Gary and Jennifer Schraer’s Bottle School Fundraiser!
How kids and communities come together to build bottle schools
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My Guatemala Experience
By Gary Schraer
There are so many good people in the world today. Most people want to give back and help humanity in some way or another, but don’t always know how or what organization to be involved with.
About five years ago, I made a connection with some wonderful people that had the dream of building schools in remote areas in the jungles and mountains of Guatemala. The name of this non-profit organization is Hug It Forward. The mission of this foundation is to bring education to thousands of elementary and middle school aged children throughout Guatemala who currently do not have the opportunity because there are no schools or teachers to educate them.
Hug It Forward foundation has made incredible accomplishments in the past ten years. There have been 135 schools built that are fully functioning and are 100% sustainable thanks to the generosity of so many great people. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be a small part of giving the parents and children of Guatemala hope of a better life, and to dream and to fulfill their potential for generations to come.
My words can never fully express the feelings I have had through serving the beautiful Guatemalan people. I have been to Guatemala to help build schools nine times and plan to go for the 10th time this November. My hope is that we can come together and continue this great work that will truly be a blessing for us and for the amazing people in Guatemala. God bless us all! Let’s make it happen!
My Guatemala Experience
By Jennifer Schraer
Going into this experience, I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I figured I would go to the site, contribute and do my part, go back to the hotel, and repeat until the trip was over. I thought it would be hard to communicate due to the language barrier, however, I was wrong! The community welcomed us with huge smiles and open arms. The gratitude these people have will warm your heart.
Two minutes after beginning to work on the school, five little girls instantly hugged me, smiling and thanking me. Their hope was restored, and the light was back in their eyes. Everyday the community, including the children, was right there with us happy, willing, and ready to help.
In addition to building the school, we planted trees to help rebuild the forest. Because of these efforts from the volunteers, these communities are able to thrive and maintain hope. I learned that my efforts truly did make a difference for these kids and for future generations.
The bond I have made with Guatemala and its people is beautiful, precious, and unforgettable. I now have seven Guatemalan girls who are my new friends. On my last day at the school, when we had to part ways and say goodbye, my new friends grasped onto me crying and would not let me go. I made a promise that day that I would be back in November to see my friends and to continue working on the school we had started for them.
This trip had a powerful impact on me. I went to make a difference in the world and succeeded.
I will continue to go back to Guatemala because the work that is done changes lives.
If you would like to support Hug It Forward, please follow these steps:
1. Write a check in the amount you’d like to donate and make the check payable to “Hug It Forward”. Please make sure you state in the memo line of the check that your donation is to support the “San Antonio Fundraiser”.
2. Mail the check to Hug It Forward at:
1204 13th St.
Argyle, TX 76226
OR…
1. You can make your donation through PayPal by clicking the button below. If you choose this option, please make sure to provide a note in PayPal that your donation is for the “San Antonio Fundraiser”.
Important Note: Hug It Forward is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization in the USA and your donation is tax deductible. Once the checks have been received by Hug It Forward, they will email a tax deductible receipt to you. Thank you!