WellesleyWeston Magazine

FALL 2012

Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.

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good works "endless work" money spent to develop their community," explains Dr. Kaplan. "And this is really very significant because this is not an American or an American group coming down and telling the community what they need and providing it for them. I ask the community what they want and then work with them, if it's finan- cially feasible, to obtain this. And the goal of this whole project is that when we leave, what we've done down there will continue." What they've done so far with an operating budget of roughly $40,000 and almost no overhead has been tremendous. Ten men who have never in their lives held a job were sent to trade school to learn skills like electrical wiring, plastering, and plumbing. When funds became available to send ten more men, Dr. Kaplan assumed the group Member of the Cite Soleil community at work (above) and at play (below). would jump on the opportunity, but instead they decided that it was time to send ten women to school. So, in a traditionally male domi- nated community, ten women are now in school studying nursing, sewing, and cosmetology. Loans have been given to artists to repair their studios and houses, and some of these artists are now starting a children's art program. Money was provided to buy brooms, shovels, trash barrels, and trash bags so the streets could be made more livable. Electricity has been hooked up to about 1,400 homes. After a twenty- five member band was given new instruments, the group completed their first CD, won first place in a national radio contest, and bolstered community spirit by giving free concerts. A water tank to provide fresh water and a supplemental feeding program are both in the works, a community center where children can play and study has been repaired, and micro-loans have been given to start grocery and clothing stores. There's endless work to be done, but that doesn't seem to deter Dr. Kaplan or the WHS students. "Once you know that whether or not you make that sale impacts a person's life, you can't just drop it," says WHS student Alannah Higgins. And that's exactly what Dr. Kaplan is hoping. For more information, as well as ways to contribute, please visit WWW.CREATIVEHAITI.COM. 148 WellesleyWeston Magazine | fall 2012 EVENS RAYMOND EVENS RAYMOND

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