Visit to Costa Rica supplies kids for school
Kate and Nick Krumenauer, soon to be first and fourth graders, take time for a photo after hand delivering school supplies to La Libertad School in Costa Rica.
(photo provided by the Krumenauer family)
by Elean Gersack
In late May and early June, the Krumenauer family took a special two week vacation to the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. The trip was planned for pleasure and fun, but also included a gift for the locals. The family has decided to make a habit of helping people in each place they visit.
Prior to leaving for vacation, the family came up with the idea to collect school supplies. The kids, Nick and Kate, each wrote letters telling about their impending trip and asked for help collecting supplies. Mom, Jen, sent the letters via email to neighbors and friends on Cerney Circle and Tenby Way and soon the collection box on their front porch was overflowing with pencils, erasers, paper, glue, rulers, crayons, pencil sharpeners, scissors and more.
The family was both surprised and elated with the response. Thanks to the generosity of the neighborhood, the family collected enough supplies to fill one and a half suitcases.
Once settled in Guanacaste, the family set out to connect with locals to learn about how they could help most with the supplies collected. “Our plan was to ask around and find someone to help us,” said Jen.
Soon, they met Ronny, a restaurant manager, and he gave the family the idea to help a small, poor school located about 30 minutes away. La Libertad, with an enrollment of about 50 students, was the school Ronny attended as a young boy. Ronny called the school and arranged to bring the Krumenauers to meet teachers and children. “Ronny was very overwhelmed that he could help give back to the school he went to. He kept saying that God had brought us to him,” recalls Jen. “It was really special. The kids seemed really happy,” added Jen.
During their vacation, the Krumenauers enjoyed some other thrills, too. Nick loved zip lining, surfing, deep sea fishing, and more. Kate liked seeing White-Faced Monkeys. The vacation was full of fun and lots of memories.
As they make plans for future vacations, the Krumenauers will continue to find ways to help and encourage the importance of giving back, especially in different cultures. “It’s good to teach them [the kids] the other side and to help when you can help,” said dad Troy.
