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Hispanic women get help from Pan Am Round Table

By Shannon Burkey

The women of the Pan American Round Table of Los Gatos-Saratoga are on a mission to help young Hispanic young women in the Santa Clara Valley seek higher education--and so far they're succeeding.

The group, made up of mostly Latin American women, is part of an international organization founded in 1918 as a way to promote friendship, understanding and education among women of Latin American countries. Today there are 215 tables in 18 countries.

Since 1969, the Los Gatos-Saratoga chapter has actively been pursuing the standards that the organization was founded on, making education a top priority.

Each year the women work to raise money so they can help send four or five girls to college. Many of the girls who receive their scholarships are the first in their families to go to college.

"A lot of the girls that apply really, truly have very little money and don't know how to seek a scholarship. But without help they might not be able to go to college," said Saratoga resident Helen Lemmon.

The women seek out the best of the best from local high schools and community colleges such as De Anza and West Valley.

"The girls we try to help are the ones that are working really hard trying to get to college," said director Mariqueta Churchill. "It's nice to see them develop and reach their goals."

Churchill wasn't sure what to expect when she was invited to join the group 30 years ago. But after getting to know the women and what they stand for, she knew she had found a cause she could get behind.

"I like what they do, what we do. It gives us a chance to learn a lot about each other and give us a chance to help young Hispanic women," she said.

Many of the women are familiar with the struggles faced by some of the girls they choose. That is why helping them achieve an education is an important aspect of what they do.

"In Latin American countries, they don't stress education," said Saratoga resident and 10-year member Nora White. "But if a girl doesn't get an education, she has no future."

Girls that have received scholarships in the past have gone on to succeed in many ways. One became a lawyer, another a vice president of a bank. This year, the first scholarship recipients were accepted to UCLA and UC-Berkeley.

As a first-generation American, 23-year-old Karla Bravo said she knows just how tough it can be to get an education, and sometimes she felt she had to do it all on her own. She had dreams of going to Santa Clara University but wasn't sure if it would ever happen.

With scholarship money and encouragement from the women in the group, she graduated in June 2006 and is now a teacher at Oakwood Country Day School in Morgan Hill.

"The scholarship really helped me get to where I am," Bravo said. "It made a huge impact on my ability to go to school."

Saratoga resident Javonne Harwood was not familiar with the group before she was invited to give a speech to them. However, after getting to know the women and the work they do, she wanted to be a part of their organization.

"They just have so much beautiful energy, and I really appreciate what they do. It's just wonderful," Harwood said.

In addition to the scholarships the women give out each year, they donate money to The Flying Doctors and Interplast.

"Everything we raise is donated," Churchill said. "How ever much comes in is what is going to go out."

When it comes to raising money for their causes, the women take a no-nonsense approach.

"I tell my friends when I invite them that we're not going to just sit around and chit- chat; we're going to work," Churchill said.

White agrees, adding that they do mix in some fun.

"They say the most productive work comes out of happy hands," she said.

Now that Bravo is a college graduate, she said she sees the importance of women such as those of the Round Table and someday might want to join herself.

"They are so nice and helpful," Bravo said. "It's nice to see a group of accomplished women working together to help other Latino women succeed in life."

The Pan American Round Table Los Gatos-Saratoga will host a fundraiser on April 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at David's Restaurant, 5151 Stars and Stripes Drive in Santa Clara. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund, The Flying Doctors and Interplast. For more information or to RSVP, call Carmen Justus at 408.927.9262.