Presentation of the KEY TO THE CITY of Soledad, San Luis Potosi Mexico

1
Presentation of the KEY TO THE CITY of
Soledad, San Luis Potosi Mexico
2
Who is BASC?

• A 501c3 non-profit organization of volunteers
• Politically neutral regarding immigration issues
• Interested in understanding changing demographics
  for Alamance County
• Funded by Rotary and private donations
• Travel is funded by the individuals who
  participate

3
How the Firetrucks were financed.

• Ten clubs in Rotary District 7690 contributed
  10,000 and this was matched 100 by the District
  for a total of 20,000. The City of Soledad
  contributed 4,500 towards shipping.

4
Burlington and Soledad Rotarians with the Fire
Truck

• The Burlington area Rotary Clubs partnered with
  the San Luis Potosi Rotary Club in the Rotary
  Grant that helped provide the fire trucks to
  Soledad.

5

• City of Soledad (meaning Solitude)
• State of San Luis Potosi, Mexico

6
Soledad and San Luis Potosi

• Soledad is a suburb of 500,000 people within the
  metropolitan city of San Luis Potosi, with over
  2.4 Million inhabitants (2005 census).

7
Burlington delegation upon arrival in Soledad

• Dr. Janyth Fredrickson, Gary Rutledge, Dianne
  Ford, Laura Guzman, Alice Bordsen, Russell Guy,
  Sang Ho Lee, Sergio Guzman.

8
Activities Hosted By Mayor

• Presentation of the Key to the City by their
  Mayor to Alice Bordsen
• Tour of the cultural center and art museum
• Meeting with the state Governor and a personal
  tour of the Governors Mansion
• Visit to the fire and police training facilities
• Visit to the Technical University
• Visit to the quarry workshop where our fountain
  was carved
• Tour of the city and its architectural treasures

9
The two BASC/Rotary fire trucks in Soledad

• Gary Rutledge and Sang Ho Lee with the two
  donated fire trucks in Soledad.

10
Soledad Mayor with Burlington group

• Sergio Laura Guzman, Gary Rutledge, Dr. Beth
  Powell, Rep. Alice Bordsen, Russell Guy, Mayor
  Ricardo Gallardo, Dianne Ford, Dr. Janyth
  Fredrickson, and Sang Ho Lee.

11
Presentation of the Key to the City.

• Ceremony in front of City Hall in Soledad.

12
Rep. Alice Bordsen accepts the Key to the City
of Soledad.
13
Fire Chief Adolfo Benevente.

• With Gary Rutledge and others at the Key to the
  City Celebration.

14
An assortment of donated equipment is in the fire
stations, including this 1958 Studebaker
Firetruck.
15
Comparison of Fire Depts.

• Soledad/San Luis Potosi

• Charlotte, NC

• Population 2.4 Million
• Number of stations 7
• Paid firefighters 60
• Paid administrators 8
• Volunteer firefighters 45
• Fire trucks 9 fire trucks, 9 water trucks, 6
  rapid response trucks, and 1 ladder truck.

• Population 1.7 Million
• Number of stations 42
• Paid firefighters 1,038
• Paid administrators 126
• Fire trucks approx. 42 fire trucks, 15 ladder
  trucks, 15 assorted others such as rescue, foam
  trucks, etc.

16
Meeting the Governor and Tour of the Governors
mansion.

• Governor Fernando Torranzo, shown here with Rep.
  Alice Bordsen, met with the Burlington delegation
  for more than one hour.

17
Engineering Computer Lab at the Technical
University

• A freshman CAD class for engineers. At 9pm on a
  Friday night, the lab was full.

18
Dinner hosted by Dr. Rafael Cardoso, Rector of
the Technical University
19
Soledads new, and first, fire station

• Gary Rutledge tests the fire pole.

20
Exchange of fire helmets

• Chief Benevente and Gary Rutledge exchange signed
  fire helmets.

21
A first responder bicycle in the Soledad fire
department.
22
Raw stone from the local stone quarry.

• The fountain recently donated to Burlington was
  cut from this volcanic stone.

23
Fountain manufacturing workshop

• Cutting rock at the workshop where the Burlington
  fountain was made.

24
San Luis Potosi has many architectural treasures,
such as this church in the colonial center.
25
The Cathedral of San Luis Potosi.
26
View looking out over San Luis Potosi
27
Why is this relationship important?

• Better understanding of our similarities and
  differences
• Improved business development
• A win-win relationship for the City of Burlington
  and Alamance County
• BASC website www.sistercities-burlington.org