LAS HERMANAS

DE TRONCONES

Providing Opportunities for Women and Children

Through Education

December 17, 2024

¡Bienvenidas y Gracias!

Welcome to our new members, Michelle Ebbin, Yolanda Vega Vazquez, and Wendo Oregon.

A particular shout-out to Wendo for returning to Troncones and rejoining Las Hermanas. We owe her a debt of gratitude for beginning our classes in English for students, even when covid prevented indoor gatherings and classes had to happen in an outdoor restaurant! She also oversaw the quilting classes held in our boutique when the originator of that program left suddenly. Welcome back, Wendo! We hope to see you around town or at Angelique’s Simply Divine Day Spa.

Are you interested in joining Las Hermanas? We would love to have you! Dues are 2,000 pesos, or $125 USD. Click here to join. Remember that your dues and donations are tax-deductible!

If you are already a member, it's time to renew your dues. Click here to do so. Thank you! Members receive invitations to our weekly luncheons via our WhatsApp group, so don't miss out.

(Supporters are welcome to join wherever they reside, worldwide. Receive our newsletters, become a member, and join us!)

Thank you to Harry Aldrich, Paul Boyle, and Kent MacDonald.

Thank you to Ira Kovel and Kim Kovel for their donations. Their support will pay the rent for our Library, and their donation was made in honor of Pedro Palacios, for his friendship, dedication, and ongoing commitment to supporting opportunities through education.

Thank you to Johnie Swenson for your donation in honor of her special friends:

Anne Jones, Nina Middleton, and Ivette Sullivan.

Thank you to Julie Zenke of Troncones Med Spa for telling your clients about the work of Las Hermanas. We have new members and donors because of your thoughfulness.

Thank you to Yunuen Oviedo for donating books in Spanish for our Library. We can always use more of these for all reading levels including adults.

Thank you to Hilda Itzel Aley and Alex Pineda Solis for helping to organize the Third Annual Troncones Art Exhibition at Tres Santos Hotel. As a result, the talented artists who participated have donated 15% of the proceeds to Las Hermanas. Thank you to them and to all who made this glorious event possible!

Thank you to those who donated jewelry for our Boutique this month:

Wendy Grant, Judy Clappison, Susan Gottfried, Paul Boyle, Grant Barbe, Valerie Tarasuk, Phyllis Tanaka, and Ruth Bothern.

Special thanks to Ignacio Cornejo Perez for donating jewelry from his store, and for cleaning and repairing donated jewelry. Please visit his store on the main street; when leaving town, it is on the left.

Donate Now!

It's That Time of Year

Our work is supported by our US Nonprofit, Friends of Las Hermanas, and we urge you to add us to your list of yearend, tax-deductible donations. This is your chance to direct your money to a cause which makes a difference that you can actually see in our community.

As you pass by our Learning Center and Library on the main street of Troncones, know that the students inside are getting professional instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics, skills that many students aren't mastering in their abbreviated school day. The teachers and classroom are provided thanks to your donations.
As you see teenagers in their school uniforms getting into a combi, remember that we provide families with help to transport their children to high school, a possibility which wouldn't exist without your donations.
And consider the students whom we helped by providing a computer for high school, who are now attending university, an unthinkable opportunity without dedicated funding from our generous donors.

Where else can you experience so directly the results of your generosity? Donate today, receive a receipt for your tax-deductible contribution, and watch your money change lives.

Do have a friend who has everything, but you want to honor them with a gift? Donate to Friends of Las Hermanas in their name!

Click Here to Make a General Donation to our programs. Or write a check payable to Friends of Las Hermanas, and give it to one of us if you're here in Troncones. Or mail it to us:

Friends of Las Hermanas

3055 NW Yeon Ave. #683

Portland, OR 97210

Thank you!

The Cost of Success

Our transportation program, which enables middle school and high school students to attend school, has become so successful that we have a record number of students participating this year, and that’s great news! These students and their parents realize what an opportunity it is to have transportation to prepa (high school) arranged for them, with Las Hermanas paying half the price. Without help, the education of most of these students would stop after their last year of elementary or middle school. Their dreams of success would die.

Now imagine the cost of transporting around 70 students to school every day, and you are looking at a cost of almost $40,000 USD for a year. And remember, this is just school transportation. (Government-provided school transportation does not exist here.) We have other programs including after-school tutoring, which involves teacher compensation, rent, utilities, equipment and supplies, and maintenance.

We are at a point where we must fundraise at an even higher level. Many of you have donated to our university scholarship program, which is a huge gift to this community. But please remember that to get a child from kinder to university is a continuing process.

Please think of these young students when making your year-end donations. By giving to the School Transportation Fund, you give these students opportunities they never imagined. You do make the difference. Thank you for your generosity!

Bus Fund Kermés 2024

There is something about this event that wraps a spell around us, stirring emotions and creating memories, and this year was no different. Stroll around the grounds, checking out the tacos, sopes, and elotes, and you see the effort the parents put into their dishes. Watch all the volunteers selling raffle tickets for donated prizes, and you feel the force of what donating one’s time and energy can do.

Delight in the children and adults sparring for the win in musical chairs, led by the dance moves of Pedro, and you know what shared fun in the community means. And most powerfully of all, watch the students called up on the stage to receive their certificates of participation in our transportation program, and you witness students motivated to pursue success, now and in the future, benefitting the whole family. All of this happens because we and the community care about the future of these students.

Thanks to all who attended the Kermés this year, who donated raffle prizes, bought raffle tickets, food, and merchandise, prepared food and drinks, and volunteered to make it all happen. What a beautiful way to celebrate this joint venture between parents and Las Hermanas de Troncones, to provide school transportation for all who need it.

P. S. Couldn't attend? Click here to donate to our School Transportation fund.

Annual Members Luncheon

There was so much feminine energy at this annual event, as we gathered to celebrate the power of our sisterhood to create change in our local community. Big thanks to our host, Ann Hatfield Merritt, our event planner, Mariana Solis, and chef extraordinaire, Jean Pascal of Mi Jardin.

The garden at Ann’s Casa Colorida home was the perfect setting, so enchanting and serene beneath the palms, cooled by ocean breezes and the strategically placed umbrellas. JP’s food was superb, plentiful, and beautifully served at this sit-down luncheon. As we enjoyed our food and wine, we were treated to an introduction to the Las Hermanas Board Members, followed by an informative presentation by Kim Kovel about the impact of our school transportation program. The big takeaway for many of us is this statistic: 92% of the students in Troncones and Majahua go on to high school after completing middle school, compared to only 24% of the Mexican population above age 15 having a high school education. We can only conclude that the support provided by Las Hermanas of half the cost of school transportation is the reason, and those funds come 100% from your donations. Want to help? This is a huge financial undertaking for us, and we would hate to turn away students who want to continue their education due to lack of funds. Click here to donate to this vital program!

Fairy Hair!

Karla Martinez has had her own salon, Yare's, on the main street of Troncones for many years, and has expanded her services to include hair cuts, manicures, pedicures, and special hair treatments. Included in these special treatments is Fairy Hair, the application of shiny, thin foil strips to individual strands of hair. A fun effect for a special occasion or to enjoy anytime, it is a subtle but attractive way to dress up your ‘do.

Karla has offered these treatments in the past while donating a percentage to Las Hermanas. She is now donating 100% of the cost to Las Hermanas, in gratitude for the benefits her son has received from our after-school and summer school programs. This is your chance to glam up your look while supporting our work in this community, as we offer opportunities for women and children through education.

WhatsApp Karla at 755-558-6326.

Las Hermanas Tote Bags Are Here!

Tote bags have become almost essential these days, as we phase out plastic bags and do our shopping with reusable ones. And here in Troncones, they serve us in multiple ways, as we go from home to beach to market.

Here is your chance to make your bag an advertisement for our worthy group by making a donation of 500 pesos, or $25 USD, and keep it handy whenever you're out and about.

Still needing a pretty but practical gift for someone in your life? 100% of your donation for this bag will go to Las Hermanas, since they were gifted to us by supporter Dallas Celecia. You can pick yours up by visiting our Boutique on the beach road near Wendy's Liquor store, or clicking on this link to order one online. If you are local to Troncones/Majahua, we will see that it gets to you.

Happy shopping!

What a Year! Recapping the 2024 Education Program

This past year, our financial aid programs meant that 72 students received aid for middle school and high school transportation and university scholarships. That is a 42% increase over last year.

There was an 88% increase in the educational program participation, with over 150 students participating in after-school tutoring, computer literacy, and English literacy classes, and Library usage. The program now features 40 hours of weekly educational programming.

Some highlights from the year:

Uplifted the community and Main Street with our Learning Center and Library painted by a talented L.A. street artist, who volunteered her time and materials, to create the bold, inviting, and inspiring facade, showing that learning is fun.
Enjoyed a fundraiser organized by students and parents to support education, with 100% of proceeds donated to Las Hermanas.
Co-hosted an Art & Ecology workshop in collaboration with Playa Limpia.
Created a new Easter Learning camp with fun learning activities
Started a new Student of the Month program, which is motivating students and engaging the community.
Hired a second teacher for our Summer Learning Camp due to demand, enabling smaller classes and more personal attention for students.
Created a new Writing and Computer Literacy class for high school students.
Hired a new teacher to lead our after-school tutoring program, resulting in a total of three certified, experienced teachers.
Created a new Homework Club for students in middle school and high school, which offers a safe and quiet place to do homework and collaborate on group projects. Teacher support and project materials are provided.
Celebrated student achievement with parents present, as Chromebooks were awarded to high school transportation program students with a qualifying GPA, helping them to excel during their learning journey.

Sunset Club, January 15!

We are beyond excited for the first Sunset Club party of the season, on Wednesday January 15th, 6-8 pm, at the lovely home of Teri and Ken Lebow, Casa La Vida. This home is one of the first contemporary-style residences in the area, and Teri herself is a well-known designer in the Montecito/Santa Barbara area. These parties are a great way to see some of beautiful homes in the area, while having fun with old friends and making new ones. Food and beverage will be served, and all proceeds go to benefit Las Hermanas. Tickets are $40 USD per person, and they are limited, so don't wait to snag yours.

Click here to purchase.

If you prefer to pay with cash--pesos (800 pesos per person) or dollars--reply to this email and we will help you make that happen.

Casa La Vida is located between Troncones and Majahua. You will receive an email with specific directions after your purchase is made. See you there!

Save The Dates

Plans are in the works for the season, and we want you to be the first to know. Mark your calendars for these events:

Sunset Club: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, hosted by Teri and Ken Lebow, Casa La Vida
2025 Gala and Auction: Sunday, March 2, 2025, hosted by Nancy Winarick and Richie Seigler, Casa Congrejo y Toro