Art festival and Childrens event

I, along with Annie, Dr. Jim and the A. Jean Brugger foundation have been organizing the 2nd annual Art and Childrens festival to happen on April 19, 2008. We have been inviting artists from all over Nicaragua to sell their wares (ceramics, paintings, weavings, jewelry, flowers, etc) and we are hoping it will be sort of like a farmers market. In addition to the art festival, there will be art classes for children (jewelry making hosted by Annie, along with a mosaic class, finger painting a mural and others yet to be determined).

We try to do an event every year that supports the San Juan del Sur community and creates a link between the "gringo" community and "nica" community. The vet clinic and the foundation are non profit entities, but usually when we do an event we try to make money to support what we do. In this case, we will not be making any money. Two activities we have planned for the children include two raffles: one for bicycles and one for trees.

We get the trees donated by Delta Airlines and the bikes from Rally USA. Last month, the bike fatory in Managua caught fire and burned to the ground, and the bicycles we were promised went up in flames too. It has been quite a headache for me to try and get bike donations from people. Often times they want to donate, but it is a matter of tracking them down and actually getting the money into my hand.

The reason we do bikes is because they are an excellent way to commute in this small town. You wouldn't believe how many people can actually ride the same bike at the same time. Also, they give kids something else to do besides sling-shot animals out of trees or expriment with drugs/alcohol/eachother.

Thanks to my mom, we have at least three $60 donations from back home in Seattle! :) I'm not asking anyone for donations. I just wanted to let you know what I've bee up to. To those of you have donated, I really appreciate the generosity.

Once the event happens, I'll post pictures. Check back before hand, though. You never know what i'll post!