A former Peachtree City resident has joined forces with a group of ten other young professionals in the Washington, D.C. area to extend a helping hand to hurricane-stricken Nicaragua.

Shannon Burley, a 1994 graduate of McIntosh High School and former resident of Peachtree City, will be among those traveling to Matagalpa, Nicaragua on a one-week volunteer mission to help build houses and schools destroyed by hurricane Mitch during the fall of 1998. The volunteers, calling themselves “NicaBound,” hope to be on their way by the end of July, traveling under the auspices of Church World Services and UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).

“Hurricane Mitch was the area's worst natural disaster of the 20th century,” Burley said. “Global relief agencies estimate it will take many years, if not decades, for the nations of Central America to rebuild their communities and infrastructure.”

The volunteer group is seeking financial assistance from local communities to help with their expenses, since NicaBound volunteers will have access only to the most basic necessities as they assist a Nicaraguan community to rebuild homes and schools.

“NicaBound and the people of Nicaragua need your support,” Burley said. “While it may be hard for some individuals to think beyond their own borders, or their own backyards, for that matter, there are people in dire need of assistance globally. The stability of Central America is vital to the stability of the United States today and tomorrow.”

Burley added that the group will be collecting money after the intended dates to cover their expenses. All surplus funds will be given to the citizens of Matagalpa.

Information on the group may be obtained from their website: http://members.theglobe.com/NicaBound. Email may be sent to NicaBound@theglobe.com.

Those wishing to make a donation by check should make the check out to Wesley United Methodist Church (write NicaBound in memo section), and send it to NicaBound, c/o Wesley United Methodist Church, 5312 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20015.

Back to the Top of the PageBack to the Religion Home Page