For many college students, summer travel plans usually are dictated by where they can afford to go.
For the members of Colorado College's Cover One project, their summer plans were dictated by learning about some children they couldn't afford to ignore.
The brainchild of senior
Billy Blaustein,
Cover One was conceived in 2005 as a personal response to an earthquake in Pakistan which left more than 80,000 people dead and more than a million without homes. He raised money, purchased tents and sleeping bags, and sent them to those in dire need through the Pakistani Consulate in Los Angeles.
On June 12, Cover One will take a major step in its evolution when Blaustein and six other CC students – primarily athletes – travel to Honduras to conduct sports and health clinics at the Laguna Grande Escuela in the municipality of San Miguelito.
“I've been told the clinics will be really popular because they don't normally have things like this,” Blaustein said. “In the morning we will be with the kids. In the afternoons, we will be with the community leaders, showing them drills and teaching them how to set up and run sustainable leagues.”
Primarily an agricultural area in the mountains of central Honduras, the average daily income in San Miguelito is approximately 42 cents U.S. per day. Without the influx of foreign aid, programs like this would never be available to kids who would benefit from them the most.
“We take athletics for granted,” Blaustein said. “In many countries, athletics is a luxury. Some kids have to work in the fields or factories to support their families, or they don't have any type of fields or balls.” That includes many of the 8- to 12-year-old children who will participate in the clinics.
Among the health issues Cover One hopes to address is protecting the kids from pesticides and toxic fumes from burning trash. The group also will work with women between the ages of 15 and 25 on sexual awareness and sexual education every Friday.
“Health education is an important aspect to our clinic,” Blaustein said. “Our focus will be on health issues related to agriculture. A lot of kids spray pesticides, but don't wear any type of protective masks. There also are a lot of toxic fumes associated with burning trash. A lot of our project is concerned with education and awareness of health safety issues.”
Joining Blaustein (football) on the Cover One team are sophomore Ericka Baer (women's soccer), Alina Ford (volleyball; chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), Max Green (football), Jocelyn Corbett, Jason Steiert (men's soccer), and Misael Fernandez (football).
Cover One received a $10,000 grant as one of the winning entries in The Kathryn Wasserman Davis Projects for Peace. Each member was asked to raise an additional $500 to help defray the costs of necessary items like inoculations and vaccinations, as well as sports and school supplies that can be left behind.
To contribute to Cover One, contact Blaustein at 415.203.9541 or via e-mail at W_Blaustein@ColoradoCollege.edu
Another way to support Cover One is by purchasing fair-trade coffee through www.BuyWellCoffee.com.
Click "Buy Coffee" and choose from an assortment of gourmet coffees from around the world. Place an order that will cover your typical coffee usage for the next month, plus any gifts for your coffee-lover friends, family, and office. Shipping is free when ordering four or more bags.
During checkout, on the page that says "Review and Submit Your Order", type "Cover1" into the “Coupon Code.” Cover One receives $3 for every 12 oz package sold.
Next to “Coupon Code,” you also will have the option to repeat your order every four, six or eight months. BuyWell will ship your coffee automatically in these increments, and automatically donates $3 per package to Cover One. You can change your repeat order or cancel this subscription anytime. Support Cover One year-round and never run out of fair-trade coffee again.
