Caborca is a modern city of some 35,000 people with over 125,000 in the immediate area. It is governed by a mayor and eight council members. Caborca is in an agricultural and ranching area of Sonora. In addition to its agricultural production, local industries include a Pedro Domecq winery, juice plant, raisin plant, dairy, Hewlett Packard keyboard assembly plant, Fed Ex invoice facility and a meat-packing plant for some of the best beef in all of Mexico.

Some local service organizations include the Chamber of Commerce, the Farmers’ Association, Cattlemen’s Association, Lions, Masons, Kiwanis Rotary International, 20-30 Club and the Business and Professional Women’s Club.

Caborcans are very proud of their State Championship baseball team, Los Rojos.

Caborca has several motels and a small airport. The fishing and swimming at the nearby beaches (60 miles) are among the best on the Gulf of California.

KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR MEMBERSHIP!

Sister City Association of Prescott
Prescott City Hall
P.O. Box 2059
Prescott, AZ 86302

President Ed Williams called the meeting to order at 10:05 am at the Prescott Public Library. There were 28 members in attendance and two visitors including all board members, except for Sharon Guastella.

Minutes: The February minutes were approved as read.

Treasurer’s Report: Beverly Houston reported that we have taken in $445 in dues and have had no disbursements, leaving us with a balance of $9,350.34.

President’s Report:
- Ed Williams welcomed visitor Mary Stilin (John Abbott’s mother) and thanked Doris Theriault and her committee who set up the Sister City display in the Viewery upstairs at the library for the month of March. Committee members were: Peg Boyce, Bob Greninger, Tony & Sharon Guastella, Roy Martinez, Lee Nidess, Sam & Pat Pool, Dick Schmidt, Coleen Scott, Joan Stinstrom, Joanne Tomasi, Ed & Vera Williams.

- Gratitude was also expressed to the four candidates for the SCA board. They are Fred Czarnowski, John Hale, Roy Martinez and Paul Trout. The Search Committee consisted of Joan Stinstrom, Beverly Houston and Pat Jones.

- The Sharlot Hall Museum director will speak to us at April’s meeting to develop interest in our participating in Day of the Dead events at the museum in the fall. – Caborca Sister City member Guillermo Sandoval (Memo) sends his thanks to all members who sent sympathy cards and messages on the death of this mother.

- The State Sister City meeting is scheduled for May 16-17 and is being coordinated by Bob Greninger. Please contact him if you can help with the event. – There has been no response as yet from John Phillips of Goodwin Pharmacy to see if we can be allowed to park cars there during the 4th of July parade.

- Trip to Caborca: April 4-7

The coordinators for this trip are Ed Williams and Roy Martinez. 12 rooms have been reserved for our group. Please notify Ed or Roy as soon as possible if you plan to travel with the group.

Four or five students from Northpoint School are planning to join us on the trip under the tutelage of teacher Alison Wiggers-Zych. They are interested in helping out with community projects during their visit. Students from Sacred Heart School also want to travel with us. We shall explore that initiative.

Travel logistics: Roy will lead a caravan of cars leaving from the K-Mart parking lot on Willow Creek, assembling at 8 am and leaving by 8:30 am. All travelers are to meet at the Subway in Gila Bend by noon so that all can cross the border together. Plans for the visit include a fiesta on Friday evening, a visit to Alina’s home, a visit to the orphanage on Saturday and help in decorating the float. Sunday is the parade followed by another fiesta. Bill Makela will portray Henry Crabb for the occasion. Return home on Monday. Please be sure to bring a passport or a birth certificate and photo 10, hard candy to pass out to the kids, an umbrella for shade and lots of water.
Paul Abbott has obtained 50 children’s videos from the Casa Grande library and his mother is donating many stuffed animals for the orphanage. Paul’s friend in Caborca has arranged for meat to be donated for one of our fiestas.

- Board of Directors Candidates:

Ed Williams will not return to the board but will revive the newsletter.

Joan Stinstrom introduced the four candidates: Fred Czarnowski, John Hale, Roy Martinez and Paul Trout. Each candidates offered a few words ontbehalf of his candidacy. tVoting packets will be handed out at the April meeting and mailed to those not in attendance.

Committee Reports:

Auction: June Nash reported that there is still no person interested in being chair of the auction, so other avenues are being explored such as a fiesta. John Hale mentioned the new indoor swap meet in Prescott Valley where items can be sold on weekends and also left on consignment. This might be a way to sell things that would normally be in our auction.

June is still collecting coupons for soldiers in Iraq, has helped mail 30 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and has information on a Victorian Wedding presentation on April 19th.

Orphanage: Sam Pool reported that a visit to the orphanage a few weeks ago revealed that there are only six children there at this time and they might be asked to ride on the float with us in April. We are looking into teaching them English language skills either by sending them to a language school or paying for a tutor to come to the orphanage. We brought pillows, pillow cases, DVDs and will soon get shoe sizes so that we can purchase running shoes for them. There is slow progress on the other orphanage.

Education: Fred Czarnowski reported that there hasn’t been much response from the Caborcan education committee but that Ed Williams and Bill Makela will speak with them during the April trip. John Abbott suggested approaching Yavapai College to obtain in-state tuition rates for some Caborcan students.

Pickle Posse: Lee Nidess verified that our pickle sale dates have all been approved: June 7-8, Aug. 3D-Sept. 1, and Oct. 11-12. We will have the same space on Gurley Street as in the past. Sign-up sheets will be available at future meetings. He is now working on obtaining donations of water and soda.

Members are asked to purchase regular (not diet) soda when on sale to help out.

Social: Roy Martinez reminded everyone that the Caborcans will be here July 18­21. Goldwater lake is reserved for July 19 and for our August picnic. He thanked everyone who sent sympathy cards on the death of his mother.

Library: Doris Theriault reported that the library grant results should be known at the end of March but that director Toni Kaus is interested in pursuing a “learn English at the Library” program for mothers and children regardless.

Unfinished Business: The other Sister City association is still active.

New Business:

Members traveling to Caborca will be asked to carry one donation box each to facilitate crossing the border.
Members who lent things for the library display are asked to come pick them up on Monday, March 31st at 9 am.
Notify Ed Williams if you need a ride to Caborca at 776-0804 or edwil@cableone.net.

Announcements:
OLLI programs at Yavapai College will be featuring two of our own members. Bill Makela will present “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” on April 14th from 10 to noon. Ed Williams will speak on Mexican-American relations on April 16th from 10 to noon. Contact Peg Boyce at 445-0050 for more information.
Roy Martinez announced that the Yavapai College sports department will donate its used sports equipment to Sister City.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:25 am.
Program: Fred Czarnowski spoke about “Hands Across the Border”.
Doris Theriault
Acting SCA Secretary