Canitas primary school gets new entrance

Team 208 The project continues with building of a new ramp for the Canitas Primary School entrance. Rain waters got stuck right at the school entrance before today.
After the installation of the cement culvert , and ramp (cement mixed by hand)and digging of the ditches, the primary school will be a healthier , prettier place to come study.

Tonight our volunteers present donations to the Canitas community Health Post and Women's soccer team and say goodbye to the village and new found friends. Soccer demonstration and community potluck dinner to finish.

On behalf of Global Volunteers MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS a Cathy, Kirk, Bobby, Chris and Davone POR VENIR A AYUDARNOS!!!

Miami Dolphin Davone Bess helps Canitas

Aside from helping tile , clean up ditches , Star Miami Dolphin Wide Receiver Davone Bess has been connecting with the local kids.

He has reached out to play soccer but has the patience to teach anyone who is willing to learn some first class American football.

Here is a sample and thanks Davone for teaching a few Costarricans how to follow the game and you this coming season. We admire you when you signed up to help, but we appreciate you for the interest and affection and humble spirit that you carry with you.

Tiling continues in Canitas Community Center

Our crew of five tread on with tiling today as week two starts off.


Massive rain kept us inside in this project. The many volunteer teams over the years have constructed this massive community center for a community of about 100 people.

Today as the downpour "aguacero" came down to proof the gap this center fills for the kids , they had a healthy place to play and exercise.

Cathy: Thought of the Day: Individually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean. Ryunosuke Satoro

May 25 Journal: Monday was a productive day. All of us were on hands and knees cleaning the kitchen tiles and then Chris and Roberto and several local community helpers grouted the kitchen while Devone, Cathy and Kirk worked with Franklin to continue tiling the Snack area. Break found Davone and Roberto getting routed in a soccer game with two local teenage girls...score 25-10!
The afternoon found us working with several community members as we finished cleaning the grout and continued to tile until quitting time. The rainy season has started in earnest. Kirk Cunningham

Breaky and go to work

The COS program starts with a hearty breakfast and then a morning meeting. Then it's out to go to work. Our tiling project continues as the local leaders and volunteers work alongside our volunteers. The tiling will procure the kitchen opening for business to raise funds for the town development projects and to fund the sports teams in the area.

Laying Tile in Canitas

Thursday started off with a BANG! As we prepared for work, we all wondered if the carpenter and the tools were going to make an appearance today so we could get rockin with this tile. As we pulled up to the work site, the crew was already there and just about to walk in! Everyone seemed super excited, and we all got to work.

We soaked the tiles before laying them, nearly finished the kitchen area, and got a good amount done in the snack area as well. Overall, it was a fantastic day. Don Victor worked with us all day, as did most of the children. We met Manuel, Jorge, Orlando, Franklin the carpenter, and Wilma the soccer coach. All very nice people. I'm not sure how the other Volunteers feel, but it seems like everyday we work we become more and more a part of this small town that isn't even on the map called Canitas.

Stay Flexible!

Today started with another incredible breakfast of bacon, eggs, and coffee. We were a couple minutes late leaving for Canitas but soon got underway with sunny skies ahead and great hopes that we would arrive and see a truck filled with tile sitting there waiting for us. We had no such luck so me, CK, and Roberto cleared out the drainage ditches up near the health office and lumber yards, while Cathy, and Captain Kirk put the finishing touches on the bare floors for the tile. They joined us soon after our lightning coffee break to rake up the grass in the front yard of the health office, while me, CK, and Roberto explored the area a little and took some pictures. Lunch was bomb, we had steak and more beans. I love beans. About ten minutes before lunch was over the rain came and washed our morning work down the drain, literally. Hanging out with Don Nicco's family was a humbling experience, seeing them so happy, just in each other's company, made me want to toss away all my televisions as soon as I get home.

Miami Dolphin Davone Bess helps Canitas

Miami Dolphin Wide Receiver Davone Bess spends his "lock-out" time serving the small northern town of Canitas in the Monteverde Region in Costa Rica. Today it was cleaning up culverts in front of the local Health post. And in time the help came! The downpour two hours later, was measured at 3 inches of rain in less than a minute. The swift action by Global Volunteers team number 208, prevented the local health clinic from being flooded today. Team mates , Manager CK and Bobby "Roberto" Stoffel joined Davone in this task. In the picture, from left to right Marciano, Bobby, Davone, Don Nicho, CK and in the back youngster (and Davone's new quaterback costarrican protege) Jeremy "chilling" with them. Handsome Team!

Kirk and Cathy

Our Cunningham team from Arizona cleans out the recently cut grass at the Health Post. Thanks guys for being great examples of our servant/learner under the local community philosophy!! We are very proud of your work!
Nia- Global Volunteers

Materials arrive at the Community Center

Cathy, Kirk and Robert helped download the ceramic tiles for the Canitas Community Center. They prepared the floor by filling and cleaning the floor. In solidarity the driver donated the transportation.

From Cathy's journal :
May- 17: Today began with Robert, Chris and Davone taming the jungle, also known as clearing trees from around the community center. The excitement of hacking with machetes quickly disappeared as black flies claimed them for lunch. Kirk and Cathy spent the morning preparing floors for tiling...scraping, washing and sweeping. After lunch Chris used his experience in concrete work to patch the cement floor, and Robert applied a blue adhesive. During breaks, Davone, Chris and Robert introduced the local boys to American football and joined in pickup games of soccer.
Today we learned the true meaning of community in the term community center. Because school was not in session today, flocks of children, babies in strollers, and parents all stopped by to visit or play soccer. By the time our day ended, our cirlce of friends had grown to include people from ages 3 months to 70 years old. Our conversations in broken Spanish with translations by Nia has helped us create new bonds and friendships.

New Team in Canitas

The day started off with breakfast, and everyone learned about Davone Bess and Chris´ intriguing training diet.

We started our trek up to St. Elena around 1 PM, and the views were amazing. Most of the mountain roads were close to very steep drop-offs and were quite narrow as well. We took two breaks, plus a break for pictures during the trip. I would not want to drive up the mountains, but rather hire a driver instead. We arrived at the hotel around 4:30 PM, and had free time until dinner at 6. Davone and Chris chose to workout for a short time. I (Bobby) chose to check out the downtown main street, and Kirk and Kathy chose to do the same. The main street has a few souvenir shops and at least one restaurant. The time spent here in St. Elena will be a welcome change of culture. Dinner was mucho delicioso, and included steak, enchilada type thing, local vegetable bathed in oil or butter, and ended with chocolate cake. After dinner, the crew is now aware that our host can cook very well!!

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day in Costa Rica today!! Today's nationwide holiday will be marked by many processions, the day off from work for most, and a presidential speech.

Costa Ricans are renowned for their gregarious and fun-loving nature, and it’s contagious during the numerous fiestas, horse parades and carnivals celebrated throughout the country. These festivities provide a great opportunity to sample tasty food, make new friends, and learn the local traditions of this fascinating country.

~ Information courtesy of CostaRica.com.