The De Anza College RotaractClub completed its first internationalproject in Costa Rica.

Rotary is a 102-year-old internationalorganization dedicated toworldwide humanitarian service;the De Anza branch was establishedtwo years ago. De AnzaPresident Brian Murphy said,”It’s been De Anza’s mission thatRotaract participate in an internationalmission.”

The De Anza branch’s missionwas recognized during a presentationthey made at the CupertinoRotary Club last Wednesday.

Thai-Ry Chang Urena, a Rotaractmember, said that CostaRica was selected as this year’sinternational project because he’sfrom Costa Rica and it would bebetter to go there rather than to acountry where they didn’t knowthe system.

De Anza Rotaract membersstayed four days in Costa Ricaand worked together with otherNorth American, Central Americanand South American rotaryclubs as well as other non-rotaryclubs. They donated to two indigenousreservations, an elementaryschool and a children’s hospital.

At the Quitirrisi and Talamancareservations, they donatedbooks, learned to press sugar caneand witnessed aspects of CostaRican culture.

The club donated seven boxesof hospital supplies to the children’shospital, including latexgloves, heart monitors, band-aidsand other medical supplies. Thechildren’s hospital was a threedaywalk from the city where theDe Anza Rotaract club staying.

“The main goal was the children’shospital,” said Israr Qumer,another member. “We had raised,say, about $8,000 – $9,000. Withthe help of Assist International,we were able to obtain around$20,000.” Assist International isan organization that collects replacedequipment from hospitals,and refurbishes them to distributethroughout the world.

“We met with the kids, spenttime with them, gave them booksand read to them,” said Qumer.The hospital’s patients wereorganized according to affliction.

Pearry Mo, Rotaract member,spent time with some of the burnvictims in the hospital. “I met oneboy who got 80 percent of hisskin burned,” she said.