Dora, Karla, and Santiago arrived on Bainbridge to cold temperatures and occasionally down pouring rain but a very warm welcome. As the following photos demonstrate, they had a full and joyous two weeks doing the business of BOSIA committees and participating in Bainbridge holiday traditions. Scroll down to read Dora’s reflections on the trip.
MayonrKol Medina, with Barbara Saur, gives delegates an official public welcome.
BOSIA members at the Winter Wonderland welcome the delegates.
Dora assists Island School calendar sales kids.
Delegates join Hector Guillen and David Adler in bagging coffee.
Cezanne Allen, Bainbridge Youth Services director, with Carol Carley, Karla Varela and Christy Carley
Library Committee meets with staff.
Dora’s report
Every week or so, Dora Gutierrez Traña, the Sister Islands’ office manager on Ometepe, sends a written report to board members on Bainbridge, detailing activities of the staff on Ometepe. She sent this similarly detailed account a few weeks after the staff’s visit to Bainbridge:
I forgot to write about our activities on Bainbridge Island — Santiago, Karla and Dora’s activities. But you know about our meetings with the Health Committee attended by Karla and I in the beautiful and warm Sam Sharar’s house with one delicious and big dinner with Ice Cream as dessert and the presence of the members of the Health Committee.
The meeting with the General Projects Committee in the warm and beautiful house of Emily Mansfield and Don Don with one great and delicious lunch with different delicious desserts and drinking. Santiago, Karla and I were attending that meeting.
The meeting with the Scholarship Committee in Dana Willerford’s house. It is another beautiful house with one great view to the Seattle City. Santiago and I were attending the meeting and later Karla arrived with Siri, Hector and their children because that meeting was with one meet with some sponsors, too. Of course that it was accompanied of delicious food and desserts.
And we had a meeting about the Special Needs in the Dan Bacon’s beautiful and big house with delicious burritos of the Casa Rojas restaurant and delicious desserts, too.
We had a meeting with the Student Delegation Committee in Besty and Paul Carroll’s warm and beautiful house with one delicious dinner and delicious dessert. Santiago and I attended that meeting.
And Karla, Santiago and Dora attended the Board Meeting and it is one big and magnus meeting with representative of all of the other committees. And of course that we feel so confident with them because we know all of that important and famous people.
We visited the schools from Bainbridge Island: the High school, Island School, Wilkes School and Hyla School was visited for the Board meeting.
And we were visiting the Seattle city in two different moments, one time Santiago, Karla and I were with three of our Volunteers of the Office in the Ivor’s restaurant with one marvelous view to the port of the Ferries. And another occasion with families where we were staying. In my case I went with Kim and Ela Esterberg in two great opportunities: to share with his son’s family their traditional Esterbergancia Activity and their delicious dinner and delicious desserts and another occasion to the medical appointment of Ela’s hand and to be with Asha’s family and their traditional construction of the Sweet or Chocolate little house with her handsome sons.
And I was in visiting some friends as Linda Tanner and Sheila and they offered Santiago and I one delicious lunch of Pizza and delicious desserts too.
Katy Childers picked up me to visit her parents: Queen Mary and Frank Childers in their warm and unforgettable beautiful house and then we joined with Kari Lagerloef and her husband Jake in the house of Marcy and Gary Lagerloef who prepared one delicious lunch of traditional food and dessert of Christmas.
One opportunity to be in Siri and Hector’s house to share and to see to Megan and her husband. We enjoyed their delicious lunch in one Nicaraguan style. Santiago, Karla and I and Dale was with us there. In one moment the power was turn off and we felt so cold and it was one experience to know that you have different effects when the power is turn off in the location.
I was with Kim and Ela in two different special and delicious dinners, one in the parents-in-law’s house of Kim’s son, and another in the house of Siri’s parents: Edward and Karen Kushner. Their houses always are warm and beautiful and I always feel so in family.
I enjoyed the tradition of the Carroll family and their friends with their families too to cut the Christmas Trees, I would go each year to cut with you, your Christmas tree and I would like to decorate with you those.
Of course I do not forget that I felt so confident in the houses of my friends who open their houses to stay for some days, sharing with them about their lives, food, traditions and our warm conversations, my thanks and grateful to the Carley’s family, Carroll’s family, Glecker’s marvelous couple, Kim and Ela’s family and their interesting castle, and the Stars/Finkler’s couple.
And my great opportunity to know Jasper (Russell and Betsy’s baby) and Elias (Maggie’s little son).
Oh and the despedida party/delicious dinner in Emily Mansfield and Don Don’s house. It was so wonderful to have each friend there and to have each warm hug that you were giving us as one demonstration that we are your family, too. Thanks, thanks.
Thanks for the activities that you were sharing with us. Each day lived with you is one unforgettable memory that is in our hearts
Thank Dale and Dan for the sandwiches and burritos from Bainbridge that we got to enjoy still when we already have left from your beautiful Island. We brought all of you in our hearts and in our thoughts. Thanks all of you dearest friends…