• Sharing Sunshine with Others
• Easing Stress, Spreading Hope
• Placing Priorities on Giving Back
• Leading by Example Activates Sense of Citizenship
• Caring and Giving
• Turing Grief into a Gift for Others

As a former first grade teacher, Darlene Mashek (BS ’73) was used to observing rambunctious children organizing kickball games, shooting baskets, and playing tag at recess. So when she visited a Nicaraguan school where her daughter, Jody, was volunteering and saw the children standing around outside with nothing to do, she wanted to help.

“It broke my heart not to hear laughter at recess,” she said, adding that four of the Nicaraguan boys even asked her if she’d send them a basketball because they’d never had a ball.

“When we returned to Iowa, I thought of all the balls sitting in my garage and all the balls sitting in my friends’ garages,” Mashek said. “I bought one brand new basketball and one new soccer ball to send to those boys. The cost to mail the two balls was $30. I knew I could never afford to send all the balls sitting in my garage.”

With that realization, Mashek’s project expanded.

Her husband Patrick’s boss, Kim Beisser, owner of Beisser Lumber in Grimes, Iowa, heard about the Mashek’s effort and offered to pay for shipping.

“I started spreading the word to friends, family, co-workers, business associates, church members, and just about anybody I have ever met. I also went to garage sales all summer and told my story and received lots of free balls,” Mashek said.

In the project’s first year, 2003, Mashek managed to gather and ship 59 basketballs, 66 soccer balls, playground balls, Frisbees, jump ropes, air pumps, baseball gloves and more.

But the supplies didn’t last long. Due to extreme heat in Nicaragua and the equipment’s heavy use, the school was down to only 12 balls after one year. So, in 2004, Mashek organized another ball drive.

Judy Coldiron, Mashek’s former co-worker and neighbor, said it was easy to get involved, especially with Mashek’s contagious enthusiasm.

“She doesn’t back away from difficult challenges,” she said. “The project was a wonderful unifier for the people who donated their time and efforts to get the equipment to the children.”

The 2004 ball drive benefited from coverage in local newspapers, as well as from contacts with ties to college sports teams and city recreation departments. In addition, a local pizza chain had just ended a promotion during which it gave away basketballs with orders. The chain sold the leftover balls to Mashek’s friends Steve and Mary Kay France, who said they were thrilled to help.

“I thought it was just a terrific idea and such a great example of what one person can do to help many people without a whole lot of financial backing,” Mary Kay France said.

In the second drive, the Masheks amassed 14 boxes of supplies at 100 pounds each as well as some cash donations.

“Our three-car garage looked like a sporting goods store,” Mashek joked, adding that she was lucky Beisser agreed to pay for shipping again.
Mashek returned to Nicaragua to be there when the 2004 shipment arrived. She saw a big difference.

“This time the playground was alive with soccer games, basketball games, and volleyball games. Children were jumping rope and the smaller children were just bouncing balls up and down,” Mashek said.

The school had sports teams for the first time. And with the extra money donated, the school paid for a bus to take the students to other schools so their teams could compete.

Mashek said bringing organized sports to the children was one of her main goals with the project.

“I was hoping the children would learn teamwork,” she said. “This impoverished country needs its young people to pull together and work for a better Nicaragua. I believe that playing on a sports team while in school is one of the best ways to learn teamwork.”

Mashek said seeing the children playing and enjoying themselves at recess and on the new sports teams brought her a lot of joy.

“I believe true happiness comes only from making others happy,” she said.