Annual Reports
2024
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
On January 29, 2023, we held our first board meeting to elect board members for their respective positions. The elected board members are as follows:
a) President: Tony Leung
b) Vice President: Linda Chang
c) Secretary: Laurie Lemmlie-Leung
d) Treasurer: Alan Baumbach
e) Prosecutor: Cher Michel
f) Member One: Stephanie
g) Member Two: Gregorio Filis
h) Member Three: Estela Ritter
i) Advisor: Ana Tribaldos
j) Advisor: Miguel Samudio
FUNDRAISING
We organized several successful fundraising events in 2024:
New Year’s Day Food Truck Fundraiser: In January, Beth Harrison set up her food truck at the home of Azel Ames during his New Year’s Day Community Picnic. All proceeds went to the library. We are deeply grateful to Beth for her generosity and dedication.
Community Parties: We hosted three themed fundraising parties throughout the year—the Black and White Bash in August, a Halloween Party in October, and an “Ugly Sweater” Christmas Party in December.
“Be a Light” Campaign: Our campaign to fund new lights for the library was a tremendous success, reaching full funding within just two days. Additionally, it inspired an anonymous donor to contribute on a monthly basis. Sustained monthly donations will be essential once the library is fully operational later this year.
Parada de las Flores: We were thrilled to showcase our building improvements during this event. As part of our fundraising efforts, we once again rented out the bathrooms (a surprisingly successful initiative), sold donated clothing, and distributed books to the public.
December Bazaar: Our annual bazaar attracted a large crowd and featured over 30 vendors. Beth Harrison generously donated her time and food truck once again, while Lyn Bishop organized her “BonBons for Books” campaign. To enhance the event, we added:
- A dog parade with prizes for the best costumes.
-Storytime and crafts for children, led by Natalie Richie.
-Face painting by Jenna Glasz.
-Balloon animals by Terry Newcombe.
We extend special thanks to Marianne Brown and The Quilt House for donating a beautiful quilt, which we raffled off in August. We are also grateful to Alan Baumbach for his generous motorcycle donation, raffled at our Christmas Party. A big thank you to the fundraising committee for their dedication to selling raffle tickets.
We deeply appreciate the generous contributions of Moisés Vega of Grupo ENX, Javier Sanchez, Regional Manager of Naturgy, and Haydee Janson of Janson Coffee Farm. The Janson family also donated a toilet and safety bars for our handicap-accessible bathroom. We are grateful to Linda Chang for her invaluable efforts in securing these contributions.
BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS
In 2024, we made significant progress in renovating the library building:
Expanded the sidewalk around the building.
Widened the doorway between the main rooms.
Repaired the roof and installed new ceilings with lights and fans in both rooms.
Renovated both bathrooms, including making one fully handicap-accessible, thanks to the Janson family’s donation of a toilet and safety bars.
Installed a new entrance with double glass doors, just in time for the Christmas Bazaar.
BOOKS
Chris Thomas and a team of dedicated volunteers have cataloged over 7,000 books in preparation for the library’s grand opening.
LANGUAGE LESSONS
ENGLISH LESSONS
One of the most cherished aspects of the original library was its role in providing English-learning opportunities. Thanks to the dedication of Natalie Richie, we relaunched English classes in January for three age groups:
Children (ages 7–12)
Teens (ages 13–18)
Adults (18 and up)
We look forward to expanding these efforts in 2025.
SPANISH LESSONS
Low-cost Spanish classes, led by Arelis Mendoza, started as a single mixed-level course and quickly grew into three classes, each tailored to a different proficiency level.
This report highlights the achievements and progress of Fundación Arte y Cultura de Tierras Altas in 2024. We are excited to continue our mission in 2025 and beyond!