Maureen Harkins bids farewell

We are really saddened by the news that Maureen Harkins, an American volunteer who served as a social worker at the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) in Park Avenue in Pasay City, had already returned home to US.

Who is Maureen Markins? Well, she is the Malibay Chess Club’s key contact person at the CFSI, a humanitarian organization that takes care of poor street children and out-of-school youth living in the Park Avenue area and outlying barangays.

Maureen gave her unwavering support in a continuing partnership between CFSI and the Malibay Chess Club in helping the kids reach their full potentials through chess, which is just one of the many services of CFSI in serving the community.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you, MAUREEN, for the good cause that you fought for while you were still here in the Philippines. It was a cause worth working for. It was a cause worth living for.

Your commitment inspired other cause-oriented souls to persevere more in championing a good cause, even in a very small way that can save and touch more lives.

Here are the parting words of Maureen in her emails:

“It has been my pleasure collaborating with you and your enthusiastic group
on the chess project during my time here in Manila. I hope that the
cooperation between many local young chess enthusiasts continues to grow and the
network continues to strengthen long after my departure. My only regret is
that my tenure here has been far too short; I hope to return to Manila in the
future and to find a chess network that has been nurtured by the dedication and
generosity that you offer to the young people who enjoy it so much.

Thank you so very much for your kind words. Today, Friday the
19th of July will be my last day working at CFSI, and I fly back to the states
early next week.

Again, thank you for your warm reception here in your beautiful
country, and I am so grateful for the collaboration we have been able to forge
for the children and youth in the chess clubs. I hope to return very
soon!

Yours,
Maureen”

Special visitor

Mr. Francis Buenaventura, the man behind the philippinechesschronicles blog, visited the Malibay Chess Club. We treat it as a privilege.

Sadly, we were not even able to offer him anything to drink, not even a monoblock chair for him to comfortably sit on.

All we could afford was to entertain him to the cold concrete stair-like bench of the Malibay gym.

But of course, we certainly know that he understands. As far as we believe, what the Malibay Chess Club "offered" him was sweeter than the sweetest drinks and even more comfortable than the most comfortable chair to sit on.

We simply offered him our -- hands. May the handshakes lead to fruitful and lasting collaborations.

Free chess training

Two members of the Malibay Chess Club (MCC), Jonathan Bucatcat and Paulino Francisco, selflessly volunteered their services last Saturday to help in providing chess training to kids at the Community and Family Services International (CFSI).

"Thank you so very much again for sending two of your members to CFSI this past Saturday- their skill and speed were very impressive, and I think our members really enjoyed learning from them! I was also glad to have the opportunity to meet them in person," said Maureen Harkins in her email. Maureen is an American volunteer at CFSI.

(NOTE: Photo courtesy of Ms. Maureen.)