COMMUNITY

For years Iguana Lodge has been proudly involved in the community. We built the Puerto Jimenez Public Library (and continue to fund it), and have started and funded the Save the Osa Turtle Project. Most exciting of all however is our Todo Es Posible (Everything is Possible) project. Todo Es Posible provides scholarships to high school graduates wishing to attend university. We have funded over 70 students.  Total monies spent so far is almost $30,000.  See the Todo Es Posible SPREADSHEET of funds dispersed.  We hope that someday every student on the Osa Peninsula who wants to attend university may do so.  We now have a small university in our town on Tuesdays and Thursdays (because of the interest that had been generated by us in large part!). Specifically we plan to make sure that the best and brightest in our community have all the resources they need to see their dreams come true. When you choose to stay here at Iguana Lodge, you obviously choose to help these kids attend university.  Pura Vida.  

Regarding the Puerto Jimenez Library, it continues to flourish. It is small and useful. Guests and others have helped immensely with book donations.  Iguana Lodge is the sole funder of the community’s library.  Each year we take on projects at the library, generally with the goal of encouraging young readers to discover the magic of books.  We raffle off brand new bicycles, and children qualify to enter the raffle by reading five small books or one big one.  Cool! 
Lauren is now the English teacher in town with about two hundred students at the local elementary.  She has developed her own program, highlighting Basic English and using fun books, like good old Dr. Seuss.  She believe that if the kids can speak around three hundred words, they can communicate.  Other theories of hers include actively promoting the idea that English is easier to learn than Spanish for two reasons:  Verb changes are extremely minimal when compared to Spanish, and a table is a table...we don't have to determine if the table is a male or female table (which is pretty darn tricky to figure out with a casual or even detailed inspection).  

We are also now trying to bring the International Baccalaureate Program to Puerto Jimenez High School.  We will see what happens as the year proceeds.

As to the turtle project, for years Iguana Lodge has released approximately 10,000 baby turtles per year.   

Toby meanwhile is the chief of local road maintenance, driving his motor grader with a pride that can be seen in the eyes of young children when first acquiring a large Tonka truck.  

We are also strong supporters of a variety of other worthwhile groups.  We always hire Costa Ricans first, and purposely choose to not offer tours ourselves, but arrange for local entrepreneurs to provide tours to our guests. Iguana Lodge prides itself in participating in local activities too. We consistently donate funds to the local schools, Red Cross, and other assorted community projects. Thanks to Judge Robert Crew and family for donating the shiny basketball hoop to the fair town of Puerto Jimenez.  A couple years ago Lauren tutored high school kids in geometry to help them pass the National High School Math Examination (that took a lot more review than she anticipated!). The Iguana Lodge has been very active in the local Puerto Jimenez soccer scene. We also have arranged equipment donations from States-side teams to the local soccer maniacs. Lots of kids play barefoot, not out of choice, but out of necessity: they just have to play soccer! 

Meanwhile, on Playa Platanares we continue to please the local wildlife by planting trees and flowers. You will see these ever-growing gardens and the wildlife we are attracting when you come for a visit. Thanks to gardener extraordinaire, Mark Robinson from San Diego, for working in our gardens while on vacation. Isn't it about time for another visit, buddy?