Fraters Libertas

No Laughing Matter

A few weeks ago King, from the SCSU Scholars, asked about the possibility of members of the vaunted Northern Alliance supporting a charity for the holiday season, in the manner that James Lileks does with his cash for cows campaign.

The company that I work for has a manufacturing plant in Chihuahua, Mexico. The facility is actually quite nice. In fact it's a newer and better facility than the building I work in right now in the Twin Cities. I travel down there two to three times a year, and have written about my trips to Chihuahua a couple of times in the past.

The depths of the poverty that you witness in parts of the city is striking. People who are considered "poor" in the U.S. live like kings compared to the poor in Chihuahua. It is especially hard on the children.

Last year a coworker and I organized a drive at work to collect toys and winter clothes (Chihuahua is in the Sierra Madres) for an orphanage just outside the city. We were able to collect four very large boxes of goods which were eventually shipped to the orphanage. But it was a logistical nightmare.

This year we contacted the orphanage and asked what their most pressing needs were. Basic medical supplies were among the items high on the list. In order to make the process easier, more efficient, and most importantly get the supplies to the orphanage in the shortest amount of time, we decided to raise money here at our two plants in the Twin Cities. In mid-February my coworker and I will travel to Chihuahua, meet with someone from the orphanage, and then go with them to buy the vital supplies that they need (mostly common over the counter type medications, band aids, etc.). This way the money that is raised goes right to the source of the need. No overhead. No expenses.

I told King about our plans and he thought it would be a good fit for what he had in mind. If you wish to contribute simply click on the Pay Pal button below and make a donation.

If you have any questions about this little project please feel free to contact me. After our trip in February, I will post a summary of it, including a few pictures. Here's a shot of some of the kids wearing clothes that were donated last year. Yes, we are creating a legion of young Vikings fans in Mexico.

Thanks in advance for your support.