Let me introduce you to one of our most loyal volunteers!
An essay by CONAPAC Board VP and former Director, Sintia Smith
CONAPAC runs on two things—its mission and its people. One of our biggest assets is our volunteers. They power the work, the message, the financial support and the goodwill of CONAPAC. Let me introduce you to one of our most loyal volunteers, Ruth Col from Las Vegas, NV!
Ruthie first learned of CONAPAC and Adopt-A-School through her teaching colleague, long-time CONAPAC supporter Herb Thompson—AKA “Geoman.” Herb persuaded her to join him on a trip around Peru in 2008—an amazing adventure that introduced Ruthie to Explorama and CONAPAC.
As a career teacher she had seen the value of education in creating future leaders and she found the Adopt-A-School program aligning with her thinking. The experience had such an impact that, in 2012, she was ready to try her hand at volunteering. The result? As of 2025, she has returned to the Amazon ten times as an AAS volunteer—one of our most loyal! She also donates yearly to the program, adopting a school each time. (Click here to find out how you can too.)
With your help we reached our goal!
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and succeed. And it's never too late to add a contribution to help us give them the tools they need. (All donations are received by our partners, the Detroit Zoo; 100% of your donation is transferred directly to CONAPAC.)
Want to donate?
We have several long-time donors and partner organizations who work tirelessly for CONAPAC; with you, we can do so much for our communities.
Our work is only possible with the many other donations, big and small, that we receive throughout the year.
