Playground Grand Opening Sun, May 17, 5–8pm Colonia Montes de Loreto Bring dominoes, chess pieces,  table tennis bats, ping pong balls  & basketballs to share or donate

Working hard for playtime
Text & photos by Russell Monk

Let’s face it, the timing couldn’t have been much worse: a runaway economic crisis, out of control drug cartels and, now, swine flu. (What if it were “lamb flu”? Would the reaction be so drastic? But, I digress....) The time seemed right, even if it was “wrong.” Montes de Loreto, a somewhat hardscrabble little colonia on a dusty hill just out of town, needed a playground. That day has arrived; it is done and the grand opening is May 17. Join us up on the hill in the evening (when it’s a tad cooler!). DJ Donny will spin and we’ll have refreshments and some surprises. If you have table tennis, bats, balls, chess pieces and basketballs you don’t need, bring them along.

Here’s how the playground happened. A few intrepid expats have bought lots and started to build (and a few even live there now) out in Montes (as the locals call it). A few years ago, Ashley Yoshida thought it would be a nice place to live and started to champion the area to like-minded types. The idea of building a new playground came up and soon after, the inevitable meetings and more meetings. Some money was raised, but still nothing really happened. I came back this winter and suddenly, probably because I live closest to the site, found myself in charge!

Holly Wilmeth and I have been shepherding this process through to fruition.

The project is really one big “We.” That was the idea from the outset—strength in numbers. Go grassroots in action. Many people giving what they can. And it has worked. Over 150 people donated money—many, sight unseen, on the strength of a “begging” website. Some donated their artistic talent for a hugely successful silent auction at el bajo fondo restaurant. Thank you to all—those who gave, those who played, those who bought. You know who you are.

Then came the hard work—over two months of construction where a hillside was tamed, retaining walls built, trees planted, a covered area erected with ping pong table, barbecue and even a chess table and, of course, brand new playground equipment. Brian Watson, a local Canadian architect and builder, tirelessly oversaw the whole project and rarely a day passed when he didn’t check up on the progress.

Then, the guys who did the real work, out there in the blistering sun, arriving before the sun rose every day, some coming from as far as Las Canas (15 kilometers along on Carretera a Dolores Hidalgo.) They were led by their ever unflappable maestro, Martine (nothing seems to faze him: ‘ta bueno, he nearly always replies to whatever you ask him), who I, we, the whole community of Montes should feel blessed that I happened to meet one day just by chance. “Do you have any work?” he asked me. Not really, I thought, but you could start clearing that hillside, which he and his pals did, and that is where the new playground is now. 

The money was not in place that day. The playground was still just talk. It was a gamble, but a calculated one. We had a belief in the collective will of “our community,” our friends and their friends. It has paid off, and then some. Just check out the smiles on the dozens of kids who are already scrambling madly across the playground. So, once again, we want to thank everyone, too many to even start to name, who have helped make this a reality. Thank you, to all of you. ¡Gracias a todos!

Russell Monk has been shooting professionally for longer than he would like to admit. He has worked commercially for a wide range of clients, advertising, design and editorial.

 Along the way he has garnered numerous nominations and won various awards with his photography appearing in American Photography, Applied Arts, Communication Arts, Graphis and Zoom. He has also had a number of gallery shows, self-published a book titled Amusing World and won a Gold for his travel writing at the National Magazine Awards. Presently, he is working on a long-term project, a book of Mexican photographs, shooting various commercial assignments and recording some new songs.

He is originally from London, via Toronto, where he still has a home, but he’s made San Miguel de Allende his principal residence for the last couple of years…or at least during the wintertime. He spends the other half back in Toronto or traveling the world. Although an Englishman with a cynical sense of humor, he is known for his generosity and kindness.



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City under house arrest
Text & photos by Russell Monk

I had been kicking about the idea of walking across, through and around Mexico City for a while—inspired by the great English writer and satirist, Will Self, who is given to such epic perambulations, writing brilliantly about his walks—but really had little idea where I would start or finish and how long it would take.

Last weekend, when one of the world’s largest cities was under virtual house arrest, seemed like a ridiculous time to go for a long walk. Or was it?

The bus station here in town was virtually empty. I pretty much had a private bus. El Norte was almost deserted, as well. I started out early Saturday morning at the Basillica de la Guadalupe, determined to go as far south as possible in two days.

The city was virtually shut down—schools closed, public gatherings banned, restaurants allowed to offer takeout service only. At the Basillica, a small outdoor service was under way. The priests wore masks.

The streets, normally more clogged than almost anywhere else, were eerily bereft of traffic. I could amble out into the middle of the tarmac and take photographs leisurely, something normally almost impossible. A few people wandered along the sidewalks. Some wore masks, but many others, probably the majority, did not. I wasn’t either, but I had one stashed in my backpack.

I kept walking down Calzada de los Misterios, sweating in the heat, finding little shade. I passed signs that extolled the virtues of washing one’s hands. In an internet café, I was offered liquid soap before and after I used the computer.

I chatted to people along the way. They seemed resigned, but a little angry as well. “It’s all political,” one man told me. Whatever that meant.

The markets in Tepito were still quite crowded. Back market DVDs seemed to be moving. I took a photograph and got something thrown at the back of my head. I didn’t bother to see what it was or to turn around, knowing enough about Tepito’s somewhat fierce reputation where strangers are concerned.

In the main Zócalo, a huge, white makeshift building had gone up. It looked like a temporary hospital ready for the infected hordes. In fact, it’s to house an upcoming dinosaur exhibit.

The huge Mexican flag hung at half-mast and fluttered limply in the breeze. Starbucks was letting in no more than four customers at a time.

Minutes later, latte in hand, I am “hit up” by a woman with her two kids in tow. She was polite, clean, well-dressed, the kids well-behaved. She cried openly. The tears streamed. The story followed: how she was recently deported from Colorado and had no money and needed to get home to Michoacán. She had nowhere to stay that night. Her kids looked on impassively.

I think if I hadn’t been holding a tall double latte in one hand, the other might not have dug into my pocket to retrieve 200 pesos.

In nearby Plaza Garibaldi, “mariachi central,” hundreds of itinerant musicians lounged around, smoking and chatting. There were no clients. A few wore masks which looked incongruous alongside their flashy costumes.

On Sunday morning I started out early, walked by Bellas Artes and a museum that has an exhibit called “Torture Instruments through the Ages.” I keep walking through the Alameda Central park. It was deserted, save for a few people still sleeping on park benches and some disheveled middle-aged men looking like down-and-out intellectuals from another era. Three policemen who patrolled the park sat astride their horses wearing sombreros and masks.

I kept walking. It was very quiet. It stayed that way until I reached Coyoacán later that afternoon.


Although a regular visitor to Mexico City, Russell Monk is based in San Miguel, where a project with the local colonia has captured his lens and heart. See the centerpages for the full story.

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If I can do it, you can do it
By Michaella Rodriguez

I had no idea what to expect when I came to San Miguel nine months ago to live with my writer husband. I love languages and arrived with the intention of improving my Spanish and perhaps finding another language class.

At the same time, I had an idea that I might want to share my love of language with others by teaching English.

I noticed myriad volunteer opportunities and language schools in San Miguel. (I don’t know which one outnumbers the other!) Reading Atención one day while taking in the scene in the Jardín, a call for volunteers at San Miguel School of English caught my eye and sparked my interest.

“Volunteer teachers needed… No experience is necessary... Excellent teacher’s guides provided. For more information, call Carole Whitney or Jean Yeager.”

Hmm. I fit the bill there. As a recent college graduate, I had no teaching experience, but I was motivated to give it a try. I called for more information and within a week I had an orientation and placement as a teacher for a Level Two English class.

At the orientation, I met President Jean Yeager, Vice-President Carole Whitney and many of the teachers with whom I would work. Many of these men and women had taught for the school in previous years. Only a few of us were newcomers and without teaching experience.

At the meeting, we learned a little bit about the school. The San Miguel School of English was founded in 1952 by Augusta Irving. The first classes were given in her own home and the homes of other volunteers. In 1986, when the bilingual school José Vasconcelos opened on Calzada del Obraje, the San Miguel School of English relocated and has continued to give classes there since.

Later in the orientation, we worked out who would teach each class. The school has six levels, with significantly higher enrollment in the first three levels. In those levels, the students are divided into different classes headed by different instructors.

At the time, we could choose to take our own class and teach three evenings a week, or co-teach with one or two others and work out who would give class on a given day or week. The school also has individuals who serve as long- or short-term substitutes.

Then we received the textbooks, workbooks and “excellent teacher’s guides”—as promised in the Atención announcement. While I may have felt doubtful about my ability to teach before, I was reassured after looking at my materials. Speaking (now) from experience, the guides really are very thorough and provide someone with zero experience a way to structure a lesson plan that’s not only instructional, but fun!

At the teacher’s orientation we were told to give the class using only English. Based on my knowledge of language acquisition and my personal experience studying other languages, I believe in the efficacy of immersion. But for the first time, in the shoes of a teacher and not a student, I wondered how it would work. How much English would my students know? I was surprised and impressed on the first day, as my students not only could answer my questions, they could ask me some, too.

It’s funny. People often don’t think much about the rules of their native language. Many times students would ask me questions that I really had to think for a minute how to explain. My internal dialogue was, “I don’t know why we say it that way; we just do!” Giving an English class to non-native speakers turned out to be a refresher course for me. Do you know why the “s” in “looks,” “names” and “faces” is pronounced differently? I didn’t know the rule until I started teaching English!

Another thing I couldn’t have anticipated was the relationship I formed with the students in my class. I got to know them as I found out some go to other schools, some work and they all have families. I felt comfortable telling them about myself too. During one class we had early in the semester, when we were differentiating between cardinal and ordinal numbers, we each told our birth date. I did my best to remember their birthdays. They remembered mine, too. A group of students actually came to my house on my birthday with a cake from my favorite pastelería. I was surprised and touched by this sweet gesture.

These students, who can range in age from 16 to 70, are very motivated and find time to learn English, although they may have other commitments. They realize opportunities will open up for people who know more than one language.

Teaching English in San Miguel has been a rewarding experience for me, as I’m sure it has been for countless others. It’s a chance to help others learn English so they might expand their horizons both in San Miguel and elsewhere. Volunteer teaching also allows you to meet people in the community who can teach you something in return.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at San Miguel School of English, you can email Jean Yeager at mexgenyus@hotmail.com or Carole Whitney at whitney@cybermatsa.com.mx.





Medicare expansion effort 
By Mark Bilker

Paul Crist, the director/owner of Puerta Vallarta’s Hotel Mercurio, serves as treasurer of the Democrats Abroad Mexico Executive Committee, among his many volunteer hats. He has devoted many hundreds of hours to researching and crafting bipartisan legislation to shortly be presented to the US Congress for possible inclusion in the upcoming omnibus health care overhaul bill.

Mark Bilker: Let us begin by asking you to briefly outline what you have done these past months in the way of research and contact work to bring the issue of Medicare expansion to its present point.

Paul Crist: I only took up this issue at the beginning of March, as I was aware it is of great interest to seniors living in Mexico and it seemed no one was organizing and pushing to make this happen. Since then, I’ve spent many days becoming expert on Medicare…the legislation, its operations, the politics and the players in Washington on Medicare issues. I’ve visited about 40 House and Senate offices in two trips to DC, as well as the AARP international director, Office of Management and Budget Director of Medicare Oversight and managers of a VA health care reimbursement program for retired military, called Tricare Overseas Program. I’m currently drafting a detailed proposal that I am confident will be introduced into legislation within the next few weeks. I have tentative commitments from members on the House and Senate sides to introduce this.

MB: Much has been written and discussed about the expansion of Medicare into Mexico. Unfortunately, a great deal of this information has proved false and/or misleading. Would you please explain the present situation as it actually exists?

PC: I wouldn’t necessarily characterize the information as false or misleading. I do think much has been written and said by folks who are not sufficiently informed and not sufficiently motivated to act. For example, I’ve heard people say, “They could just have a Medicare manager at the US Embassy and the Consulates.” The fact is, Medicare (whether we like it or not) is a very large and complex program. It’s not like Social Security, where you sign up at retirement and a check or deposit is automatically generated every month. Most Consulates in Mexico have a Social Security assistant for those rare cases where a beneficiary has a problem. Medicare simply cannot and will not operate that way here. We’ve also heard, “It will never happen here.” If we don’t make an effort to make it happen, of course it won’t. This has to be authorized by Congress and Congress acts when they’re pressured to act. When I’ve explained the concept and presented certain important facts about cost savings and health care in Mexico, I’ve gotten a very positive response from most members of Congress or their health legislative staff. The challenge now is to get this on the radar screen of enough members to make it happen. The legislative agenda this year has opened up an opportunity, but also a challenge to get this introduced and cosponsored by enough members very, very quickly.

MB: Without asking you to get into the formal legislative process, would you briefly outline for our readers the basic steps that congress must take before it can even begin to consider expanding Medicare outside of the US.

PC: Having worked on Capitol Hill, and now having studied this issue and visited enough members to know what they want in terms of a proposal, I am now drafting a detailed proposal that addresses all the legal and political issues that seem relevant. I’ll take that proposal to a member (probably Mike Honda (D-CA) in the House and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in the Senate) and ask them to introduce the legislation. They will pass my proposal to legal staff for review and to put it into the legal language that would become law. Having written legislation before, I think it won’t need a lot of work at this step. Then it gets “dropped in the hopper,” literally, a box in which members insert proposed legislation. The resolution (as legislation on the House side is called), or bill (as Senate legislation is called) is then assigned to a committee. My aim is for this to be inserted as part of the major health reform legislation that the Senate is already beginning in the Senate and that the House will take up soon. If passed, Congress essentially orders the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement the program.

I think it’s also important to point out that legislation is seldom a sprint. It’s more often a marathon. This may not pass this year. I’m taking a two-pronged approach, working like mad to get this passed this year, but also preparing for a longer term effort should it be necessary. It takes most legislation several years of sustained effort to get pushed to passage. We have to be ready for that challenge.

MB: What has changed to give us some real hope that a pilot program could become a reality in Mexico?

PC: A number of stars have aligned. First, we now have a Democratic Congress and administration. Not that I want to seem partisan, but Republicans have long promoted a gradual privatization of Medicare. That’s why, for example, we have Medicare Part C, which is a privately administered HMO-type option (which has ended up costing the system more than the traditional Parts A and B fee-for-service program) and Part D, which was a big giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry. Democrats believe more strongly that health care is a right and government has to protect rights.

Second, Congress is debating a huge health care reform bill this year. Our best chance of getting this little item passed is for it to ride through Congress on the coattails of something much bigger. Health reform is the best vehicle for this effort that has ever been debated in Congress.

MB: By even discussing Medicare expansion in a public forum, some folks will assume that should expansion legislation be approved, we will be merely steps away from Mexico-wide Medicare availability. Would you tell us a little about the “baby steps” involved in a pilot or demonstration project and its likely geographic scope.

PC: Medicare legislation requires that most any innovation undergo an “experiment,” called a Demonstration Project, before it can be rolled out on a larger scale. Most of these projects are authorized by Congress. This one has to be because it will be the first Demonstration Project outside the US, ever. Projects are usually limited by number of enrollees, by geographical area and in the number of years. Most include about 15,000 to 20,000 enrollees and run from three to five years. They must then be evaluated for cost savings, health outcomes, beneficiary satisfaction and other criteria. If they are found to be successful on these counts, they are then usually rolled out on a wider scale. It’s hard to tell what we’ll get approved, but I’ve looked at factors such as where the internationally and nationally certified providers are in Mexico, where the expat population centers are (and their demographics), and what US companies (mainly insurers) have affiliates or subsidiaries in Mexico that would make them lik
ely administrators for a project. While I’d love to see a Mexico-wide project, I think our best chance right now is to limit the “experiment” to Jalisco and Guanajuato, where Lake Chapala, Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel are located.

MB: Let me also ask you to talk a bit about what will be required by way of certifying providers here and what certification means to the project’s viability.

PC: Medicare will only allow certified health providers to serve beneficiaries. Medicare recognizes a number of US and international accreditation bodies. Joint Commission International (JCI) is the recognized international body, but as of now, only eight Mexican hospitals have JCI certification, mainly in Mexico City, Monterrey and several border cities. Many others are working on achieving JCI certification, as it symbolizes quality and safety to patients. Hospitals are doing this not so much because of Medicare, but because they want to participate in the growing medical tourism market.

In Mexico, a national certification body, Consejo de Salubridad General Certificación Hospitalaria (General Council on Health, Hospital Certification) sets standards that are similar to JCI. Right now, about 45 percent of public hospitals are certified and almost all private hospitals are. I am asking that CMS review the standards of this body and accept its certification in order to be a Medicare provider. This is a big if, but since some hospitals in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and San Miguel carry Mexican certification, those that want to be Medicare providers should be able to quickly obtain JCI certification, should CMS refuse to accept the Mexican certification.

MB: Why do you believe Mexico to be the ideal country in which to base the inaugural Medicare demonstration project?

PC: Demographics, proximity to the US, high quality of care and low cost. Based on the most conservative research, about 500,000 Americans live in Mexico. About 48 percent are at or very near Medicare eligibility age. No other country has the high percentage of US seniors that Mexico has. This population is spread all across Mexico, but areas of expat population density make this “experiment” easier to administer here than in other countries.

Quality of care and low cost also makes a strong argument for Mexico. A number of surveys done here have shown that expats overwhelmingly think the quality of care is equal to or better than the US, and some 85 percent say it’s much less expensive.

MB: Have you received encouragement from the Mexican government? From Mexican health care providers?

PC: Ministries of Economy and Finance in Mexico have shown a lot of interest. I have a couple of very good contacts in Mexico City and when the time is right, I expect communication between the Mexican and US administrations on the issue. The Mexican government sees this as an economic development issue, because with Medicare availability in Mexico, more Americans will retire here, buy homes and spend for goods and services. Certification is a means to enhance quality and capacity in the Mexican health care industry.

The Mexican health care providers are very interested and supportive, but so far, are sort of waiting on the sidelines. I think when this approved, you’ll see them scrambling to become a part of it.

MB: What is needed immediately from the hundreds of thousands of US citizens who currently reside in Mexico, a substantial percentage of whom are Medicare-eligible?

PC: It’s not too soon to be calling, writing and emailing members of Congress, especially your own elected representatives. You won’t get to speak directly to the member, but your issue will be noted and a staffer will begin to compile a file on this issue, if they haven’t already. About 40 members on both sides of the Capitol have been visited, but with 435 Representatives and 100 Senators, many haven’t yet heard about this effort.

Within a week, I will have a website up (now under construction) www.MedicareInMexico.org and we can direct members to that page for a comprehensive overview covering all the major issues on the topic.

You also can tell any member not familiar with the topic to contact Rep. Jim McDermott’s office (Jessica Rogers, LA); Rep. Mike Honda’s office (Cara Huang, LA); Sen. Jeff Merkely’s office (Andrew Green, LA); or Max Baucus’ office (Toni Miles, Health Policy Director). These are the most supportive and knowledgeable offices so far.

Congressional contacts will be much easier once we have a proposal introduced, as we’ll have a House Resolution number (e.g., H.R. XXXX) and a Senate Bill number (e.g., S. XXX). Then folks can just call and say, “Please ask Sen. So-and-so to support S. XXX for a Medicare Demonstration Project in Mexico.” With luck and hard work, I hope to have the proposal in within the next three to four weeks.

You can reach the Capitol switchboard at: (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Representative or Senator’s office.

You can find out who your elected officials are by visiting www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/basics  and entering your US zip code (or the zip code where you last lived in the US).

For tips on writing your representatives, visit the Atención San Miguel website at http://atencionsanmiguel.org.  In the “Community” section for the May 15 issue, you will find “Tips on Writing Congress” appended to this article.


Mark Bilker is the publicity chair of San Miguel Democrats Abroad.

Tips on writing Congress


The letter is the most popular choice of communication with a congressional office. If you decide to write a letter, this list of helpful suggestions will improve the effectiveness of the letter:

1. Your purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House bill: H. R. ____, Senate bill: S.____. 

2. Be courteous, to the point, and include key information, using examples to support your position. 

3. Address only one issue in each letter; and, if possible, keep the letter to one page. 

Addressing Correspondence:

To a Senator:

The Honorable (full name)

__(Rm.#)__(name of)Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510



Dear Senator: 



To a Representative:

The Honorable (full name)

__(Rm.#)__(name of)House Office Building

United States House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515



Dear Representative: 

Note: When writing to the Chair of a Committee or the Speaker of the House, it is proper to address them as:

Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam Chairwoman: 

Dear Madam Speaker or Mr. Speaker:

Minerva: Much more than a midwife
By Sharon Doherty

Minerva I find it easy to see why this friendly and modest, yet quietly assertive woman of 45 years, brings calm to women during child delivery in their modest homes in rural Puebla. Minerva smiles easily and puts those around her immediately at ease.

She is currently in her second year at CASA, on the way to earning her diploma as a certified midwife. Minerva had been trained in the traditional methods of midwifery, similar to the ways of her grandmother before her—with the use of poultice, soaps and herbs.

The people of Minerva’s village encouraged her to enroll in the midwife program at CASA. As a frontline medical caregiver, Minerva performs a vital service to her community. She not only attends home births, but also works in a small health clinic in her village. Her duties include giving vaccinations, taking pap smears, attending those with the flu and other ailments and even looking after the men of the village who get drunk on occasion.

In the surrounding indigenous communities, the Náhuatl dialect is often the only language spoken. Minerva grew up with this language. No monetary payment is given to Minerva for her services in these smaller communities, as the people she helps have no money to pay her. Minerva is quick to add with a chuckle, “My family will never go hungry, as my patients most often pay me by sharing a meal or giving me a chicken.”

Minerva remembers a particularly memorable delivery she attended when she was still quite new at her craft. “I received a message late at night to immediately go to the house of a woman in the country who was in labor. No road connected their house to the hospital and the family was concerned that she would not get to the hospital in time. When I arrived at about 3am, the woman and her husband were walking toward town. It was raining very hard. I dropped the clean sheets I always bring with me in the mud. I delivered the baby right there in the field in the pouring rain. I was very nervous and frightened that something would go wrong, afraid that the baby might drop right into a puddle; it was all happening so fast! It all turned out well. The husband went back to the house to get a wheelbarrow to carry his wife and baby home. I helped birth the placenta and then bathed the mother. Later, I helped bury the placenta in the garden to help a plant grow in that place, as is the custom. Since then, every birth has 
gone perfectly.”

Minerva describes how many of the younger people refer to her as abuelita, an affectionate term for grandmother. She’s often taken aback when she realizes that the 18-year-old young man she just passed on the street is one who she, herself, delivered. She feels real care from the community and they welcome her warmly when she comes home from her studies in San Miguel.

Importantly, Minerva has the support and encouragement of her husband Silverio and their four children. Although she has been discouraged many times when the money has been short, Silverio has always encouraged her to continue. “When there is no money, I tell Silverio that I should stop and come home. He always says give it a bit more time, something will happen and the money will come. Sure enough, just in time, the money appears from somewhere and my studies continue,” she says.

Each student in the CASA midwife program is responsible for tuition, books, uniforms and living expenses, although CASA does provide their accommodation in San Miguel at no cost. Asked how she is able to cover these costs, Minerva explained, “I thought that I would be able to work as well as attend classes and study. I soon learned that the heavy study schedule of the program did not allow me time to do both. My husband supports us by growing chiles and tomatoes on our land. I have also received support from a very generous donor, Dr. Cornelio, a supporter of CASA.”

Minerva has passed her thirst for knowledge along to her children. Two of her daughters are teachers and her son is studying to be a lawyer. Two of her three daughters also want to be midwives and follow in their mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps.


CASA volunteers Juanita Benedicto and Sharon Doherty met with two of the students to share their stories. 


CASA (Centro para los Adolescentes de San Miguel de Allende) runs Mexico’s first and only accredited Midwifery School, attracting students from all over the country. The professional program offers a rigorous three-year curriculum followed by a one-year residency. The curriculum includes a mix of modern medicine, anatomy, obstetrics, gynecology, familiarization with surgery, contraceptive methods, family planning and common diseases, combined with the traditional wisdom of the ancient practice of midwifery.

Visit www.casa.org.mx , www.casa.org.mx/sanmiguel.html  or contact Mary Murrell at 154-6060, Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm, or Cynthia Villagran, director of development, 154-6060.