Passionate Canadian Expands Focus of Angels for Mexico Andrea Cox - Calgary Herald | |
go to original June 10, 2012 |
Leesha Withrow, Lee John May and Rod Mackay, volunteers from Angels for Mexico, deconstruct a used playground at Monsignor Neville Anderson School. The equipment is to be taken this fall to an impoverished area in the Puerto Vallarta area of Mexico. Photograph by Calgary Herald |
Christena Callaghan is passionate about children and about helping others.
"I have a really hard time saying no," says this energetic and vivacious single mom. "Especially when people are really in need."
That is exactly why she created the Angels for Mexico foundation, a non-profit, charitable organization that began to improve the working conditions of emergency workers in Mexico and has since organically blossomed to support a variety of initiatives.
Five years ago, Callaghan was in Puerto Vallarta organizing a clothing drive for children in the Sierra Madre, a mountainous region close to the Mexican city, when she crossed paths with the Puerto Vallarta fire chief, who took her on a tour of the fire station.
"At the time, he had 44 firefighters for a city of 350,000 and they had only one firefighting coat amongst all of them. I thought to myself this is crazy, these guys are walking into burning buildings in T-shirts."
Her empathy was compounded by the fire chief's ardent belief that she was their saviour.
"He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said to me in Spanish, 'You are an angel, here to come and save us.' "
Callaghan says she got on the plane the next day to return to Calgary and realized she had to do something.
"It was one of those things that if I had looked at the whole staircase, I probably would have said no, but we have taken it one step at a time," says Callaghan reflectively.
Since the foundation's inception in 2007, Angels for Mexico has assisted with the transfer of over $4 million worth of surplus emergency equipment and gear to Mexico from emergency service departments in Canada and the United States. The ripple effects from this have been significant.
On a mission trip in May, volunteers from Angels for Mexico were each able to bring an extra bag full of donated rappelling equipment thanks to the generosity of WestJet.
The equipment was destined for use by emergency crews in the Sierra Madre region, where the high mountainous roads are treacherous, with hairpin curves and no guardrails.
"Two days after we brought the equipment, a car went off the cliff and fell 150 feet. They were able to save two of the four people, something they wouldn't have been able to do without the gear," says Callaghan.
Over the years, the foundation's focus has expanded to include many child-focused initiatives, including building refurbished playgrounds. Last year, the foundation, with the help of several volunteers, built two playgrounds in impoverished areas of Puerto Vallarta.
"These playgrounds are like Disneyland to the Mexican children," says Callaghan.
And most recently, Angels for Mexico assisted with the deconstruction of the playground equipment at Calgary's Monsignor Neville Anderson School.
The equipment will be refurbished and installed in Pitillal, an impoverished area outside of Puerto Vallarta.
The playground is dedicated to Karen Mergeremn, who died from cancer six years ago. She is the wife of Rande Mergeremn, a retired Calgary firefighter captain and an Angels for Mexico board member.
The playground's installation will take place during the organization's next mission trip in October.
"We get to go full circle with this playground," says Callaghan, adding that she will be returning to Monsignor Neville Anderson School to give a presentation on the installation and effects of the new playground in Mexico.
Callaghan says that her journey has been amazing. She has been able to make a real difference in so many lives and in the process she has gained immeasurably.
In fact, she met her husband through the foundation. Still newlyweds, the couple was married last July.
"I have had so many blessings from this and have met the most amazing people. And everyone has been so grateful. It just fills up your well and makes you want to do more and more.
Angels for Mexico can use your help in continuing to change lives. You can contact Christena Callaghan directly at christena.callaghan@gmail.com.
We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!
From activities like hiking, swimming, bike riding and yoga, to restaurants offering healthy menus, Vallarta-Nayarit is the ideal place to continue - or start - your healthy lifestyle routine.