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      Vol. II Number 3  July, August, September 1997

GASA LAUNCHES BOOK DRIVE FOR SIQUIJOR!

San Jose, California, July 31. At its last meeting in June this year, the GASA board members unanimously approved a proposal by Bebe Miraflor to develop and maintain a Bookmobile that could reach out  to the general public of the island. Bebe draws from her years of experience of soliciting books from Stanford University and donating them to her Alma Mater, Foundation University. Spurred by the enthusiastic support she received from felow GASA members, Bebe formally  submitted the proposal to the board who endorsed it without question. Many GASA members particularly the Miquiabas family of Ohio, the Ligutoms, the Quijanos the Gubuans, the Paculbas and the Miraflors believe that it is an idea whose time has come. Shortly after word got out, donated books started piling up in GASA members' garages!

Recognizing the sad dearth of reading materials for the general public on the island,  GASA decided that it would be a project worth undertaking. The main goal of the Bookmobile is to enable our folks especially the indigent and the children, to have access to these materials by bringing them to their neighborhood. It is also hoped that the exposure to reading materials beyond the basics provided by local schools, will encourage our community to broaden their knowledge base and instill in them the value of education through reading. Cyd Quijano Deale, Rene Rocamora and Leo Mamicpic, bookworms particularly interested in helping improve the literacy of our island children, have already pledged their support to help collect children's books.

GASA president, Al Quijano, recently wrote to the Rotary Club of Siquijor in care of its president, Earl Francis (Boyette) Tan, explaining the concept of the bookmobile project and more importantly, requesting their assistance in managing the mobile library. However noble the idea, its success would be contingent upon the assistance of an island-based partner who is able and willing to manage the circulation system of the GASA Bookmobile. GASA strongly hopes that with
their integrity and proven civic spirit and partnership in the ongoing clothes-for-the-needy project, the Rotarians will again extend their assistance to include the GASA Bookmobile in their civic services. An update on the progress of this project and negotiation with the Rotarians will appear in the fall newsletter.

In the meantime, solicitation of books and related educational materials for the GASA Bookmobile is already underway.

For pick up, please contact the following Bookworms:

Bebe Miraflor   - miraflor@cis.stanford.edu
Leo Mamicpic - leom@cea.edu
Cyd Quijano Deale - cyd_swanson@ccarey.com
Rene Rocamora - hostmaster@siquijor.org