The Southwest Florida (Sarasota) TCC Chapter has a new meeting date on Monday July 15, at noon. Contact amandatd@yahoo.com for details and RSVP.
On May 6 we had a fun meeting catching up as a group. We also went over ways to stay connect with other TCC members and resources available to members.
There were many great tales told and many interesting upcoming and recent trips. Harry Kemker, for example, told of his recent trip to Juan Fernandez Archipelago including Robinson Crusoe island and Pitcairn. He is also working on ways to visit Wake Island among other places. There may be an opportunity for others to join as he completes his visits to all countries in the Pacific.
As we went around the room to discuss our travels, we added a question suggested by Tom Kennedy: “What countries have most impacted us on a personal level? We all have traveled, experienced the exotic, the mundane and learned much from our adventures. But what, specifically, do we attribute to these far-off lands to our individuality? “
This was a great question that allowed us to understand members’ experience from times past. Tom mentioned traveling across the USSR in 1974. The radio was kept on the entire day and night. This led to an appreciation for classical music. Travel engages all the senses sound too!
Member Diania Pimenta was able to attend for the first time in years of membership. Diania’s story of personal impact was quite moving. Diania told of her time volunteering to work with children who are living with their parents inside of prison in Bolivia. It was impact in a way that Diania has maintained involvement and continues to raise money to support these children.
In a remarkable story of connection among this group, Sue Anne Toms was quick to think of Kike Calvo’s children’s book project Little Explorer, Big World that we learned about during his presentation in January. She introduced Diania and Kike, and I am happy to report much has already come of this connection. Kike has already personally arranged to send $500 worth of books to these children written in Spanish and Quechua. You can read about the Bolivian program here:
htttps://littleexplorerbigworld.wpcomstaging.com/2024/05/14/children-bolivian-prisons-books »
The books will arrive to Diania in a couple of weeks so they can be brought to Bolivia. He also mentioned should anyone else wish to donate to this or other projects can do so here:
https://donate.theadventuresofpili.com/campaign/the-adventures-of-pili/c464485 »
If you like you may specify that you wish your donation to go to this initiative in Bolivia so more books can be sent.
