Panama Trip January 2-10, 2014

Courts for Kids : PO Box 873786, Vancouver, WA 98687: 425-308-4207: steve@courtsforkids.org: www.courtsforkids.org

Welcome to the first partnership project between Partners of the Americas and Courts for Kids.

We are confident that this trip will impact you in ways you cannot even imagine. We work

closely with our in-country partner to make sure your basic needs are met, so we can all focus

on the task at hand, creating a multi-purpose sports court with the support and collaboration of

the host community.

A sports court is a great project because it requires the help of many community members, pro-

vides plenty of work for everyone, and becomes an asset that provides not only safe places for

children to play, but also various other benefits. The hard work of our team will be a great

bridge between us and the community and we will develop a mutual respect that will help pro-

vide inroads into a rich cross-cultural experience and first-hand insight into a developing world

community.

We are looking for great cultural ambassadors, so please only sign up for this trip if you are

willing to step outside of your comfort zone. You will need to work hard, you will be eating

different foods, sleeping and bathing in less comfortable environments. But, as they say, if you

want to live like you’re in America, why leave!

Most importantly, we ask that you enter into this with a great sense of humility. We want you

to be eager to learn and grow in this process as we are entering into a different culture with dif-

ferent values and norms. We want you be quick to listen and slow to speak.

We will not be giving you a detailed itinerary as things are very prone to change with this sort

of construction project. But your time will be spent working on the court, taking part in various

cultural activities and doing a camp on the court when it is all finished.

Please look through this informational packet and feel free to contact either of us at Partners or

Courts for Kids with any questions you may have.

If you choose to participate, we can almost guarantee you will look back on this trip as a life-

changing experience. You will grow so much in a week it will make you wish you could stay

for longer. In fact, you will probably say this was the best week of your year.

Hope you can come!

Derek Nesland Ukiah Busch

President PartnersCampus Coordinator

Courts for Kids Partners of the Americas

Site Details

Cabuyita is part of the zone known as 24 de Dic-

iembre (yes, this really is the name of the zone),

which is located in the District of Panama, Province

of Panama. Cabuyita is an underserved rural com-

munity located 5 minutes from Tocumen Airport

and about 1 hour from Downtown Panama City.

24 de Diciembre has an interesting history. In the

late 70’s, a wave of migration to the area east of

Panama City began and a small spread of houses

took up the name Realengo, which eventually came

to be called 24 de Diciembre. Even though there

was a huge growth in terms of population, people

from 24 de Diciembre had to walk long ways to

have access to drinking water, and to get transportation to go to Panama City.

Nowadays, 24 de Diciembre is one of the biggest

towns in Eastern Panama City, and even though

there has been a lot of economic growth in the area,

there are still issues in terms of water and transporta-

tion, as well as malnutrition. Also, more than 80% of

the whole population lives on less than $600.00 a

month.

Cabuyita specifically is a rural community with a

high population of youth and children. Most of the

houses are

made of cinder

blocks and a

few are made of wood. The roads are very good, but there

are no places of recreation for people to enjoy. There are

no parks or libraries where young people may safely spend

their free-time in constructive activities.

Most of the population in this community work in con-

struction or commercial centers and their salaries are most-

ly the minimum wage ($2.00 per hour). Diablos Rojos (Red Devils), buses that

people usually use for transportation in

Panama

The only place in this community where

children and youth can go and find crea-

tive and productive opportunities is in the

Fundación Ayudando a Vivir. But the

Fundación doesn’t have a court or other

space where children and youth can safe-

ly play. They do, however, own a bare

patch of land across the street from the

Fundación where a court could be built.

The Foundation coordinates a youth soc-

cer league for more than 250 youth, but

the games and practices are currently held

on privately owned land that has not been prepared at all for organized sports and has ex-

tremely limited availability.

By constructing a court closer to the Founda-

tion, on land they own, the children of

Cubayita could finally have a safe place to

hold sporting and other recreational events.

Having a physical place where youth can go

and play safely under the supervision of the

Foundation will also guarantee that the court

will be used responsibly and prevent youth

from being exposed to bad influences.

In addition to sports, the court will also be

used for organized community activities,

such as fairs, children’s activities, festivals

and others.

Group of youth athletes hat are part of the league that the foundation organizes, and the land in

which they play at the background. 2: Champions of the previous league 1st place red, 2nd place

dark red, and 3rd place yellow.

Itinerary:

We will not be giving you a detailed itinerary as things are very prone to change with this sort

of construction project. The local PartnersCampus group and the community will work to

prepare the land and secure the materials prior to your arrival. Once you arrive, your teams

will work together over the course of 3-4 days to construct the court. Also in-country, you

will have the opportunity to engage in cultural activities and get to know the community and

surrounding areas.

Lodging and Food:

Participants will be staying right in the heart of 24 de

Diciembre in the Fundación Ayudando a Vivir. You

will be sleeping on mattresses on the floor and there

are two bathrooms to share among the group. What

you lack in comfort, you will make up for in terms of

immersion into the community. Local mothers will

be preparing authentic Panamanian meals during your

stay and the food, lodging and construction will all

take place within a short walking distance.

Transportation:

We will pick you up from and drop you off at the air-

port. Private transportation will also be included for

the planned cultural activities. Because you will be staying across the street from the con-

struction site, you will be able to easily access the volunteer site.

Safety:

Panama is a relatively safe country compared to others in Central America. We will still take

precautions such as traveling in groups, especially at night. However, the most important fac-

tor for ensuring our safety is the partnership component of the project. Our host community,

and the local volunteers from Partners Campus are very invested in this project and will be

highly protective of our team and our safety. Since this is a community-based project, we will

have many eyes looking out for us.

Regarding medical concerns, we will have access to quality medical care locally. In addition,

part of the trip fee includes insurance which will cover major medical issues including evacu-

ation out of the country, if necessary.

What to Expect In-Country

Trip Costs Since a portion of the court construction costs will be divided amongst the team participants, the

amount each participant is required to raise/donate for the program fee will vary depending upon

how many people go.

Number of Participants Cost

10 $1,150

11 $1,105

12 $1,070

13 $1,035

14 $1,005

15 $985

16 $965

17 $945

18 $925

19 $910

20 $900

21 $890

22 $880

23 $870

24 $860

25 $850

NO PARTICIPANT WILL BE ASKED TO PAY LESS THAN $850 OR MORE THAN $1,150.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO FUNDRAISE AND SEEK SUPPORT FOR YOUR PROGRAM

COSTS. All donations/payments are tax deductible and Courts for Kids will issue the donor a

tax receipt.

The price includes materials for the court construction, food, lodging, all in-country transporta-

tion, travel insurance and a portion of the court costs. The price does not include– airfare, pass-

port, immunizations, food at airports and spending money for things like souvenirs, calling

cards.

*All donations are non-refundable. If you raise/donate more than the above amount, you can

choose to apply the excess to your passport or immunization costs, the court construction costs,

sports equipment, toward the balance of another trip participant or a future project.

Flight Itinerary Please arrange your own flights to Panama City, airport code (PTY), but be sure to arrive on the

2nd of January, 2014 by 4:00PM local time.

If you are fundraising for your trip and would like to raise additional funds for your airfare,

Derek with Courts for Kids can help make airfare arrangements using money from your fund-

raiser.

The final program fee amount will

be based on the number of people

who pay both deposit installments

in full. The final price, determined

by the final number of partici-

pants, will be announced officially

prior to the final payment.

The trip will be cancelled and all

funds returned if fewer than 10

participants complete both deposit

payments.

Pre-Trip Checklist

1. Passport- Make sure you have a passport that will not expire before July 1, 2014. If you

need a passport, go to the nearest post office for assistance.

2. Payments- Fill out the sign-up form and turn in your first non-refundable* deposit of $100

ASAP and by October 31, 2013 at the very latest (make check payable to Courts for Kids).

Your deposit will go towards the total cost of your trip.

Amounts Due:

Turn in the first deposit amount of $100 by October 31, 2013.

Turn in the second deposit amount of $500 by November 20 2013.

Turn in the remaining cost of the trip- by December 15, 2013.

*All donations are non-refundable unless the entire project is canceled.

3. Vaccinations- The recommended vaccinations* for travel to Panama according to the Cen-

ter for Disease Control are the following (keep in mind these are recommended, not re-

quired. Check with your local doctor and make the decision best for you):

All travelers: Routine (DPT, MMR, Polio)

Most travelers: Hepatitis A, Typhoid

Some travelers: Hepatitis B, Malaria (we will be at a very low risk for malaria)

*The passport and immunization costs will be your own responsibility. If you raise

more than the total cost, however, you can use the surplus to apply to these extra ex-

penses.

4. Team meeting(s)- There will be one mandatory, virtual pre-trip meeting in December.

Additional Info

Social Guidelines– Each participant will agree to abide by a behavioral policy. For the

safety of the participants and community members, as well as the reputation of all organiza-

tions involved, we have a zero tolerance policy for: drugs, violent behavior, inappropriate

relationships, and alcohol use.

CfK/ Partners Representative- A representative from Courts for Kids or Partners will ac-

company the team and facilitate trip logistics.

Questions/concerns– Please do not hesitate to contact Ukiah Busch or Derek Nesland with

any questions regarding the trip. Contact information is found on the cover page.

Information Session(s)- There will be a virtual information session September 30, 2013 at

1PM EST.

REGISTER NOW: See mail-in form on next page OR register online:

http://www.courtsforkids.org/upcoming.html

To ensure your spot on our Panama trip, please return this form with a $100 non-refundable de-

posit (that will go towards your trip costs) by October 31st to:

Courts for Kids PO Box 873786

Vancouver, WA 98687

*Checks to be made out to Courts for Kids.

Name (IMPORTANT… spelling must match your passport including middle name(s)) _______________________________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________ City______________________________ State ______ Zip _______________________ Date of Birth_____________________________________________________________ Emergency Contact Name __________________________________________________ Emergency Contact Number ________________________________________________ Beneficiary name and relationship (for insurance) _______________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Sign-up form

Fundraising Help

Support Letters– Best proven method Come up with a list of friends and family members who might support you on this trip.

Don’t rule people out too quickly. You will be very surprised at who will support you. Get

their addresses.

Type up a support letter for people to make a tax-deductible donation on your behalf. (You

may use the sample on the next page to start.)

Send the letter, a pledge card (see page 11) and a return-addressed envelope (to your house)

to everyone on your list.

IMPORTANT- Get this letter out ASAP to make sure you get your support raised in

time.

Online Appeal Contact Derek to set up a donate button on the Courts for Kids webpage. You will be able

to direct donors to the site where they can contribute directly toward your project. Please

keep in mind that there is a roughly 3% transaction charge deducted from the donation.

Other ideas If applicable, schedule a meeting to see if your home church, service club, or other organi-

zation will sponsor you.

Pursue grant opportunities at local businesses. Some grocery stores regularly give grants.

Ask people for donations you can sell in a garage sale or on e-bay.

Make a craft, shirt, or food item that you can sell.

Be creative, go online– there are many fundraising ideas out there.

Quick tips Make sure people give you checks made out to Courts for Kids. When you receive a check,

write the name and address of the donor on a donor sheet to save for your records so you

can send a thank you note when you receive the check as well as a summary afterward.

When you have checks to turn in, send them to the address below. If the donors included

their email address, please send that so we can save printing and mailing costs.

Make sure you send a thank you letter to all your sponsors. Then, bring their addresses on

the trip so you can send them a postcard.

Courts for Kids PO Box 873786 Vancouver, WA 98687

360-521-0592 derek@courtsforkids.org www.courtsforkids.org

(IT IS BEST TO REWRITE THIS LETTER ADDING YOUR OWN WORDS TO GIVE IT A PERSONAL TOUCH. USE THE FOLLOWING AS A GUIDE) September 1, 2013 Dear ______________, I am excited to share with you about an upcoming service trip to Panama that I really would love to be able to participate in. I need to raise approximately $1,000 in order to make this a reality so I am asking friends and family members to consider helping out with a tax-deductible contribution. We will head to a small, rural community called 24 de Diciembre in Panama with a group of volunteers from Partners of the Americas. The community there is in desperate need of a safe place for their children to play sports and hold community events. They aren’t able to complete the court construction on their own and so they are asking for our help. We are also fundraising to help with the construction material costs. Our primary project will be to build this court, but we will also take part in other ser-vice and cultural learning activities as well. Our primary purpose for going is to serve the Pan-amanian people, but also to grow and learn as we get out of our comfort zone. I am excited for the change I am sure will happen in my life and the impact we can have. Would you consider supporting me as well as the Panamanian community in this pro-ject? I need to raise approximately $1,000 for this trip to be possible. If you are interested, please make a check out to Courts for Kids and return it in the enclosed envelope. Could you please return this envelope as soon as possible in order to make sure I hand everything in with enough time to spare? You donation is tax-deductible and 100% of what you give will go di-rectly to this trip. Sincerely,

o Yes, I would like to support ________________ on the

Panama Courts for Kids project in the amount of:

________ $500

________ $200

________ $100

_________$50

________ $25

________ other amount

Please make your tax-deductible contribution out to Courts for

Kids, and return using the return-addressed envelope as soon as

possible.

Name________________________

Address

________________________________

________________________________

City_____________State____

Zip Code_____________________

Phone Number _________________

Email _________________________

o Yes, I would like to support ________________ on the

Panama Courts for Kids project in the amount of:

________ $500

________ $200

________ $100

_________$50

________ $25

________ other amount

Please make your tax-deductible contribution out to Courts for

Kids, and return using the return-addressed envelope as soon as

possible.

Name________________________

Address

________________________________

________________________________

City_____________State____

Zip Code_____________________

Phone Number _________________

Email _________________________

o Yes, I would like to support ________________ on the

Panama Courts for Kids project in the amount of:

________ $500

________ $200

________ $100

_________$50

________ $25

________ other amount

Please make your tax-deductible contribution out to Courts for

Kids, and return using the return-addressed envelope as soon as

possible.

Name________________________

Address

________________________________

________________________________

City_____________State____

Zip Code_____________________

Phone Number _________________

Email _________________________

o Yes, I would like to support ________________ on the

Panama Courts for Kids project in the amount of:

________ $500

________ $200

________ $100

_________$50

________ $25

________ other amount

Please make your tax-deductible contribution out to Courts for

Kids, and return using the return-addressed envelope as soon as

possible.

Name________________________

Address

________________________________

________________________________

City_____________State____

Zip Code_____________________

Phone Number _________________

Email _________________________

Courts for Kids PO Box 873786

Vancouver, WA 98687 www.courtsforkids.org

(360) 521-0592 derek@courtsforkids.org

Partners of the Americas 1424 K St NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005

(202) 637-6229 ubusch@partners.net