News:

Bridges to Community's Board Visits Nicaragua

This October, ten members of Bridges to Community's Board of Directors traveled together to Nicaragua to meet with the staff, our community partners, and to get first-hand updates on our current projects.

The week consisted of a guided tour of projects (past and present) in the communities of Masaya, Nindiri, and Ticuantepe. And although they did not have time to travel to Siuna, the Siuna staff came to Managua to discuss our ongoing work in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region. To read more about the board trip, click here.

Canadian Home Builder Makes Remarkable Pledge

David Ratzlaff recently made a remarkable phone call to Kevin Mestrich, Executive Director of Bridges to Community. A successful home builder for over 25 years in British Columbia, Ratzlaff offered to build one home for an impoverished family in Nicaragua for every home he builds in Canada. He recently signed contracts to construct two resort homes in the magnificent Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden BC and is ready to make good on his commitment. David Ratzlaff and his wife Ruth will not only donate money for the homes but are planning to travel down to the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and roll up their sleeves to work with other Canadian business men and women to physically construct them.

Thanks to Ratzlaff and the team at HR Pacific for their inspiring commitment! To learn more about this exciting partnership, click here.

College Volunteer Recognized for Organizing Trip!

Carl Ranieri first volunteered on a Bridges to Community trip to Nicaragua with Bronxville High School in 2006. Since then, he's graduated High School, and this past year, as a sophmore at Hobart and William Smith College, Carl organized a brand new Bridges to Community volunteer group in conjunction with a professor of of Spanish and Hispanic Studies and the office of international affairs at HWS.

Ten students from Hobart traveled to Ticuantepe this past March, and their trip and Carl's efforts to put the group together were recognized in their Campus Newsletter. To read more about Carl and the group, click here!

Trips:

Bridges Welcomes Our New Volunteer Groups:

Bridges to Community is happy to welcome the following organizations and groups who have joined us recently for a trip to Nicaragua:

• Dickinson College (PA)
• Vanderbilt University (TN)
• Carnegie-Mellon University (PA)
• Hanover High School (NH)
• University of Scranton (PA)
• Washington & Lee University (VA)
• Wake-Forest University (NC)
• University of Vermont
• St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY)
• Hobart and William Smith College (NY)
• Cornell Alumni
• Arlington High School (NY)
• Hilton Head Preparatory School (SC)
• St. Anne's Belfield Alumni (VA)
• Ridgewood, NJ Teachers
• The Stewart Family
• Bamboo Moves Yoga Studio
• Croton Community Group (NY)