High school Interact Clubs and Rotary Club of La Jolla join forces to build 21st house in Mexico for needy families

Volunteers from the Interact Club at La Jolla High and The Bishop’s School were joined by members of La Jolla Rotary to build the 21st home for an impoverished family in Tijuana.

The non-profit Project Mercy manages all the client-side considerations. Clients are evaluated based upon their family needs, legal rights to the property, and other considerations. To date, Project Mercy has arranged construction of more than 1,500 homes in Tijuana neighborhoods.

The total expense is $4,600 for the building materials, the cement foundation, building supervision and two or three local framing carpenters. An outhouse with a septic tank is an additional $900. Funding comes from generous Rotarians, community members and Interact Club fundraising.

Volunteers need to be in good health and must possess a passport or green card. The build day begins with a rendezvous at Mission Bay Visitor’s Center at 5:30 a.m. The home-build begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends by 4:30-5 p.m. Due to unpredictable border waits, return to the visitor’s center ranges from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. At the end of the day, everyone is tired but happy!

Some people ask is it dangerous? Mexico is a developing country with well-publicized problems and attendant risks to visitors. Construction work is potentially dangerous and precautions are taken to reduce the likelihood of injury.

Plans are to build again in early March and late June. To join the effort, visit rotarycluboflajolla.com and click on “contact us.”

— LETTER TO THE EDITOR: NOV. 6 ISSUE

Kindness counts and matters: On Oct. 21, 2014, I was hurrying to the post office on Wall Street. While I was walking too close to the back of a car, the car started to move and awkwardly, I scrambled out of the way, ending in a big fall on my face. A gentleman riding his bike helped me up and left before I could get his name. While I was trying to stop the excessive bleeding from the cut on my eyebrow, two good Samaritans appeared with a first-aid kit and a chair. We were able to stop the bleeding and after awhile, I drove home. The two gentlemen, who came to my aid, were from the Box Brothers shipping store at 1130 Wall St. Kimo Jacobs was the one who administered the first aid. I am so grateful and happy that people do care and are helpful to others. Thank you all! — Beverly Little, La Mesa