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Esta semana ha sido la peor que recordamos en la historia de la asociación. Olentzero no tenía apenas regalos para los niñ@s puesto que la crisis también le ha llegado. El frío siberiano que teníamos añadiendo la nieve caída en las carreteras nos deparaba que muchas de nuestras familias no pudieran acudir por el temporal, pero a última hora, aunque con mucho frío, tuvimos una tregua y dejó de nevar e incluso salió el sol, por tanto pudimos celebrar la llegada de Olentzero con mucha alegría entre los asistentes, aunque no olvidamos a Marisa, parte muy importante de nuestra asociación, que debido al temporal caído no pudo llegar de Villarcayo. Tampoco queremos olvidar a nuestro querido Joanes que debido a la intervención quirúrgica practicada, y aunque está estupendamente, no pudo acudir a nuestra fiesta, creo que es la primera vez que tanto uno como otro no asisten.

Como siempre dimos comienzo con la entrada de Olentzero mientras todos los presentes cantábamos su canción. Nos saludó con la alegría y buen humor de siempre y comenzó a repartir los regalos que como cada año reparte a cada niño, algunos incluso entregaron sus cartas con los regalos que les gustaría recibir la noche del 24. Todos los niños estaban encantados con sus bolsitas, este año Olentzero nos sorprendió con los calcetines que cada año nos regala, este año y debido al tiempo nos los regaló Polares, especiales para el frío, que buena falta nos hizo y caramelos que recibían de su mano, al final, se sacaron una fotografía en grupo con él como recuerdo.

Después de despedir a Olentzero dimos comienzo a nuestras rifas, con regalos que durante el año hemos ido acumulando en la asociación y aprovechamos esta fiesta para rifarlos entre las familias asistentes. Aunque realmente lo más esperado es el sorteo de las cestas de Navidad, todas ellas, como cada año, completadas por nuestras familias. Las más solicitadas son las realizadas por productos propios de las huertas propias. Hacemos como cada año hincapié en nuestras baserritarras Juanita, Blanca, Cecilia e Isabel.

Para terminar el evento dimos buena cuenta de nuestro apetito con un ágape preparado entre todos, repartido en diferentes mesas, una de ellas parecía una exposición llena de excelentes manjares PKU-OTM, tenemos la sensación de que nuestras familias ensayan durante todo el año para presentar sus manjares en estas fechas.

Y sobre las 19,30 dimos por concluida la fiesta, este año un poco más rápida, debido al mal tiempo y a la bajada de las temperaturas durante la noche y por tanto al miedo a encontrarse con hielo en las carreteras, aquellas familias que tienen que desplazarse en coche.

Muchísimas gracias a todos y como siempre nuestro agradecimiento a las siguiente personas y entidades colaboradoras:

Amamas: Blanca, Cecilia, Isabel y Juanita
Centro Comercial Artea
Eroski Artea
Caja Laboral de Gernika
Kalamazoo
Eusko-Tren
Seguros Lagun Aro
Industrias Sadivai (Lorpem)
Familias PKU-OTM

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Este año ha sido muy complicado sacar adelante el encuentro, principalmente debido al retraso en la resolución de las subvenciones por parte de las distintas consejerías de asuntos sociales de las diferentes autonomías en las que debían aceptar la realización del mismo. Tras una deliberación por parte de la Junta Directiva de cada asociación, se acordó que cada una asumiera los gastos de sus chavales, lo que creemos merma la asistencia, una vez recibida la ayuda de la subvención (si la hubiera) las diferentes asociaciones volverían a ingresar en sus arcas lo aportado para tal evento. Se acordó de igual modo que los jóvenes deberíamos abrir su propia cuenta y pensar en métodos para ingresar dinero. Por supuesto la Federación seguirá apoyándonos en todo lo necesario (también económicamente, naturalmente).

Estos motivos (comprensibles, desde luego) nos trastocaron la elaboración del encuentro.

Las fechas que habíamos elegido del 26 de Junio al 3 de Julio fueron aceptadas ya que son mejores fechas para los estudiantes y a partir del mes de julio el precio del hotel aumenta considerablemente. Así mismo se nos informó que no podríamos llevarlo a cabo por problemas presupuestarios, pero conseguimos arañar la solución anteriormente mencionada.

Aún así, los encargados de preparar el encuentro (Isabel, José Mari, Ana e Irati) hicieron un gran esfuerzo y fueron capaces de convocar a los jóvenes, y conseguir a los especialistas, que como cada año que se les convoca asisten encantados desde hace 19 años. Eso si, la asistencia fue como en anteriores encuentros muy satisfactoria.

El encuentro se llevo a cabo del 26 de Junio al 3 de Julio en el hotel Sol Príncipe en Torremolinos (Málaga). El programa era similar al de anteriores años con charlas con especialistas, talleres de cocina y debates. Para facilitar los talleres de cocina se formaron tres grupos para que así todos estuviesen implicados en la elaboración de los platos. Este sistema que tan buenos resultados nos da, parece muy eficaz ya que en cada grupo dirigidos por un responsable (PKU-OTM) pueden participar todos. Elaboramos los siguientes platos: Aliño de patatas con ajos; Pastel vegetal y Bizcocho de naranja. El taller consistía en preparar el menú y luego sacar los valores nutritivos de cada plato.
En esta ocasión resultó más sencillo probablemente porque tenían la lección aprendida de años anteriores (con excepción de los que asistieron por primera vez).

Los talleres (Adherencia a la dieta fuera del ámbito familiar) impartidos por la Psicóloga Aurora Martínez Loscertales, psicóloga del Servicio Andaluz de Salud en Sevilla. El debate fue abierto y la participación sobresaliente, incluso nos faltó tiempo. (Ver informe adjunto).

Los juegos: Mil y un preguntas y de cartas PKU-OTM fueron muy didácticos, con ellos pretendíamos la participación de todo el grupo, para ello de nuevo fueron repartidos en tres grupos (iguales a los de los talleres de cocina) mediante preguntas que ellos debían responder sobre su enfermedad iban ampliando sus conocimientos, esto lo hacían mediante una puesta en común con el portavoz de cada grupo

Valoración del Cuestionario


Informe talleres de la psicologa Aurora Martinez Loscertales

Taller de adherencia a la dieta fuera del ambito familiar
Justificación:
Cuando los jóvenes PKU y OTM llegan a la adolescencia la importancia de fomentar la adherencia a la dieta aumenta exponencialmente, ya que se da durante este momento de su vida y en su etapa de jóvenes adultos cuando se da la transferencia y consolidación de la responsabilidad de mantener de forma constante regulada y ajustada una dieta baja en proteinas o en cualesquiera de los componentes que puedan afectar a su metabolopatía.

Este principio cobra especial importancia cuando salen de casa. Con la adolescencia los chicos y chicas ganan autonomía, aumentan sus círculos y relaciones sociales y la frecuencia y variedad de las actividades de ocio que realizan, muchas de las cuales involucran comer fuera de casa. Este proceso se prolonga y aumenta hasta la etapa de jóvenes adultos.

Objetivos:
Reforzar los conocimientos acerca de los alimentos disponibles en lugares de ocio que son admisibles dentro de una dieta PKU-OTM, compensada.
Potenciar la motivación para mantener la adherencia a la dieta durante las actividades de ocio fuera de su ámbito familiar.
Adquirir y practicar habilidades sociales para manejar la presión del grupo y el sentido de pertenencia cuando comen cosas diferentes al resto del grupo.

Actividades:

1.- Lista de alimentos:
Elaborar una lista de alimentos elaborados disponibles en lugares de ocio adecuados dentro de su dieta.

Puesta en común y elaboración de una lista general.

2.- Rol Play:
Rol play de diversas situaciones en las que un joven PKU va a comer con dos amigos (que conocen/no conocen la enfermedad, respetan/no respetan la elección de mantener la dieta, hacen/no hacen presión social para el no mantenimiento de la dieta.)

Tras cada rol play se señalan y discuten las facilidades y dificultades observadas y las estrategias apropiadas e inapropiadas para afrontarlas.

Resumen de resultados:
1.- Taller de adherencia a la dieta fuera del entorno familiar.

Los chicos y chicas conocen relativamente bien los alimentos disponibles en lugares de ocio aunque reconocen la utilidad de elaborar una lista conjunta, sin embargo encuentran que la segunda actividad (rol play) es muy útil ya que los principales problemas con la adherencia a la dieta fuera del entorno familiar se relaciona más con aspectos sociales y habilidades de afrontamiento que con la disponibilidad de alimentos permitidos en lugares de ocio.

Taller de promoción de la salud, hábitos saludables y prevención del consumo de alcohol y tabaco.

Justificación:
Actualmente en el ámbito o de la salud cada vez son más importantes la promoción de la salud y la prevención primaria, con especial hincapié en la población adolescente y de jóvenes adultos en el establecimiento de hábitos de vida saludable y especialmente en la prevención del consumo de tabaco y alcohol.

Tradicionalmente cuando nos enfrentamos a enfermedades crónicas de inicio infantil todos los esfuerzos se han dirigido lógicamente a la prevención secundaria, el tratamiento y la minimización de secuelas. Pero actualmente gracias a los avances científico-técnicos de la medicina muchos de los enfermos crónicos de inicio infantil resuelven en adultos normo ajustados sanitaria y socialmente lo que nos obliga a replantearnos la necesitad de normalizar entre otras cosas las prioridades de educación y promoción de la salud, y es por eso que se considera importante introducir en nuestro encuentro de jóvenes actividades relacionadas con la promoción de la salud y prevención del consumo de drogas y alcohol.

Objetivos:
Proporcionar conocimientos acerca de los componentes, mecanismos de acción y consecuencias para la salud del consumo de alcohol y tabaco.

Aprender la importancia del mantenimiento de hábitos de vida saludable para la salud de cualquier persona y especialmente para los afectos de PKU-OTM.

Reconocer y valorar los beneficios del abandono del consumo de tabaco y la moderación en el uso del alcohol.

Actividades:
Charla coloquio con los siguientes contenidos y empleando la metodología interrogativo-deductiva para potenciar la formación y consolidación de conocimientos.

Componentes del tabaco
Estructuras y tipos de alcohol fermentados y destilados.
Carga proteica de los alcoholes fermentados. La cerveza en la dieta PKU
Efectos sobre la salud del consumo de alcohol y tabaco.
Beneficios del abandono del consumo de tabaco y la moderación del uso del alcohol.
Ventajas y efectos sobre la salud del ejercicio físico. Actividad física y PKU

Resumen de resultados:
2.- Taller de promoción de la salud, hábitos saludables y prevención del consumo de alcohol y tabaco.

La participación en la charla coloquio fue muy positiva los chicos y chicas encontraron el contenido muy interesante. Si bien se detectan los mismos mitos e ideas erróneas que en los adolescentes de población general, si que cabe destacar que el hecho de tener una educación nutricional especial les hace positivamente sensibles a la educación para la salud y a las actividades de promoción de hábitos de vida saludables.

Aurora Martínez Loscertales

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Durante este fin de semana un grupo de padres, madres, hijos y amigos PKU y OTM nos hemos reunido en el Albergue de Hondarribia dentro de unas jornadas de convivencia que la asociación ha celebrado por novena vez.

Aunque el pasado año estuvimos en este mismo albergue, al tratarse de un lugar magnífico, cercano al puerto, playa y pueblo de Hondarribia decidimos repetir la experiencia del pasado año. El albergue está enteramente renovado y las instalaciones son maravillosas, aparte del personal que destaca por su amabilidad con todo el grupo tanto personal del comedor, cocina, recepción y limpieza, siempre dispuestos a prestarnos la ayuda necesaria en cuanto la solicitábamos.

La entrada fue el viernes por la tarde. El recibimiento humano fue cálido, el meteorológico, fresco y lluvioso. A cada familia se les entregó una bolsa con material de información sobre las jornadas así como la encuesta sobre el encuentro para que lo rellenaran cada familia, tal y como nos solicita el Gobierno Vasco.

Una vez repartidas las habitaciones bajamos al comedor a cenar, como siempre que vamos en el albergue tienen la amabilidad (que es muy de agradecer, por poco frecuente), de adaptar los menús del resto del personal hospedado al de nuestros chavales. Una vez terminada la cena, cada familia optó por diferentes cosas, ver la televisión, bajar al pueblo a tomar café, o simplemente a charlar entre las familias en una de las salas de estar.

También dimos la bienvenida a Magda y Josep que llegaban en tren desde Barcelona, invitados por la asociación, y que naturalmente después de tanto viaje se encontraban muy cansados y optaron por acostarse.

El sábado por la mañana después de desayunar, aunque el día amaneció peor que el anterior, no nos importó demasiado puesto que llevamos a cabo la reunión prevista con Magda y Josep sobre la PKU materna. La finalidad de esta reunión era que los jóvenes tuvieran la información necesaria sobre ello. Ella quiere quedarse embarazada y explicó como se realiza la dieta, las pruebas a las que hay que someterse, lo que dicen los médicos… todo el proceso que esta llevando a cabo para conseguirlo, y la importancia de la implicación del compañero en este proyecto.

Tras su intervención los jóvenes asistentes realizaron preguntas a Magda y Josep para disipar sus dudas sobre la materia. La charla resultó muy interesante y didáctica para todos los asistentes.

Durante la tarde y mientras los niños se quedaron con los jóvenes en el albergue como monitores, haciendo una manualidad especial, para regalar al día siguiente a su madre, ya que coincide con ese día. El tiempo nos acompañó y tras la manualidad se llevaron a cabo una serie de juegos como fue la búsqueda del tesoro, carreras de sacos etc. Después de descansar del ejercicio hecho, merendaron y les dimos un tentempié. Los niños disfrutaron y los monitores con ellos.

Los mayores nos trasladamos en autobús a Bayona donde habíamos contratado una visita guiada al Castillo Viejo, La Catedral y el Claustro, Puerto de España, Murallas, Ayuntamiento-Teatro y los Muelles de la Nive con el Mercado, fuimos muy bien acompañados por el sol que duró hasta que anocheció, haciendo las delicias de cuantos estábamos allí.

El domingo durante la mañana y mientras los niños completaron la manualidad que iba a ser entregada en el almuerzo, los padres nos reunimos para programar las actividades a desarrollar durante el resto del año, valorar el encuentro y manifestar los diferentes puntos de vista de cada asociado. Podríamos destacar de estas jornadas el ser muy fructíferas y buenas para fomentar las relaciones entre los niños, las familias y los jóvenes.

Destacamos muy positivamente a todos los jóvenes que asistieron, nos dieron una verdadera lección de solidaridad a todos, dedicándose por completo a nuestros niños y discapacitados sin pedir nada a cambio y poniendo el máximo de interés en ello.

Cristina y Lara

From the 29th -31st May 2009

FRIDAY 29th
Friday 29th
Once again we met at 5:30 PM in the association eager to spend a nice weekend together. At about 7:00 PM we reached Arteaga, we settled and began with some games to break the ice. We played hide and seek, blindman`s buff, handkerchief and ping-pong. We intended to spend some fun time before supper.

After supper, we watched a film, as we usually do. We took several films and through a votation process they decided they wanted to see “Bee movie”, an entertaining, fun and educative movie, it has as a theme the importance of collaboration and team work. They enjoyed it very much. We then called the day off and went to rest.

SATURDAY 30th
After taking a shower and greating the day with a great breakfast, we took the inter-city, which this time did stop unlike two years ago when it did not. We went to Lekeitio.We wanted to get them to know a nice coast villaje, and thanks to the nice weather, have a good time at the beach. They liked Lekeitio very much.and they had a great time at the beach.Some of us took a brave step and when into the water. Jorge really enjoyed his bath and did not come out until it was time to go.Before fetching the bus to return, we had some softdrinks to fight the heat and we then came back for lunch.

After luch, and after having a rest, we began with our first afternoon activity: water games. We made two teams and we had to fill some carafes in order to win the game. The objective of this fun activity was to encourage a healthy competivity among the members of the different teams and to spend part of the afternoon fresh, since it was rather hot. Team 1 won. The team members were: Jorge, Jose Ramon and Javi.

After that activity we had a delicious afternoon snack and we were ready for the scheduled a handy craft to apint and make look old a wooden box. At first we thought we would only have time to pain t the box, butm since it was so hot they dried very fast and we could also apply the asphalt in order to make them look old. Handy crafts are very positive activities because it encourage them to promote their creavitivity and helps them realize they are able of doing much more things that what they actually spect. Even so, they protest plenty. They speciaqlly enjoyed this Handy craft, they were very proud of their boxes. Actually, they did a great job!. Once they finished with the activity we sent them top lay ping-pong whilr we hid the clues for the evening.

After the classic Saturday supper, hamburguers, and once it had darken we began with the night activity, treasure hunt. They first had to find the hidden clues that would take them to the treasure map. Once they found the map, they had to figure it out and go find the treasure. By means of this game we intended to make them think up in order to figure out the clues. Some were easy, but we had to help them with other harder clues.Another goal of this activity was cooperation, they were all teamed up in one single group and had to work as one. Once they found the map it did not take them very long to work it out and find the treasure: a bottle of grape juice and and some crisps for next day’s snack. At 11:30 pm they all went to bed pretty satisfied about finding a treasure.

SUNDAY 31st
Early in the morning we went with the owner of the house and his brother to help them feed the animals. They love it, since they are not afraid mto do so and it stimulates them a lot. The brothers explained the kids all about the animals, they were very interested and made many questions, some even helped picking the chickens’ eggs. They had a great time with the dogs, they spend a lot of time petting them and playing with them.

Since the weather was still rather nice and we had finished surprisingly quick the box Handy craft we decided to go again to the beach, This time we went to Laga. We sunbathed and this time only Javi dared to take a bath, Jorge tried, but the water was very cold and it was a bit windy.

And of course, before leaving we took a photograph of the group with the tree palnted by themselves two years ago. And so the marvelous weekend we spent in Arteaga came to an end.

Javier, Estíbalitz y David.

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From the 1st to the 3rd of May 2009

During this weekend a group of PKU and AD have met in the Hondarribia hostel within a residential weekend that the association has schedules for the eighth time.

It is a magnificent place, close to Hondarribia’s port. The hostel is completely renovated and the installations are marvellous. The staff is very friendly and the food more than adequate.

We got there on Friday morning since it was holliday. We had a very warm welcome, while the weather was rather chilly. We handed to every family information and an annonymous satisfaction questionnaire.

At 4 pm we had a meeting in wich we explained to the associates the hostel’s rules and and the weekends program. We also explained how we were managing nthe trips of the Young adults to Torremolinos and the Madrid camp.

We reached for help for the International AECOM congress (we are invited) to be held on October at the Eukaduna Congress Centre.

We hand out to our associates a questionnaire named “Knowledge Evaluation on Phenyketonuria”, requested by hte University of Granada and we ask them to fill out as well the Residential Weekend Evaluation.

Jesús Mari Rey told us about what was spoken with the manager of Cruces Hospital, regarding the substitution of Dr. Montejo.

We agree about organizing aq celebration of the association’s 25th anniversary next year (2010).

While we were having this meeting, the kids were with the monitors making a handycraft for their mothers since it was mother’s day.

On Saturday morning the kids were with the monitors out in the street enjoying a very pleasant sunny day. While they were entertained, the adults had a meeting with Dr. Koldo Aldámiz and Dr. Pablo Sanjurjo. Dr. Baldellou was also going to attend the meeting, but he finally could not come due to health issues.

The lecture began with Dr. Aldamiz and it was about:
- “ La osteoporosis in PKUs”.

He explained us the disease, its causes and consequences.He also talked about researches done with PKUs about the disease and about how it is necessary to consume soja oil in order to increase the levels of omega 3. While these studies are carried out, it seems convenient to begin following them to solve the problem.

After Dr. Aldamiz’s lectura we had a coffe break before Dr. Sanjurjo’s lecture. The lecture was divided into three subjects: “BH4”, “Protein as an amino-acid substitue” and “Treatment with special neutral amino-acids, specially for teenagers and adults”.

Once explained these three subjects, we asked questions to both physicians and they answers all the doubts we had about their lectures. After this round of questions, we closed a meeting inm which we considered very interesting and made us feel rather optimistic.

After lunch, we made a touristic visit. We went to the port of Hondarribia and took a trip in catamaran (firat the kidas, after the adults) through the bay. Meanwhile, the younger ones went fishing with the monitors to the estuary. They really enjoyed the activity, since they had the possibility of looking at what they had fished themselves.

When the catamarán trip came to an end, we went with our Courier to visit the historic town of Hondarribia, which is actually, very beutiful. While we where visiting Hondarribia the catamaran went ot fetch the younger kids for their turn. The experience was unforgettable.

When the catamarán came back with the kids, we enjoyed some spare time before dinner.

The following day, Sunday, the children and teens surprised their mothers with a present they fabricated the previous day with the monitors.After breakfast the adults went in bus to San Juan de Luz, we had two spare hours to visit the city and some took the opportunity to go shopping. The children and kids stayed at the hostel enjoying the fantastic weather taking part in a mini-olimpics game.

We want to say thank you to our Young-adults for helping the monitors to make everything flow smoothly full time except during the meetings with the physicians. They took part in every activity helping the younger ones in their doings. We also want to thank our physicians Dr. Aldámiz and Dr. Sanjurjo for their lectures to the Families, from which we always l,earn something, and Marisa and Begoña for handling the dining room; to the mothers, for their participation in the elaboration of the main courses, and we would not like to forget the staff at the hostel, without their collaboration and efficiency this experience would not have been so marvellous.

QUESTIONNAIRE:

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29th of March 2009
We begin our anual cooking workshops 2009 with an excellent welcome, it seems that since October (when we had our last workshop) the families were “hungry” of new recipies.

In this occasion we made the following dishes:

• Yuca croquettes
• Vegetable Crepes
• Vegetable lasagna
• Fruit cupcakes
• Chocolate sponge cake

We started with the Yuca croquettes, although we had already boiled the tubercule previously so it would be dry, we grate and operate it in the pan as if we were cooking normal croquettes so that the dough would cool and could work later on with it without burning ourselves. This dish barely has proteins and PKU-AD patients like it very much.

Parents took notes as always and asked questions frequently.

Marisa continued with the workshop. She is an experimented cook and she is great at elaborating new and original dishes.

She taught us to make two kinds of crepes, sweet and salty.

The workshops began at the scheduled time and were fun. We had a great time during the hands on cooking as well as during lunch. There were 29 adults and 5 children. The kids had a great time at the park as well as in the local painting and drawing.

As usual, the rest of us had a delicious lunch provided by a catering service so we could spare some time and effort. It was very pleasant, we had interesting chats (not all the topics were PKU-AD related) and we had some laughs occasionally. Paula took the children to play football so we could have lunch peacefully

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From the 20th to the 22nd of February 2009

FRIDAY 20
This is the first of four Family breaks in 2009.

As usual, we met at 17:30 in the association to pick the bus that would take us to Otxandio. The trip was enjoyable, since we had the chance to observe the sightseeing (specially Urkiola),although we did not like the road’s curves very much. We arrived at 7:00 pm to the Kerizara Baserria rural house were Marisa and Lara were already there waiting for us.

Once we arrived and after taking a look to the rooms, kitchen and living room, we settled in and decided top lay darts. Our only objective was to have fun until supper.

At 9:00pm we had supper and after eating the “carnival toast”, they tidied up and help washing then dishes. After this we had a chat. Afterwards we watched “Jungle Book 2”, very fun and entertaining.

SATURDAY 21
Once we had breakfast and tidied our bedrooms, we had scheduled a hike to Urkiola, but because of the bad weather (terrible frost, it was too cold) we had to cancel and we changed the activity.

First, we lit the fire at the Txoko to heat the room and we then started to make a costume, a bird outfit which included a mask. We needed a lot of time for its fabrication because it consisted on cutting some garbage bags of different colours and giving them the shape of feathers, then we pinned them in another bag that acted as the body.

We had already bought the masks because we knew the difficulty of their elaboration.

Objective:
To promote the development of the artistic ability, patience and the participation of everyone despite the difficulty of the task.

When we finished we chilled for a while with a grape juice and crisp snack at the porch, making the most of the sun. We also played some table football and table tennis, which they enjoyed very much, with the objective of having fun until lunch time.

Once we had lunch at 2 pm, we had an afternoon rest. We went to the town to the carnivals, we put on our costumes and went to the town centre and participated in the parade.

We celebrated the “kalejira” through the town streets. People dressed up and in every house that had the image of a saint they stopped and a choir sang a popular song. Then there was a costume parade in the town square, it was very amusing due to the participation of all of the town’s kids on the stage prepared for the event.

Objective:
To make them realise there was no difference between the costumes of the other people and themselves in order to make them increase their confidence despite of the effort making the costume and to participate in the parade and recieve a round of applauses of the people gathered in the event.

We had for supper at 9 pm our hamburger which excites them so much due to the dish presentation Marisa prepares, with chips and salad. After dinner we watched the film “A fish called Wanda”. It was very entertaining and they had many laughs.

SUNDAY 22
Being Sunday, Marisa prepared for breakfast churros with hot chocolate, they were delicious. After breakfast and finishing our labors, we went to the town for a walk and some shopping for the posterior activity. We had a morning snack at the town.

Once we were back, we played the “Game of the Goose”, but in a treasure hunt style. There were three couples and each couple depending on the square they where in, they had to do a different task. They enjoyed it very much and let us acknowledge it.

Objective:
To acknowledge the importance of helping each other in order top fulfill team tasks and assignments.

When we finished the game we had a grape juice and some potato straws.

After lunch, and once we had already tidied up, we chilled out for a while until the arrival of the bus at 5 pm to take us back to the association. And so, we said goodbye to the first family break of the season.

Irati, David y Eneritz

As every year, the previous Saturday to Christmas Olentzero came to our association. In this occasion it coincided with the Saint Thomas Festival in Bilbao, so we had to be quick since he had to meet some people to organize the gift delivery on Christmas Eve.

It all started with a magnificent sunny day after almost sixty rainy days. We met on the Saturday December 20th at 5 pm. While all the kids and family waiting in the association, Olentzero showed up with his pipe and his sack full of sweets and hope along with Joana playing the “txistu” (traditional basque pipe). We all were very happy when he arrived and after introducing him and chit-chatting for a moment, he began delivering the presents using Nerea Bugallo and Lander Rodríguez as helpers.

The children were delighted with the surprises that the bags contained, it was very sweet to watch them their faces, with their eyes wide open as a reflection of the excitement that we adults, seem to have forgotten. After taking some pictures with Olentzero, Estibaliz delivered the digitalized picture albums to those that had been going to the various family breaks activities. In that album, there were the programs, the reports and the pictures of each family break weekend.

Then, an in name of the association, we gave Marta her present: a weekend Spa pack along with her husband. She deserves it for her commitment and dedication to the association.

This time we collected many Christmas hampers to draw among the families, all of them filled with foods or drinks brought by the associates. There were three special PKU-AD hampers, one of them prepared by Marisa and containing sweets, tins, spanish sausage,blood sausage, chocolates, “turron”, etc. As always, it was very welcomed. The second Christmas hamper was loaded with special products donated by the association. The third one had a combination of vegetables, fruits and special food donated by the Pando Pérez family.

Other two Christmas hampers full with fresh vegetables and eggs laid by their very chickens from “Amama” (grandmother in basque) Juanita and Blanca, who every year send us great examples of the amazing products they harvest.

Also, and as accustomed, the traditional Kiwi hamper, from Irati´s family. Apart from the ones mentioned, there were another three Christmas hampers with a selection of traditional Christmas food and spirits.

Once we had already delivered the gifts and drew the hampers, we payd full attention to the delicious food each family brought, normal and special. As always, the PKU-AD section was fully packed with delicious and very imaginative food, making it look like a cuisine contest instead of a regular afternoon snack. We want to felicitate all the families for their amazing intake.

We do not want to forget the Lorpem sock company, who as every year, they send us socks for our kids. Being such a cold season, it is magnificent present. These socks are very warm and comfy!

We also want to thank the help of: Artea Mall, BBK, Lagun Aro, Euskotren, Eroski, Ismisons Natura (soaps and natural gels), La Caixa (Antiguo Golf) Caja Laboral (Gernika).

We want to thank once again our dear Olentzero for always coming in spite of his complicated agenda.

We also want to remind to all those associates who could not make that we expect them next year.

Thank you very much

Iremos agregando todos los encuentros que hagamos. Si teneis alguna foto, no dudeis en mandarla al correo pkuotm@telefonica.net