Mike Fleming

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Mulege I'd like you, and all Nomads to know that we are grateful for your support. Your success at fundraising speaks volumes about you.

As this is written the 2nd wave of Bush Pilots is arriving in Mulege. For some insight on what the situation is like right now please see the post just before Mike's, on this thread.

If you have not yet donated to Mulege's relief, please consider it, no matter the amount, whatever you can comfortably afford.

Thanks.

Have the BBP assisted other areas? Is this still all about Mulege?
Is there any accounting of where assistance from the US went?
Is BBP reporting the destination of their efforts?
I can't keep up with all these reports and I wonder. That's all. I'm just asking.
I would like to see feedback of the wide effort.

Very good questions. Thanks.

I'm going to let Siri address the issues concerning BBP (Baja Bush Pilots). If you read the post on this thread two posts up, there is some discussion of helping folks outside of town. They are focusing a lot of attention to the Rancheros, and for good reason.

As far as accounting goes, I can only speak for the Mulege Rotary. As this years President, I feel personal responsibility for the relief money donated and I/we WILL account for every peso we disburse. I fully understand that our reputation as a club is very important to any future fundraising we may do.

Thanks again for your interest.

BBP's first wave of effort was overall needs assessment. With aircraft they could boldly go where no wheeled vehicles could go. They had Cruz Roja along to map out damages and problems, and fix on a plan.

Once road traffic was possible, the road-accessible areas were fairly quickly served with emergency conduits, and by then BBP/Cruz Roja was identifying isolated and desperate people east of the highway, north of Mulege, and south of somewhere more or less near Santa Rosalia. BBP excluded Mulege and Santa Rosalia from their direct efforts per se (tho basing now out of Serenidad in Mulege) because their airlift capability was needed in the ranchos cut off from wheeled vehicle access. I.e. they matched the capability to the need. I haven't seen the latest med-evac numbers, food/supply drops, etc., number of missions and so on (had other fish to fry).

So to reiterate, BBP's efforts are not about Mulege at all, but about the areas their aircraft can uniquely serve best. Had the highway access shaped up differently of course, BBP would have likely altered their focus accordingly.

Cruz Roja, however, was everywhere in the vicinity.

As to accounting, I've posted elsewhere here on Nomad as far as the Scholarship's efforts have evolved so far, and all donors will be receiving our report on how the total sum collected gets used. If you are worried about BBP's collections, don't sweat that too heavy. The pilots will wind up donating at least 95 cents of every air time & fuel dollar, as they always do.

Rotary projects are always very well documented, and I'm sure the Mulege Rotary (where all further money donations should go IMO) will both announce the details of their work here, and produce a full report showing money in, money out and accomplishments completed. Rotary is where the real long term rubber meets the road for this relief. They will get things done beyond food & emergency supplies (course if your roof is gone and you have no money that's an emergency by most definitions; I hate having to wear SPF30 in my living room). So for those who have not contributed, and those who want to see their funds go to help fix long term needs, make your contribution to Mulege Rotary per instructions above.


Director, Mulege Student Scholarship Program
Oasis Rio Baja #29, & Auburn, CA

Randy and Mike,

Thanks for your replies to Dennis--sorry I was offline flying back to Loreto yesterday.

I just wanted to add something, about where the BBP effort is directed. I can tell you that BBP became aware that Lopez Mateos was in great need (beyond the quick trip Cruz Roja made there), so BBP is now trying to to divert some planes directly to Constitucion (most still don't want to land at the strip at Lopez Mateos). Yesterday a plane went directly to Constitucion and unload to a Lopez rep, and we just had another plane do the same today.

It's a big project with lots of different loads coming in to keep track of. I wasn't on the ground last weekend, but know that Claudia and Jack were, and were making sure distribution was done as fairly and efficiently as possible (based on the information they have from various sources, including Cruz Roja, and through people they know and trust). I hope they will have an estimated tally of how many planes-full came in and where they went, but I'm not sure it exists yet.

If you have further questions about a summary of what's happened and/or financial collections, please contact the BBP office at 480-730-3250--I'm sure Claudia can answer your questions in detail.

Also, the National Off Road Racing Association has stepped up with donations and also helping to move overland things BBP couldn't do by plane. I just saw a post on the BBP message bd that NORRA had picked up a few thousand water bottles from the BBP drop site at Gillespie field in San Diego to start overland transport. Big thanks to these guys for getting involved and carrying the project forward...

I hope this helps, and thanks for everyone's support! Siri