12/12/2007 Wine tasting and silent auction benefit

The Cardinal was decked out in its Christmas finery, the array of wine selections was impressive, there was a big turnout, and the food was scrumptuous -- what more could you ask for? Ricardo, the master of ceremonies, was in his element: schmoozing, dancing, and generally living it up. Most of the regulars were there, but there were lots of new faces as well.

There was steady traffic through the auction area. On some items such as the Cuban movie posters, the bidding was intense. On one of the items -- not so much. Let's just say Scott was delighted to bring the volumes of Guillén poetry back to the nest.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors, The Cardinal Bar, L'eft Bank Wine Company, and The Dardanelles Mediterranean Restaurant. Thanks also to our talented organizers, Amy, Trisha, Jon, Ricardo, Nelson and Gloria.

September 16, 2007 through November 30, 2007
link to conference site

5/1/2007 ¡Salud!

The Wisconsin Medical Project co-sponsored the showing of ¡Salud!, a critically acclaimed 90 minute documentary film about the Cuban health care system and the Cuban trained health care professionals who are providing medical care in numerous Latin American, South American and African communities. ¡Salud! is directed by Academy Award nominee Connie Field. The film spans three continents to look at the philosophy and health professionals placing Cuba on the map in the worldwide movement to make health care a global birthright.

Today, Cubans are among the world’s healthiest people, despite the island’s poverty and their need for critical medical equipment and supplies. Cuba’s volunteer corps now posts 28,000 health professionals in 68 countries; and Cuban medical schools will graduate an unprecedented 100,000 new doctors from developing countries over the next decade.

The film’s cameras reach into The Gambia, rural South Africa, coastal villages of Honduras and river settlements in the Amazon, where a Cuban is often the first doctor a poor community has ever seen. In some nations they staff entire health systems. In all, they take with them the experience and philosophy of their own community-oriented, preventive and universal health care model fundamentally at odds with a global wave of healthcare privatization.

9/25/2005 Concert and raffle

The concert and raffle were held to raise money for 300 bicycles to our friends in Camagüey, Cuba. Thanks to Budget Bicycle Center, Nelson Graham and The Dardanelles restaurant for their support in this endeavor. The concert was in the dairy barn at the Conzemius' farm on Adams Road in Fitchburg. A wonderful destination just around the corner from the Epplegarden pumpkin farm and apple orchard.