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Approximately 40 South Pasadena and San Marino Rotarians, their families and friends traveled to Tecate, Mexico earlier this month and built a house in one day.
South Pasadena Rotary has participated in approximately 10 previous projects, and it marked the third year that the two clubs teamed up to build a home, this one for the Mraz-Rios family.
Working with Corazon, Inc, a non-profit in Orange County that provides a variety of services to villages in Tecate and Tijuana, the volunteers met in Chula Vista at 6 a.m. and traveled to the site of the project where they were met with a 16 by 20 concrete slab, building materials, and the Rios family.
The home was finished by 4:30 p.m. and a simple ceremony was held where the keys to the home were handed to the grateful family. The volunteers returned to Chula Vista tired, but gratified that they were able to change the life for a family and make new friends.
The clubs were responsible for providing $8,400 for the cost of materials plus one secondary school scholarship along with the volunteers. To qualify for a home, the recipients must provide several hundred hours of community service. Corazon works with the local community to locate the family receiving the home, obtains all the materials, and provides supervision during the construction.
The houses do not include electricity or plumbing, but are a secure structure that includes an interior room, loft with ladder and railing, and a tiled kitchen counter.
Dan Watson was the coordinator for the South Pasadena club and Jean-Pierre Mainguy did the same for San Marino. Watson said, “These are very rewarding experiences for all involved. We get nearly as much satisfaction as do the families. It helps to build a bridge of understanding between our two countries.”
The South Pasadena Rotary Club meets in the Tower Room at the Oneonta Congregational Church every Tuesday at noon with the exception of the first Tuesday of the month when they meet at the Canoe House at 6 pm.
The San Marino Rotary Club meets every Thursday at noon at San Marino Community Church Fellowship Hall. Visitors are welcome to attend and learn more about their local Rotary Club.
Information about Corazon can be found at Corazon.org
