C A S A D E L O S A N G E L E S Prolongación Pila Seca #18 Colonia San Antonio San Miguel de Allende, GTO 37750 Mexico Phone: 011-52-415-154-5512 www.youareanangel.org

Our annual Christmas gift by AnnMarie Edlebeck, Carolyn Edlebeck & Maison Gustke (volunteers from Waupaca, Wisconsin)

Each Christmas we anxiously await unwrapping that one special present from “Santa”. It is the present that brings us to San Miguel and the daycare center, Casa de los Angeles. Inside the small box lies a single piece of paper with the words “airplane ticket to Mexico.” This past Christmas was the third time we received this gift and each year it has given us the opportunity to volunteer at Casa de los Angeles, see how the kids have grown, and get to know the teachers, moms and directors. When we were asked to write for this newsletter, we couldn’t think of a better time to express our feelings for the two people who have made the center what it is today: Director, Miguel Hernández and Founder, Donna Quathamer. If you have ever volunteered at Casa de los Angeles, you know exactly what happens when Miguel Hernández walks through the door. Every child in sight runs to his feet, fighting over who can hold his hand first. This is not only because he usually carries a bag of candy, but also because he has a contagious energy that radiates throughout the center. He is an incredible role model, which is especially important for those children lacking father figures. For the pas year and a half Miguel has spent the majority of his days at the new center. With his concern for every detail, it is no sur-prise that the new center has turned out to be the beautiful place it is to-day . . . ready for a grand opening!!!!! From the moment we first met Donna Quathamer, we felt as if we had known her forever. When we arrived in Mexico the first time, Donna opened her doors and her heart to us immediately and we felt as if we had never left home. Over the past three years we have come to appreciate Donna’s organizational skills and uplifting care. Donna has a way of mak-ing those around her feel comfortable because she is so accepting of eve-ryone’s differences. As she always says, “Each mom, teacher, child, volun-teer . . . all of us . . . are equal, no matter what our background is.” Miguel and Donna are two who are making the world a better place. We can’t wait to return next summer, because we just know that Santa will again give us the best present ever!

NEWSLETTER LAS ALAS

julio de 2008 vol. 8 no. 4 www.youareanangel.org Our Mission Casa de los Angeles is a com-munity of caring people who gather to nurture children, serving the needs of the less fortunate, treating each per-son with dignity and respect as they work to make a bet-ter life for themselves. It is located in San Miguel de Al-lende, Guanajuato, Mexico, and was founded on September 18, 2000.

You are invited!

Grand opening of our second center

Saturday, 9 August 2008

Open at 6:00 PM

Program at 7:00 PM

Calle Enrique Velazco Ibarra #9 Colonia Santa Julia

San Miguel de Allende

Rocking with the Angels

As part of the Casa de los Angeles grand opening celebration there will be an auction of rocking chairs. Not just any rocking chairs . . . but, rocking chairs painted, decorated and otherwise made interesting by 30 of the greatest San Miguel artists! Be sure to come early to see the chairs and bid

on your favorites. What better way to be in solidarity with us than to involve

rocking chairs! We are grateful to Kay Miller for coordinating this auction.

Use GoodSearch as your search engine and you can help Casa de los Angeles. Go to www.goodsearch.com and type in Casa de los Angeles as your charity. The pennies will add up! Good-Search can also be used to earn money for Casa de los Ange-les when you shop online. What a great and easy way to help!

Joan Elena Goldberg Donna Drinnon Marisa Boullosa Mary Rapp Keith Keller Lino Peter Leventhal Angela Gentleman

“Let the children come to me.” Luke 18:16

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Inglelara Dwyer Jennifer Butz Darin Dwyer Lulu Tarbet Atención Graphic Artists Lisa Simms Elmer Midgett Mary Calderon

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Chicago Marathon: Our Runners Say . . .

This is what some of our runners have to say about running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in the name of Casa de los Angeles . . .

I learned quickly that marathon running is not an individual act of endur-ance, but rather a collaborative effort of family, friends, spectators, and volunteers that make your journey memorable. Noah Bernstein

I've been running for quite a while. High school, college, marathons, half marathons, 5 K's... I just like to run. Tim Donahugh

I am happy to know that there are organizations like this one, that help people with little or no resources. What makes me even happier is the fact that I can help doing something I love to do, which is RUNNING! Aldo Gomez Hernandez

Boston, where I have lived for the last two years, is a City that invites you to run, here is where my affection for running was born. In May this year, I had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon with my hospital charity team, and this year I have the honor to be part of the Marathon Team of “Casa de los Angeles” to run the “Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2008”, allowing me to combine two of the things that I like the most, Running and Altruism. Dr. Gerardo Lopez-Guerra

I'm very excited to be part of Team Casa and fundraise for Casa de los Angeles by running the Chicago Marathon in October! I'll do my best training and preparing to run on October 12, 2008. Sharon Resendiz

One of my “New Year's eve resolutions” for 2008 was to run a marathon. Looking to run the Chicago Marathon for a good rea-son, I heard about "Casa de Los Angeles". I am very honored to

run on their fundraising team... if you can, I would ap-preciate very much your donation to their cause! Oriol Sierra Please support Team Casa de los Angeles runners by going to the website, http://marathon.casadelosangeles.org. Your donation will help Casa de los Angeles. That’s where you will find the stories of the great people who have signed up to run for Team Casa, representing Mexico, the United States and Spain.

Kevin O’Donnell

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Oriol Sierra

Tim Donahugh (on the left)

Aldo Gomez Hernandez

Noah Saul Bern-

Gerrardo Lopez Guerra

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Julie Harter

Chris Beamsley

UNDER THE PEPPER TREE: Stories of Casa de los Angeles

By Donna Quathamer

You can order your copy online at www.youareanangel.org Click on merchandise

Great gift for your favorite volunteer!

San Miguel Midday Rotary Club furnishes our new center On June 6, 2006 the relationship between Casa de los Angeles and the San Miguel Midday Rotary Club began. The Midday Rotary was just en-tering it’s second year and Casa de los Angeles was just beginning the dream of opening a second center. The good people of the San Mi-guel Midday Rotary Club, along with the Peach Tree Rotary Club in Atlanta and International Rotary have been instrumental in helping to furnish our new center. When you visit us you will see the tables, chairs, bookcases, computer tables, office furniture, bathrooms, cribs, high chairs, desks, refrigerator, stove . . . all thanks to Rotary.

On Saturday, October 18 Casa de los Angeles will celebrate, once again An-geles y Milagros at Georgio’s in Orland Park. Of course, all are invited. Last year’s first effort didn’t seem at all like a first time event . . . it seemed as thought the committee had been doing this for years. The silent auction, the dinner, the Back of the Yards Folkloric Dancers, the music . . . every-thing was perfect. Plus we were able to raise almost $50,000 for the en-dowment and support of Casa de los Angeles. With this major event we can be assured of the service we provide for years to come. We are grate-ful to the Angeles y Milagros committee for all their work . . . Jeff & Tracy Heilman, Wendy Heilman, Oralia Henning, Cara Jacobs, Jim & Geri Janssen, Margaret Juraco, Andrew Kjos, Kevin O’Donnell. Go to http://dinner.casadelosangeles.org/ for more information and to re-serve your place for this great dinner dance. It’s an opportunity to meet so many of the good people who support Casa de los Angeles.