On the recent June 2007 tour, another great project opportunity was introduced to us; Gail Rogers, the person who operates the Posada la Merced and coordinates our tours with Richard, has gotten involved in helping the local people have at-home filtration systems.

Locals can not afford the bottled water we turistas drink, and local water sources are not consistently safe, but a project is helping get effective water filters out in the highlands.

The Florence Oregon Rotary Club, together with the Guatemala Sur Rotary Club, have a water filter project that is having a very positive impact in the communities where it is being implemented.

Your donation is magnified as it will be more than matched by the Rotary District and then by the Rotary Foundation. The current grant is limited to Solola as geographical location. In future grants we might include other geographical areas. (They are open to suggestions.) A $100 donation sent to Oregon will result in 9 filters being distributed. The Rotarians will match your $100 with $350 to get 9 $50 systems in use! There is a 2 year Rotary Humanitarian Grant of over $56,000 in matching funds commited to this project. $50 will get 4 1/2 in use.

George Lewis from Florence Oregon is the person who is collecting donations so we can distribute the filters at a low price. He can give you more information. mrclor@charter.net

Gail has put 6 of these filters in use in her hotel and says the water is fantastic. "I think it is better than the bought water I used to get and the saving is phenomenal. Yesterday we took a dozen units to Santiago Atitlan for the people in our bead work group."

The filters cost $50 (about Q400) and provide Q3,360.00 worth of water if you buy the equivalent from the Salvavidas or Scandia trucks in big 5 gallon bottles. With the grant from Rotary they are costing $12.50 each, which is about Q100.00. The 2 replacement filters at the end of 1,200 gallons or 1-2 years (depending on consumption) cost Q130.00 each, total Q260.00.