Raymond Borsman (1947-2024) was a leader of the Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project for more than 30 years and a board member until the time of his death. He joined in the mid-1980s, shortly after the sister city relationship was made official through votes of Town Meeting and the Select Board. Without his creativity, skill, hard work, dedication and commitment, we would never have been able to accomplish the projects of which we only dreamed.
He guided several construction projects including the health center and the library, often living in the town for months at a time.
He was so beloved in Quezalguaque that when he died, the town’s official Facebook page posted a tribute to him and a mass was said for him at la Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in the town.
He organized and saw through the packing, shipping, customs and distribution of many containers full of hurricane relief supplies including roofing material, construction materials, library furniture and books, school supplies, the contents of an entire dental office, and equipment and supplies for the health center.
He led many groups from Brookline and Boston to visit Quezalguaque and accompanied delegations from Quezalguaque on their visits to Brookline.
One of the projects of which Raymond was most proud was the Quezalguaque Library, which contains over 4,000 volumes. Construction began in 2002 with volunteers from the Brookline-Boston area. Quezalguaque residents were hired to work alongside them, providing much-needed employment. Raymond lived in Quezalguaque for nearly a year while overseeing the work.
Now the library is over 20 years old and desperately needs a new roof. The old one has been patched many times, causing interior damage every time it fails. The town – with a population of approximately 10,000 – cannot afford to replace it.
The Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project and Raymond’s children, David and Jessie, would like to raise the funds for a new library roof to honor Raymond and preserve his legacy. If you would like to contribute, please send your tax-deductible contribution to
Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project / Library Roof Fund / PO Box 114 / Brookline, MA 02446
Or use the DONATE button on our website, making a note that it is for the library roof: brooklinesistercity.org
