Does anybody know a good cause who helps kids in and around cabarete. I am returning there with my kids and we would like to contribute to give something back to them.
the iko are doing programmes for young kids i think, if you have got any old kites (even really bad ones ) there are kids (assistant instructors) that work for free (tips) at most schools and dont own kites its a good oppotunity for them as they live at the beach all day every day
You may also want to contact Eric Hertsens of EH Kites. From what I understand, he helps out the kids there quite a bit. http://www.cabareteairforce.com/
Try The Dream Project in Cabarete. It's helps the local school and kids with books etc. Before you could sponsor and individual but then some kids got a lot and others were left out. Now they distribute the funds equally.
dougols wrote:Try The Dream Project in Cabarete. It's helps the local school and kids with books etc. Before you could sponsor and individual but then some kids got a lot and others were left out. Now they distribute the funds equally.
Hey guys!
Thanks for your interests...
Toby and me started this trend more then 1 year ago....
It´s called KITEBOARGING GODFATHERS http://helpmeboard.com/
The basic idea is to help Dominican local Kiters to get own gear, and give them education ( school & Language )
everything started after my first trip to DR---
I was so impressed of the level and talent of the local kids, especially the younger are doing craziest things then the oldest...
Every single one is better then the other...
When I first showed up, there was Luis Alberto Peralta, trying to nail a 3ple handle pass, just with 6 months of kiting, luckily we where there to register his first succesful 3ple...
They don´t even know how to go upwind, but they already do HP, Kiteloops, etc....
But this is the day by day in Kite beach, they grow up there, working on the Kiteboarding schools industry, but they can´t afford equipment...
There is a case of Robinson, JUST AWESOME UNBELIEVABLE Riding , and he told me that he stopped for 1 year because he had no gear....BIg Shame... ( now he is riding for Royal ) check him out on this video...
This guys, have not many opportunities in Cabarete, there´s only: waiting tables, driving a motoconcho or conchando ( little bikes that take you for 20 peso , and there´s so many of them, or there is a hope...become a celebrity, like Luciano Gonzales, Ariel Corniel, Alex Soto, just to name a few...
and help to pay the bills when winning tournaments..
They all live across the street in very bad conditions, most of them don´t go to the school, because they can´t afford it...
That is the case of 2 little friends of mine, 5 & 7 years old,
The coolest kids, always smiling , whiling to help, they show up at 9 am at the beach, play around , making a mess everywhere...jeje...anyway....just to look for a “ Gringo “ to help him out set up the bar, pump up the kite, walk up and downwind, carrying boards twice their size, climbing 20 ft tall palm trees, just to recuperate the kite of his client putting their lifes in danger, all these to receive luckily 100 peso at the en of the day ( 35 peso = 1usd )...
From there they go back to home, either walking around 5 miles, or getting picked up by one other fellow motoconcho....
They all know each other, and they all help each other, is pretty cool to see....
They arrive to this small hut , maybe 8 ft by 12 ft, where the walls, are made by laminates, and the roof, has a see through design....
Where mom, is waiting for the money, while taking care of another 3 brothers, and dad, who´s pissing drunk across the street...
at the end of last summer, the big guys, will help the smalll ones, to cut the hair, to go to the school, some of the guys who have jobs...( Beach assistants for the schools) they will take care of buying school uniforms, so cool, I was there at the time, with not much money, but I asked how much where all those?
Shirt, pants, shoes, backpack, belt, 1 pair of socks, 1 underwear ( that when 1 pair of shoes, and 2 notebooks, ....all these for 30 usd....
Wow...I was broke, but i did manage to give some of this packages away....anything will help...
On our breaks through the day, at the beggining of the day, we get together, they bring their books, and mascotas ( dominican for notebooks ), and we all start learning english, mostly foneticly, because their writing even in spanish is pretty bad....
They all want to grow and become sponsored, so they can compete, have gear, and have better opportunities through kiteboarding...
Pay attention, on kiteforum.tv, and when any of the Domincan Riders, gives out an interview, and he´s asked how did you start? They always start with something like : WELL, I WAS SITTING ON THE BEACH WHEN SOMEBODY CAME UP AND GAVE ME HIS OLD KITE....I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS TO THANK HIM FOR HELPING ME GETTING INTO THE SPORT....( Jean Marc Rivieras in Brasil, said something alike, just when Alex soto, was saying something similar on the same interview.....)
..
Honestly. I spent so much energy on this project when it started, but sadly enough, nobody replied, all these people with the biggest house, the biggest SUV, the coolest and newer kite, and they are not capable to share a 2001 C Kite folded and moldy that is sitting in their big garage,kind of put me off...
Ive been doing some private sponsoring, but not the amount of help that I would love----
anyway, if you like to donate, ANYTHING they will appreciate it....
A leash, an old 2001 c kite, harnes in pieces, even new doesn´t matter, to help this guys will be highly appreciated...,.
I go to DR every may , I can bring the stuff, usually I produce a little video, when giving the stuff away, so you can see the guys receiving the equipment and saying some words....
Money, or clothes, everything will be hand delivered to all these kids, we will record a video, to show everything, and maybe if you´d like to sponsor one in particular, and become his Kiteboarding grandfather, please go ahead, don´t hesitate, because, it might be little for you, but for the is big....
I never imagine that I could buy them a whole set for the school for 35 usd.....would you be able to come up whit these??? Easy.....
There is also many organizations like D.R.E.A.M, and others, I work very close with EH, and he does support a lot,
But this KITEBOARDING FATHERS IS Something orientated to gear up the dominican kiters,
Please e mail me for further info : david@freestyleplaya.com
Here is some footage of some of these kids we are trying to help...
For Example Yoel, he is a very cool kid and a personal friend...
He works at dare2fly, he goes to english lessons, twice a week, plus he attends to high school....
He helps to support his mom, 4 sisters and 3 nieces....
He competed in the last PKRA on a borrowed kite & board, he end up in 7th place, his final heat was against Alvaro Onieva, and Yoel won...too bad for yoel, that can not compete elsewhere other then home....
Don´t get me wrong, Alvaro is one of my favourites riders, I respect him a lot, but This class of talent is what you will find in every kid in Cabarete...
He lives with his mom, works at kite beach, goest to school, and supports his whole family....he is very shy but the coolest kid!!!
Speaks 3 fuild languages....English, spanish & French....impressive....???? No .... They are so talented.....but they just need an extra hand to make it happen...
in the December 08 issue of The Kiteboarder in the news "411/Smack" section, we highlighted a great project of the Dream Project. Wanting to give something back, MJ Barshi, coowner of the Carib Bic Center, celebrated her 50th birthday by starting a library which now serves over 240 local kids. If you would like to support the library project with a book donation, you can find a wish list at 222.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3023XSGAMA321
this is just alittle bit more for you to know the guys we are trying to help---
Im just doing my part, because after 2 years of started this project, could you believe I have not received ONE single e mail????
that´s cool, anyway, we will continue on our own to help out people, who was not blessed in the same way we all are....
thanks