By John Chalmers on the November 2019 Edition
Young people of the Manzanillo area have lost a valued supporter with the passing of Dick Oberman. His generosity for the work of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos (CHLA) and the construction of the Centro de las Artes Los Angelitos (CALA) is remembered in a new fundraising campaign that honors his memory.
Dick and his wife, Joyce, spent their winters for many years at their condo in Vida del Mar. After graduating from high school and attending Iowa State University, Dick served with the Unit-ed States Army. He then spent most of his life as a farmer and pork producer, a man of the land with active involvement in agricultural, civic and church activities. He served on many councils and boards, generous with financial support of opportunities for youngsters in Manzanillo.
Dick died at his farm home near Iowa City, Iowa, on September 1 at the age of 83. A matching-grant campaign honoring Dick is now raising funds to build a roof over the CALA per-forming arts and entertainment center where many have attended a great performance by the young dancers of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos (CHLA). CALA will also provide transitional housing for older youth, convention accommodation, class-rooms and a multi-use theater and convention space to seat up to 600. A successful campaign will build a roof over the stage.
Every dollar you contribute to the “Put the Roof On” campaign will be matched to a total of $30,000 USD, thus raising $60,000 USD for construction. Your donation is thus doubled for every dollar you give. Don Carstensen, chairman of the fundraising committee for CALA, says, “Dick had great affection for Casa Hogar Los Angelitos and the children it served. He supported CHLA’s mission with his talent and treasure.”
A following page with the campaign poster tells how to provide your support in Dick’s memory. Your check payable to The Children’s Foundation, parent organization of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos and the CALA facility, is a worthy investment to serve the children of Casa Hogar and the Manzanillo community.
Learn more about CALA in the July 2019 issue of the Manzanillo Sun, which you can download when you click here.
Casa Hogar Los Angelitos was founded by Nancy Nystrom in 1995 for disadvantaged children. It is now home to over 70 girls and boys, from toddlers to university students, who have grown up there.
“Dick Oberman was a man of quiet strength and vision who demonstrated great courage and dedication to do the things he believed in,” says Nancy Nystrom. “I respected his opinion and admired him as a man committed to success with principal, integrity and honor. When he saw a need, he gave his support and with it we were able to build the dental clinic now on site at Casa Hogar.
She described how the facility will serve the Manzanillo community.
Donations to the “Put the Roof On” campaign
in memory of Dick Oberman will be put to excellent use.
“Dick was the first person that I chose to show the CALA project to because I trusted his judgement. He asked the pertinent questions, made the important observations and then, once convinced, he embraced the concept as important for the future sustainability of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos. He not only gave his approval, he followed up with financial commitment support. For me, and for Casa Hogar Los Angelitos, Dick Oberman was a symbol of strength and commitment. We are grateful to the Oberman family for all they have done, and for sharing such a great man with us.”
In Dick’s memory, the “Put the Roof On” campaign will help ensure that girls and boys who are cared for by Casa Hogar will have an outstanding and versatile location for continuing their education.
Your donation will help develop CALA to serve the entire community. The first event for the season at CALA will be held De-cember 20, 2019, celebrating the Christmas season, with the children of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos, for a ”CHRISTMAS NIGHT UNDER THE STARS” including dinner and Christmas program. Tickets are $600 pesos and can be purchased at CHLA, or by contacting mexico@tcfcares.org.
For your convenience, you can easily make an online donation with your credit card. Simply click on www.tcfcares.org or on the image, below, and click on DONATE NOW at the top of the page. Fill out the form and in the Comment box, type: Put the Roof On.
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