Dear sir or madam,

My name is Jacqueline Brysacz, I am a north-eastern Ohio native(Chagrin Falls Class of 2002) currently serving as an agriculture extension volunteer in Bolivia with the Peace Corps. I had long beeninterested in beekeeping before my service, and by a stroke of good fortune I was sent to Bolivia where beekeeping is one of our three main projects.

Volunteers also work in gardening and fish farming,but the indigenous Guarani community where I serve is focusing on apiculture. Our project has ten participating families, half of which already had a few rustic hives and half being new beekeepers. The main goals of our project are improved nutrition and health throught he consumption of hive products as well as environmental conservation through diminished hive robbing. I have begun passing classes on bee biology, hive maintenance and the like, and a project to provide smokers, tools, suits, and boxes is in the works. My community, Chimeo, is also home to a number of native stingless bees like theNegrillo and the Senorita, and another bee association ADACHACO is implementing a project to increase this industry as well.

Please feel free to share this information with association members. If members would like to know more, they can access my blog at http://jbrysacz.blogspot.com. When I finish my service in April 2009, perhaps I'll even be signing up to become a member of your association.

Best,

Jacqueline Brysacz

PCV Bolivia 2007-09