Comox Valley residents responded generously to a recent call for used sewing machines and sewing supplies to fill a van leaving the valley this week for Mexico.
The project got its start when Comox Valley Dodge donated a mini-van to the Rotary Club of Strathcona-Sunrise. Mike Finneron Jr. at Speed Pro Signs donated the Rotary logo and Canadian flag decals on each side. With the help of funds to cover travel costs donated by the Rotary Club of Cumberland Centennial, it will be driven to Cabo Correntes, Mexico, a rural area 4 hours drive south of Puerta Vallarta.
Over 25 sewing machines were collected, one brand new in an unopened box, along with boxes of sewing notions and yards of fabric. In fact, the response was so great that more was collected then the van can hold. Rotary is looking into other options to transport the excess.
The supplies will be enthusiastically welcomed by the ‘Bag Ladies of Banderas Bay’. These enterprising women live near the city dump and utilize the recyclable resources discarded on their doorstep. They started making handbags from newspaper. They now make many styles of bags, from padded laptop computer bags to small pouch-bags with shoulder straps. ‘Bag Ladies’ enables women to earn an income as well as gain business experience and skills they would not normally be able to obtain as stay-at-home moms. By having their own money in their pockets, these women learn to be more independent, to gain the confidence and motivation to fight for a better life.
Taking turns at the wheel enroute to Mexico will be Bob Johnson and local Rotarian Terry Neilson. Bob is a local painter who has been making trips to this region of Mexico for 8 years. He has established many contacts in the area and has been helping to build schools and housing for teachers and to bring school supplies into the impoverished rural area. The van will be put to use in support of his numerous projects in the area. Everyone involved was thrilled at the amount of supplies collected. As Bob aptly put it: “They won’t believe it when they see all that stuff in the van!”
As they say in Mexico, “Millones de gracias Comox Valley”.
