Speech Therapist Cathy Alexander is organizing a medical mission trip to Alajuela, Costa Rica with tentative dates of July 18-July 26, 2015. Volunteers will be working with children with disabilities at their school, Escuela Enseñanzana Especial Marta Saborio, providing therapy services to the children as well as caregiver education to the families and the staff who care for the children every day. Therapists will also make adjustments and modifications to donated adaptive equipment to fit the needs of individual children who may benefit from the equipment.
Volunteers are not required to be bilingual but if you are it is definitely a plus!
The exact cost of the 2015 trip has not yet been determined. The cost of the 2014 trip was $1425 per person which included airfare, lodging, and the majority of meals. Scholarships may be available for those who qualify!
Volunteers will also have several opportunities during the trip to have fun as well! Activities on the 2014 trip included touring a coffee plantation, Poas volcano national park, and free time for exploring and enjoying all that Costa Rica has to offer!
If you can't attend the trip but would still like to contribute, donations are welcome!! All of the equipment given to the children is generously donated so if you or someone you know has pediatric wheelchairs, walkers, gait trainers, standers, bath chairs or other equipment they are no longer using please consider donating it to this great cause.
For more information on the trip, please contact Cathy Alexander at CathyLAlexander@hotmail.com or (281) 923-0441. Informational meetings will be held in January 2015!
With modern amenities, local charm and a close proximity to the
international airport, Alajuela is a convenient base for sightseeing in the
Central Valley. Although Costa Rica’s second largest city, Alajuela maintains a
provincial atmosphere where locals relax on front porches greeting passersby,
and mango season incites a lively festival city wide. Boasting a movie theater,
mall, internet cafes and plenty of shopping, Alajuela has all the frills of a
modern city, but moves at a gentler pace and is easier to navigate than nearby
San Jose.
Surrounded by farms and coffee plantations, Alajuela
serves as capital of Alajuela Province and remains a principal trade center for
cattle, sugar and coffee. Locals are known for their friendly demeanor and
penchant for bestowing amusing nicknames on friends, neighbors and even
strangers. People watching is best in the picturesque central park, where
children play near the fountain and vendors sell granizados, shaved ice topped
with sweet syrup, fruit and condensed milk.
Every Saturday morning, Alajuela hosts
one of the largest outdoor farmers' markets in the country. Flowers, fresh
produce, handicrafts and local music are offered at this traditional event.
Whether exploring the maze of stalls at the Saturday market, or sampling
authentic Costa Rican fare in the central market, Alajuela gives visitors a
glimpse of rural Costa Rican life with all the comforts of a contemporary city.
