Octoberfest
Almost everywhere in the world, we hear this famous description of the month of October; “OCTOBERFEST”. And although it is undoubtedly associated with ‘drinking-bouts’ (a period of drinking, especially one involving intensive alcohol consumption) we can further say that ‘drinking’ is also equal to celebration.Here at LVF, we want to highlight that indeed our experience of the month of October is a FEAST!
LVF 30TH VIRTUAL ANNIVERSARY SABADO NIGHT CELEBRATION!
On Oct. 03, 2020, the Laura Vicuña Foundation (LVF) walked down memory lane as it gathered its past and present Vicunians, Sisters and staff who merrily reminisced and wholeheartedly shared not only their experiences but the values they learned, treasured and applied in their daily lives now that they have their own families and is walking separate journeys.
Sr. Marivic, LVF Managing Director said in her welcome address, “Ang kasaysayan ng Laura Vicuña Foundation ay MAKULAY, MAKAHULUGAN, at PUNONG-PUNO ng BUHAY..IKAW AT AKO, TAYONG LAHAT ANG LAURA VICUÑA FOUNDATION!” . (The history of Laura Vicuna Foundation is full of color, meaning and life. You and I, all of us, are Laura Vicuna Foundation.)
LVF is not just a mere structure that provides shelter and roof above “HOPE’s” head, HOPE, the name LVF gave to every children & youth, but it provided them sense of belongingness & acceptance, warm feeling of home, flicker of hope, and a Salesian spirit that lives, that transforms love into action! These values which they found at LVF are instilled in their hearts and is now becoming ripples of goodness! The proof of it were the testimonies of gratitude by LVF’s past Vicunians: Allen Ojera who worked at a 5-star hotel, Jesson Matrimonio, now a licensed teacher, Ryan Azucena, licensed Social Worker and Maricel who is a beautician abroad. They are, indeed, few of many proofs that not only is “HOPE” finally at home but each can deeply claim that, “HOPE is my HOME”!
LVF ON THE MOVE: WEEKLY SOLIDARITY serye!
The Laura Vicuña Foundation, Inc (LVF) 30th Anniversary celebration continues with our weekly Solidarity serye! As our weekly commitment, LVF have distributed a total of 2,400 hot meals from March to September for our most affected Child Protection Communities brought by the COVID-19 Pandemic. This is made possible in partnership with our October sponsors: Mr. & Mrs. Javier & Catherine Puno who pledged 500 food packs, Ms. Mel Salgado who chose to celebrate her birthday by sponsoring hundred hot meals along with her classmate in high school, Anna.
In celebration of the WORLD DAY for the HOMELESS (Oct. 10); International Day of the Girl Child (Oct. 11) and WORLD MISSION SUNDAY (Oct. 17), LVF has distributed a total of 400 hot meals with juices, school supplies for children and pre-loved clothes for all ages! All these, for our Homeless brethren & Child Protection Communities in Judge Jimenez, QC,Brgy. Pinagkaisahan, Hillcrest, Culiat, Bacood, Manila. Together, WE HEAL AS ONE!
LVFI PALAWAN
CELEBRATION OF THE SEASON OF CREATION
The Church declares the month of September until October 4, 2020 as the Season of Creation. This is a call or an invitation to care for our common home, our Mother Earth. Instead of the usual farm help the parents offer us, as an educating community composed of sisters, staff, parents and learners, we organized a “Laudato Si” Festival. October 4 marks the Feast of St Francis of Assisi known as the father of ecology. We celebrated Laudato Si Festival through our various program activities to express our care for our common home. The program began with an opening prayer on Creation followed by an inspirational talk of Sr. Aleth Evangelista, FMA. We then proceeded to the ground and planted 30 seedlings of kalamansi, guyabano, atis, anf other fruit bearing trees to signify also this year’s 30th anniversary of our Foundation.
The day was enjoyed by everyone with the Amazing Race which includes:
- Sack the Treasures – where each group with their designated place picked up pastics and trashes around and placed them all in a sack.
- Plant, Plant, Plant – enabled the groups to prepare the soil media for planting by mixing garden soil, manure, carbonized rice hull and concoction.
- Friends with Vermi – was the most exciting part of the race where each group have to get vermi worms which we kept in the vermi house to produce vermicast and be used for planting.
- Clean Pa More – with another designated place, the groups showed their landscaping prowess where they cleaned and beautified the garden.
Bakod Me Na – lastly, each group fenced the gates using bamboo materials.
BYE BYE PLASTIC HELLO ECO BRICKS FANTASTIC PROJECT
As part of the community Laudato Si program, we introduced and launched our new project in the center dubbed as BYE BYE PLASTIC, HELLO ECO BRICKS FANTASTIC! Each one will place their plastic wrappers in a one liter empty plastic bottle and when we are able to gather them, we will use them as our plot sidings or fence in the farm. In our little way of protecting the environment, we strive to live Laudato Si day by day.
CHILD’S PARTICIPATION
October 2, 2020 – One of our resident learners Agnis Mae Bumanlag was chosen by the Council for the Welfare of Children to represent the foundation during the Philippine National Children’s Conference (PNCC) 2020 cum Magna Carta for Children. Through this zoom encounter, our children were able to express their feelings and opinions of the present situation of the young including their voices of advocating for child protection even in farmlands and especially in far flung areas like Palawan.
LVWDTC-MALIHAW, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL OUTREACH
October 5, 2020. Laura Vicuña Women Development Training Center (LVWDTC) Community distributed lunch included fried chicken, pancit with rice and cheese burger for snacks to all the dedicated front liners (Barangay Police and Tanods, BFAT, Guards, Traffic enforcers, Gasoline pump boys and Victorias City Domestic Repatriation Information Center Personnel) of Victorias City. Everyone was surprised and thankful to be one of the recipients of the Don Bosco Mondo Project.
EXTRAORDINARY VISITATION of SR MABEL PILAR, FMA to LVC
On October 5 and 6, 2020, we welcomed Sr. Mabel Pilar, FMA, our Provincial Superior, for her two-day extraordinary visitation to the Laura Vicuna Center, Quezon City. It was a celebration of authentic family encounter. We had grown fond of her and it was not just a visit of a superior but a most awaited ‘home coming of a mother’. The educating community gave to the best of their ability their contributions to make her feel loved and cared for. The girls cooked their specialties, had a well- chosen presentation and most importantly opened themselves up to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in their encounter with Sr. Mabel, so did the Sisters and Staff. Our tagline for this provincial visitation was, “Sr. Mabel, you are Mary in our midst!” Yes, you are Mary among us! We celebrate your presence.
UST ANGELICUM REAP PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENT TEST
The moving forward of the LVC girls in their YS (Year in School Level) was something to feast upon. Yes, this October they did it again; climbed up the ladder a step forward. Thanks to their determination, discipline, hard work and great sense of purpose to shape their future. And thanks too to our ever dedicated Sisters and lay mission partners who faithfully journeyed with them on a daily basis, patiently teaching and researching with them in accomplishing their school tasks.
Six of our LVC girls are currently enrolled at the Ramon Magsaysay Senior High School, Cubao for ABM (Accounting & Business Management) strand. We dare describe this venture as Evolution for us here @ LVC because they are under the E-Module Program which clearly calls us to evolve and move with the rest of the world in terms of maximizing technology, giving emphasis on the good it renders more than the threat it gives to our girls. REVISION which is modification of rules and the “what we used to do’ in terms of accompaniment of our girls in healing and recovery; exposing them to the web and social media is a leap to the unknown for us a call of greater trust in the young (as we all know ours are young people at risk) trying to hit the balance between prudence and openness for growth and development. Again, WE DARE the UNKNOWN, WE take on the CHALLENGE.
JOURNALING WORKSHOP BY SR ROSALIA PANGANIBAN, FMA
A two day Journaling workshop was organized by Sr. Rosalia,FMA for our LVC girls. We all know that young as they are, they want to keep secrets, relish their experiences by writing diaries and composing poems. We capitalize on this reality and so took the opportunity to make this ‘interest’ of young people a formative one. Sr. Rose gave them an input on the WHY, WHAT and HOW to go about journaling. The workshop than made the girls more interested and excited to do journaling. A topic was given for reflection, a step-by-step jotting down or even doing various art expressions and lastly sharing their journaling experience. We strongly affirm that this workshop was indeed a needed educative formation for them. The girls will surely profit with regards to their healing and recovery journey. This is one good form of expressing what’s deep within them, in naming their emotions and most importantly their state of being so to help.
Laura Vicuña Foundation, Inc. 