On Saturday, April 28th the Community Action Alliance of San Ramon sponsored it’s 2nd ever used book sale and fundraiser. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this group, the Community Action Alliance is a wonderful coalition of ex-pats and Ticos working closely together in an effort to make the community of San Ramon as strong, educated, and empowered as it can possibly be. My wife and I are members of this organization and have been since early 2011. The CAA Mission Statement sums it all up:

“The Community Action Alliance is a community based, action oriented   organization   focused on resolving issues and improving the lives of   all residents of   Costa Rica.  Our focus is in several primary areas:   Citizen Security, Economic Development,  Environmental, and Education.  We accomplish this   through identifying   clear and credible resources and bringing people   together to develop   solutions.  Be a part of the solution.”

This event was run by a team of dedicated and smiling volunteers and the fundraiser was a HUGE success! Over 6,000 books, DVDs and CD’s were donated and nearly 2,000 people attended… there was live music echoing melodically within the courtyard of the museum and refreshments were available for sale if anyone desired food or drink. The selection and quality of items for sale was truly impressive. Over $4,200 was raised and 100% of the proceeds went directly to the two beneficiaries: The Regional Museum and the San Ramon Senior Center. I love book sales so I was like a kid in a candy store… I spent 49,000 colones myself! For less than the equivalent of $100 USD, I was able to load two large boxes with twenty-six adult books, eleven children’s books for Vio, an audio-book titled “The Spontaneous Healing of Belief”, two movies, a Christmas DVD for the baby, and the 1st four episodes of “24”… (I was a huge fan of “Lost” and a couple of friends have suggested that “24” is superior. I’m skeptical about that, but I figured I should give it a fair shake before making any judgments). Take a look at some of my bounty:

I LOVE BOOKS and when the proceeds are donated to such wonderful causes as these, it makes the purchase and the experience so much sweeter. Thank you to the Community Action Alliance for all of your hard work!!! Volunteers, donations, and new ideas are always welcome. To find out more check out the CAA website: http://www.actionalliancecr.com/ or contact Mike Styles directly: mike@styles.com