On December 4, 2021, over 25 Rotary clubs from the US and Mexico teamed up to donate and build seven houses for families in need in the Trebol community by Tecate BC. Once they all left and celebrated the great deed, Elena and Ivan Alba from the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary club set out to donate all the money they would spend on Christmas gifts for friends and family to, instead, purchase furniture and housewares for the seven families who received new homes. With the help of generous donations from several Rotarians and two clubs (from Del Mar and Tijuana), and the help of Fernanda Torres, they were able to bring the gifts of furniture and other items to those families in need. Almost $5000 was raised, and all the wares were purchased in Mexico (stimulating their economy) and delivered on December 18. Elena and her mother sewed and installed almost 30 sets of curtains to beautify the homes. Indeed, the spirit of giving was felt by all, when Charlie (a young, handicapped man) had his dream come true by replacing his single broken crutch with a brand-new set of forearm crutches that would enable him to more easily get around the hilly terrain. Two expecting mothers received brand new pack-n-play bassinet/cribs for their new-borns to come. The Rotary spirit of generosity knows no borders.
