"Gathering" the blankets.

(Continue below for previous posts.)

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Melitón Albáñez is a small isolated village of about 200 residents situated just 3 km from the Pacific Ocean.  The micro climate at that spot is excellent for growing peppers, english cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries if grown in greenhouses.  An agricultural company has built 700 to 1000 acres of greenhouses to grow this produce. They also have their own packing plant as well as a living compound for the workers that are brought from southern parts of Mexico to work in the greenhouses.  Many of these workers are not prepared for the climate that exist at this spot right on the Pacific.  Many nights are cold and they are without adequate blankets or clothing.

 Example of some of the produce grown at Melitón.

 Google earth image of Melitón.  The village located below with hundreds of acres of greenhouses seen next to the village.

 

Jeff and Katie's children were in Meltón in 2009 and got to spend time with some of the children that live in the agricultural compound there.  They became acutely aware of the need for blankets.  Brody, Madalyn and Elijah made a presentation to their school for the need at Melitón for blankets.


 

Body, Madalyn and Elijah's poster for blankets at Liberty Elementary School in Albany, Oregon.

 

Some of the blankets donated from students at Liberty Elementary School in Albany, Oregon.

 

 Jodi Kauffman's 6th grade Sunday School class at Sweet Home Mennonite church with the blankets and supplies they gathered.


 

 Thanks to Bev, Ardis, Linda, Jodi, Katie and many others we are filling the bays with nearly 60 bags of clothing!

 Getting it all packed in tight!


Glen Byers family supplied several hundred blankets as well as more that a hundred sweatshirts!  The Koinonia class at Salem Evangelical Church provided craft supplies for the church in Melitón "Semillas de Fé".

Glen Byers' grandsons Chad Good and Brad Hochstetler helped pack all that they brought.  Whew!


These are just some of the people and some of the items donated to the need there in Melitón.  We are in the final stages of packing.  It seems that we find "just one more spot" for items that continue to arrive.