About Our Volunteers

Mike Balahura – President

Mike is our chief fundraiser and primary spokesperson for the organization.  He makes presentations to Rotary Clubs in the Kootenay’s, the Okanagan region,  on Vancouver Island, and in Washington state and Utah.  He oversees the operations of the Board of Directors.

Mike is a retired School Principal currently working as a curriculum consultant to the Department of Education and the University of British Columbia.  He  is past-president and member of the  Castlegar Sunrise Rotary Club.  He is seen here with one of the “market kids”.

HELP Honduras staff

Gwen Telling

Vice-President of HELP Honduras. Coordinates program in Santa Barbara. Member of Creston Rotary. Owner/Manager of Piper Farm in Creston.

HELP Honduras children
Heather More, Brenda’s sister, AYO educator Brenda, and Barb Penner, Past President, Kelowna Sunrise Rotary Club.

Heather More

Treasurer for HELP Honduras. Member of Creston Rotary. Honorary member of San Miguel de Heredia Rotary. Prepares Sponsor Certificates. Makes financial reports to CRA.

 

Brenda Balahura

Secretary of HELP Honduras.

HELP Honduras staff
Elaine Ross, HELP Honduras Treasurer & record keeper, Castlegar Sunrise Rotary

Elaine Ross

Director of HELP Honduras, Past President and member of Castlegar Sunrise Rotary. Maintains HELP Honduras Student Data Base. Retired Bookkeeper. Prepares Sponsor Certificates.

HELP Honduras volunteers
Chris Chart, mother and Karla, and Birgit Vierheilig-Chart

Chris Chart

Director of HELP Honduras. Member of Nelson Rotary. Owns and operates a veterinary clinic in Nelson.

HELP Honduras staff
Bill Feyrer discussing the Global Grant progress with AYO staff working on the Economic Opportunities Training for the mothers

Bill Feyrer

Director of HELP Honduras. Director of HELP Honduras. Member of Victoria Harbourside Rotary. One of the team that has administered the Economic Opportunities Training program at AyO supported with Global Grant Projects in Tegucigalpa for the last 9 years. Retired Engineer.

HELP Honduras volunteer Chris Dysart
Chris Dysart (center) with members of the Mothers Committee

Chris Dysart

Director of HELP Honduras. Member of Victoria Harbourside Rotary. Examining expansion of HELP Honduras to Comayagua. Retired Florist.

 
Maureen Duncan at a photo session with one of the beaming students

Maureen Duncan

Director of HELP Honduras. Member of Victoria Harbourside Rotary.

 

Elaine Beaulac

Member of HELP Honduras. Member of Nelson Rotary. Membership Secretary of HELP Honduras

HELP Honduras staff
Dave Morley, HELP Honduras Vice-President, talking to children before their pictures are taken

David Morley

Member of HELP Honduras. Translates documents Spanish to English and English to Spanish . Translates for HELP Honduras Monitoring Teams in Honduras. Member of Cranbrook Rotary. Retired Maintenance Superintendant.

HELP Honduras staff
Tegucigalpa Rotarians Dr. Don Kaminsky and Augusto Mendoza, with two other Rotariansfrom Tegucigalpa

Dr. Don Kaminsky

Original Director of Alternativas Y Opportunidades. Main coordinator of HELP Honduras Program in Tegucigalpa. Member of Tegucigalpa Rotary. Member of Cadre of Health Advisors for Rotary International. Monitor for The Rotary Foundation. Retired Doctor in the field of Public Health.

Augusto Mendoza

Member of San Miguel de Heredia Rotary and Assistant Governor for District 4250. Honduran Administrator for Global Grants utilized by AYO beneficiaries.