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 News from Around Banderas Bay | June 2007 
Puerto Vallarta Navy League Finishes the Job
 Peter Gray - PVNN
| On June 2nd, the USS Rodney M Davis came into port. The following day saw a party of 24 crew members swing into action to finish repairing the roof of the AGAPE home, which was started by a group of volunteers from the USCG Boutwell in February.
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In the early spring, a group of volunteers from the USCG Boutwell were asked by the Puerto Vallarta Navy League to tackle the job of repairing the roof of the AGAPE home, which provides vital care and shelter to local girls in serious need of support.
The roof was stripped bare and made ready to be resealed by a later work party from the next ship to come into port. Nerves began to fray among Navy League members as they waited anxiously for reports that another U.S. ship was scheduled to arrive.
April and May went by without news. The prospect of an unfinished job and real problems arising when the rainy season arrived was beginning to look like a serious possibility.
Finally, in the nick of time, on June 2nd, the USS Rodney M Davis came into port. The following day saw a party of 24 crew members swing into action to finish the job. And what a great job they did!
Led by LTJG Laurent Felizardo, they not only fixed two roofs, but also painted the outside and inside walls and ceiling. Not content with that, they fixed many electrical problems, cleaned up debris and sealed or patched many holes that were allowing water to enter the facility.
Lt. Felizardo did such a great job of organizing and supervising the work that the whole make-over was completed in just four hours. Members of the Navy League were then more than happy to escort the sailors to a well-deserved lunch.
Navy League members helping out included Bill Clark, who is in charge of these community support activities, Cal Levitt, Dra. Norma Carrion and Bill Semeyn.
Bill Clark has sent a letter of appreciation to Cdr. Jim Minta, the captain of the Rodney M Davis, which reads in part, "We have performed many community activities such as this, but we have never seen such a high degree of skill level, organization, comradeship, communications and performance as the 24 members of the Rodney M Davis exhibited while working at AGAPE. It is these types of activities and efforts that bring the American and Mexican communities closer together, while improving relationships between the United States and Mexico. We were very proud to work with the team from the Rodney M Davis and the AGAPE organization."
AGAPE is run by the Luis Espinosa family that includes Luis Sr., Luis Jr. and wife Catalina Huet. There are 20 girls in the home, aged between four and eighteen. Fifteen of the girls are in private schools for education and the study of English and Spanish. Girls are recommended to AGAPE by various social organizations, the police and neighborhood or family individuals.
AGAPE is an ancient Greek work that means "unlimited love" or "love of God." To learn more about this charitable organization, please visit agapepv.com. |
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