ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Under a cooperative agreement with the EPA to establish initial Pilot Sites in two of the southwest Border States, the “Wiring the Border” program was created to support EPA’s effort to disseminate environmental information. After completing two pilot projects at each of two initial sites in California and Arizona, the Chamber decided to expand the program to incorporate an additional site in a border state that served colonias at the community level.

The Chamber had visited such a site in San Elizario, Texas two years previously and realized that this was an ideal opportunity in which to assist several colonias and some 20,000 people from a single site. The site selected was AYUDA Inc. (Adults and Youth Development Association Incorporated), a bilingual grassroots non-profit community group that was founded for the purpose of advocating for quality healthcare, better housing, environmental protection standards, education and economic development in San Elizario, Texas. Furthermore AYUDA provided support to and served in not just San Elizario but communities in, Hueco Tanks, Montana Vista, Las Colonia, College Park, Cuadrilla, Agua Dulce, Socorro Clint, Tornillo, Panorama, and Fabens as well.

The Chamber began coordinating for its visit that was scheduled to occur on 28-29 October 2001 with Allyson Siwik at the EPA Region Six Office, Cecilia Rodriguez who oversaw colonias for the Office of the Secretary of State, Texas, Gloria Mendez and Marie Martel from EPA and Al Zapanta, representing both the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and the United States-Mexico Cultural and Educational Foundation, by having preliminary discussions to ascertain the ability of the site to support and maintain the electrical and telephone line connectivity, as well as maintenance of the hardware in situ prior to arrival.

These discussions were also used to resolve any issues regarding access to information via the Internet and identify site requirements and also to coordinate the shipping of the computer equipment by prearrangement with each center by the Foundation. Acceptance of the equipment and safe storage by the person responsible for the facility in which the computing equipment was to be installed until one of the Chamber staff members arrived.

As these arrangements were being made AYUDA’s requirements were identified through both direct contact, the EPA border office in El Paso and the Texas Secretary of State’s Office These discussions revealed that AYUDA’s existing resources were very limited and that in order to provide adequate support to the site that it would require additional. It was pointed out by the Chamber prior to its visit that AYUDA’s requirements were beyond the scope of work under the grant; however, that it would try to satisfy as many of them as possible due to, in part, the Chamber’s knowledge of the tremendous work that had been accomplished by AYUDA over the past two years in the local community and surrounding colonias.

Consequently, the chamber through its various resources managed to acquired four computer stations, training manuals in Spanish, various software packages, two color printers and switch box (so that all the stations could print), a box of printer paper, 3.5 diskettes, and additional photo-print software for the visit.

On the afternoon and evening of 28 October, Marie Martel form EPA, Valerie Gray and John Liddell arrived from San Francisco and Washington D.C. respectively in El Paso. An initial meeting was held that day to discuss the various logistics and information gathering activities that would be conducted the following day

L to R: Cecilia Rodriguez, Valerie Gray, Marie Martel	At 8.00 am the following morning, they met again and were joined by Cecilia Rodriguez form the Office of the Secretary of State (Texas) who had received the Chamber’s shipment of computers from Washington D.C. and was holding the computer systems for the Chamber until their arrival.
During the meeting we discussed the schedule for installation and other logistics. Ms. Rodriguez informed us that AYUDA had already visited their offices and collected the computers and transported them to the site.

At 9.00 we were joined by Tina Mayagoitia, an intern at the El Paso-EPA Regional Office and another intern representing Allyson Siwik from the El Paso EPA Office as she was unable to attend due to other commitments. Upon their arrival we departed for AYUDA in San Elizario
Gloria Melendez

As soon as we arrived we were met by Gloria Melendez, AYUDA Executive Director/ Directora Ejecutiva, and several volunteers who leant a hand to unpack the equipment whereupon the installation process began. Installation and testing of the four computer systems and printers continued through the morning and early afternoon with a break for Lunch.

During a delicious Mexican lunch Gloria Melendez told us of the various environmental projects AYUDA was involved in with the local communities and schools. Other guests at lunch included AYUDA volunteers and XXXX from the El Paso EPA Office.

Valerie Gray

After lunch, while testing and installation continued Valerie Gray show all the volunteers at AYUDA the EPA webpages on the USMCOC Website, how to access the Internet and conduct searches.

Once the installation was complete they were given an orientation to the hardware and software to include: Startup and Shutdown procedures, how to access Microsoft Word, Print, and access the Scheduler/Calendar in Microsoft Outlook. They were also provided with papers supplies, disks and training manuals in Spanish for Windows 98, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

After this was completed they asked if we could provide some additional training manuals in English and training manuals on Outlook. Gloria Melendez was told that the Chamber would acquire the manuals and ship them to them to include some additional software in the next few weeks.	L to R: Melendez, Rodriguez, Martel

The overall visit was a great success and EPA and the Chamber look forward to providing them with additional materials on the environment as well as providing them with telephonic and on-line support through the USMCOC Website.

Martel, EPA interns, Rodriguez, Gray and Liddell departed from AYUDA in the late afternoon.

Rodriquez Martel, Gray and Liddell remarked on the incredible energy and motivation displayed by the ladies at AYUDA and have no doubt that this latest donation will be used to better improve and enhance the surrounding communities by the dissemination of environmental information accessed form the Website through their capable and caring hands.