I am the director of a project called "Bookbag Santa" that is trying to bring free school supplies to Holy Cross Anglican School in San Pedro next summer ( the slow season July/August 2008). We will have up to 20 people, but can only come to Ambergris if a hotel or resort is willing to offer discount rooms in the $30- $40BZ price range for a double. This is the price we get for rooms at our base hotel in Placencia, and when I talk to groups about coming on the trip, this is what seems to attract volunteers. If any hotels would like to support Holy Cross and bring in customers during the off-season, please contact me at: [email protected] . Also- if any tour/dive operators would like to step up with a discount rate, I may be able to send you some business, too.
Thanks-
Gary
Bookbag Santa

xroadsmusic.com turtle-guy@att.net

If you support all schools I will happily offer discounted rates but if it it is just for the Holy Cross School-no chance

Wow, Something Pedro said I agree with??? What's next an Ambergris Caye Ice Hockey team?

I'm confused...you guys don't like that school? You don't like school supplies? What's the issue?

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I will not attempt to speak for anyone and this is just my opinion. It is woderful for people to support the school system on AC but it should be just that..."the school system". I am sure that no one has anything against Holy Cross however all of the schools in San Pedro need help and for one school to be consistently singled out above others leaves the remaining schools in a situation where they cannot provide the same services possibly leaving the other kids feeling undeserving. I don't think that anyone wants that and I don't think it is the proper thing to do.

Something about this really stinks to me, sounds like cheap vacation time on Ambergris. Why not just send the money they would spend on airline tickets, housing and food and let the school buy the stuff here?

You nailed it dabunk.

Lets see Hmm! I bring down $100 worth of school supplies, I get discount everything and a hotel for $15, geeeze thats a tuff choice.

Wow I din't know how you can pass a ( cough ) deal like that up!

We see so many mission trips like this come down, stay at the Biltmore and then go home and tell everyone how they came and "suffered for Jesus" in Belize. What carp! I am a missionary here and hate to tell people that because of all the scammers we see.

I so agree, Dabunk. That stuff at the Biltmore is the "fishin' mission" and the guy who runs it is such a scammer. We did it on our first mission and every time I questioned him about money spent and kids helped, he'd change the subject. He only wanted to walk through and have his picture taken while holding a baby. He said I was a pain in the A$$ when it was time for us to leave. I had to laugh....talk about a pain!

I want to know what the "volunteers" volunteer to do. School's out........

3rd article on page
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:Kk4QNaSSAkwJ:www.theroanoker.com/theskinny/index.cfm+bookbag+santa&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us

There is always a ton of stuff to do while school is out, cleaning, painting, repairing, teacher training, etc. I do not debate the need. I just take exception to those who scam in the name of good works.

Good deeds and enjoyable outings!

They would spend more that 15US to go to the movies and get popcorn.

Wow... one of the e-mails I got mentioned that there is an "issue" with the new Anglican school... I guess so! All I know is that it's a small school and needs supplies. Bookbag Santa is a small project, and can only help one or two schools at a time, chosen at random. I was in San Pedro in August, and a store-owner brought Holy Cross to my attention. In the past, we have brought supplies to schools in San Ignacio, Corozal, Seine Bight, Bladen, and Placencia. We have also supplied a Navaho school in the U.S., a school for the deaf in Mexico, and a group bringing supplies to Haiti. Oh yeah- there's also a military family support group gathering school stuff for the kids of soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Nothing against you and the organization, but seems pretty ballsy to say you cannot come unless someone donates a place for you to stay. 7.50 US a night per person!

You guys are coming on pretty strong...the guy just said that he wants to do some charity work and could use a discount!

He did not ask for a discount or help he said unless you accept X amount he could not do it. Big difference to me. Cheap "make me feel good" vacations.

Getting Americans to just send money to a foreign country that they've probably never heard of, just ain't going to happen... but, I am able to offer people a cheap vacation in my favorite part of the world, and each person I can get in the group brings 100 pounds of supplies on the plane. To me that's the bottom line- whatever it takes to get them interested, the more people I bring, the more supplies get delivered. The week or two that we're in Belize, we are spending money on restaurants, gift shops, tour & scuba operators, hotels. The hotel in Placencia is glad to see us each year- during the off-season, even half-price for rooms is better than empty ones.
I don't make a penny on any of this- in fact, it costs each of us around $1,000 for plane fare & expenses. I don't have any grants or budget to do this, and everything depends on donations and discounts. Bookbag Santa is not connected with any church or religion, and there is no charge to the schools involved. We deliver the supplies to their door, free. This year, there were 2 musicians in the group, and they did a little concert at the school in Placencia for the children, also free.
If I can't line up a way for us to come to San Pedro, we will just send the supplies to Ambergris, from B.C., when we continue down to Placencia, and someone from the school can get the boxes at the airport. However, I would like for the people in the group to see more of Belize than Belize City and Placencia.

Didn't say we weren't going to deliver the supplies... just that we might not make it to San Pedro. We- and our food, hotel, & souvenir money- seem to be more welcome in Placencia...

Well, let's see... before we even leave the States, we spend maybe 100 hours collecting, sorting & packing the school supplies. Nobody gets paid for this. We don't get any supplies on the plane unless there's a paid ticket to go with them. From Virginia, this costs about $800US... paid by each person. And all expenses (discount or not) in Belize are paid by each person in the group. If you're not a paid employee doing this kind of stuff... sounds to me like you're a volunteer...

The volunteers that work at the smile center 3 and 4 times a year ask for nothing. I guess giving comes from the heart.

Oh fercryinoutloud you guys!! How many of you haven't gone to charity events? Lots and lots and lots of them have ridiculous money spent on the event itself, just to get people to come out and donate (or a portion of their large payment for a lovely dinner goes to the charity, etc, etc.) So these people are willing to bring down a bunch of school supplies but want cheap digs? So what, find them some cheap digs and take what they have to offer in return.

Think whatever you like of the offer but don't shortchange the school(s) because of your opinion.

I agree with Seashell. Why be so negative to someone who is trying to do a good deed? He didn't ask for money, only for a discount. If hotels/resorts want to give him one, that is up to them. And as for it being for Holy Cross, a person giving to charity has the right to choose which charity it goes to. Holy Cross has lots of kids who are some of the poorest on AC; I am sure they can use all the help they can get. I hope all the negative comments don't keep Bookbag Santa from dropping in on AC. What a shame if it does.

Turtle guy - There are plenty of inexpensive hotels on SP where you would not need a discount to be within your budget. Look into Martha's, Rubies, San Pedrano, Hotel Tomas, Pedro's - all under $40/nt for a double. If you want to personally get to SP to deliver your goods, seems you can without any special deals. Water taxi from Bz City is about $30 R/T pp. Cheap enough for plenty of mission groups who come through. Overall, SP gets more support for the schools, etc than the rest of the country so perhaps your business is better served in the more "needy," less visited parts of the country anyway.

Another idea would be to buy the school supplies in San Pedro and other areas that you visit. This way you would support local businesses and help kids at the same time.

turtle-guy,
You might have overlooked it, but Pedro1 from Pedro's Inn did an offer, when you would support all the schools here; also the ones that really need it!
Short

Which ones really need it and why?

You all are really full of yourselves. Perhaps you should let the children (of Holy Cross) and their parents speak for themselves. Maybe after being here, for the first time, they will expand to other schools. But then again, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED. Really, who do you folks think you are? Self righteousness stinks. I guess folks who may have good intentions know where NOT to look for advice. Unu da lone rass fi true.

I'd like to know which schools are approved by all the "antis" on here???? Or is it just anyone else besides Holy Cross?

When looking at protagonists consider the source. Some people have an axe to grind. I find San Pedro a very giving - charitable community. Everyone likes their favorites.
The Holy Cross School has come under a lot of scrutiny and stood up to it. They have taken on students that no one else would or could. Even the Roman Catholic School has thanked them for relieving some of their over burdened classes.
The Calendar Girls do a calendar to support the Roman Catholic School and no one has suggested that they 'spread' the money to ALL the schools.
I don't understand why anyone would object to bringing in items that may or may not be available here. Let people contribute what they want to contribute - not what we want to dictate to them.
Please come, bring your bounty and enjoy our island.

Well said, ScubaLdy!

I believe this has got out of hand.Donating to schools is a wonderful thing no matter who benifits.Probably it could of been put a little different instead of saying we will come to A.C. if we recieve discounts for our stay there,That has a way of raising ones hackles.I have donated time,money and labor to fund rasiers for Police Cadets ( ages 13-20 yrs. old who are interested in law inforsement)and Boys town with building expansion and found it less argumentive to say can you help us out without putting a percentage number down,then if they want to or don't no ones toes get stepped on.

Please come and stay at our place for free. The first week of August 2008 is just fine. Also, Feel free to give stuff to schoolkids in San Pedro, then go to Palcencia and give more free stuff away to more schoolkids.
Thanks for putting San Pedro on your rotation this year, we will try to be good hosts for your aloha spirit.

Jack & Carin at Chez Caribe.

Jack and Carin, my hat is off to your spirit. Charity is its own reward.

Careful with that offer! You may have a whole slue of people show up at your place!

Carl60 quote:
"Donating to schools is a wonderful thing no matter who benifits.Probably it could of been put a little different instead of saying we will come to A.C. if we recieve discounts for our stay there,That has a way of raising ones hackles."

My point exactly.

Nice Jack, walking the walk. thumbs up

Most of us "old timers" have had the luxury of attending public schools where everything was free except for the cafeteria lunches. Pay it forward is a much needed exercise that all of us should adhere too!
Island Grandma

Poster: Big Mike
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

Another idea would be to buy the school supplies in San Pedro and other areas that you visit. This way you would support local businesses and help kids at the same time.
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Actually, there is a bigger issue here in the U.S. that I am addressing at the same time. I hate to admit it, but Americans waste an amazing amount of stuff every year. What Bookbag Santa does, is put out collection boxes in schools at the end of the school year and collect all the used supplies that kids don't want anymore... for example, 100-page spiral binders with 10 or 12 pages written on. I collect a thousand of these every year. We remove the clean pages , and fill good-as-new 3-ring binders. Same thing with pens, pencils, rulers, hand calculators.... The amount of perfectly good stuff that gets wasted every year is shameful. That's why our slogan is "Keeping school supplies where they belong- out of the landfill". I don't ask people to go out and buy new stuff- just keep good used stuff out of the dump...

At the risk of inciting a new round of mud-slinging... I thought that if I suggested to the people in my group that they bring hard-cover books to read on the beach, these could then be donated to the library when they are done. Can someone at the library in San Pedro send me an e-mail address ?
Thanks-

Gary - keep up the good work!! And as I noted in the earlier message - congrats for weathering the storm that can be this message board!!

The library's email is: [email protected] - Iracella, the librarian, is a wealth of information.

Gary! Way to go.. and not to toot Gary's horn, but appears he is the real deal.

Gary, I hope you don't mind me plugging your program:

http://tinyurl.com/2djsxj

Best of luck!

Turtle-guy, I'm curious as to how you (your people) handle the airlines weight restrictions issue. Thx.

Hooray for Gary, Jack and Carin! Keep up the good work.

Poster: seashell
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

Turtle-guy, I'm curious as to how you (your people) handle the airlines weight restrictions issue. Thx.
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At this point, I am not an official 501c non-profit, so I can't get U.P.S. or FedEx to ship for free, even though they go to Belize. A 40-pound box costs $75, so our target of a ton would cost $3,750. That's why I need to put groups together... not because I enjoy co-ordinating 20 schedules, hotel rooms, complaints, etc.
The airline restriction is : you're allowed 2 50-pound check-in bags, so each volunteer gives up his baggage allowance and brings 2 50-pound boxes. You're also allowed a 40-pound carry-on, and a "personal" bag like a purse, knapsack, or camera bag. Forty pounds is a lot of tee-shirts and shorts for a week ( 10 tee-shirts weighs 3 1/2 pounds). I also tell my people not to worry about bringing soap, toothpaste, suntan lotion, etc. My opinion is that it's neat to buy all that stuff in Belize, English or Spanish brands that we don't see in the U.S.

This year, there were 2 musicians in the group, and they did a little concert at the school in Placencia for the kids. My "carry-on" was my guitar case... it actually fit in the overhead compartment in the plane. I had the guitar stuffed with socks and underwear, and the spaces around the guitar were packed with handkerchiefs. Everything else went into my knapsack, buttpack, and the 6 pockets of my cargo pants.

We fly from B.C. down to Placencia on Tropic Air (off-season business for them, I might point out). With 18 of us this year, we had 2 planes to ourselves, and we had so much weight, the pilot had to stop in Dangriga and unload 900 pounds of supplies, which turned up in Placencia the next day!

It's complicated, but I'm working on the details all year long... it can be done-

Poster: DitchDocDiver
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

Gary! Way to go.. and not to toot Gary's horn, but appears he is the real deal.

Gary, I hope you don't mind me plugging your program:

http://tinyurl.com/2djsxj

Best of luck!
.................................................................
Thanks- it's nice to not be the boogeyman any more...

If I can line up a dive shop "sponsor" (does that sound better than "discount" ?), I'll try to bring them some business. I have already contacted the 2 dive shops in my area of Virginia about bringing a bunch of their students down to do their certification dives in Belize, and there are always a few volunteers that want to do a "resort course" dive. This year, there were 4 little old ladies in their mid- to upper 60s, and 3 or 4 in their 30s... Also, I'm sure some of us will want to do a trip to Altun Ha ( I did that trip through a S.P. shop on my first visit to Ambergris, about 10 or 12 years ago).

If anybody wants to send me some e-mail addresses or websites for San Pedro shops, I'll see if I can line something up...
Gary
www.Xroadsmusic.com (go to page 3 for "Bookbag Santa")

Gary - keep up the good work!! And as I noted in the earlier message - congrats for weathering the storm that can be this message board!!
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After doing this for 15 years, it'll take more than a few amature rabble-rousers to dissuade me. People like Barb Smith ([email protected]) need to learn how to spell, use punctuation, and use the "spell check" key. People like her are my best argument that everybody needs to support schools, no matter who runs the school, or what part of society the students come from.

By the way- I'll be glad to forward a couple of her e-mails to me. They're good for a laugh, but I won't post them on the board.
You'll have to contact me at: [email protected]

Turtle-guy, where in Virginia are you? We are in VA also, and go down several times a year. I have been taking four huge suitcases full of medical supplies, and I think I have pretty much saturated the local clinics with freebees. I have stopped collecting the things because of this. If I can be of ANY help, let me know. Once we get to Belize, (hopefully by the end of the year) I would love to help you with the logistics of the efforts. Also, if you need extra luggage slots, I will be willing to take two lg. cases down if we could coordinate it to coincide with your visits. We will be going back and forth for while, so let me know if we can help.

I am in Roanoke, and actually have 5 boxes packed up already. They only have 3-ring binders and lined paper. I've given away all the other stuff- pens, pencils, etc. You're welcome to bring them down with you-

How big are the boxes? Will they fit inside luggage or do they count as luggage? I travel very lightly, only a carry on, and so does my hubby. If you can get the items to me, I will take them down when we go in December.

never mind.....

Turtle, Thanks for the explanation. I can see you've thought this through.

Your right that was way off . I'll butt out

Isla grandma - heck, in Oregon we even got free lunches if we worked for them.
I'm happy to see that things are working out here.

Poster: Sun&sand
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

How big are the boxes? Will they fit inside luggage or do they count as luggage? I travel very lightly, only a carry on, and so does my hubby. If you can get the items to me, I will take them down when we go in December.
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It's not the size, so much as the weight. Each box has just under 50 pounds- the limit. If you picture the kind of box that 6 gallon bottles of detergent come in... that's what I'm using. At the athletic club where I work, we go through a couple dozen gallons a week. I save the boxes, split the corner seam, and turn them inside out- so the print is inside and the outside is plain brown cardboard. It's the right size to fill with 16 3-ring binders full of paper and weigh about 49 pounds, so that is my standard box. I collect unwanted & broken aquariums, too. I replace the broken panels, and dismantle it into 5 pieces of glass & 2 plastic frames. They make a flat stack about 4 inches thick. I bring a tube of clear silicon, and re-assemble them in Belize, and give them to school science classes. In Placencia, we found 6 hermit crabs to put in theirs... big hit with the kids ! Anyway, the aquariums fit into these boxes. I have one, now, ready to go.

For 2 of you, 4 boxes would be your total check-in allowance. Where are you, in VA ?

I'm in Tappahannock, halfway between Richmond, Fredericksburg and Hampton. Would you be able to fedX them to me? We won't be going down until late December, so we have time to figure it out.

Aquariums that is very cool.

They are working at educating HC kids on Marine studies. A retired professor is coming down from New Port University to scout out setting up a program for the longterm study of mangroves and sea grass (specifically growing and transplanting).

Poster: tacogirl
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

Aquariums that is very cool.

They are working at educating HC kids on Marine studies. A retired professor is coming down from New Port University to scout out setting up a program for the longterm study of mangroves and sea grass (specifically growing and transplanting).
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That's pretty neat- I didn't know anything about their curriculum. For 2 years, I was the director of a sea-turtle research project. I used to go to the turtle farm in the Caymans, to work with Green turtle babies. Mangrove research- that's great. Most people have no idea how important mangroves are for protecting the coastline, and- the young of everything in the sea hide in the root systems. Mangroves are pretty neat places to go snorkeling...

Try to make connections with Greg Smith, aka the turtleman. He is up north about 12 miles, but comes to town from time to time. PM me, I may be able to help you with a boat ride to the area.

Greg knows that area like no other, lived there a number of years.

http://turtlemanshouse.com/

I highly recommend Greg, see our trip reports for more info.

Well, it's really not that far, and if he can spend a few $$ to get it to me, he'll save having to spend airfare for two in order to get the boxes there. Gotta spend a little to save a lot, I think.
If he can't, no harm done. I'll just continue to take stuff for SAGA and the clinics, but a lot less than I have been. And, I can take stuff for my villa, and I can take stuff for the kids, and I can take stuff for others as I have been doing in the past. So the offer is out there. The ball is in his court, now.

Hi-
I may be riding in to Richmond on Nov. 4 for a Reptile Expo, and I'll sound out the people I'm riding with about making a side trip to bring you 4 boxes...

Coming from the west, how do I get to your door ? Or, maybe you'll want to give me a phone number, and you can meet us at the gas station just off Exit something-or-other...

Gary
[email protected]

Well, we are another hour or so from Richmond. I will check my schedule at work, and maybe can meet you closer to Richmond, will just call it a shopping day.....a girl needs those now and then. I work Monday, will check to see if the new schedule is out, and let you know.

Well... I finally got out my maps and looked up Tapahannock... I'd forgotten that Richmond is so far inland. I'll keep you up to date about the 4th...
Thanks-

I just noticed by scrolling around the neat satellite map on Wikipedia, that there is a San Pedro Basketball Court. Can anybody find me a name & e-mail address for whoever is in charge of that? Since I work for an athletic club, I may be able to bring down some fresh nets, and a couple of basketballs...

Gary

Pablo Ico 226 3311

Poster: pamkillen
Subject: Re: Bringing customers to San Pedro

Pablo Ico 226 3311
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Well... that's a start- thanks. Does anybody else know an e-mail or postal address for Pablo Ico ? Even a post card to say hello will cost a lot less than a phone call to Belize. By the way- an interesting point... if I send a post card home from Belize, it costs 30 cents BZ- 15c US. But a card from here to there costs 80c US. And Belize stamps are a lot prettier than ours... hmmmmm...

Try him at [email protected]

I know he will be very excited to receive whatever you can bring.

On behalf of me, THANK YOU!!

Pablo can be reached through the San Pedro Town Council: [email protected]

Hey-
Thanks...I'll contact him in a minute, but first I'd like to issue a "challenge" to all you stateside Belize fans who've been beating me up all week, about bringing stuff only to Holy Cross. I offer seminars to any school or group that wants to start up collections like I'm doing. It's not so complicated and ought to be going on in every school in America. If you are trying to collect 50 or 100 pounds for yourself for your next trip, it would be fairly simple and wouldn't take much time & effort for that amount. I'll be happy to send you a list of steps, and you can collect your own supplies for all the other schools on Ambergris. If each of you brought one 50-pound duffle bag each time you come, that would add up pretty fast- and, keep a surprising amout of stuff out of your local landfill.

So there- send me an e-mail...

So.... no takers, eh? Next spring, around May, I might post another reminder in case some of you want to gather supplies to bring when you come to San Pedro next time...