Hello everybody and Hola from Costa Rica!

It is that time of year again! Atenas’ seventh annual Charity Chili Cook Off!!!

Again, this year I am chairperson for the event scheduled February 9, 2014. It is a great day and a great community event that benefits our worthwhile children’s home right here in Atenas — Hogar de Vida.

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We want to outreach as far and wide as we can to give friends and family an opportunity to partner with us to make a difference. You may not live here in Costa Rica, but your support will overwhelmingly help these children living at Hogar.

I visit the Hogar de Vida periodically, to hear about how they are helping the children that live there, and to better understand the needs they have to operate day to day.

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This children’s home was founded in 1994 by the Stromstad Family — an American couple — to provide temporary shelter that houses up to 35 children ages birth to 10 years old that may have suffered from abandonment, living in poverty or some form of abuse, including sexual, physical or emotional.

This Christian ministry’s objective is to meet the needs of those children by providing a stable home, good nutrition, clothing, education, trustworthy authority figures and spiritual training.

The proceeds from the Chili Cook Off help to fund miscellaneous needs for Hogar. An immediate need is further security for the kids — an automatic steel gate that will help to seal off the last gap in the perimeter of Hogar de Vida at the entrance.

This will provide the best protection possible for the large family of kids and staff. It will also help with traffic flow and will offer peace of mind to the caregivers at night.

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We will also be using a percentage of proceeds to help with the operational costs that ensure that the children’s needs are met on a day-to-day basis (food, clothing, lodging, 24-hour adult supervision, schooling, medical, etc.).

Remember, they only get a portion of what is needed from the government. They keep their doors opens because of folks like us!

I’m asking you to join me as a donor by making a contribution of any size to help support the needs at Hogar which benefit those children day-to-day.

Won’t you join me in making a significant difference in the lives of these beautiful children? Visit our website at And do not hesitate to pass this on to your circle of family and friends!

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For anyone in the US, a check written to myself and designated for the Hogar de Vida, may be forwarded to me in care of Carol Milam, P. O. Box 158555; Nashville, TN 37215-8555. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at

You can also pledge a donation directly to the orphanage at If you choose this method, please put in the memo section that it is for the “Chili Cook Off” and let me know the name that made the donation, the date and the amount for tracking purposes.

These amounts go directly to the home with NO fees deducted.

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On behalf of the kids at Hogar, I thank you for your donation.

Stef Bogatinoff

The 7th Annual Charity Chili Cook Off in Atenas.

Article/Property ID Number 4579

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