What to bring for local D.R. children??

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megamania

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Sep 10, 2005
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Hi there.
As a lot of you know, we are heading to Cabarete in Jan/06. I am in the middle of Xmas shopping and I was thinking of some of the children in the D.R. who may not have as much as most of our own children. Can you people, in the know, suggest some items I could bring along for them. I have read that school supplies, i.e. crayons, pencils, etc. would be good. Any other ideas.
Obviously when flying will only have so much space to pack things, but would really like to bring appropriate items.
Thanks so much!!:classic:
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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chocolate, like in Hersey's kisses....a little will go a long way..

gee-gaws, like hair clips for girls, yo-yos, rubber balls + all that other stuff.

Hot Wheels? Stuff you might get for "stocking stuffers" in the states or Canada.

HB :D:D:D

I like the fact that my 6000th post was about kids and Christmas.:p:p:p
 
N

nlove88

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Aug 12, 2005
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I went down to the DR in November to visit my sponsered child, his siblings and his family. I was faced with the same dilema you are in. What do I bring them? I ended up bringing down crayons, matchbox cars, action figures and candy toys. However, I also was able to take them shopping afterwards so they could pick out things they really liked. They seemed to love the initial gifts I brought down with me.
 
C

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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I agree, good suggestions!
More things that you can pack easily;
Also small flash lights, "funny" lollipops, baloons in funny shapes, those straws that you bend and that then glows in the dark is always a hit ( don?t remember what you call them in English...LOL ),
 
V

Victor Laszlo

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Aug 24, 2004
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I believe its Glowsticks, Carina, available at party stores and such. Its another good suggestion that I'll add to my list, too.
 
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carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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Yes, that is right. Forgot the name.
When people bring them the kids glow too! They love them!
 
M

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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Victor Laszlo said:
I believe its Glowsticks, Carina, available at party stores and such. Its another good suggestion that I'll add to my list, too.
Click to expand...


In the foothills of Azua, I can never have enough of them, and some people come from miles around asking for one for a child or a grandchild. My son Steven (who is a member of this board) brings tons of them on his infrequent visits from Atlanta. Steve, if you are reading this, please don't forget the glowsticks ;-)....
 
C

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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Hey, even my son gets religious when he gets them!
In the colmado where we live, Denny the owner, asked us to fix him some boxes... People would even buy them.
We asked some friends to bring them, and of course we gave them away..

My son suggested in the colmado to the people to have them around their Presidentes, and when the light goes off they will still see their bottles.
Everyone thought it was a great idea, and it went on as long as there were glowsticks!
 
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Victor Laszlo

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Aug 24, 2004
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Mirador said:
...some people come from miles around asking for one for a child or a grandchild.
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Hey, I think they're pretty cool myself!

Its one of those simple, inexpensive things that appeals to just about everyone.

I'm bringing Christmas gifts for one family, but I'll include a bunch of extra glowsticks for the neighborhood kids.
 
V

Victor Laszlo

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Aug 24, 2004
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carina said:
My son suggested in the colmado to the people to have them around their Presidentes, and when the light goes off they will still see their bottles.
Click to expand...
And they're practical, as well. :classic:
 
Y

yasmin

Member
Jun 16, 2005
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Toothpaste + teethbrush for children (looney tunes/walt disney), they like it, and it's actually better than sweets. Also a basketball (you can take it empty), and stuff for school.
They also like bathing suits and toys for the swimming pool, but that's more at Semana Santa.
 
L

laurapasinifan

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Sep 19, 2005
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ok do you people already have a place to take this stuff?. Do you just go up to a school and ask the administrators if you can hand out stuff?. at some point it would seem the line will still be going and you would be out of stuff. Or are you already in the know about places that arrainge these types of handouts? I would think some schools-areas are in more need that others, how would you find that info?

or are you bringing things for people you already know? like friends of friends and or a specific neighborhood?

thanks BOB
 
P

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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There are many good ideas here. I personally don't like bringing or giving candy. For many of these kids their diet is bad enough already, and it is immediately gone. I love the toothbrush and toothpaste idea! Both are quite expensive here. For many families the choice would be buying a toothbrush or buying food!

I also suggest pencils, markers, erasers, sharpeners, stickers, pens, rulers, for the older kids those geometry sets (can't remember what they are actually called) I don't recommend crayons cause they get soft in the real heat!
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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FAN: There are several groups that work with kids and can help you distribute stuff. In POP there are a couple of projects like Mustard Seed and Proyecci?n Juvenil, in Sos?a there are at least three (am I right?), and in Cabarete there is at least one.

Talk to the local crew at your precise destination, aand they can point you in the right direction.

Hillbilly question: Do glowsticks work more than once? I've seen them but never actually touched one.

HB :p
 
C

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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I would also advise people to give gifts via organisations like those mentioned above that will target them effectively, as opposed to handing them out to children at random.

IMO it's not good for children to see foreigners as handers-out of goodies: it only encourages begging and might even lead some of them to pursue other 'exchanges of favours' with less savoury foreign visitors.

If the organisation is reputable, it will ensure that it gets to those who need it most, and ideally they will spread out their work to communities that aren't always receiving visits from foreigners.
 
C

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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Hillbilly said:
FAN: There are several groups that work with kids and can help you distribute stuff. In POP there are a couple of projects like Mustard Seed and Proyecci?n Juvenil, in Sos?a there are at least three (am I right?), and in Cabarete there is at least one.

Talk to the local crew at your precise destination, aand they can point you in the right direction.

Hillbilly question: Do glowsticks work more than once? I've seen them but never actually touched one.

HB :p
Click to expand...

HB, Glowsticks works only once...Exactly like the wonderful Hershley kisses!
But they are so fun! Can I have one too?:classic:

I agree about organizations.
In POP area there is Integracion Juvenil, Fundacion Patria, The church and many more.
 
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