A Seattle area birder is willing to match dollar for dollar up to $400
total what any others contribute towards Leonel Herrera Alsina's trip from
Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, to Seattle to Vancouver BC to attend the North
American Ornithological Conference at UBc. In other words, $200 from the
anonymous donor and $200+ from other donors.

If you missed my previous post, Leonel is a graduate ornithology student at
UNAM here in Morelia, and he received a travel scholarship to attend the
conference. Unfortunately, the scholarship doesn't cover all of his
transportation costs nor does it cover any other expenses. To ensure that
he can participate in this year's NAO Conference, I offered to help him,
knowing how generous and supportive PNW birders are.

As a result of my previous post, I've been able to secure housing for him
in Vancouver and bus fare to get Leonel to UBC campus each day - Thank you
George Clulow! And I have a pending offer of a ride from Seattle to UBC
from a UW grad student.

I've also received some offers of $$ to help him.

So with the offer of matching funds plus private offers of cash donations,
here are Leonel's other expenses:

$95 USD for renewal of Mexican passport
$180 USD application fee for US visa
$45 USD bus fare Morelia-Mexico City- Morelia for US Consular Office
$138 USD application fee for Canadian visa

Total = $458 USD

Note: I anticipate that he'll need to make a trip to Guadalajara or Mexico
City for an interview associated with his application for said visa, and
that will be another $45 USD. This is what happened when I made possible
for Victor Hugo Valencia to participate in Long Point Bird Observatory's
Latin American Birders Program.

Note #2: The above is a bare bones budget. He won't have pocket change or
be able to buy a t-shirt or other memento from the conference. And, he'll
still need a ride from Vancouver back to Seattle to catch his flight.

So, if you'd like to assist a deserving birder and grad student attend this
conference, please let me know off listserv. Any funds donated would
be deposited in my personal US-based bank account and I'll pay for the
above referenced expenses in pesos. I, too, will be donating $$ to ensure
that he attends.

I'll provide an accounting of all donations to anyone who wishes a
statement.

Oh, I almost forgot: any donor is welcome to visit me (i.e., stay in my
casita) here in the Central Highlands of Mexico where I will show you
endemics and/or take you to see wintering Monarch butterflies.

Georgia Conti
now living on Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico and formerly of Seattle
antep12ATgmailDOTcom
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