[Gocamino] (no subject)

[Blaroli at aol.com]

Hello Roger, et. al.
As far as I know It is not within the province of the Pilgrims'  office to 
grant, or withhold, permission for the use of albergues' rubber stamps and such. 
They have neither the means, nor the authority to do so.
The Pilgrims' office does NOT represent the albergues in any way; its  
function is to maintain data on those pilgrims who get to Santiago and request a  
Compostela or a certificate, and to help them find albergues, facilitates, etc., 
within the city and its environs. With their new computer system they will 
now maintain communication and coordinate information with as many albergues as 
possible  throughout the various routes to assist pilgrims when the need 
arises.
Everyone working at the office speaks another language fluently, most 
particularly French, Italian and German to assist those pilgrims  who speak only 
those languages, and who are the overwhelming majority of foreign pilgrims.
As far as I know, the rubber stamps used by the albergues are sort of in the 
public dominion once they are duly given out.  They have been reproduced, 
over, and over, in posters, calendars, and  in many of the  plethora of books wr
itten recently about the Camino (see, for instance, the highly successful 
Shirley McLaine's book).
Furthermore, you may reproduce the stamps on your credential, which are your 
legal property, so to speak, without stepping on anyone's proprietary toes; at 
least, that would be the general view in the U. S A.
Because the political posture of the present Socialist Government in Spain is 
not pro-clerical, the public funds previously available to the office have 
been severely cut and they are having a hard time there.  Among other measures, 
the permanent staff at the Pilgrims' Office has been cut drastically. (Those 
who helped out for the Holy Year throngs were mostly temporary workers). 
I will find out more when I visit them on the 21st., and, perhaps, we may be 
able to help them somewhat.
As we know, the American Pilgrims on the Camino  has organized  fund raising 
efforts to help the Pilgrims' office  which have resulted in  contributions of 
about $1,600.00  towards their computer repairs and upgrading.  It is hard to 
convey how very appreciative they are for such help.
Perhaps there may be a way, even other than money, in which we can continue 
to help out.  I'll try to find out.
Warm regards 
(from  a very cold and crazy New York City... in 24 hours we went from 63 F 
degrees to hurtful blizzards of windy snow and a temperature of 19 degrees!)

Rosina