MESSAGE FROM NEW DIRECTOR OF DOMINICAN AFFAIRS - JON WUNDERLICH
As the DREAM Project enters the New Year, I cannot help but reflect on the exceptional progress we have made in such a relatively short amount of time. Just the other day I was standing outside our main office in Cabarete, watching our staff and volunteers feverishly working away, and was struck with the realization that we have become a true influence in the communities with which we work.
I have been fortunate to work with what I consider to be another community, the many people that sincerely believe that the education of our youth is the key to our future. These people are the volunteers, partners, board members, contributors, educators, community leaders and finally, DREAM staff members.
This newsletter is full of the accomplishments and success DREAM has had in the last six months. I would especially like to thank our staff, which has passionately sacrificed so much to make all of this possible. I am astounded by the devotion they have displayed day in and day out.
I look forward to working even more with the DREAM community this year and am confident that we will continue to reach our goals and better the lives of the children we support.
DREAM IN BLUE
The DREAM Project is proud to announce the launch of our newest program "DREAM in Blue". Jet Blue and the DREAM Project have teamed up to form a philanthropic partnership that will work to better the lives of the disadvantaged children on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic.
With travel philanthropy on the rise, Mr. Neeleman and the team at Jet Blue are joining in our mission to turn the dream of a better education into a reality. Thanks to the sponsorship of Jet Blue, the DREAM Project will be able to ship much needed supplies to the Dominican Republic as well as reach out and educate visitors flying to the Dominican Republic.
NEW DREAM LEADERSHIP
This past July founding board member, Michel Zaleski, stepped up to lead the DREAM Project as the new President. As one of the largest DREAM contributors, Michel remains dedicated to campaigning for the DREAM Project.
In the past six months, Michel has worked closely with Senator Hillary Clinton's office and with Adriano Espaillat, New York State Assemblyman, who represents the Hispanic District in Manhattan and has scheduled very crucial meetings with Jet Blue, the George Soros Foundation in Haiti, the Alianza Dominicana, Columbia University and others.
Thanks to Michel and the other Board Members' amazing energy and drive, the DREAM Project is growing faster than ever!
CORNELL SERVICE TRIP
This past winter Cornell University returned to the Dominican Republic for their second annual service trip. From December 29th to January 14 th , a group of 19 dedicated students and two professors worked through the down pouring rain to complete two different projects.
The students worked simultaneously on a construction project at the New Cultural Center in Los Brazos and an agricultural project at La Libertad. Cornell University provided the funding needed to complete the construction at the Los Brazos Community Center and to transform the marshland property into a vegetable garden at La Libertad.
The community center will serve as a public library where community members both young and old can come together to meet, learn, and share ideas. The garden will produce vegetables that can be sold and allow La Libertad to become self-sufficient.
A special thank you to all who made this service trip a success!
NEW: VOLUNTEER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
 The DREAM Fellowship Fund is an endowed program that will award qualified volunteers fellowships to teach in the Dominican Republic. Advisory Board Member, Raymond Jay Dunn, has generously offered the funds, which were matched by John Taylor, to implement an institutionalized volunteer program that will allow the DREAM Project to place skilled volunteers in Dominican schools. Volunteers will work directly with the children, help train Dominican teachers, and create a cross-cultural bridge.
Volunteers are the heart of the DREAM Project: they make meaningful differences in the lives of the disadvantaged children and enhance the educational opportunities for future generations. The fellowships will be offered to volunteers with specialized skills that are willing to commit to a year or longer and will cover the costs of accommodations and food.
To find out more about our fellowship fund or ways you can help to sponsor a volunteer please check our website for updated information.
A VERY special thank you to Raymond Jay Dunn and John Taylor who have provided the funds to make this essential program possible
PROGRESS AT THE BATEY
The DREAM Project has made amazing strides at the Caraballo Batey. The construction of the community center is now complete and members of the community can now enjoy both running water and electricity.
In March 2005, thanks to a generous grant from the Dunn Family Charitable Foundation, fourteen students and two professors from Lawrence Academy of Groton Massachusetts will return to volunteer at the Caraballo Batey with The DREAM Project.
This spring the volunteers will be working side by side with local carpenters to build a sports field. They will start with building a baseball field and then will move onto construct soccer field and design an obstacle course to complete this recreational area.
The DREAM Project has also been able to solicit the help of the Peace Corps. We welcome Christy Dimos, the Peace Corps volunteer, who will be working closely over the next two years with the newly founded Women's Group and the Youth Group to help educate and teach the community the necessary skills that will allow them to thrive.
SPECIAL DONATIONS
The DREAM Project would like to thank St. John's of Lattingtown Episcopal Church once again for their continued to support. St. John's Outreach Committee awarded an extremely charitable grant to the DREAM Project for the second year in a row.
The DREAM Project would like to thank St. Deny's for their generous contribution. This incredibly supportive gift was especially useful because it is restricted for transportation and office expenses which are an essential aspect of the DREAM Project's success. Thanks to the St. Deny's foundation, we are able to ensure our schools will receive the materials we have received from all our contributors and our office can continue to serve the community.
The DREAM Project extends its deepest gratitude to the Honorable Michael Bloomberg Foundation for the recent donation of 12 new computers and Ernesto Armenteros, Chief Executive Officer of the Quisqueyana Company, who has offered to ship computers to the Dominican Republic for free. A very special thank you to DREAM Volunteer, Bianca Velez, and her father, Das Elius Velez of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, for working to make this donation possible.
NEWS UPDATES & UPCOMING EVENTS
Over the past six months the DREAM Project has kept busy with many different projects, special visitors, and important events. The DREAM Project is currently preparing for an equally busy season, so please check the website for updates on our progress and mark your calendars for upcoming events.
- After Jeanne devastated the North Coast this past September the DREAM Project has worked with the community to make the necessary repairs to our schools. Repairs are continuing to take place as the community joins together to recover from this setback. On 23 rd of October, 2004 the DREAM Project received a special visit from Adam Blackwell , the Canadian Ambassador, who inaugurated the Puerto Cabarete Computer Lab.
- This past fall October the CADIN School received a visit from Board Member, Sheila Harmon, along with her husband Ed Esposito and four other volunteers. They brought supplies for arts and crafts, social studies, and language arts activities. This group led activities for over 300 students!
- Construction: Four new classrooms and computer lab were recently completed at the CADIN School thanks to Art Tarlow, Allene Klaas , Richard Joseph Schecher and Michael Chazen.
- A very important visit from the Minister of Education, Alejandrina Germán and New York Assemblyman, Adriano Espaillat, is scheduled for February 23 rd , 2005. The DREAM Project looks forward to a continued partnership with the Dominican government to improve the quality of education on the North Coast.
- Will be receiving our third visit from a group of ophthalmologists. Dr. Desmond Parkin, Dr. Bryan Brause, and Dr. Mike Mastrov are planning their third annual trip to the Dominican Republic to volunteer their services to examine the eyes of over 900 children and provide the eyeglasses for those who need them.
- Debbie's Second Annual Dominican Fiesta and DREAM Giveaway will be held on July 23 rd at Caroline Cellars in Catharines, Ontario, Canada. All proceeds will be donated to the DREAM Project. For more information, please visit: fiesta.webcentre.ca. A special thanks to the extremely devoted Fiesta team!
A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR NEW AMBASSADOR
The DREAM Project would like to thank Sea Horse Ranch for taking the initiative to become our founding ambassador.
 Our Ambassador category is a level of partnership that has been reserved for exceptional companies in the business world. We are inviting companies of excellence who do business in Dominican Republic to fulfill their responsibility as a corporate citizen by joining the DREAM Project to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged children in the Dominican Republic
If your company wishes to join in our philanthropic efforts please visit the rest of this website for more information.
Please Support our Partners!
Supporting Partners
Partners
- Alta Gracia
- Amber Coast Adventures
- Blue Moon
- Cabarete Palm Beach Condos
- Café Cito
- Daniel Forman & the Duck Boat
- Dick''s Bakery
- DRpure.com
- Guido Perdomo Law Offices
- Hotel Caracol
- Hotel Villa Taina
- Juan Perdomo Century 21
- L'Agence Real Estate
- Laurel Eastman Kite Surfing School
- Miro's Restaurant
- Natura Cabanas
- Otra Cosa Restaurant
- Residencia Dominicana
- Servi-med
- Villas de Oro
- Wilson's Beach House
- Windsurf Resort
Welcome New Partners!
Supporting Partners
- Caribseek.com
- E-scripto Translating Services
- Select Caribbean Properties
- Caribbean Vacation Dominican Republic Villa Rentals
- West Indies Real Estate
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