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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=169 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC;" BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="045a0ad1dyxtip.jpg"> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="698" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 94 WIDTH="117"><div> </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> Waxahachie Independant School District    <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Comic Sans MS" >               Waxahachie, Texas</FONT></div> <div> <B>Waxahachie High School Alumni 1962</B></div> <div> <B>WHS Seniors '62</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=268 BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="043a0a03.jpg"> <div>                                                   </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="4" CELLPADDING="22" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="612" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFFFFF" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#000000 HEIGHT= 1842 WIDTH="556"><bR> <div> <B>Waxahachie Daily Light                   Thursday, August 28, 2003</B></div> <div> <B>Hewitts Prepare For Getaway To Nicaragua</B></div> <bR> <div> Couple will work with first ever lending library there, asking for donations to assist in efforts</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>By JOANN LIVINGSTON</B></div> <div> <B>Daily Light Managing Editor</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Hasta la vista, Zero the Hero! Or, should one say “Cero?”</div> <bR> <div> Good-byes are in order for Ralph (a many time school volunteer under his “Zero” alias) and Renda Hewitt of Waxahachie, who leave Monday for a new </div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="233" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 296 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="0ecbf200.jpg" border=0 width="191" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> life way south of the border – in an idyllic small coastal village in Nicaragua.</div> <bR> <div> They’ll be living the lives of expatriates among a  crowd of about 40 other permanent expatriates in San Juan Del Sur (an additional 90 or so come and go throughout the year). They intend, however, to still maintain their ties to their friends and family in the States. And they hope their friends and family will join them in the support of a special project they already are assisting with in their new port of call.</div> <div> As the Hewitts were involved here in the community, so they have become involved in their new community.</div> <div> A main project of the energetic duo is in working with the emerging nation’s first lending library system, which they discussed at length as guests of the Lions Club on Tuesday.</div> <bR> <div> “We’re not even living there and already we are giving back, just like we did here,” Ralph chuckled as he and Renda displayed some of the many donated books they are hoping to take with them when they go.</div> <div> With that said, the Hewitts are seeking donations to assist in shipping more than 400 pounds of books they have already collected for the fledgling library in San Juan Del Sur.</div> <div> Ralph explained that the library began when the U.S. Consulate in Managua changed out its books about one year ago, donating about four boxes to a female expatriate who lives in the village.</div> <bR> <div> She, in turn, established a lending library that includes not only the village but also travels out into the countryside, with about 1,000 people of all ages being served.</div> <bR> <div> “The people line up for their library cards and books,” said Renda, noting that the Nicaraguan government is now looking at the woman’s work as a probable benchmark for a national library system under consideration.</div> <bR> <div> Shipping through the mail service is about $1 per pound – and donations are welcomed, Renda said, expressing her appreciation to Lions Club member who helped fill a Nicaraguan straw hat passed around the room. “We need about $450 right now or we will have to place the books in storage. We want to send all of these books because the kids there are so poor and many have never seen a book.”</div> <bR> <div> Donations of more books also are welcomed. The Hewitts ask that the books be in good condition and note that books for all readership levels and ages are being sought.</div> <bR> <div> On their last visit to Nicaragua in May, the Hewitts began volunteering at the library, reading to the local citizens.</div> <bR> <div> Although they are English-speakers in a Spanish-speaking country, they have found it more than possible to communicate.</div> <bR> <div> “These people are so receptive,” said Ralph, a DEAR Day participant and reading volunteer for Marvin Elementary, who joins Renda in mutual support of encouraging literacy in their new community.</div> <div> They are eager to more fully immerse themselves in their new life and are thrilled with the new adventures awaiting ahead.</div> <bR> <div> “It’s just wonderful,” Ralph said. “You can’t believe it. We can’t believe it.”</div> <bR> <div> For more information or to make a donation, contact the Hewitts through Sunday at either (972) 938-2585 or (214) 649-9993. Or, e-mail them at  rhewitt@rendahewitt.com .</div> <bR> <div> “If we don’t answer, please leave a message and we will get back to you,” Ralph said. “We’ll come pick up the donations, whether it’s money and/or books.”</div> <bR> <div> Ralph added that he also has been taking photographs of all donors to display at the library.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “I want to take the photographs to the people so they can see who has helped them,” he said. </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other Get Togethers"><B>Main Page</B></A><B>     </B>            <B>     </B>                   </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=42 style=" border-top: 1px solid #CCCCCC;" BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="0462a2f1dyxtip.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="http://whs62.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net"><B>Home</B></A><B>     </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Roll" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Roll"><B>Roll Call</B></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/In_Memory" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/In_Memory"><B>In Memory</B></A><B>   </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Long_Ago" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Long_Ago"><B>Long Ago</B></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://www.whs62.net/Our_50s/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whs62.net/Our_50s/"><B>Our 50's</B></A><B>   </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Reunions" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Reunions"><B>Reunions</B></A><B>   </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Today" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Today"><B>Today</B></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Contacts" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Contacts"><B>Contacts</B></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/Links" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Links"><B>Links</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>