Mrs. Marie Hertell Offers Tea in Residence of the United States Embassy Residence in Honor of Association of Lady Diplomats

19 March 2002

Mrs. Marie Hertell Offers Tea in Residence of the United States Embassy Residence in Honor of Association of Lady Diplomats

SANTO DOMINGO – Mrs. Marie Stubbe-Hertell, wife of United States Ambassador Hans H. Hertell, today offered a tea in the residence of the diplomatic mission on the occasion of the swearing-in of the new board of directors of the Association of Lady Diplomats in this country.

The act was attended by the First Lady of the Republic, Mrs. Rosa Mejía, the Honorary President of the Association, Mrs. Sarah Tolentino, and Mrs. Grace Raful, wife of the Secretary of State for Culture, Tony Raful. After holding the meeting of the board of directors of the Association, the guests went into the residence garden where they enjoyed fine hors d´ouvres.

The 2002-2003 Board of Directors of the Association of Lady Diplomats is made up of Luisa Emilia Ramírez, President; Marie Stubbe Hertell, 1^st Vice President; Maria Da Assunçao Amado, 2^nd Vice President; Sonia Mendoza, 3^rd Vice President; Alvis P. Centeno, Secretary General; Yamell Rodríguez Pérez, Pro-Secretary General; Miroslava Rosas-Moto, Social Secretary; Nurhan Ernst, Pro-Social Secretary, María del Carmen Yuste, Secretary of Minutes; Lourdes Wallis, Pro-Secretary of Minutes; Sandra de Fernández, Treasurer; Gloria Glass, Pro-Treasurer; Ana Riut de González, Public Relations Director; Dieunie Fanfan, Assistant Director of Public Relations; Dinorah Guevara Garay, 1^st Vocal; Yoko Nogami, 2^nd Vocal; and Nurith López, 3^rd Vocal.

The Association of Lady Diplomats was founded in April of 1961. Its objective is to bring the members together to promote charitable causes, carry out social assistance and cooperation in the face of any national calamity or other emergency affecting the Dominican Republic or the countries represented in the Association.

Every month the group has continuously collaborated with four local institutions:

1) The Lady Diplomat´s Children´s Nursery and School in the community of Los Tres Brazos, founded in 1988; 2) the Fraternity of Hope, in Los Tres Hoyos, under the care of Brother Toni Peregrín, since September of 2000; 3) the Hope and Life Community School of Los Guaricanos, which opened in September of 2000; and 4) Pituca Flores Home, a children´s center, under the care of Sister Monica Mrosek, since September 2001.

From March 2000 to February 2002 the group has donated almost one million pesos to those four entities.

The group also supports other institutions, such as El Arca, Dominican Scouts, Sister Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, the Daughters of Altagracia and the Community Le Pain de Vie.

To raise the funds to provide the aid to these institutions, the Association of Lady Diplomats annually holds social and recreational activities such as the Afternoon of Desserts and the Christmas Bazaar.