Ron Brookes introduced Bill Lawless and outlined Bill's involvement with the Guatemala classroom project since 2007.

The project involves building new classroom additions onto current schools in the Municipality of Uspantan, Quiche, Guatemala. He had recently returned from a visit to Uspantan and put together a PowerPoint slide presentation to show what has been accomplished.

Bill's presentation outlines the history of the work since it started in 2007 in conjunction with the Hearts and Hands Foundation here in Canada. Since the start, there have been school additions built in seven villages and the presentation showed a pictorial record of the additions.

Bill went on to describe the trip he made this past October to the village of Las Chivitos. He was one of sixteen people to visit the town. They included 10 from the Hearts and Hands Foundation and five Peace Corps members from the U.S. The goal of adding two new classrooms during their stay was achieved.

The multi-year project objective is stated as "Building Basic Education in Guatemala", and working with "Hearts in Hands" Bill showed the number of students has dramatically increased after the additional school rooms have been completed. Additionally, the number of students that are staying in school to grade six is also growing.

Along with school rooms, the project has been able to add or improve the kitchen and latrine facilities at the school sites.

Bill's presentation is well worth looking at and it is being added to the Calgary West's web site in the very near future.

Clarence Buckley thanked Bill for his efforts, not only in the project, but also in sharing his experiences with the slide show, and presented him with his own well deserved, personal Boltman.

reported by David Hamilton