In 2005, when Cory Brooke, a partner of TCOR Insurance Management in Beeville, Texas, traveled to Nicaragua with other insurance executives as a volunteer for non-profit Bridges to Community, he was the only Texan in the group.

Moved by his experience building homes for impoverished families in this second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, he promised himself to organize and lead a group of volunteers every year.

In November 2009, Brooke, a resident of New Braunfels, traveled to Nicaragua for the seventh time and leading his fourth group from Texas.

Cory Brooke and the other business leaders from the Austin, Texas-area found the time and energy to raise thousands of dollars to build 13 new earthquake resistant homes with the Bridges organization.

Brooke continues to make use of his leadership positions as president of the Insurors Group of Texas, board member on the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, and member of Sitkins International to spread the word about Bridges.

Half of the people he recruits for a trip continue to go with him year after year, thus demonstrating their commitment too.

 “We believe that we are the wealthiest country in the world, and materially we are, but the lesson of going to Nicaragua gives us a perspective that there are more important things in the world. We don’t need material items to be happy,” Brooke states, calling these service trips a “self check.”

He adds, “It is so clear that we are welcomed and appreciated by the people that we are helping.”

Last year, Paula Howell of Bandera, an independent business consultant who works with TCOR, went on the Bridges to Community trip to Nicaragua with Brooke. Returning again this year, Howell has become an active partner with him to raise money and organize the Texas business leaders’ group.

“I’ve had a very small life and this experience got me excited to do more.  I met great people there - it was real personal growth for me,” explains Howell when asked why she is so involved with Brooke and the Bridges’ Texas group.

Bridges to Community is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization that takes volunteers to rural communities in Nicaragua to work with local community leadership with on-going development projects.

These service trips are focused on creating a greater global community where basic needs, such as shelter, nutrition, education, healthcare and employment, are treated as fundamental human rights.