In addition to participating in the causes supported by the Gymtime Foundation, many of Gymtime’s teachers and staff members have individual causes they support outside of the facility doors.

Twice a year, Gymtime’s Director of Operations, Jessica Flores, travels to the remote mountains of the Dominican Republic for mission work. We wanted to hear more about the organization and catch up with her about her most recent visit this past June.

1.  What organization is your mission trip through?

The name of the service trip is Bridges to the Dominican Republic and it is organized by the Dominican College in Orangeburg, NY. Since 1997 Campus Minister, Reverend Ron Stanley has organized groups of students to do two weeks of community service in the rural communities of Dominican Republic. As of June, 32 groups have traveled with Bridges to do mission work.

2.  How long have you been volunteering with this organization?

I worked at Dominican College and served on a committee that hosted Father Ron as a guest speaker for our Service Learning/Volunteering theme.  He talked about the trip and I immediately knew I had to go. A few months later, Father Ron was employed at the college and was looking for an additional staff person to assist him. This was the perfect opportunity to get involved. Since the first trip in January 2008, I have been going twice a year to serve in the Dominican Republic. What is the purpose of these mission trips?

3. What are the goals of these mission trips?

The tangible goals of these trips are to assist rural communities to build and improve their homes, schools, roads and means of income. We also distribute new clothing, shoes and medicines to various neighboring communities. The underlying goal is build understanding between college students and their Dominican host families. Students and staff live with selected farming families, experiencing everyday life, generally without the benefits of electricity, flush toilets, paved roads, etc.

4. What area in the Dominican Republic are you traveling to? Where do you stay once you are there?
We travel to La Cuchilla, which is about a three hour ride south of Santiago. We fly into Santiago, travel on a private bus to the nearest village then travel on 4 by 4’s up the rest of the mountain to the hamlet. Once we are in La Cuchilla, we travel everywhere by foot.

I have stayed with the same host family since I started volunteering in January 2008. The family includes a grandmother and grandfather along two of their sons, one of which has his wife and two children with him. The men work on their land producing coffee beans, corn, pineapples, mangos, oranges, yucca, bananas, plantains, beans, and peas. They also raise cattle and chickens. The women take care of the children and the house.

5.  Since you started visiting this family, how have they changed? How has the environment around them changed?

My host family was very quiet and shy when I first arrived. We had a special connection from the beginning and I promised to return. Since I kept retuning, I noticed that they are more comfortable with me and they treat me as though I am truly part of their family (they have become family to me as well). Everything else in the family is pretty much the same – same routine, same home, same people, same set-up, just with more love to give and every year fonder memories to keep.

As far as the environment, it is still the same. The roosters still crow early in the morning, the chicks chirp around the house, the bulls still look scary and the cowboys still ride their horses to move cattle. Since Bridges, some changes include flushing toilets in all homes of the host families, a renovated church, a new high school in the community (before the high school was built, children walked 2-3 hours to the nearest village) and speed bumps are built around the schools. Through a recent fundraising campaign, we supported building a school yard at the high school, which is currently under construction!

6.  Describe your typical day when you are volunteering?

I usually wake up at 6:15 am (or earlier depending on how early the roosters start and how close they are to your room!). I always start the day off with a fresh cup of home grown and roasted coffee and usually some bread with butter. By the time I sit for breakfast, everyone in the house is working on something – mom gets the kids ready for school, grandma is cleaning and handing out coffee to every neighbor that passes by the house and the men are out in the fields. It takes me about 30-45 minutes of trekking up and down the mountain to get to the school and the sun is already greeting me as I go. The children eagerly await our arrival, as they are anxious to hear what the plans are for the day. Throughout the morning, we play games, create projects, prepare for a show and learn about the children and their families. At noon, our families bring us food for lunch. We eat together then meet as a group and talk about our day-to-day experiences, challenges, concerns and plans. Siesta is from 12-2pm and then it is back to the school or any community projects. The children attend school either in the morning or in the afternoon, so we have a different set of kids each time.

7. What is your favorite aspect of your mission trips? Least Favorite?

My favorite part of the trip is that we are immersed in the culture and in the everyday lives of the families we stay with and around us.  My least favorite part is saying goodbye.  At the end of the two weeks, I always wish I could do and give more. They give me valuable lessons on life, family, friends, loyalty, patience and hard work. Lessons that could never be repaid no matter how much I do or give.

8. What did you hope to accomplish on your most recent visit in June?

I wanted to spend quality time with my host family and show them how much I cherish and value this bond we have created. I wanted them to know that they have a special place in my heart.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: The following is a list of donations needed: (Brand New Items Only)

  • Sneakers, especially men’s sizes 5-8 and women’s sizes 6-10
  • Scientific calculators
  • Flannel Queen size bed sheets and blankets
  • Clothing for school-age children and teens
  • Nylon windbreakers
  • Flashlights
  • Hair brushes and combs
  • Bath towels and washcloths
  • Puzzles, games, cards
  • Toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • Vitamins
  • Pain and fever medication
  • Travel alarm clocks and wall clocks (AA Batteries)
  • Batteries
  • Portable radios (C or D Batteries)
  • Socks
  • Neck crosses/rosaries
  • School supplies (pens, pencils, rulers, markers, crayons, scissors, notebooks, etc)
  •  Money donations are also needed; checks can be made out to the “Dominican Republic Project.”

Please do not wrap donations since they need to pass through Dominican Republic Customs. To read more about the work Bridges has done, visit www.dc.edu/bridges.aspx

NOTE: Father Ron passed away shortly after returning to New York in July. The plans for future trips have not been decided upon yet. For questions about how you can help and make a donations towards this cause, please contact Jessica Flores by email jessica@gymtime.net.

Have a community service project you would like to share with us? Please leave us a comment or send a message to info@gymtime.net.

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