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Roots & Wings International Press Release



Nonprofit Cocktail Benefit to Fund Rural Guatemalans' Education


Spokane, WA, December 2, 2009—Roots and Wings International, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Guatemala's rural coffee growers, will hold a cocktail benefit to fund the education of indigenous Guatemalans in the Pasac community on December 10. Roots & Wings has invited keynote speaker Julio Lowenthal, a previous congress member, as well as various specially-invited guests, to speak about the importance of education and RWI's vision to promote it. Eight businesses are sponsoring this event, including Municipalidad de Guatemala, Music2Night, Restaurante Sal y Pimienta, and Rones de Guatemala.

Proceeds will benefit Roots and Wings' university scholarship program. Current scholarship recipients will be in attendance at the event, and RWI's achievements in the community will be presented. Interested participants may RSVP by visiting RWI’s website www.rootsandwingsintl.org/rsvp. Erik Swanson, founder of Roots & Wings International, will be speaking about Roots & Wings on the radio program "Todo a Pulmon" with hosts Marta Yolanda Díaz-Durán and Jorge Jacobs. It airs every weekday from 12pm to 2pm (CST). You can listen to Erik live on December 4th at Libertopolis or in Guatemala by tuning into 100.9.

Swanson states, "My goal is to promote education so people can define development based on their own culture and life experience." The cocktail benefit will be instrumental in helping to raise much-needed funds to further promote education in Guatemala.

RWI creates educational opportunities to promote development as defined by local communities. We serve the Boca Costa region, focusing our efforts on a dozen local coffee-growing communities. RWI has provided over 30 university scholarships to date.

All donations are welcome. An amount as little as $25 goes far in rural Guatemala. All charitable contributions are tax deductible. Roots & Wings International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a tax id of 20-5890443.

Go to Roots and Wings International to sponsor a student or buy coffee that also benefits the Pasac community in Guatemala.

For more information, contact Erik Swanson by phone at 202.747.4946 or via email at erik@rootsandwingsintl.org.



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