Who We Are……

HOLA Sertoma was formed in May 2005 by a group of men and women in Springfield Missouri to support the medical needs in remote areas of Latin America.  Recently, we have expanded our assistance to include educational programs.  Current efforts have focused on the hospital and schools in an impoverished Mayan community in the Guatemalan Highlands called Lake Atitlan. 

You might wonder about our unique name.  In Spanish, “hola” is a friendly greeting that means “hello”.  We believed this word would be an appropriate acronym for our club …  Helping Others in Latin America. It states exactly what we do as a club and as Sertomans.  As part of Sertoma International, our club is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.  Sertoma is also an acronym for SERvice TO MAnkind.  It is an international service organization of business, professional, and civic-minded persons dedicated to the betterment of the human community…locally, nationally, and abroad.  You can learn more about Sertoma International by clicking on their tab to the right.  HOLA is one of six Sertoma clubs in Springfield, MO.  We are the only club locally with an international focus.  Our members, however, are also very active in the events and fundraisers of other clubs in our city.

Fundraising is a cornerstone of any Sertoma club.  HOLA Sertoma raises money locally and puts it back into the programs it supports, such as those mentioned in Guatemala.  Our annual fundraising event is “Moms & Mimosas”, a Mother’s Day Brunch to celebrate the special women in your life.  Throughout the year, we sell hand made goods of the  Mayan people indigenous to the Guatemalan Highlands.  These goods  have been made primitively with an art passed through the  generations.  They include beaded  jewelry, accessories, and tapestries.  We also sell Guatemalan shade grown coffee picked by hand.  Our signature label is Mayan Mud. We fresh roast and package the beans locally.

Several times each year our members make volunteer trips to assist with a variety of projects in the areas we are helping.  These tasks are usually prearranged, but can be assigned after we arrive as well!!  It’s always a fun and rewarding experience working with the permanent staff in the areas along with the families of the communities.  Previous jobs have included building a house, remodeling a hospital, sorting medical supplies, and digging a road.  There are no physical requirements and many tasks involve no physical exertion (teaching, screening, planning,  paperwork, etc).   When work for the day is done, everyone looks forward to good food and fun times filled with local flavor.  Then, of course, there’s the CHILDREN  that will always make the trips memorable!!!!!

HOLA Sertoma meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm.  Our venue is usually a private room at a local restaurant.  Quarterly dues are $35.  We have no attendance requirements but planning, sharing, and socializing with other members at these meetings is something you will look forward to.   There are also district, regional, and  international Sertoma meetings in different locales four times annually.   These are both informative and fun gatherings whether you are a new Sertoman or one of many years.

The tabs to the right share additional information about our club and our activities.  We have many fun pictures from our trips and events to share.  If you are interested in joining us, donating to our cause,  going on one of our trips, buying any of our goods,  attending a meeting, or obtaining information about any Sertoma club or function, please click on the “contact us” tab and we will get in touch with you within a few days.

Don’t forget to note the  calender dots at the top right of this page and plan ahead for ALL Sertoma events.  Each fundraiser helps many people.

Thank you for visiting our website.   Please join us again and   invite your friends to do the same.  Have a joyous day!

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world”

——-Anne Frank