MISSION To educate and empower girls to create sustainable solutions to end generational poverty.
VISION To create the model that can be adopted around the world for a holistic girls’ education and empowerment program to end generational poverty.
The mariposa (butterfly) is a universal symbol representing transition, freedom and peace. In the Dominican Republic, it was the code name given to our nation’s heroines, the Mirabal sisters who fought social injustice and gave their lives for freedom.
Dede Mirabal The surviving sister
The Mirabal sisters or “Las Mariposas,” have become not just national heroines, but international symbols. In 1999, the United Nations declared November 25th, the day of their murder, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
about this guide
CABARETE
Responsible Tourism and Investment Guide This guide is the Mariposa DR Foundation’s creative and sustainable way of thanking our more than 50 partners for their support. Most of our advertisers are hardworking, small business owners that depend on a short tourist season for their income. They have reached into their pockets and joined us to present this important addition to Cabarete. This guide is a tribute to the local business owners and their hard work, and to all of the individuals and families who call Cabarete their home.
All proceeds from advertising sales in this guide go towards supporting programs at The Mariposa DR Foundation. It is with great pride that we present the second edition of this magazine. We encourage you to support the businesses advertised throughout the guide.
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LEARNING TO KITE
IN CABARETE
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BEFORE THERE WERE BOOKS
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what to do with kids
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dining out
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MARIPOSA CENTER
FOR GIRLS
Audrey Meyer Local Athlete and business owner in Cabarete
CABARETE
Responsible Tourism and Investment Guide Editor & Director of Advertising Sales Patricia Suriel Editors Jen Furigay, Colleen Kavanagh, Jessica Lawson, Clare Wasteneys, Pete Richardson Sales Assistants Yajaira Lopez Graphic Design Pamela Cuadros Photographer Amy Martin Advertising Information The Mariposa DR Foundation To advertise your business in the 2014 Guide, please contact us at: promo@mariposadrfoundation.org (809) 571 0610 Deadline for submissions and payment for 2014 issue: April 05, 2013.
f Mariposa DR Foundation t @drmariposas
Cocoa has been a large part of the Dominican economy for over a century. The Dominican Republic is the
largest exporter of organic cocoa in the world. Most people who visit the Dominican Republic would never know this, as nearly 90% of Dominican cocoa is exported for commercial purposes and is considered of the finest quality in the world. Dominican cocoa is very popular in European markets. The cocoa industry employs over 500,000 people in the Dominican Republic and comprises more than 2% of the GDP.
Health Benefits of Cocoa Cocoa and chocolate not only taste great but they have a host of health benefits as well. Throughout history cocoa has been consumed to help decrease blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. Cocoa is high in flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants most commonly found in fruits, vegetables, tea, wine and coffee. Cocoa comes from cacao beans that are grown in a fruitlike pod. The white seeds are harvested from the pod and dried in the sun. Ripe pods of cacao are typically dried for five to seven days before they are roasted. The beans are roasted over an open fire for 20-30 minutes until they are crackling and crisp, but not burned. Once they are cooled, the thin, paper-like shells are removed by hand. If you like bitter, dark chocolate, you will love eating pure, freshly roasted cocoa beans. The shelled beans are then poured into a large wood mortar and crushed with a pestle, releasing the natural oils and turning into a thick paste. The paste is then formed into small logs and dried for an additional two to three days. Once dry, the 100% pure chocolate is grated and used to make traditional Dominican chocolate, known as the “Drink of the Gods�.
Recipe for Traditional Dominican Hot Chocolate: 1 cup of brown sugar 1 cup of freshly ground cocoa powder 4 cups of water 5 fresh leaves from sour oranges trees 2 whole cloves 1 stick of cinnamon
When flying over Cabarete, the town does not look like much: red rooftops wedged together in an oasis of greenery, surrounded on either side by water. On the ocean side the rooftops are attractive red clay, and the sea is dotted with colorful kites and sails. On the lagoon side the roofs are made of corrugated tin and many are rusted. In the middle of it all is the North Coast Highway, often busy and jammed in what we locals call a “tapón“ (traffic jam). The road is significant. It divides our town and its cultures, and yet, we cross it often. Nowhere in the world is there such a small town with so many nationalities and backgrounds that have managed to live harmoniously for almost 3 decades.
CABARETE
THERE IS NOWHERE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD
Team Starkites
Starkites is uniquely Dominican, and currently the only kite company
founded and based out of Cabarete. Founded in 2006 by Fred Bene and IKO, the company is currently owned by Arnaud Lapierre and Eric Vimont. Starkites has sponsored some incredible riders like Jon Marco Rivera, Alex Soto and Nico Suriel, but the biggest impact it has had on Cabarete, has been the amount of Dominican children that have learned to kite using their gear. Currently there are 3 Dominican riders sponsored, and all bring high level of ability, style, and spirit to the team. Check out Starkites new gear for 2013 at the pro shop in the center of Cabarete or one of the Starkites schools located along the beach!
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LEARNING TO KITE IN CABARETE Kiteboarding is one of the fastest growing watersports in the world and there is no better place to learn how to kiteboard than in Cabarete. Lessons are a fraction of what it would cost to learn in the US or Europe. The shape of Cabarete Bay makes kiting here relatively safe and the water temperature is ideal year round. The consistent winds and vibrant nightlife attract both seasoned kiters as well as qualified instructors. All of the latest gear and most kite brands can be found in the local shops- attracting the two newest groups to embrace kiting - women and kids.
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Iguana Mama today.
Iguana Mama Celebrating 20 years in Cabarete Story by Patricia Thorndike Suriel Founder of Iguana Mama.
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wenty years ago I convinced my Australian friend, Noela, to join me for the summer in Cabarete. “We will need to work” she said, ”we cannot just bike and windsurf all day.” So, after a fax to my friend who owned a bike shop in Colorado, a drink of Mama Juana, a Banana Mama, and a lizard running across the bar…SHAZAM! We created our new business: Iguana Mama Mountain Bike and Adventure Tours..
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Over the next 9 years I was able to convince likeminded souls to join me by bike, foot or jeep on some of the most exciting, exhausting, frustrating and, yes, breathtaking adventures of my life. We had fun exploring, creating and naming the various donkey and goat trails all over the country.
In 1993, Eco-tourism was in its infancy. No one in the DR even knew where Cabarete was, and few Dominicans had seen a mountain bike. The country was lacking responsible tour operators who gave back to the community, and who trained local guides. The Dominicans who greeted us on the trails were kind, generous and always curious. We wanted to give back to them. So, in 1995 we offered 25% off on all tours in exchange for donating Spanish childrens books. We built the first library in Cabarete, and then a second and a third. In 1998, with client Judy Greenburg, we started Friends of the DR, the first ‘not for profit’ in Cabarete, in 2003, while I was the executive director, we changed the name to the DREAM Project. In 2009, a core group of founders, staff and I left to create the Mariposa DR Foundation knowing that focusing on the needs and education of girls is the best way to make the biggest impact on communities.
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We will need to work” she said, “we cannot just bike and windsurf all day”.
Iguana Mama 1995.
Iguana Mama put the Dominican Republic on
the map as the “Adventure Capital of the Caribbean”, attracting journalists and photographers from every major publication. Outside Magazine named Iguana Mama’s 10 Day Coast to Coast the trip of the year. In all, 26 publications wrote about Iguana Mama by the time we sold the company in 2001. The Scates family purchased Iguana Mama in 2005 and nothing could have made me happier. Iguana Mama remains a family run business that prides itself in supporting the community and offering some of the most exciting adventures in the DR.
Everyone that comes to Cabarete should have the experience of an Iguana Mama Mountain bike tour!
Founder’s family.
The Scates family.
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Dominicans Are the Best Recyclers in the World You will not see any blue recycling boxes around
Cabarete. However, at any time of day, you may hear a loud and possibly annoying announcement blaring out of a speaker from a pickup truck as it winds its way along the roads and side streets of Cabarete and other villages on the North coast. “Compramos” is the main message, meaning “we are buying,” and what they are buying are old mattresses, appliances and other items from which metal can be salvaged. Dominicans are highly resourceful. They have found numerous ways to recycle plastic, metal, and glass products. Enter any modest Dominican home and you will see mayonnaise jars, plastic bags, aluminum foil, and water bottles that are used over and over again. Walk down any street and you will see children playing with homemade toys made of old oil bottles with tin can wheels. You may be wondering, “but why is there garbage in the street?” It’s important to remember that there was a big litter problem in North America and Europe in the 1970s. It took 30 years with major government and private sector investment to educate citizens about recycling, and compliance is still not 100%. In the Dominican Republic, rapid development and the influx of foreign products led to the introduction of plastics and disposable containers.
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Meanwhile, trash removal systems were not equipped to handle the volume of these products and the public was not ecologically educated. The Dominican people are increasingly learning the value of ecofriendliness, and have begun to make the shift to modern recycling methods. Local businesses in Cabarete have also started to embrace the environmentally friendly measures that are now commonplace in the U.S. and Canada. Certain local businesses avoid Styrofoam and promote the use of the more costly, but environmentally responsible, recycled cardboard containers. You can find compost piles behind some restaurants and cafes. Finally, recycling centers are springing up across the island, providing a market for used containers and helping to educate the public about sorting garbage. You can help, too, by asking any of the businesses in this guide where you can leave empty glass and plastic bottles and by supporting businesses and groups that promote eco-friendliness.
| Bags from Recycled Kites Laurel Eastman is a pioneer in the
kiteboarding world. Her school, Laurel Eastman Kiteboarding (LEK) is the number one place in the Caribbean to learn the exciting sport. Not only is this trailblazer famous in the world of watersports, she remains dedicated to serving her community. Laurel is very involved with promoting women in sports. She is a co-founder of Kiters 4 Communities, an organization that helps disadvantaged people in Cabarete. This social venture hires local tailors to create recycled messenger and beach bags out of unusable kite gear and sells these products in retail stores and kite schools. All the profits from sales are invested in local education programs for women and girls. LEK is a proud sponsor of The Mariposa DR Foundation.
Laurel Eastman is a pioneer of kiteboarding, one of the original female professional competitors. She made Dominican Republic her home in 2003 and has been increasingly involved in humanitarian projects in her community.
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If you are at Janet’s Supermercado (supermarket) around noon, you might see children in blue uniforms streaming out of the Puerto Cabarete public school across the street, or small groups of students walking home along the main road. These sights may give the impression that Cabarete has an efficient and effective public school system. While it is true that Cabarete’s schools are a lot better than they were 15 years ago, it’s interesting to take a look beneath the surface and back in time to understand the challenges that persist in ensuring local youth receive a quality education.
A Quick History of Cabarete: Thirty years ago, Cabarete was a sleepy fishing village of about 500. This is hard for visitors to believe today when they visit this bustling, international tourist destination with almost 17,000 year round residents. 1930s to 1980s: Cabarete residents were fishermen and peasants or military men posted by the dictator Trujillo to guard the beach from a US invasion. The poorest families settled on the beach, the least arable land. They gathered almonds, sea grapes and fished in the lagoon, while their children played on the beach. There were two small one-room schoolhouses on the east side of town: Puerto Cabarete and Punta Cabarete.
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Late 1980s: French Canadian windsurfers “discovered” Cabarete as the best windsurfing destination in the Caribbean. The introduction of international tourists contributed to the rapid growth of the town’s population, and the educational needs of Cabarete quickly grew.
1986-1996: under President Joaquin Balaguer (the oldest president in the world to ever hold office), children could not enter public school until they were seven years old and most did not start until they were eight. As a result, a child born into poverty in 1990 or earlier had little chance of making it past the 5th grade.
Reflection: “In 1994, when I first entered the Puerto Cabarete public school there were only broken down, ancient desks. There were two or three children per desk, or they sat on the floor. There was one latrine, and it often was out of order. No lights, fans, pens, paper, books, or rulers. Sometimes there was chalk. If you were lucky enough to have a pencil you held on to it until the lead ran out. One day I donated five books to the school; three weeks later I went back to check to see if the children liked the books and they were gone. It was then I knew we needed a bigger movement.” Patricia Thorndike Suriel, founder of Cabarete’s first library in 1995. 1996: Leonel Fernandez and the PLD (Dominican Liberation Party) came into power. Books began to appear in Cabarete public schools, although sometimes not until the end of the school year. 1999: President Fernandez introduced kindergarten, allowing children as young as 5 years old to attend public school. However, most public school teachers in Cabarete still only held eighth grade or high school degrees.
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2000-2004: Under Hipolito Meja’s tenure (Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD), some desks and the first college-trained teachers appeared in Cabarete public schools. For the first time, children of Haitian descent were allowed to attend Dominican schools until 8th grade. Unfortunately, the law still prevents Haitian children born in the Dominican Republic from attending school past the 8th grade, but at the time it was a step forward. 2000-Present Day: Cabarete schools are still significantly below U.S. standards, but have come a long way in the past 20 years, thanks in large part to the hard work of (and private funding from) many local individuals and organizations. To date, five libraries, more than 50 classrooms, bathrooms, science labs, computer labs, and safety walls have been created within the public school system. Preschools have been introduced and now more then 700 underprivileged children in Cabarete have received Montessori or other early childhood education. Most teachers have college degrees and many arrive to class well prepared.
Paulina Perez, Director of Puerto Cabarete Public School with her daughter.
All children now have access to pens and pencils, and parents are even volunteering in schools. However, there is still much work to do: • Cabarete has more than 2,000 high-school age children, however there are no daytime secondary education programs available in town. • By law, children of Haitian descent or those without birth certificates cannot attend school beyond 8th grade. • Only three students who have graduated from Cabarete’s public school system have gone on to graduate from college.
The Cost of an Education in Cabarete Average Annual Family Income in Cabarete = $2,000 US
Description of Expenses
Average Yearly Cost
Registration Cost*
$25 per child
School Supplies
$25 per child
School Uniform
$50 per child
(One uniform includes shirt, pants or skirt, shoes, and socks)
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Transportation to Preschool and Elementary School**
$150 per child
Transportation to High School
$250 per child
Transportation to College
$600 per child
*registration is only for early childhood education and high school **some students are able to walk to school and don’t pay transportation
Middlebury College graduate Winslow Brokaw with 14-year-old Estefania Humer, who is learning to read while taking care of her newborn son and her two-year-old sister.
VOLUNTEER Join our growing team of impressive graduates:
Brown University Cornell University Dartmouth College Harvard University Indiana U, Kelly School of Business Middlebury College School for International Training University of Notre Dame Wheelock College Mariposa DR Foundation DR Phone: 809 571 0610 NY Phone: 917 435 1748 info@mariposadrfoundation.org
Help us end generational poverty
The Mariposa Foundation is at the forefront of the growing global effort to educate, support, and empower women and girls. This organization is actively taking steps to ‘unleash’ the power of girls to find the strength, confidence, and purpose within themselves. Through art, sports, creative projects, field trips, lectures, service projects, readings, health classes, and focused discussions, the Mariposa DR Foundation offers girls the opportunity to think critically about the factors that shape their perspectives about women and their identities as women, and to create greater awareness of their rights as women and humans. As a volunteer, I can truly say that the Mariposa girls will have greater self-esteem and confidence to be themselves and to voice their ideas and opinions; will more likely make healthy and appropriate decisions regarding their relationships and life; will actively educate themselves about the world and pursue their dreams; will demand the respect, love, care, and support they deserve; will stand up for others less fortunate; will be creative in their solutions to personal, local, and global challenges; and will realize their full potential. With outstanding directors, volunteers, participants, and local and global collaboration, the girls in the Mariposa program have an amazing opportunity to become leaders in their future homes, communities, and country.” Winslow Brokaw, Volunteer, Middlebury College
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What to do with kids Cabarete is a great place for children of all ages
Here are some activities the whole family can enjoy: ·
Horseback riding on the beach or at Sea Horse Ranch
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Snorkeling with Dive Cabarete
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Kaicetos Circus
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Go on a Chocolate tour
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Visit the small zoo at Islabon Jungle River tours
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Kayaking with Kayak River Adventures
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Zip line with Monkey Jungle
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Surfing with 321 Take Off
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Go fishing and climb a coconut tree with the Dominican Fisherman
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Windsurfing, stand up paddling, surfing or kitesurfing
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G N I N I D UT O 44
All of Cabarete’s restaurants are family friendly, and many of them offer you the unique experience of dining right on the beach, with your toes in the sand. In a town with residents from more than 30 countries, international cuisine is a huge part of Cabarete culture. When the sun goes down, Cabarete beach turns into a romantic night scene, with candles on the tables and people drinking and eating leisurely meals of French, Spanish, German, Italian, American and Dominican cuisine.
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There are more than 100 restaurants in Cabarete, from small, local cook stands and “pica pollos� to beach bars and elegant fine dining restaurants. Cabarete has it all. As the evening progresses, many of the restaurants switch gears, and the party atmosphere takes command of the night. Ultimately, the vibrant Cabarete nightlife prevails.
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Service Learning Trips Transforming Lives Experiential and service learning are at the core of what Mariposa DR Foundation is about. We practice what we preach. The girls in our program are becoming educated young women and leaders of their community because of the hundreds of hours of experiential and service learning included in our innovative curriculum design. The most prestigious schools in the world are now reforming their curriculum to include components of experiential and service learning. At the Mariposa DR Foundation we understand that true cultural immersion begins with respect, solidarity, sustainability, and compassion. We teach students to honor the ways of others, to learn from the poor and to value their wisdom and views even though it might different, or, especially because it is different.
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Our trip leaders live and work here in the community and so the journey never ends for us. We know that the experiences we provide in the Dominican Republic play a significant role in shaping the worldviews of the compassionate young people who participate in our programs. We take this responsibility seriously and work diligently to nurture theses relationships.
2012 marked Lawrence Academy’s 10th year of service in the Dominican Republic. Each year students from the prominent boarding school in Groton, Massachusetts travel to the country to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children. These students have made improvements to numerous schools and homes, as well as created lifelong relationships within the local community. We look forward to working together for many more years to come.
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Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”.
--Margaret Mead
The Mariposa DR Foundation is working towards becoming fully sustainable. Hosting student groups is one of the many ways we are able to get closer to this goal. If you are a teacher or a student or a group of friends interested in organizing a service trip, please contact us: 421 N Aurora St Ithaca, NY 14850 info@mariposadrfoundation.org Dominican Republic: 809 571 0610 US Office: 917 435 1748
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HELPFUL INFORMATION
Transportation
To/from airport, around town, or elsewhere on the island Taxi Cabarete 809 571 0767 or 809 571 0824 Taxi Sosua 809 571 2797 Caribe Tour Bus 809 571 3808 Metro Bus 809 571 1324
Private Medical Clinics Open 24 hours
Centro Medico Cabarete Servi Med Cabarete Centro Medico Bournigal Clinic Abreu, Santo Domingo
809 571 4696 809 571 0964 809 586 2210 809 688 4411
In case of Emergency Ambulance Tourist Police National Police Sosua Fire Department
809 412 5555 809 571 0713 809 571 0810 809 571 2301
Embassies Canada 809 586 5761 or 809 262 3100 France 809 685 4300 Germany 809 542 8949 Haiti 809 686 7115 Italy 809 682 0830 Norway 809 586 1939 Spain 809 535 6500 Switzerland 809 533 3781 United Kingdom 809 472 7111 United States 809 221 2171
Important Dates: January: Three Kings Day (Traditional gift giving day for all children in the D.R.) January: Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta February: Carnaval February: 10th Annual Master of the Ocean Competition February 27: Dominican Independence Day March 17: Jose O’Shay’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade April: Holy Week May 27: Mother’s Day July: The Butterfly Effect July: Cabarete Classic August: Kiteboarding 4 Kids November: Master’s Surf Reunion November: Cabarete Jazz Festival December 14: Mariposa Christmas Fair December 31: New Year’s Eve Party on Cabarete Beach
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Jessica Lawson Co-Founder, Mariposa DR Foundation
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“something. Each of us has a fire in our hearts for It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit.”
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Mary Lou Retton, gymnast
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An Innovative, First-Rate Facility That Inspires Achievement
MARIPOSA CENTER FOR GIRLS On a 5000 m2 highly visible plot of land in the heart of Cabarete stands a run-down, dilapidated school. This school will soon be transformed into a first-rate facility for girls in the Dominican Republic. The Mariposa Center for Girls will be the first of its kind in Latin America. Not a school, but a place where poor girls can engage in sports, art, academic tutoring, have access to basic health care, receive mentoring and support and feel empowered to make a difference in their lives, their families, their communities and the world. The Mariposa Center for Girls will attract and encourage visitors, volunteers, educators and girl champions from all over the globe to share their knowledge about how investing in girls will ultimately lift entire families out of generational poverty. The Mariposa model will be a model for the world.
LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY Over the next three to five years we will create training programs so that Mariposa program graduates can develop marketable job skills, become independent and earn income. By creating a Mini Mall, we anticipate that the organization will become 80% self-sustaining through revenue from the stores and income from student groups and service learning trips. Our goal is to launch Phase 3 in 2016 with the opening of the Visitors Center and Gift Shop and establish our main offices.
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• Two Libraries • Computer Lab • Art & Woodworking Studios • Study Rooms • Sewing Room • Swimming Pool • Tennis Court • Gardens • Basketball Court • Volunteer & Student Group Housing • Main Offices • Music, Theatre & Dance • Beauty & Culinary School • Skate ramp and more!..
Building a Model for the World
421 N Aurora St Ithaca, NY 14850 info@mariposadrfoundation.org DR Phone: 809 571 0610 US Phone: 917 435 1748 www.mariposadrfoundation.org Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/mariposadrfoundation
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