature book off shelf about animals to read while I was reading Winnie the Pooh to Youngest Son. We have a small collection of Spanish Books that Husband reads to kids nightly.
This is a great contribution to the children and community.
John Calypso
December 1, 2008Hola Nancy and Paul,
We have been buying children’s books in Coatepec as well, with some of the donated funds. We also are avid readers and loves of books. Thank you so much for thinking of the children here.
We are already seeing good things happening from the kindness of Wayne’s and other Blogger’s readers – very cool!
Saludos,
John & Anita
Ursulo Galvan
Larry
December 1, 2008Hi Nancy!
I also agree that books for the kids is a great idea. I also do some stuff with kids in some poor colonias, and when we’ve given them storybooks they’re just overwhelmed. They were totally fascinated, because they really hadn’t even seen nice storybooks, let alone owned any. And it can encourage parents to spend time with their kids reading to them, which is really wonderful!
–Larry
islagringo
December 1, 2008Bless you Nancy.
Nancy
December 1, 2008Thanks, everyone, for not telling me I am lame for not knitting and just hitting the store! I do feel strongly about books, and I know that when a family is poor that things like books are impossibly frivolous. And no batteries needed!