Joan Velasquez, a volunteer who (trained in Bolivia 29-Mines Group) served in Cochabama from 1967-1969, has been selected as the winner of NPCA's 2008 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service.Joan is the co-founder, along with her husband, Segundo, of Mano a Mano, a nonprofit organization that has provided medical supplies, health care support, and other humanitarian assistance to impoverished villagers in rural Bolivia for the past 15 years. The award will be presented to Joan at the October 4 NPCA Group Leaders Forum and Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
For more about Joan's prestigious award, click here.
For a more complete biography, click here.
3 comments:
Congratualtions!!!
Way to go and make us proud!
Don Beck
Joan (and Don as this may be my first post if this works), do you recall the Group Dynamics sessions that were held in the evenings during training. Was there any mention of them during the reunion?
Anyway, I recall immediately after one of the sessions where communications with the facilitators got quite raw ... Joan saying something like " I know about this technique and I don't much care for it." It seems that at about this same time we decided to have our own meetings, less our regular trainers. Was this a bit of Joan's tough independent character coming through. Anyone recall any of this?
Congratulations Joan!
Jimk
Hey Jim!!!
I remember vaguely about training. I think most of us were questioning the techniques. I just remember the shrink they sent from DC to observe us was a trip. He was trying to be non-chalant but would sit down and then len into watching whomever.. he was weird. I remember Dr Katz our psychologist had a stutter but was such a warm and caring person!
I remember Joan as being quiet... didn't really get to know the couples well...
Peace
Don
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