By the way, if you have something you’d like to donate, give me a call or drop me a line at vsl.vwl@gmail.com.

The Guerreros (Warrior’s) of San Felipe are part of the Liga de Futbol Americano de B.C. which is an independent youth football league in Baja Norte with teams in Mexicali, Ensenada and Tijuana. This past year, San Felipe joined the league with the formation of the Guerreros. This team is aged 15-17 years old and they practice 5 nights per week with one game per weekend, for a period of 3 months.

Unfortunately, the cost of playing American football in Mexico is quite high as they have to pay 2800 pesos per home game for the referees, approximately 4000 pesos (per team) for each game in which they have to travel and 700 pesos (per player) for registration and medical clearance. This does not include the price of their uniforms (for which we have been thankful for donations). However, even when we get donated uniforms for the kids, we must have the helmets painted (which the kids do at practice) and then send them to get numbered and have the logo (cost 100 pesos) put on so that our kids look the same as those from areas that have greater resources. The jerseys need to have numbers and names put on them as well and we do this at the best price possible here in San Felipe. In total, it can cost a Mexican family approximately 200 dollars per year or more. This is an impossible situation for some families when the working parents make 100-200 pesos per day.

Our problem is not unique. We have heard from youth football organizations throughout Mexico that are in the same plight. Due to the economy, many youth football organizations are having a difficult time equipping their players suitably, paying the referees, buses and other travel expenses. In San Felipe we are at an even greater disadvantage because we are a small community and do not have the numbers to create our own league to play within locally. The only way that our youth aged 15-17 can continue to play and compete in American football is to travel to other areas of Baja California and to have teams travel to San Felipe. We do not charge our children a fee to belong to the Guerreros, but we do have to pay for the budget items mentioned above.

The parents of these youth are highly supportive and we are planning fundraisers including two carwashes to try to ensure that the team understands that they too must ensure that “all their friends” can participate in this team. However, we still need the help of the community. We have some boys that have been playing for two years and their families can simply not afford the costs associated with the sport. Last year we saw over 5 players leave our team mid season as their working parents could not pay the weekly travel/referee costs. They wanted to, but on their wages and with other children, it was just not possible.

Please help us to keep these boys actively involved in something that makes them feel they belong. More importantly, being part of the team teaches them: discipline, team building, respect and commitment. The coaches teach all of this and are dedicated to these boys even though they work 12 hour shifts, 6 days per week; they are there from 7pm to 9pm to ensure that these boys have leaders they can follow. If you would like to see these youngsters before you make a commitment to help, please stop by the field behind the community center, Monday to Friday 7pm – 9pm. These kids will be more then happy to talk with you and tell you what they love about this sport and why they want to play football.

If you would like to provide assistance, please contact Cynthia or Abelardo at 686-210-3861 or csunmx@ hotmail.com

Video shared by FOBeto0326 of Guerreros San Felipe VS Halcones Mexicali game in  2011

Carly Fleischmann is an exceptional young lady who found her voice thanks to technology.  Now that she has it, she is speaking out on behalf of other autistic children, raising awareness and funds to help them also break free from the walls of silence.  Read more about Carly and her work on Facebook or her web page:   http://carlysvoice.com/.  Carly’s latest efforts are focused on providing Autistic friendly events like the Broadway show featured above and Autistic friendly shopping hours in large malls or department stores.  You can help by signing Carly’s petition on her web page.

The new study, was done by Dr. Eddie Ramirez Diaz, a native of Ensenada. Which has 16 years of experience in various lifestyle centers in North America, Europe and Africa. The study took place from December 5 to December 19, 2011. It was a free program open to the foreign community of San Felipe. Participants paid only their blood tests before and after the study.

The new study, “is a step forward, showing the importance of lifestyle changes to combat a large number of health problems affecting the people that live in our community,” said Dr. Ramirez.

Methodology

In the study, a group of more than 20 Americans who live or spend the winter in San Felipe participated. As a group on average the initial cholesterol was 232 points (which is high) and the LDL (bad) cholesterol was on average 158.7 points (which is also high).

Participants met twice a week for advice and encourage, they were provided with cookbooks and information to understand why they were making the changes.

Results

Laboratory results showed that on average cholesterol went down 59 points, triglycerides dropped 22 points and LDL (bad) cholesterol (LDL) went down 39 points. Many had dramatic changes like a participant who had a reduction of 112 points in her triglycerides and her cholesterol  went down 118 points together with her LDL cholesterol which decreased 85 points.

This study shows the potential value of lifestyle changes to reduce blood lipids and thus reduce a large range of pathologies.

Dr. Ramirez is planning another free program open to the entire community which will begin on January 16, 2012. For more information call Dr. Ramirez at 686-133-6046.

In their own words

Viva is:

a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to increase animal awareness; rescue indigent animals and provide a structured network of care to adopt the animals ready for forever homes.

In my words, this group is a bunch of very hardworking, selfless individuals who have hearts of the size of watermelons.  Everyone one of them feeds and houses numerous strays and spends their leisure time rounding up animals and transporting them to spay and neuter appointments.  Sometimes they even make long distance trips to take some lucky pups to new homes in the States.

You can read more about them on their website:  My Viva San Felipe

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yesterday Chuck and I met with three of the ladies who’s tireless efforts have made Volunteers Without Limits a reality.  The purpose of the meeting was to review our current position and set down our goals for the future.  You ask: “Just what is Volunteers Without Limits Susan?”
 
So glad you asked.
 
VSL* (sorry I spent so many years working for the city that I am hooked on acronyms) is a non-profit civil association formed, by a group of women in San Felipe, to fill the vacancy left when the leaders of the San Felipe Food Bank disbanded and left the area.  Sort of a changing of the guard.  The ladies and their husbands took over distributing food to needy families, however these women were doubly motivated to keep this organization going.  Yes, they have a strong desire to help feed the many poverty stricken families of San Felipe, but in addition to this, they are also deeply committed to helping the families with children with disabilities in their daily struggle to provide adequate nutrition, therapy and medical attention, while living in a small and very poor town that is over a hundred miles from the nearest medical specialist or hospital equipped to care for their child’s needs.
 
Patricia Orosco Rea, the Director of VSL, has a four year daughter, Lupita, who has been diagnosed with cerebral paralysis and mycrocephaly.  Since Lupita’s birth, Patty has committed herself to getting her the best possible care and providing Lupita the best life possible.  Because of her unfailing perseverance Lupita has been selected to participate in a program called Chains of Help and she has received care from medical specialists not only in Mexicali but also Hermosillo, Mx.   It is Patty’s dream to help the other families in San Felipe who have children with special medical needs to also obtain the best care possible for their children.
 
To accomplish this dream Patty, and the other ladies of VSL, work six days a week at the VSL Segundo as unpaid volunteers.  Here they sell the clothing and household items donated by our wonderful benefactors.  The proceeds from the thrift store help finance the purchase of  food to feed about 150 families in San Felipe. But their dedication does not stop there, their equally critical goal is to raise public awareness and support for the families of these children with disabilities and help provide the parents with the tools and financial help needed to assure their children get the best care possible.
 
To learn more about the results of our meeting, click over to our blog at Volunteers With Limits.
 
* The official name of the organization we work with is Voluntarios Sin Limites which translates to Volunteers Without Limits, hence I use VSL not VWL when abbreviating the name.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nothing But Time
By Susan Young

There’s a line in a country song that goes something like “I’ll do more someday, when I have the time.” I can remember thinking that myself during the years filled with work and family responsibilities. For decades I put off doing and salved my conscious with an automatic monthly contribution to some distant cause. There just wasn’t time to do more.

Now suddenly I come face to face with end of the hustle and bustle and discover I have time. Time to fill with what? Oh, there is no shortage of choices. There are activities and causes no end. What there are no longer, are excuses. I can no longer claim I can’t exercise because I have no time. I can no longer say, gee I would like to learn Spanish but I don’t have the time. I can no longer simply send off a check and say I don’t have time to do more.

I have time. I have several hours each day to fill with something. I have the choice of how to fill those hours. Whether I will fill them with something healthy, something that will stimulate my brain or something that benefit others is my choice and I get to make that choice every day, every waking hour.

Sometimes I choose to do nothing, to just kick back and relax or enjoy the pool. Sometimes I choose to interact with friends and family on the computer. Sometimes I choose to do something to make a difference in the world around me for now I discover I have the time and the choice of how I use that time is mine and mine alone.