A friend I met in Chisec, Guatemala, on a my MA International Development practicum will be conducting a nice project this Christmas, and I thought some of you might want to help. His name is Scott Rowland and here's the posting he sent me and his friends and family recently:

"I will be spending X-Mas with the orphans and other families in the Guatemala City Dump.
I am going home the first weekend of December to pick up my dad´s professional Santa suit. That´s right, Santa´s personal helper, Santa Scott, will be pulling the Guatemala shift. He will first be visiting villages around his summer residence of Chisec on Christmas Eve and will then take his slay to visit the kids in the city on Christmas day. There is an NGO (Non Govt Org) who works with the orphans and families living in the dump who will be Santa´s helpers and guides. I am looking to put together at least 2000 gift bags with a pen and pad (hotel style) and a toothbrush and toothpaste. I am also going to be getting two Polaroid cameras and enough film for 2000 pictures.

This is my grand ¨Santa Goes to Guatemala Plan.¨ I hope to bring a little bit of happiness to at least 2000 kids in Guatemala for Christmas 2005.

If you would like to help in any way, it would be
greatly appreciated. I am asking for:

Pens - any type
Paper Pads - hotel type or similar
Toothbrushes - know a dentist?
Toothpaste - small tubes
$100 for two Polaroid cameras
$2000 for film -- I had no idea Polaroid film was so
expensive when I dreamed up this project but it must
happen.

For those wishing to make a tax deductable donation
(501c3) send checks to the following organization
(don`t forget to write my name in the memo space of
the check) They will give me 100% of your donation.

Friends of Guatemala
P.O. Box 33018
Washington, D.C. 20033


Where can you send these items?
To my parents house:
4 Pinegate Court
Peachtree City, Georgia 30269

I will be picking these items up the first weekend of
December.

Thanks for your help,
Scott


Scott Rowland
Cuerpo de Paz
8a. Calle 6-55 Zona 9
Ciudad de Guatemala, 01009
Guatemala, C.A.
011-502-5975-5889"

I'm trying to generate some hekp for Scott here Stateside because I think it's a great idea!

-Ariel Wyckoff