In April 2015, The Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation (MATCF) will be travelling to Nicaragua in Central America to build two playgrounds for the villages of Collado and Tortuga. Chestermere locals, Robert, Lynn, Deanna and Melody Gregory are travelling with a group of 10 other people from various backgrounds to help in this mission of love. Some of this group have a direct relationship to the Mary Tidlund Foundation as they either work for the Foundation or are on the Board. “I know a few of them as they are Landmen, as I am, working in the oil & gas business. There are two mother and son teams, one young fellow is just 13 but speaks fluent Spanish and is making presentations in the schools during our stay there”, says Lynn Gregory.
The MATCF feel strongly that a child’s ability to play helps with attendance and enhances a child’s willingness to learn at school. The MATCF will be partnering with the Emmanuel Foundation who will be providing the playground equipment for the build. The Emmanuel Foundation has built over 60 playgrounds worldwide and the MATCF have built 12.
Nicaragua has been listed as #4 in Lonely Planet’s top 10 destinations for 2015 for its emerging eco-tourism and culinary delights. Nicaragua is officially the safest country in Central America but ironically it is also the poorest. It is described as the land of lakes and volcanoes along with lush forests and very friendly and accommodating people. Half of the population of Nicaragua live in rural areas and 2/3rds of those people live on less than $1 per day.
The Villages of Collado and Tortuga are about a 30 minute drive south of the City and beaches of San Juan del Sur which is famous for its surfing and seafood. The area where we will work and stay is on the Pacific side of the country and is approximately 15 km from the northern border of Costa Rica.
With the assembly of the playgrounds taking approximately 12 days, the Gregory family plans on being in Nicaragua for two weeks. They will have a daily opportunity to interact with the local people working alongside them within their community. There will also be an opportunity during that time to rest and take in some local activities taking advantage of the beautiful beaches that the area has to offer.
“I know many people who have contributed by volunteering with the Mary A. Tidlund Foundation over the past number of years and they have always inspired me by giving of their time in this way. The opportunity to share this experience as a family unit is incredible”, said Lynn Gregory when asked what inspired her and her family to decide to join in on this amazing adventure.
Lynn went on to say, “It’s the opportunity to give back, could be a once in your lifetime chance; we have so much here in Canada and to spend a short period of time making this kind of contribution is so small to us and so very large for the folks that live there. We will leave a lasting impression of Canada on the people that live in the small towns we will be working in”.
Best wishes to the Gregory family for a safe trip and we definitely look forward to hearing from them when they return.
