Cigar Weekly

   The charitable organization founded by Tabacalera A. Fuente and J. C. Newman, updates on their Cigar Family Charitable Foundation's activities each month. In addition to the regular report this month, is news of the Foundation's activities in neighboring Haiti after the devastating earthquake there.  

Cigar Family Helps Haiti

In response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, the Fuente and Newman families are using their connections in the neighboring Dominican Republic to provide desperately needed supplies to the Haitian victims. Trucks supported by the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation are driving an estimated 300-mile direct route from Santiago, D.R. to Port-au-Prince to provide water, food, basic medical supplies, blankets, tents and radios. If you would like to support these efforts, please send donations to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation - Mission Haiti, P.O. Box 2030, Tampa, FL 3360.

Education
      December 18 was Children’s Day for students in Pre-Kindergarten through 2nd Grade.  They enjoyed musical and clown performances and received toys for the holidays.
 
      The first semester ended last month with our students completing final exams ad the reporting of grades.  Overall, students seemed to do well.
 
      Alejandro Martinez was nominated for a National Youth Award for his volunteer work helping his community.  Recent graduate Jennifer Santana was similarly honored with a National Youth Award for her outstanding community work and academic achievement.

Community Health Center
      Last month, the Cigar Family Health Center treated 157 patients including 3 home visits to patients who were too sick to travel to our clinic and 57 dental visits. 

Community Development Programs
      Last month, the Project staff assisted community members in the villages of Caribe and El Verde to clean and repair three parts of the pipeline that supplies clean drinking water to these communities and had been damaged.
 
      We visited the communities of Palmarito, Los Arroyos and Jengibre and inspected the in-home water filtration unites that the Project had previously installed to ensure that they were working properly and supplying clean drinking water.  The families told our staff that they are very grateful for this service and to have clean water.
 
      Cigar Family is working with another company in the area, Xstrata Nickel, and community leaders from the villages of Caribe and El Verde to teach residents about health and wellness issues. Last month, we brought physicians from the provincial capital of Bonao to explain the contraction, symptoms, and prevention of Dengue fever.
 
      On Saturday, December 12, we led a day-long community clean up of the streets, pubic areas, and facilities in the communities of Caribe, Los Arroyos and El Verde.  Dozens of residents and community leaders joined in our efforts to improve these impoverished areas.

 Community Health Center
      We continue to grow an array of fresh fruits and vegetables on our organic farm.  Most of this produce is served in healthy meals for our students. Last month, staff with help from the students planed 500 new plants.