An even to raise funds for Mexicali Earthquake relief and dance to groovy Disco music.

Do you remember the 1970’s? Disco Music, Leisure Suits, bell bottom …. Did you like to dance? Maybe you wished the 1970’s never happened.

As part of our efforts to raise funds for the Mexicali Earthquake relief fund, the Fresno Latino Rotary club is putting an event and we wish to invite as many Rotarians and members from other service organization as possible.

On Saturday evening, April 24th,   we are having a special event to raise funds for victims of the Mexicali earthquake.   The Disco extravaganza will be held at the home of David Leon, our President Elect.   We have a limited number of tickets available.  Cost to attend is $30 per person.  If you cannot make it that day, then please consider purchasing a ticket and be with us in spirit and enjoy the photos that will be posted here.

For more information and tickets  please call us or send an email to mexicali@fresnolatinorotary.org.   We can either get your  tickets to you  or add you to our list and you can bring a check with you, or you can mail a check to the club.

So, Dress to impress, it’s 1977 and Disco musing is playing and your LP and 8-track tape collection is just the coolest thing.   Tickets are $30 whether you attend or not .  Get out your Disco dancing attire, platform shoes and come Disco with the Fresno Latino Rotary Club.

Fresno Latino Rotary
Attn:Mexicali Relief Fund
PO BOX 12081
Fresno, CA 93776-2081

Phone : 559-492-7878
Fax : 559-272-2116

Photos of earthquake damage in the Mexicali Valley this week on April 12th during tour by representatives of Shelter Box Canada.

Informational Slide Show with captions in Spanish. 5MB Download

Additional Photos received.

Below (in spanish with english tranlsation below) is an update sent to Rotarians in Mexicali updating them as to status of whats happening with earthquake relief effort. Photos also received and will be in a separate Post.

Received Mon April 12, 2010 12:40 AM

Companeros rotarios  de Mexicali se esta trabajando a marchas forzadas, Y tambien aviso  que  tenemos la visita de inspeccion de la zona de desastre a los representantes de ShelterBox Canada (www.shelterbox.ca) Jennifer Kormendy (Area Ambassador  ShelterBox Response Team Member y a  otro miembro como lider del programa SherterBox de USA. ( perdon no tengo a la mano su nombre). Y estaran dos semanas en Mexicali  y al parecer en u n 99% nos  donaran (200 ShelterBoxs  cajas  ) de $1000 dolares cada una . Ahi podran vivir varias familias  de hasta 10 personas mientras puedan construir su propia casa. Se necesitara manos para armarlas y toda la organizacion y  logistica para entregarlas en las diferentes comunidades del Valle.

Proteccion Civil por parte del Gobierno se comprometio en una junta de esta manana  hacernos llegar en un para de dias un senso con trabajo social para conocer exactamente a los mas necesitados de un Shelter Box en las comunidades afectadas del Valle y Mexicali.

Mientras tanto los representantes despues de un dia de trabaja arduo junto con companeros rotarios de varios de los clubes de Mexicali y de llevarlos a comer estan trabajando a partir de esta noche,sus tramites con la casa matriz de Shelter Boxe.  Si se logra que al parecer que asi sera, las traeran directamente de Inglaterra via aire segun me comento Jennifer y seran entregadas en el aeropuerto de Mexicali. Se necesitaran manos  en la armada de los Shelter. y la disribucion de zonas afectadas  a los diferentes clubes de Mexicali para su entrega.  Tambien se esta trabajando en el transporte del las cajas del aeropuerto a las comunidades. Mas  adelante te avisaremos como se hara , cuando ydonde se estara trabajando.  este lunes en Villas Don Nacho  se llevara a cabo nuestra segunda junta en la cual si quieres asistir para prestar ayuda sera a las 8 pm. Las fotos son de Algunas  de las entregas de agua en el valle de Mexicali en dias pasados.

Psic. Patricia M. Hernández Gámez

Past.President 2008-2009
Club Rotario de Mexicali
Distrito 4100

Fellow Mexicali Rotarians are working at top speed and also am informing you that Jennifer Representatives for ShelterBox Canada (www.shelterbox.ca) Jennifer Kormendy (Area Ambasador and ShelterBox Response Team member) along with another member (leader of ShelterBox USA – I apologize I do not have their name)  are in the area touring and inspecting damaged areas.   They will be in Mexicali for 2 weeks and indicate a 99% chance they will be able to donate 200 Shelterboxes (have a value of  $1,000 each). Inside, a family of upto 10 persons can live while they build there new home.  Volunteers are needed to assemble the shelters as well as our entire organization and logistics to be able to get this shelter boxes into the hands fo those affected communities in the Mexicali Valley.

After meeting with Government Civil protection this morning,  a combined effort with the social workers will take place over next few days to identify areas in the communities in he Mexicali Valley  where the ShelterBoxes are needed most.

Meanwhile , after a hard days work with fellow Rotarians of the various Mexicali clubs a taking them to eat, the representatives are working on in communications with Shelter Box headquarters.

If  the efforts are successful, Jennifer informed me that they (Shelter Boxes) will be flow directly from the United Kingdom and delivered to us at the Mexicali Airport.  Volunteers will be needed to assemble the shelters distribute them to worst affected areas by the various Mexicali (Rotary) clubs. We are also working on the transportation to get the Shelter Boxes from the airport to the various communities.   Looking forward, we will update when and where we will be working.  Tonight, Monday in Villas Don Nacho we will have our second meeting  that if you are available to help, will be at 8PM. There are pictures of the distribution of water over the past few days in the Valley of Mexicali.

Psych. Patricia M. Hernández Gámez
2008-2009 Past.President
Rotary Club of Mexicali
District 4100

MexicaliRotaryRequest

Translated (work in progress):

Attached is a letter emailed to volunteer organizations asking for help.  Below is a partial translation of the attached document including the list items needed.

Items Needed :

Non-perishable food of all kinds

Powdered Milk all non-perishable

Canned Soups

Disposable plates, cups, spoons.

Manual can opener

Baby Diapers of all kinds

Drops to disinfect water and vegetables

Antibacterial

Heavy Plastic bags for use with clothes, preferably transparent.

Garbage bags

Lamps and  respective batteries. (No electricity)

Medicines (Over the counter and not expired)

Boxes and packing tape

Matches

Candles

Burners

Mats /

Blankets

Tennis shoes, sandals, flat shoes of all sizes.

Tents

Rope

Toiletries:

Toilet paper

Soap

OTHER :

Corn and Wheat Flour

Dry Beans

Rice

Lentils

Oil

Seasoning

Oatmeal

Salt

Sugar

Canned vegetables

Canned Tuna

Canned beans

Juices

Cookies

Tea.

Rakes

Deodorants

Sanitary Pad

Laundry soap

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Brushes and combs

IN THE AREA OF CLOTHING

Underwear  new all ages

Bedding

Towels

Clothing for :

Male Adult

Male Adolescents

Young Women

Children

Infants

With experience from other similar events, we urge donations to be made with the following guidelines in mind so they are not wasted. Clothing or shoes must be  clean and usable for local conditions.

If donating clothing, please be sure it is clean folded and organized according to the following:

In sturdy plastic bags that will not easily break.

For example : Do not donate heels for women as the terrain is not suitable.

Photos taken April 5th, 2010

Photos from Mexicali

Flooding behind administration building

Broken windows at State Auditorium

On Sunday April 4th, the Mexicali Valley, in Baja California experienced a large 7.2 magnitude Earthquake.   Members of the Fresno Latino Rotary club contacted family members in Mexicali to learn more about the damage and the needs of those affected.  We have made contact with the Rotary Club of Mexicali and are currently embarking on a mission to help our fellow Rotarian’s in Mexicali fulfill our mission of Service Above Self.

An account has been setup at Citibank to collect donations for this relief effort.

The account # : 20358-8611

Please come back and visit this blog often as we will be posing information on how you can help as well as reports from Mexicali and the surrounding areas.