Project Belize 2008
5922 Princess Lane
409-560-9437 (home)
email:
mcnellie@mcnellie.com
Date:
January 23, 2008
Critical
Update: Note that flight arrangements need to be made soon. You are
responsible for making your own arrangements for the flight from
Houston to Belize City. If you are flying in with the main group on
5/22/2008 you need to make the flight noted below so we can use one of
your checked bags for a medical trunk. We will be using Continental's
flight that leaves Houston at 1:20 PM. See below:
the rest of the letter follows:
If
you are sure you are going on the 22nd from
Continental
Airlines: continental.com
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To
Prospective Project Belize 2008 Members,
Here is the ‘letter’ for this year. Dates are May 22 – June 2, 2008
For those who are new to Project Belize, it is a non-profit, 501-C03
corporation that was created in 1988 by a group of adventurous medical,
dental,
nursing, and community individuals who shared a joint experience of
providing
medical and dental care to Mayan Indians and natives of the country of
Belize.
The trip is self-supporting by its members each year. Some donations
are
accepted from various service organizations to offset some of the cost
of
medicines and supplies. Each participating member pays his/her portion
of the
trip expenses. Each year’s members serve as its board of directors and
the trip
and planning meetings serve as its annual meeting. Its officers are Pam
Mueller, who serves as treasurer, Bruce McNellie, Trip Coordinator, Dr.
Quinn
Robinson, Medical Director, and a series of others who have made most
of the
trips, serving as its officers as the need arises. We are not
associated with a
denomination or mission effort and we work directly with the country’s
primary
health care administrators. Our principal contact has been Dr. Raju,
Chief of
Staff of the hospital in Punta Gorda, Toledo District, and CherryMae
Avilez,
Coordinator of Officer of Primary Health Care for
In the past the group has been arriving on two separate days, depending
on
schedules. The main group will be leaving
We spend the last night of the work portion of the trip at Sea Front
Hotel in
Punta Gorda and we will have our last group meal at a small cafe a few
doors
away from the hotel. The vans are reserved and the lodging at Blue
Creek and
Sea Front are is reserved.
Left are the fund raising things to do for the purchase of medications, packing, and contact with Dr. Raju and Cherrie-Mae Avilez at the hospital.
Trip Costs: (About $1000 to $1200 depending on the cost of this year's flight. See the detail below.)
Please send
$200 made out to
Project
Airfare to
Here is the flight information as of now:
We have
settled in on Continental as the carrier for the flight on
May 22, 2008 from Houston to Belize City.
If
you are sure you are going on the 22nd from
After taxes, this is $575 which is about the lowest price between
American, TACA, and Continental and it gets us to
Continental
Airlines: continental.com
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I think most will be returning on Monday, June 2nd, but this is
up to personal preference and schedules.
Pam
Mueller, will purchase in-country flights for those flying on the 23rd
and flying out or to the island on May 29th. We
must have exact flight arrangements nailed down by the first of March,
so let
me (
If you are going with the main group, you need to leave
For those flying down on the 23rd, Pam Mueller will handle booking the
flight
from
The group costs will cover round trip from Belize City to Punta Gordo,
including ground and air transportation
through the 29th back to Belize City/Houston, group meals for the
evening
meals of May 23rd- 28th, including one night’s lodging in
Dangriga
on the 22nd and one night in Punta Gorda on the 28th, and. Remaining
personal
meals and lodging costs will be in addition to that collected and will
be your
responsibility (Dinner on the 22nd, breakfast and lunches during the
trip, and
all meals and lodging beginning May 29th through return to
Houston on
June 2nd.)
Group Costs: (approximate per person)
Flights
RT - Houston -
(This is a guess until you book your flight and has ranged from
550 to 600, depending on the airline
and market.)
RT - air from
those flying to
Group fees:
In-country Transportation:
Truck/van/rental: 2@143/day for 7 days)=
$2002
1@75/day for 7 days=
525
Sub-total
for rental:
2527
Gasoline: 3 @ 100 gal ea @ 5.00/gallon
1500
Baggage handling and tips;
200
Guides:
450
Mules:
200
Dangriga group night:
850
Blue
Creek Lodge:
1300
Night in Punta Gorda:
800
Miscellaneous food:
300
Medical Supplies:
500
Total: $8627
Subtotal group expenses: $8627 divided by 20
(assuming 20
will go) =
$431
Subtotal Group cost for those Flying in on the 23th- (190 +431)=
$621
Subtotal Group cost driving from Belize City on the 22nd=
$431
Total (Estimated)
Total cost for those flying in on the 23th : $621 + $560 air rt
Houston)=
$1181
Group driving from Belize City on the 22nd = $431 + $560 rt Houston)
=
$991
Remember the airfare from Houston of $560 is an estimate and could
be more
or
less depending on the final arrangements. Here are the details of
what came
up under their website recently. Once you are certain you are going, I
would
suggest getting this fare as soon as possible due to the increases in
fuel
costs.
There is a
Specific Costs Not included In the
Above:
Motel costs for nights of May 29th-June 1st for the "rest and
relaxation" portion of the trip.
Food costs for personal meals other than the evening meals during the
work
portion of the trip on Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues and the meal at
cafe at
the end of the work portion of the trip on Wednesday night. Breakfast
on
Thursday morning, the 29th, is on your own as we have to get up early
for the
flights out from Punta Gorda and the van trip back to Belize City.
Transportation other than the round trip costs from
In past years several have driven to San Ignacio
and into
Tentative Agenda:
February 15, 2008 $200 group expenses due to Pam Warren Mueller,
Treasurer
By April 1st - should have
more information
to you prior to January 1 about air fare, but either have purchased
your own airfare round trip
to Belize City or made
arrangements with the group, depending on what we find out.
April
15, 2008 the final
group payment of $421 for those traveling on the 23rd)
or $231
for those traveling on the 22nd and picking up the vans, due
to Pam
Mueller, treasurer.
April
23rd, 2008
Pre-trip meeting at
May 18, 2008 Sunday, 1:30 PM, Tentative
Afternoon Packing
Medication Party at SFASU Nursing Department – Bring friends to help.
May 22, 2008 Thursday, Main group leaves for
May 23, 2007 Friday, balance of group travels to Belize City, and flies
by small
plane, regular service to Punta Gorda to arrive approximately 6:00 pm.
Group
spends night at Blue Creek Camp/Lodge.
May 24, Saturday Group free day. Clinic arrangements made in villages.
May 25, Sunday First work day
May 26, Monday Second work day
May 27, Tuesday Third work day
May 28, Wednesday Fourth work day, spend night in motel in Punta Gorda,
eat in
Punta Gorda.
May 29, Thursday - Travel day. Group splits up as desired, some to fly
out to
destination of choice, return to
May 30, Friday Free day, spend night your choice.
May 31, Saturday Free day, spend night your choice
June 1, Sunday Free day, spend night your choice.
June 2, Monday Return flight to
Send your
first payment of $200 by February 15, 2008 to:
Project Belize
Pam Warren Mueller, Treasurer
737 Silver Lake, Monticello, FL 32344
Muellermont@aol.com
(Email Bruce when you send your first payment. mcnellie@mcnellie.com)
If you have other questions please contact Bruce McNellie
409-560-9437 home
mcnellie@mailcity.com
or
mcnellie@mcnellie.com
As noted above, mark your calendar for a brief group meeting at
Memorial
Hospital in Nacogdoches if you can make it at 12:00 on
April 23rd in the cafeteria at to go over any last minute
details. You do not have to be at this meeting. I will send notes to
those who
can’t make it. We can coordinate some of the after-trip plans as well
as travel
to the airport.
There are several nice hotels on San Pedro. In years past some have
stayed at
the Holiday House - 011 501 2 62014 or 011 501 2 62295; for
approximately
$200/nite for a four or five person apartment, or 90/nite for a double.
They
have a web site too: http://www.sanpedroholiday.com/index.html
Their address is Holiday House, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, P.O. 1140,
And finally, those of you with
connections to clubs or other funding sources, please begin updating
them on our
trip to see if they might be willing to donate for the medications and
dental
supply expenses. We need about $2500 to buy necessary medications. This
year we
are collecting about $25 each as part of group expenses to help defray
costs of
medications, see above in budget. The more funds donated the less of
this will
be needed and Pam will do a reconciliation at the end of the trip.
Make sure your passport is up to date and you know where it is.
You have to have it. It takes about 8 weeks to get it updated or get a
new one,
so get on it soon. You get an application from the district clerk's
office in
the courthouse, have two passport pictures taken and send them with the
completed application and your old passport to
Also, don't forget shots (tetanus every 10 years and a polio booster if
you
have not have one in the past 20 yrs.). Ask your doctor if you have
questions.
We will all need to take some sort of anti-malaria medication as well
as a good
supply of DEET (insect repellent) to ward off the bugs. Dr. Quinn
Robinson will
help with the prescription for Larium or Chloriquin or one of the newer
anti-malaria
pills (Malarone) if you need one.
A list of possible things to bring is attached to this letter, such as
mosquito
nets, string, canteen, bedding, pillow, soap, washrag, towel, etc.
See you soon. Bruce McNellie, (Home):409-560-9437
For pictures of past years trips and more information on our group,
visit:
http://www.projectbelize.org
Project Belize 2007
409-560-9437 (home)
email:
mcnellie@mailcity.com
This
is list of some of the things I bring and represents a pretty good
check list for most people. Especially important are sturdy shoes/boots
that will not come off easily in the mud, insect repellent, sun screen,
and a swim suit.
The list:
Cot or thermarest/pad
Mosquito net
Repellent (deet)
Serious suntan lotion
Passport
Tetnus shot booster if not in last 10 yrs
Polio booster if not in last 20 yrs
Toilet paper in a ziplock bag
Personal electric fan/extra batteries
Sheet (sewn into a sleeping bag)
Small pillow, pillow case
Good sturdy ankle high boots or walking shoes such as ‘tennis shoe’ boots
Shoes for around camp/wading shoes/thongs
Moleskin
Personal medication plus prescription bottle
Larium or chloriquin or malarone
Money, some in travelers checks, especially some $1.00 bills
Fanny pack and zip lock bag for pass port and ticket
Antibiotic ointment for bites, cuts, scrapes
Antiseptic handwash or cloths
Swimsuit
Shirts
Shorts
Light clothing
Towel can double as a blanket, it is not cold
Wash rag
String
Knife
Flashlight (2) with extra batteries
Camera extra film/storage
Notebook and pens
Pens
One nicer outfit for after trip
Nothing valuable that would hurt you if lost
Shades
Extra glasses/contacts
Contact solution
Canteen (2) for full two quarts or more
Water filter (optional)
Cup and plate
Spoon, fork, knife
Needle and thread
Soap/shampoo (biodegradable)
Light blanket or extra towel
Rope/twine
Hat for shade
Food for breakfast from Friday - Wednesday
Food for lunch from Saturday - Wednesday
trail mix, punch mix, hard candy
Other:
Needle and thread kits
Balloons, bubbles, small toys
Printed material for teaching personal hygiene
Printed material for teaching importance of vitamins, nutrition, and clean water
Printed material for teaching well baby checkups
For Eddie and his wife & kids:
Dvd’s, candy,video tapes
Sewing stuff for Mary Tulcey