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.jpg) Earnest
Garcia
was born on 13 June 1985 in Point Placencia, then a small Creole fishing
village at the tip of the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize.
Like all the other kids of his age in Placencia, he
went to school, learned to fish and dive, captain a boat, and play a mean game of
soccer.
Earnest excelled in all of these activities,
eventually becoming a licensed Belize tour guide and a member of the
Belize national soccer championship team, the Placencia Pirates.
However, sometime around the age of 6 or 7, he realized he was a
little different from the other kids - he could draw stuff that actually
looked like something.
And he could
paint, too, as he discovered when a tourist gave him a box of
watercolors to play with.
As Earnest
developed his own painting skills (he is entirely self taught), others
began to notice his talents and to encourage him to develop them.
Earnest began to dream of attending art school.
With the help
and encouragement of many people in Placencia (notably Jake Roberts,
then owner of the Purple Space Monkey Restaurant), Earnest
submitted his portfolio, and thus began the grueling admissions process
for the Toronto-based Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), an
internationally renowned art and design school.
After a
series of personal interviews in Toronto, Earnest received his
acceptance letter from the College in March 2005.
Which means, Earnest’s dream of attending an
international art school
really
may come true!
BUT, only IF he can raise the funds,
particularly for his first year when international fees are triple those
of national or domestic students. This first school year, including
tuition for five courses, school supplies, compulsory student medical
fees, housing, food, clothing and travel, will amount to approximately
$38,000BZ, with fees for a single course of BZ$3,880. Five courses for
the academic year total BZ$19,400 for tuition alone.
To help Earnest raise
the money to attend OCAD, his friends and neighbors in Placencia have
launched a major fundraising campaign,
and are inviting you to help Earnest realize his dream.
How you can help Earnest
A local Placencia fundraising committee has been
formed to coordinate fundraising to help Earnest. Members of the
fundraising committee are Graham Cabral (Purple Space Monkey),
Ellie Dial (Placencia Tourism Center), Carrie
Fairweather (Serenade Hotel), Marcia Fox (Mariposa Beach Suites), Ruth
Turner (Dianni’s Guest House),
and Tara Westby.
The Fundraising
Committee has identified several ways you can help Ernest.
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Contribute
Money.
A
bank account has been opened at the
Placencia branch of Scotia
Bank in the name
of the Ernest Garcia Scholarship Fund.
Two committee members (Ruth Tuner and Graham Cabral) are
authorized signatories. You can make donations by direct deposits
to this fund or you can mail your cheque to The Ernest Garcia
Scholarship Fund, c/o Ruth Turner, Dianni’s Guest House, Placencia,
Belize.
You may contact the Fundraising Committee by email at
Belize_Earnest@yahoo.com,
by mail to The Earnest Garcia
Scholarship Fund, c/o Ruth Turner, General Delivery, Placencia,
Belize, or by phone (Ruth Turner), 011-501-523-3159.
The Iris Foundation for Education in Southern
Belize, a registered Canadian Foundation, has also agreed to accept
PayPal donations on behalf of Earnest and to administer the Canadian
donations in accordance with Canadian charitable laws. The
Iris Foundation is currently setting up the appropriate mechanisms,
and PayPal contribution information will soon be available on this
site. If you would like to know when you can make
contributions via PayPal, please email the
Fundraising Committee,
and we will notify you as soon as
the process is complete.
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Purchase Products from
Earnest.
Notecards, T-shirts, prints and original art by Earnest are
available for purchase in local Placencia gift shops and other
locations in Belize. As soon as the PayPal account is set-up,
products may also be purchased on this site. If you would like
to know when you may purchase products to help Earnest,
let us know,
and we'll email you as soon as the products are
available via the Internet.
Original artwork may also be available to purchase from time to
time, so check the Earnest Garcia's Works page frequently for works
marked "for sale." You may view some of Earnest's work by
entering the Works Gallery below. |
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