Today the
Community of Salitrillo celebrated the completion of its cistern project.
Started in September, Salitrillo built eight
cisterns with the pilot cistern being built at the home of Señora Cecilia
Luna Rosas. The project team was
comprised of seven women and two men.
Salitrillo is located west of San
Miguel de Allende a short distance from the old road to Guanajuato.
The project begun with the project team attending a three-day training program which
consisted of learning about the importance of the project and clean water, how
to build a cistern and how to properly maintain the system in the future to
ensure continued pure water. The
training program was conducted by a team from CEDESA. The format of the three-day training program is a recent
addition to the project.
The community then went on to jointly construct their cisterns.
Today's program
consisted of comments on the project by each of the project team members, Lee
Carter (project manager for the Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende Mid-Day
Club) & by Chela Martinez (of CEDESA, the founding partner of these ongoing water projects - CEDESA is a
non-profit organization which conducts the training and provides technical
support for the project).
Members of the project team each received a Certificate of Completion from CEDESA and
Lee. Following a beautiful song by those
in attendance, the ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted by Chela, Lee and Fred
Collins, (President-elect, Rotary Club SMA Mid-day).
Following the
official ceremony, a great meal of mole chicken and rice. Cake was enjoyed by all
especially the children.
The communities of Alonso Yanez, Presa Allende, Begoña de Progreso and Boca de la Cañada, were represented, many members of COCIRA joined in for the festivities, along with Mayra & Hilda, CEDESA promotors from Coralejos, 7 San Miguel Midday Rotarians, 2 visitors to SMA & a member of the Rotary Club of Somerville Tennessee.
Submitted by
John Wallace (Rotary Club of Somerville Tennessee)