A Volunteer Humanitarian Aid
and Development Organization
Our Mission:
To provide worldwide humanitarian relief and development programs
in order to reduce vulnerability, alleviate human suffering, and
restore the self-sufficiency and livelihoods of disaster-affected populations,
while fostering cultural understanding and volunteerism through
International High School Mission (IHSM) programs.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)
December 2005 Newsletter
We extend our sincere gratitude to so many of you who have and continue to
support our work. There is no doubt that this has been an extraordinary year. The Asian tsunamis,
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, the Guatemalan mudslides, and earthquakes in Kashmir, China and
Iran have presented enormous challenges. Again and again, you have given generously to help those
affected by these tragic events.
It is no wonder that people are asking, "How much more can I give? This question was on our minds as we
considered (and postponed) our end-of-year fundraising appeal. Donor fatigue has presented real challenges,
and although there is still much reconstruction and development work to be done for those affected by this
year's disasters, there still remains an on-going, day-after-day disaster called poverty, suffered by
millions in every corner of the world.
We close out this year behind our financial target, however through your generous support, we surpassed last
year's gifts. We hope that you will continue to be inspired to help us in our efforts to improve the lives
of the poor, particularly early next year when we make our appeal. If you would like to make a donation now,
in order that we may continue to build and expand our programs in serving the poor,
please click hereto be
automatically directed to our secure on-line donation page. Our work and the people whom we serve depend on
your generosity. We also want to assure you that at least 90% of all donations received is spent directly on
our development programs.
Mir Pace International is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization. Your charitable contribution is deeply appreciated and is tax-deductible to the full extent permitted
by the Internal Revenue Code.
As we described in our last
Newsletter (click here), we had an extraordinary and very
special group of volunteers who participated in our April IHSM program in Tamahú, Guatemala. The impact of
their experience is still being realized and continues to bear fruit.
Most of our young volunteers have committed themselves to local community service projects that they
otherwise would not have become involved (visiting the elderly in nursing homes, tutoring children in
after-school programs, and many other wonderful service-oriented initiatives!). In addition, one of our
volunteers, Lexa Keenan, was the recipient of the Town of Sharon's "Ordinary Hero" award (typically not a
youth-focused award!) for her work with us in Guatemala and within her community. Rosie McQuiggan, our
youngest volunteer from Vermont, also received her high school's Clarence-Amadon Award, which recognizes
those who demonstrate extraordinary dependability, responsibility, and helping others. Rosie has also taken
charge of opening Mir Pace International's new Vermont Chapter! In her words, "I want to start the Vermont
Chapter so more teenagers will have the opportunity to take part in this rewarding experience. After going
to Tamahú, it made me realize how many people really need our help and I want to spread awareness of the
poverty in other countries."
We at Mir Pace applaud each and every one of our remarkable young people! May they continue to be inspired
to give selflessly to those in need.
Mir Pace is pleased to announce the appointment of Maureen McQuiggan to its Board of Directors. Maureen is
a clinical analyst in Information Systems at Central Vermont Medical Center, where she also held the
position of psychiatric nurse. She has worked as a psychiatric nurse consultant for the Department of
Mental Health and has worked many years in fundraising for St. Elizabeth's Hospital and the Tuberous
Sclerosis Foundation in the Boston area. Maureen received her Associates Degree in Nursing from Vermont
College and B.A. in Human Services from Trinity College. Maureen and her husband Bill live in Vermont with
their four children, two of whom have participated in Mir Pace's IHSM programs.
On August 27th, Mir Pace held its first Paddle for Poverty kayak race off Steamboat Pier in Hull, MA. Bright sunshine, calm waters, and a gentle breeze made for ideal race conditions and was a gift from heaven, as were our race participants, volunteers, sponsors, and friends.
Both the long (3+ miles) and short course (1 mile) races went off without a hitch. In the short course, Justin Dausch maintained the lead throughout, followed closely behind by Craig and Caroline Comins (winners of the "inflatable division"). In the long race, Adam Traina, took first place, followed by Doug Randall. Michael and Taryn Sacchitella came into view next, followed closely behind by our very own Terry Mullen! The long course was a challenge, but all who participated enjoyed the competition and magnificent scenery.
At the conclusion of the races, trophies and prizes were awarded. Throughout the day, our friends from Java Jungle provided refreshments, and beautiful handcrafted items were offered for sale by our own Tamahú (Guatemala) weaver's collaborative and Alpaca Suri, a local Peruvian gift shop.
We wish to extend our deepest gratitude, however, to Mark Morris and Catunes. Mark and the guys played true to form - spirited and engerized! Thank you guys for your graciousness, for supporting us, and we hope to see you again next year!
Our sincere thanks to all of our supporters, volunteers, and race participants. You helped us to raise
much needed program funds and we look forward to seeing you again next year!
We at Mir Pace express our sorrow and sympathy for all those affected by Hurricane Katrina. While the
hurricane affected hundreds of thousands of people, those living in deep poverty were hit the hardest. Mir
Pace generally focuses its relief and development efforts in regions beyond the United States where
governments and civil society groups have little or no capacity to effectively improve livlihoods, which is
seldom the case here in the US. Yet, despite all the resources available for relief after Katrina, we
realized that some poor communities still may not receive the support they need. Through your kind support and the generosity of Daly & Wanza for
transportation, Mir Pace provided much needed clothing and school supplies to families affected by the
hurricane.
During the week of April 13 - 21, twenty IHSM volunteers will assist the Missionaries of Charity Fathers and the local community in a weeklong program that includes building a cinderblock home for a mountain family, assisting a collaborative of local weavers in improving and expanding their products and sales, preparing and serving meals at a day shelter for the elderly population, and visiting the local schools.
From July 27 through August 11,
IHSM volunteers will work in the northwest region of Tanzania, the Kagera District, assisting local
communities in the construction of water harvesting and sanitation systems, interior repair and improvement
projects at a rural medical clinic, assisting at a shelter for street children, and visiting the local schools.
Knowledge of the Swahili language is NOT required!
For more information about being a part of these rewarding experiences, please visit
our Mission Locations page. Also, please watch
for our next Newsletter, as our young volunteers will report their extraordinary experiences from the field!
