An Extraordinary Journey

Hekab Be staff and Mexico board members would like to extend mil gracias to Dr. Armando Matiz Reyes and Susan Morrel-Samuels, MPH, of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, for coming to Akumal and sharing their expertise in the areas of community-based participatory research and the photovoice methodology.
From December 3-5, Armando & Susan led Hekab staff, board members and community members through a series of workshops focused on increasing the involvement of Akumal's adolescents in library programs. During this process, participants began to realize the many different ways that the library can better extend its programs to meet needs in the community. It was an amazing journey!

Our most heartfelt thanks to Susan & Armando for sharing of their time and themselves with us! Also many many thanks to Debby and Bruce Oakley, who once again helped us out by making this connection and helping to cover the costs for Susan & Armando's visit to Akumal.

Muchas Gracias Tom y Maggie!

Tom (aka Tortuga Tom) and his wife Maggie have been sponsoring the once yearly Labor Day Party for the Library. We are very thankful for people like the Cochrans and wanted to take the opportunity to thank them for their thoughtfulness and continued support.

A word from Tom: We live in a small town in PA of about 3000 people. It is quiet and peaceful. I have been in Production Management most of my life and Maggie is in the trust/investment business. We have one son, Steven. His wonderful wife Tara has given us two beautiful granddaughters, Jessica and Rebecca.
They are the lights of our lives.

We became enraptured with the library the first time we were there, thanks to LocoGringo's spreading the word.

We look at our two beautiful granddaughters' smiling faces and wonder about their futures. We look at all that they have and the opportunities ahead of them. One could be president, the other may cure cancer. Or they may be accountants and housewives. We can't wait to find out what the future holds for them.
Then we go to Akumal and visit the library. There we see kids that have so little but the shining eyes and beaming smiles are the same. The laughter is the same that we hear from our babies. We want to help those kids to have the same opportunities that our girls will have. They deserve no less. We are fortunate to be able to do our little piece for those wonderful kids and hope to be able to do so for a long time to come.

The Labor Day Parties sort of just happened. We planned a little get together and the thought came up to collect some money for the kids. Since then it has taken on a life of its own. This years' 4th Annual Party raised almost $600 US for the library. We were all so proud and happy, and still are. We are already looking forward to the 5th Annual Labor Day Party and what it may bring.

Thank you Tony & Joanne Kopacz!

Special thanks to Tony & Joanne for their donation to help us get a new water installation at the library! The water line has been needed since the bridge construction began and our old line was cut off.

A message from Tony about why they support the library:
From the first time our family (Joanne and I, my mother and sister) experienced Akumal in 1999 we all felt the magic of the area. The local people were an inspiration to us with their hard work, friendly nature and commitment to family. After visiting the library and seeing the hard working people there who truly care for the people it serves, we just wanted to help things along. It has always been a highlight of our trips to visit at the library.

Our gratitude to Debby & Bruce Oakley

Bruce & Debby Oakley, holding the animals the library children made as a token of our appreciation for all the Oakleys have done for Hekab Be.

Super library supporters Debby & Bruce Oakley really went above and beyond in helping the library this year. Always loyal, the Oakleys have been library supporters for many years. But this year, they did a number of additional projects that really helped keep things lively and initiate some new projects at the library:

*They put up a $2000 US challenge grant in January that helped us to start the year off right with operating expenses for over 2 months.

*They invited and sponsored our first intern, Yilin, who was here for a month and helped us write a funding proposal to start a peer education-mentorship project next year.

*They provided the idea (& did a fair amount of the fundraising) for the contest to create a new library logo with children's art work.

And that's just to mention a few of the bigger things they did. Debby also held regular meetings with library staff to help brain storm and solve some of our larger issues (such as the bathroom). Overall, they brought wonderful energy to the library as well as some great ideas and a substantial amount of much needed material support.

As a small thank you, the kids made animals out of plates and construction paper which we gave to the Oakleys to show our appreciation. They modestly accepted this gift, telling us that they help the library because it's their gift to future generations.

THANK YOU DEBBY & BRUCE!!
The world (& our little library) is a better place because of people like you!

Reuniting with "family"

For over a year, Gary and Martha Bemis have been providing financial support for Erik, a 5 year old from Akumal who is developmentally challenged, and attends a special school in Playa del Carmen. The Bemis' support pays for daily transportation for Erik and his mother to and from the school. Erik's mom cannot work because taking care of him is a full time job, so without the Bemis' help she wouldn't be able to take Erik to the school.

Erik at Hekab Be

In late January Gary & Martha had a reunion with Erik & his family. It was a touching moment of connection for everyone there, with some tears, many hugs and much mutual appreciation.

In the year since Gary & Martha last saw Erik, he has learned to walk on his own (when they last saw him, his mother still used a stroller to get around with him). They commented that, in general, Erik has made so much progress in his motor control, and his mother told them all about the different ways his school is helping him become more independent and self-sufficient.

Although Gary and Martha are very modest about "the little" they do, it has made an enormous difference in the lives of Erik's family.

And the feeling is mutual, as Gary wrote:
We saw Pilar (Erik's older sister) and she ran up and hugged us...and when we left we both got the best hug and kiss....you know I don't think we have ever gotten such a gift from such an angel. We just wish we could do more and spend more time with our extended family. Our hearts belong to Erik and his family.

All of us at Hekab Be are inspired by this warm set of relationships that we have been able to help facilitate.

Are you interested in helping to sponsor the educational needs of a child from Akumal? If so, please contact us at: akumallibrary@gmail.com