Project Panama began in 2004 when a member of the Rotary Club of Boquete, Panama contacted me, a member of the Sylva, NC Rotary Club and asked for help with school supplies. In response, members of the Sylva Rotary, Cashiers Valley Rotary, Smoky Mountain HS Interact Club, and St. David’s Episcopal Church collected over 800 lbs of school supplies and $400 in cash. A portion of the supplies (300 lbs) and all the cash were delivered to the Boquete Rotary Club in March of 2005 for further distribution to the Escuela Alto Jaramillo and its students and teachers.

During that visit a partnership was established between all the contributing parties as well as expanded to include the Service Learning component at Western Carolina University (WCU) and the Division of Arts and Sciences at Southwestern Community College (SCC). The intent of the partnership was to provide international outreach for the participating Rotary Clubs (Including Smoky Mountain Interact) and St. David’s. It also provided an “Alternative” Spring Break for WCU and SCC students for which they received academic credit.

On March 3, 2006 a team of 25 people (12 adults and 13 students) departed for Panama.  During our nine-day journey we visited historical sites including the Panama Canal, ecologically sensitive rain forests, and worked at renovating and equipping rural schools. Part of the team also worked with a medical missionary team to provide medical care to the indigenous Guayami Indians located in Northwest Panama. We delivered 800 lbs. of school and medical supplies, $4500 in cash donation and over 1000 hours of labor.

Before each journey team members were expected to attend team-training sessions. Sessions covered Spanish Language lessons, history, geography, environment, and culture of Panama. WCU and SCC students earned 3 hours of academic credit for their successful participation in this project. All members were also expected to participate in fund raising activities to assist the project.

In March, 2008 a 32-member team (Both students and adults) delivered over 1000 lbs. of school and medical supplies, $8300 in cash donation and over 1600 hours of labor.

In years 2009 – 2011 area Rotarians kept in touch with visits and donations to Boquete schools.

In the spring of 2012 a team of 16 people made up of students from Franklin & Smoky Mountain HS Interact Clubs, SCC Students, area Rotarians, and members of the general community visited Panama. The team consisted of medical personnel and others that were willing and able to do physical labor such as painting, carpentry, landscaping, etc. etc. etc. The 2012 team traveled to Panama for 10 days beginning on March 2 and once again delivered supplies, worked on school renovations, on “clean water” projects, provided medical care, and helped with literacy.

Between 2013 and 2018 smaller teams took supplies and money to support various ongoing projects with the Emberra indigenous people and the rural schools of Chiriqui Province. We also, in a wider partnership with other clubs and entities, were in the process of building an addition to the Embera school at Parara Puru Village on the Chagres River and a three classroom High School at the remote village of Salt Creek on the Island of Bastimentos in the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

In the 14 years of this project, much has been accomplished. We have witnessed more money being put into the maintenance and upkeep of rural schools in Chiriqui Province. We have watched as remote schools became better equipped and brought into the 21st Century with electricity, clean water, computers and internet capabilities. We were present for the first high school graduation at Salt Creek, where none had existed before and where less than 10% of the students ever went on to finish high school.

We were able to provide clean water, bathrooms, and electrical lights where they did not exist. We allowed over 180 individuals (including local Panamanians) to participate in this project through their labor and skills as painters, bricklayers, carpenters, gardeners, doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and just plain laborers. We met so many gracious people along the way and have built life long friendships. I personally am grateful for the opportunity this project afforded me to grow and widen my own horizons. Thanks to all that have journeyed to Panama with me.