June 21, 2018 500 AM
PRESIDIO — The Children’s Advocacy Center of the Big Bend’s Presidio office held its third interagency meeting of the year last week. The center, which opened its doors in Presidio in February, spearheaded the monthly meetings earlier this spring in an effort to develop a collaborative relationship among the region’s various organizations.
“We’re trying to get all the organizations to work together so that we know about the resources in the area — not only in Presidio,” said the Children Advocacy Center’s facilitator Guadalupe Carrera. Representatives from the Family Crisis Center of the Big Bend, Big Bend Community Action Agency, the Juvenile Probation office, Permian Care Mental Health, Presidio ISD, and the Mexican Consulate were in attendance, as well as several of the Big Bend Sector’s Border Patrol agents and Justice of the Peace Juanita Bishop.
Vicky Carrasco, who represents Presidio’s Rotary Club, was the meeting’s guest speaker. Carrasco spoke about Rotary International, an international service organization that brings together young people and professionals alike to provide humanitarian services to the community, while promoting the organization’s guiding principles of goodwill and international understanding.
The Presidio chapter of the Rotary Club has approximately 15 members, including community members John and Lucy Ferguson, Laura and Joe Portillo, and Zorayma Lackey. The group meets twice a month at The Bean restaurant, and meetings usually feature a guest speaker.
Presidio also has an Interact Club, which is a Rotary Club for children ages 12 to 18. Santos Lujan, principal of Presidio High School, has turned the club into a class, complete with its own curriculum. Students have the opportunity to travel abroad, perform service across the globe, and connect to others within the international Rotary Club community.
Carrasco remarked that among this year’s possible service projects are to provide breakfast for students in Ojinaga, and to help the Tarahumara population at the Mennonite community of Oasis in Mexico.
Carrasco hopes that by raising awareness of the club, more students and professionals will get involved.
The Children’s Advocacy Center will hold their next interagency meeting on July 11.
