March 2004 E-Newsletter
Over 200 Buena Vida children, UTB/TSC students, faculty, and staff Volunteered one day during Spring Break week to help the Brownsville Boys and Girls Club.
We painted, cleaned, landscaped, and made murals. Our sponsors (Cobbleheads, Whataburger, Chili's, Rudy's, McDonalds & Jack in the Box)provided lunch and refreshments. On Friday we had a “Pool Party” and FUN!!! The event was coordinated by CCE Scholar Adam Sovkoplas. (Click here for a web photo gallery)
Wellness: Inner Health
The Buena Vida Counselors. Dr. Selma D. Yznaga, Director of the UTB/TSC Counseling Clinic, is volunteering every Saturday morning at the Good Neighbor Settlement House in this new initiative to help families with parenting and inner health topics. “This is really good,” said Maria Calderon, a Buena Vida resident and
mother of three children. Mothers and daughters from the Buena Vida neighborhood come to the Wellness Clinic to discuss challenges to parenting and life as a teen. Dr. Yznaga is collaborating with the neighborhood moms and girls to create a "guide" in Spanish that will help residents access information and become independent. More...
T O T O P O™ is Coming!
He's coming! Totopo™is the Center's "healthy living" trademarked brand, a cartoon character created by Center staff to help educate children and change buying habits of residents at local supermarkets. Stay tuned for Totopo's debut at the "Dia De Los Ninos" event on April 30that Dean Porter Park.
NLCI: "Creando El Futuro"
The Center's Wellness and Literacy Task force, Success by Six(www.successby6brownsville.org) and the National Latino Children's Institute (www.nlci.org) are partnering in an exciting new family-centered early literacy initiative called "Creando El Futuro--Words for the Future". Brownsville is only one of five sites selected by NLCI from around the nation.
Wellness: Diabetes Outreach
Good Neighbor Settlement House. Twice a week nursing students from UTB/TSC Professor Sonia Cunningham's Community-Based Nursing class conduct diabetes checkups, blood pressure and blood glucose screenings on residents of the Buena Vida neighborhood. Over 50 residents visit the Wellness Clinic at the Good Neighbor House and receive nutrition and healthy lifestyle advice.
Literacy: 'Healthy Habits'
UTB/TSC Faculty Drs. Renee Rubin and Veronica Galvan-Carlan are involved in an exciting service learning project that involves the children publishing their own "healthy habits" books. The books created and illustrated by each team will be featured in an Open House to be held at Buena Vida on May 5th. More...
APRIL EVENTS:
MID-APRIL: GNSH PAINTING PARTY. We'll be remodeling and painting the counseling rooms and putting signs at the Good Neighbor Settlement House. Contact ALMA Garcia @ 956-574-6757 to volunteer.
APRIL 23-24: GNSH "COMMUNITY GARDEN FAIR" to inaugurate the community garden at the Good Neighbor Settlement House. Friday (5P-8P) and Saturday (10A-2P) Friday night we plan to show the video "A Lot in Common" and provide snacks and popcorn. We will make a presentation on what the garden could look like, with teams, signup. flyers for educational seminar schedule etc. SATURDAY morning is primarily for kids. We will provide "hands on" projects, demonstrate use of tools, etc. The Center will provide leadership, resources to create the garden, but be educating and empowering neighbors to take ownership of it and maintain it in the future. Contact MAGDA @ 574-6757 for more information.
APRIL 28th: MAY 15th ELECTION EARLY VOTING. Contact MYRA @ 956-574-6757 for more information.
APRIL 30th: DIA DE LOS NINOS 11A - 1 PM @ Dean Porter Park, The event is being coordinated by Diane Garza with Success by Six and National Latino Children's Institute. CCE will have a table there and introduce "TOTOPO™" as the CCE's trademarked healthy habits "brand". We plan to give away sample coloring books and perhaps book covers and place mats. For more information email jzavaletta@utb.edu
On-Going Initiatives: See our online calendar at www.civicengagement.com