{"id":43734,"date":"2021-01-27T21:45:11","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T02:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=43734"},"modified":"2023-05-06T17:41:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T21:41:14","slug":"cruisers-volunteer-to-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/story\/people\/cruisers-volunteer-to-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruisers Volunteer to Make a Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Guatemala\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Eager to lend a hand with volunteer organization Pass It On Guatemala, the author (on left), was happy to help the \u00adresidents at a local retirement home.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

While my husband, Ken, and I were in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, aboard our Morgan 38, Mary T<\/i>., I was eager to experience village life beyond the typical cruiser hangouts, and I was intrigued by the work of a charity called Pass It On Guatemala. Julia Bartlett, a British cruiser, created the organization in 2014 after sailing from England and island hopping through the Caribbean. Currently in her mid-70s, she has the energy of a teenager and works nearly every waking hour on her charity, without renumeration. She winces at the appellation of \u201cSaint.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

When I first met Bartlett in 2016, Pass It On Guatemala <\/i>(\u00adpassitonguatemala.org) had one simple mission: recycling discarded boat batteries and solar panels to light up schools and clinics in remote villages. Schools often double as community centers, and with the lights, village councils could hold meetings at night. Pass It On also offers solar lanterns to households with school children. \u201cKids were straining their eyes studying by candlelight or kerosene lamps,\u201d Bartlett explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Over the years, the organization <\/i>has expanded its mission. Now the team brings villagers first-aid kits, copies of Where There Is No Doctor<\/i> in Spanish, eyeglasses and soccer balls. At an old-folks home for the poorest of the poor, \u00advolunteers prepare lunch, offer medical supplies, and shower the needy residents with smiles and hugs. <\/i>Pass It On has also given scholarships to high school students, and puts on an annual lifesaving course for marina employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The charity is as much a boon to the environment and cruisers as it is to Guatemalans. Bartlett and her volunteers come directly to your boat to pick up used batteries and solar panels. Cruisers donate everything, from old boat parts to sails and clothes, which Pass It On sells at a bimonthly cruisers flea market, the organization\u2019s primary source of revenue. Bartlett is the queen of recycling, reusing and repurposing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Before I got the chance to go out to a village on an installation mission, I fell down in the marina parking lot and fractured my patella. Splat! All I could do was work the flea market and live vicariously through other volunteers, an eclectic bunch from around the globe. They described villages full of friendly, smiling children living in simple wooden homes with thatch or tin roofs and women cooking over open fires. Though most are subsistence farmers, a small number of villagers commute to towns for low-paying jobs. Rice and beans are their mainstay, but they always provide their best to volunteers, often offering chicken or fish for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we get it all set up and the lights go on, the kids clap and cheer,\u201d said Rick, from Sojourner<\/i>, a Pacific Seacraft 37. A former auto mechanic and owner of rental properties, he\u2019s no stranger to electrical installations and is an invaluable asset in the field. \u201cThe first time I went to a village, we rode in the back of a pickup truck for over an hour and then hiked uphill for two hours,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen we got there, everyone gathered around us. They were fascinated by the electric drill. They\u2019d never seen one before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"testing <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n A cruiser volunteer tested the voltage on batteries donated by other cruisers.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

What Rick liked best about volunteering was interacting with all the kids, and imparting his knowledge of electricity and wiring. \u201cThere was this one little boy in a village who followed me like a shadow. Every time I turned around, he was right there smiling at me, watching everything I did. I know people say it all the time, but helping others really does feel good, especially when you\u2019re providing something folks really need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Jim on Dreamaway, <\/i>a Hardin 45, echoed Rick\u2019s feelings. \u201cThese people have next to nothing, but they\u2019re so happy and grateful for what we\u2019re offering. The kids get really excited when we come.\u201d Jim spoke glowingly of the villagers\u2019 work ethic and the democratic fashion in which the village councils operate. \u201cIt\u2019s impressive,\u201d he said. With his shock of white curly hair and beard, many kids think Jim is Santa Claus. \u201cI tell them that the North Pole is too cold this time of year, so I like to come down here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Rick <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n As a former auto mechanic, Rick (aboard Sojourner<\/em>, his Pacific Seacraft 37) was no stranger to electrical installations and was a valuable team member.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Volunteers travel out to the sites in the back of a pickup truck or via motorboat, or lancha<\/i>, <\/i>to villages closer to the river. A few villagers always meet the team at the drop-off point to carry batteries and solar panels to the final destination, often a difficult uphill trek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Bartlett\u2019s right-hand woman and village liaison is a Guatemalan named Irene. She is one of the few paid employees at Pass It On. Irene studied to be a social worker, so Pass It On is right up her alley. She said: \u201cMy parents told me, \u2018Today for you; tomorrow for me,\u2019 like we should think of others before ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Irene discusses logistics and protocol with village representatives before volunteers come out. She explains they are coming to install a lighting system and instruct people how to maintain it. Then it is in the villagers\u2019 hands. Irene told me that one village refused Pass It On\u2019s offer of lights because they were afraid the volunteers would steal their children. \u201cThese villages are different from where I grew up. I like to get out and see how other people live. I want to see as much of my country as possible.\u201d Irene and her German partner will soon sail for Panama, then through the canal on their 36-foot ketch. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019ll do without her,\u201d Bartlett lamented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"kids <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n In just about every village the volunteers visited, the kids loved to have their pictures taken.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Fabien\u2014who is part of the \u201calternative sailing community\u201d alternativesailing.org<\/a>, a group of cruising musicians and performing artists that rehabs old sailboats with recycled materials\u2014has been out to several villages with Pass It On. \u201cBefore sailing, I hiked all through Central and South America. Often I had no money, and people took me in. This is the least I can do for them, and it\u2019s a good excuse to get away from boatwork.\u201d Fabien speaks good Spanish, and likes to joke around and make everyone laugh. Distributing eyeglasses is his preferred job because it involves a lot of interaction with the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Some of the older villagers are illiterate, so Bartlett devised an ingenious method to test vision by having folks thread needles. Those who can read are thrilled when they receive new lenses. \u201cThey are excited that they can read the bible again,\u201d Fabien said. \u201cSome of them get all shy and giggly when we hand them the mirror to check out the frames,\u201d said Lori, a retired nurse volunteer. Lori gets a charge out of the kids, who initially hide their faces and later poke her in the side, begging to be photographed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

When my knee was feeling stronger, I was able to make a trip with volunteers to M\u00e9son Bueno Samaritano, the old-folks home. Dixie, one of the lead volunteers at the home, told me: \u201cYou have to go in with an open mind, without any expectations, and let things happen organically. You can\u2019t try to immediately fix or change everything. It\u2019s not our culture. It\u2019s not our country. Sometimes we have trouble with the level of cleanliness or with the way the residents are treated by staff, but we can\u2019t tell them what to do. We have to go slowly,\u201d Dixie explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Irene\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Village liaison Irene led volunteers into the countryside.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

When I met Dixie and Jos, the other lead volunteer, in the Mar Marine lounge, they were unraveling rolls of toilet paper to create smaller ones. I was curious about what they were doing, and they explained that someone at the old-folks home was stealing the donated rolls of toilet paper from the bathrooms. With the smaller rolls, volunteers could discreetly hand them out to residents, who would put them in their pockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe residents love it when we show up,\u201d Dixie added. \u201cPeople always want to help kids, but they forget about old people. They need love too. When it\u2019s time to leave, the residents hold on to us and beg us to take them away. That\u2019s the hardest part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Bartlett envisions an online network connecting sailors interested in volunteering with organizations that need their time and skills. \u201cThat way, when cruisers arrive in port and want to pitch in, they will already know where to go. There are volunteer opportunities all over the Caribbean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Volunteering is great way to give back to host countries, meet other cruisers, and pass the time when you\u2019re stuck in port. You\u2019ll forget about yourself, get a close-up view of another culture, and make a difference in people\u2019s lives. Isn\u2019t that what cruising is all about anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Amy Flannery, Ken Kurlychek and <\/i>Mary T are at home in Bradenton, Florida, waiting out the pandemic before making future cruising plans.<\/i>W<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

hile my husband, Ken, and I were in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, aboard our Morgan 38, Mary T<\/i>., I was eager to experience village life beyond the typical cruiser hangouts, and I was intrigued by the work of a charity called Pass It On Guatemala. Julia Bartlett, a British cruiser, created the organization in 2014 after sailing from England and island hopping through the Caribbean. Currently in her mid-70s, she has the energy of a teenager and works nearly every waking hour on her charity, without renumeration. She winces at the appellation of \u201cSaint.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Manicure\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Volunteer Jos gave a manicure to a retirement-home resident.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

When I first met Bartlett in 2016, Pass It On Guatemala <\/i>(\u00adpassitonguatemala.org) had one simple mission: recycling discarded boat batteries and solar panels to light up schools and clinics in remote villages. Schools often double as community centers, and with the lights, village councils could hold meetings at night. Pass It On also offers solar lanterns to households with school children. \u201cKids were straining their eyes studying by candlelight or kerosene lamps,\u201d Bartlett explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Over the years, the organization <\/i>has expanded its mission. Now the team brings villagers first-aid kits, copies of Where There Is No Doctor<\/i> in Spanish, eyeglasses and soccer balls. At an old-folks home for the poorest of the poor, \u00advolunteers prepare lunch, offer medical supplies, and shower the needy residents with smiles and hugs. <\/i>Pass It On has also given scholarships to high school students, and puts on an annual lifesaving course for marina employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The charity is as much a boon to the environment and cruisers as it is to Guatemalans. Bartlett and her volunteers come directly to your boat to pick up used batteries and solar panels. Cruisers donate everything, from old boat parts to sails and clothes, which Pass It On sells at a bimonthly cruisers flea market, the organization\u2019s primary source of revenue. Bartlett is the queen of recycling, reusing and repurposing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Before I got the chance to go out to a village on an installation mission, I fell down in the marina parking lot and fractured my patella. Splat! All I could do was work the flea market and live vicariously through other volunteers, an eclectic bunch from around the globe. They described villages full of friendly, smiling children living in simple wooden homes with thatch or tin roofs and women cooking over open fires. Though most are subsistence farmers, a small number of villagers commute to towns for low-paying jobs. Rice and beans are their mainstay, but they always provide their best to volunteers, often offering chicken or fish for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we get it all set up and the lights go on, the kids clap and cheer,\u201d said Rick, from Sojourner<\/i>, a Pacific Seacraft 37. A former auto mechanic and owner of rental properties, he\u2019s no stranger to electrical installations and is an invaluable asset in the field. \u201cThe first time I went to a village, we rode in the back of a pickup truck for over an hour and then hiked uphill for two hours,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen we got there, everyone gathered around us. They were fascinated by the electric drill. They\u2019d never seen one before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

What Rick liked best about volunteering was interacting with all the kids, and imparting his knowledge of electricity and wiring. \u201cThere was this one little boy in a village who followed me like a shadow. Every time I turned around, he was right there smiling at me, watching everything I did. I know people say it all the time, but helping others really does feel good, especially when you\u2019re providing something folks really need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Jim on Dreamaway, <\/i>a Hardin 45, echoed Rick\u2019s feelings. \u201cThese people have next to nothing, but they\u2019re so happy and grateful for what we\u2019re offering. The kids get really excited when we come.\u201d Jim spoke glowingly of the villagers\u2019 work ethic and the democratic fashion in which the village councils operate. \u201cIt\u2019s impressive,\u201d he said. With his shock of white curly hair and beard, many kids think Jim is Santa Claus. \u201cI tell them that the North Pole is too cold this time of year, so I like to come down here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Volunteers travel out to the sites in the back of a pickup truck or via motorboat, or lancha<\/i>, <\/i>to villages closer to the river. A few villagers always meet the team at the drop-off point to carry batteries and solar panels to the final destination, often a difficult uphill trek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Bartlett\u2019s right-hand woman and village liaison is a Guatemalan named Irene. She is one of the few paid employees at Pass It On. Irene studied to be a social worker, so Pass It On is right up her alley. She said: \u201cMy parents told me, \u2018Today for you; tomorrow for me,\u2019 like we should think of others before ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Fabien <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Cruisers Fabien and Victoria aboard Orfin.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Irene discusses logistics and protocol with village representatives before volunteers come out. She explains they are coming to install a lighting system and instruct people how to maintain it. Then it is in the villagers\u2019 hands. Irene told me that one village refused Pass It On\u2019s offer of lights because they were afraid the volunteers would steal their children. \u201cThese villages are different from where I grew up. I like to get out and see how other people live. I want to see as much of my country as possible.\u201d Irene and her German partner will soon sail for Panama, then through the canal on their 36-foot ketch. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019ll do without her,\u201d Bartlett lamented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Fabien\u2014who is part of the \u201calternative sailing community\u201d (alternativesailing.org), a group of cruising musicians and performing artists that rehabs old sailboats with recycled materials\u2014has been out to several villages with Pass It On. \u201cBefore sailing, I hiked all through Central and South America. Often I had no money, and people took me in. This is the least I can do for them, and it\u2019s a good excuse to get away from boatwork.\u201d Fabien speaks good Spanish, and likes to joke around and make everyone laugh. Distributing eyeglasses is his preferred job because it involves a lot of interaction with the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Some of the older villagers are illiterate, so Bartlett devised an ingenious method to test vision by having folks thread needles. Those who can read are thrilled when they receive new lenses. \u201cThey are excited that they can read the bible again,\u201d Fabien said. \u201cSome of them get all shy and giggly when we hand them the mirror to check out the frames,\u201d said Lori, a retired nurse volunteer. Lori gets a charge out of the kids, who initially hide their faces and later poke her in the side, begging to be photographed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

When my knee was feeling stronger, I was able to make a trip with volunteers to M\u00e9son Bueno Samaritano, the old-folks home. Dixie, one of the lead volunteers at the home, told me: \u201cYou have to go in with an open mind, without any expectations, and let things happen organically. You can\u2019t try to immediately fix or change everything. It\u2019s not our culture. It\u2019s not our country. Sometimes we have trouble with the level of cleanliness or with the way the residents are treated by staff, but we can\u2019t tell them what to do. We have to go slowly,\u201d Dixie explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Fabien <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Fabien and Victoria helped at the flea market.<\/span>\n Amy Flannery<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

When I met Dixie and Jos, the other lead volunteer, in the Mar Marine lounge, they were unraveling rolls of toilet paper to create smaller ones. I was curious about what they were doing, and they explained that someone at the old-folks home was stealing the donated rolls of toilet paper from the bathrooms. With the smaller rolls, volunteers could discreetly hand them out to residents, who would put them in their pockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe residents love it when we show up,\u201d Dixie added. \u201cPeople always want to help kids, but they forget about old people. They need love too. When it\u2019s time to leave, the residents hold on to us and beg us to take them away. That\u2019s the hardest part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Bartlett envisions an online network connecting sailors interested in volunteering with organizations that need their time and skills. \u201cThat way, when cruisers arrive in port and want to pitch in, they will already know where to go. There are volunteer opportunities all over the Caribbean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Volunteering is great way to give back to host countries, meet other cruisers, and pass the time when you\u2019re stuck in port. You\u2019ll forget about yourself, get a close-up view of another culture, and make a difference in people\u2019s lives. Isn\u2019t that what cruising is all about anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Amy Flannery, Ken Kurlychek and <\/i>Mary T are at home in Bradenton, Florida, waiting out the pandemic before making future cruising plans.<\/i><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sailors in the Rio Dulce donate their time and gear to local villages through Pass It On Guatemala.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31729,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Amy Flannery","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"20210127","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"165","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Cruisers in the Rio Dulce help out remote villages by volunteering with Pass It On Guatemala.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"H4HEWY2THJAJ7DW3S3643F3XM4","arc_website_url":"story\/people\/cruisers-volunteer-to-make-a-difference\/","custom_permalink":"story\/people\/cruisers-volunteer-to-make-a-difference\/","arc_subtype":"right-sidebar","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":0,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[165],"tags":[284,1369,1244,1368],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43734"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}