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Our District has a long and proud history as a strong supporter of the Wheelchair Foundation since its inception in the year 2000. The tragic earthquake in Haiti has created an enormous need for wheelchairs in that country for the many survivors who have now become amputees, or have suffered injuries which has taken away their mobility. The following is an excerpt from a recent message from Father Rick Frechette.

“After weeks of frenetic activity, we are returning to a state of equilibrium. Our hospital had become a trauma MASH unit, as had all other medical centers in Port au Prince that are still standing. We were able to offer about 30 surgeries a day at four sites (two in our hospital, one on our hospital grounds in a tent, and one at the St. Camillus Hospital, which we staffed for the emergency.) Many of these, sadly, were amputations – sometimes two for the same adult or child.”

“To give an idea of the size of the problem, it is likely there are about 20,000 people now who have been amputated or who have orthopedic hardware screwed through their skin to the bone. Port au Prince has about 20 Haitian orthopedic surgeons, and visiting teams to Haiti will soon leave. All 20,000 need to be followed closely for removal of hardware, control of infection, reevaluation of the amputation, and of course for artificial limbs and rehabilitation.”

The Wheelchair Foundation has approached our District knowing of our strong support in the past and our special relationship with Haiti through our friendships with so many of our fellow Rotarians in that country. Our District and the Wheelchair Foundation has set a goal of delivering two containers, or 560 wheelchairs to Haiti as soon as we can get the funds together and arrange the shipping.

Thanks to the vast experience of the Wheelchair Foundation in reacting to natural disasters worldwide this can be accomplished very quickly. All we need are the funds. Through our special arrangement with the Wheelchair Foundation, we can provide these 560 wheelchairs at a cost of $56,000.00, or only $100.00 per wheelchair. I am asking every Rotarian and every Rotary club in District 6960 to join me in making this goal happen as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact Steve Agius at steve@ctc-naples.com.

Steve Agius
Bonita Springs Noon Rotary Club, District 6960
President, Rotary Florida Gift of Life, Inc.
Chairman Wheelchair Foundation Committee
(239) 513-0200
steve@ctc-naples.com

 SOURCE: Rotary District 6960

Those of us who can move about on our own power will never know the hardships that the wheel-chair bound have to endure every day. Apart from their state of immobility, access to public facilities is rarely offered for these persons – and so they are left as outsiders. But there’s one level even more difficult than that – imagine needing a wheelchair and simply not being able to afford one. Well now, there’s a solution for at least that problem. I found out more today.

 

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,120709d
Words cannot express the feeling of appreciation felt by the recipients of the wheel chairs. Whether they have been disabled from birth, an accident or illness many of these persons have been unable to interact with society because they have been unable to move on their own and so they remain mostly indoors, shut in and away from society.

Gill Santos, Daughter of Wheelchair Recipient
“Right now she cannot walk, she can’t stand up that long because then her foot. Now this will help her a lot because she can now go in the yard and just go around because she always keep in her room and can’t move much. This will help her go to church more and serve God now and rest. She will not feel pain anymore, like now, just to walk and so this will be a great help.”

Hermeneginda Cruz’s wheel chair is a gift from the International Wheel Chair Foundation in collaboration with Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Belize. According to the President of the Wheelchair Foundation David Behring the donations that accidentally started with his dad following an experience he had while on trip to Eastern Europe.

120710dDavid Behring, President – Wheel Chair Foundation
“And he was asked to take some medical supplies off to Bosnia and Eastern Europe and on that shipment they had wheelchairs and what he was really moved by was the fact that it was tangible and instantaneous; when they took the wheelchairs out, they took an elderly person who had been relegated to the back of the room and put that person in the wheel chair and that person moved his own self. My father said it just changed his whole opinion of wheelchairs and he said now this person has independence and the ability by themselves from point A to point B. That started ten years ago and we’ve done about 800,000. I think it is more than the rest of the world did combined in that short period.”

Jennifer Rivero, Recipient – Wheelchair
“Well first of all I want to thank my Heavenly Father and his son because without him we wouldn’t nothing. And I ask these blessings and everyone and I am very grateful for this wheelchair. It will help a lot of people in the country and so I ask blessings on those people who thought it up, who distributed it to the many who need it.”

Vinai Thummalapally, US Ambassador to Belize
“It goes to show that extraordinary things can be accomplished by ordinary people. I am stealing this line from my boss, whose life has been just this, extraordinary things can be accomplished by ordinary people and I truly believe in my heart that we are all ordinary doing extraordinary things in our own lives and once again without I would like to just thank everybody who have made this gift possible and the tremendous positive effect that this is going to have on so many lives.”

Ivan Cowo, Director of CARE Belize
“From the establishment of CARE Belize we have referred, we have referrals to the Wheelchair Foundation for the more than 100 persons who have come to CARE asking for assistance in getting a wheelchair. We have distributed, our organization in the south, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts, about 40 wheelchairs that we got from the Rotary.”

A total of two hundred and ten wheel chairs were received.

Maria Price, President – Rotary Club of Belize
“You know I feel very overwhelmed really that a group of Rotarians, because some of the them, and Wheelchair Foundation people who have a lot of things to do have taken the time out to fundraise quite a lot of money and to give to the community here and I know they do to other countries as well but for them to identify Belize this year is quite heart warming and very appreciative.

As Rotary clubs we always try to identify a community and we like to do through Rotary International, build relationships with other Rotary Clubs and they try to find out what the needs are, can they assist and we have so many Rotary Clubs all over the world. They all identify certain needs. We had the wheelchair need, we found a partner who also happens to be members of Rotary.”

Sharon Pollack, Executive Director – Helpage Belize
“And I am grateful for them because especially in the field which we are doing, the bed baths and that, we are always needing new wheelchairs and at the home too. They don’t last forever, they really don’t last forever so we always and we also try to keep some but we have a whole year.”

SOURCE: 7 Belize News

120411dDiabetes is the number one killer in Belize but what you may not know is that there is a growing number of Belizeans who have been left disabled because of the chronic illness. Many are handicapped and simply are unable to live a normal life without the aid of a wheel chair. And while there is still much infrastructure work that needs to be done to give access to the disabled, one organization is making sure that those who need a wheel chair can get one. A benefit concert is scheduled for Monday night to aid Rotary’s Wheel Chair distribution project. Country singer Kelly Mcguire will be entertaining for four hours inside the jungle pavilion at Old Belize. Organizer Francis Woods told us more.

Francis Woods, Organizer
“It is a benefit to help offset the cost of distributing over 210 wheelchairs that a group of Californians, mostly Rotarians have brought to Belize through the Wheelchair Foundation.

Unfortunately diabetes is the main cause of the need for wheelchairs in Belize, it is a severe problem. Myself through Rotary, this trip will, after we have delivered all of the 210, will make over 1,000 wheelchairs that we have delivered to Belizean countrywide that really really needed wheelchairs.

Kelly Mcguire has made Belize his home and he sang a couple songs about Belize and I invite the public to go online and Youtube him and check out his songs, really good music and he’ll certainly have the crowd enjoying that night.”

The two hundred and ten wheel chairs will be distributed during an official ceremony at ten on Monday morning. The Kelly Mcguire benefit begins at seven inside the jungle pavilion at old Belize on the Western Highway. Tickets are forty dollars each. There will also be food and drinks all night. If you are interested in attending you can call Francis Woods at 610–1681 for your tickets.

SOURCE: 7 News Belize

Support the Truckee High School Interact Club as it hosts a fundraiser for the Wheelchair Foundation Musical Chairs Fundraiser. Onehundred percent of proceeds go to the Wheelchair Foundation to buy wheelchairs for people around the world. Learn Salsa and other Latin dances in a one hour lesson, then practice your skills in the dance that follows. Enjoy free chips and salsa! Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, 3-6 p.m. in the old Community Center oon Church Street in Truckee.

$10 per person, or $17 for a couple. Sign up at the front office of Truckee High School, or buy a ticket at the door. It will be tons of fun so don’t miss it. Visit www.wheelchairfoundation.org/rotary.

SOURCE: Sierra Sun

Rotary’s spirit of giving was strongly reflected this week at Foster City’s ninth annual distribution of wheelchairs. Members of the Rotary Club of Foster City, under the direction of Club President Linda Grant and District 5150 Governor Riki Intner, were joined by members of the Belmont, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Novato, San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf, and Scottsdale, AZ Clubs, as well as three Clubs of the City of Mazatlan, Mexico. Family and friends accompanied many members for a total of 78 attendees. Of particular significance was the attendance of 16 Interactors, representing San Mateo, Half Moon Bay and the S. F. Jewish Community High Schools.

While highlighted as a wheelchair distribution trip, the Rotary Club of Foster City also presented the city with two ambulances and a handicap accessible van. They were presented at a meeting with the Mayor of Mazatlan, Lic. Jorge Abel Lopez Sanchez. The ambulances and van had been previously driven down by Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Foster City, in cooperation with American Medical Response and Bayshore Ambulance, donated these vehicles. The trip also included visits to orphanages and the Mazatlan elementary schools that Rotarians sponsor.

At the orphanages, clothing, toys, candy and the like were distributed to the children. Rotarians had the opportunity to view and learn about the facilities, but the most joy was found by watching the children as they picked out a piece of clothing and a toy or two. These they immediately cherished and held on to tightly as they laughed and played with the visitors. The energy level was high and shared by all.

The Interactors and Rotarians visited many schools. They brought supplies, painted classrooms, and spent time with the children. They came away with lists of items still needed, and we are starting the process for another grant next year to continue our support.

Then came the highlight of the trip: The visit to the German Evers Stadium, where families with needy members were already waiting to receive their new red wheelchairs, ordered and delivered through the Wheelchair Foundation.

Rotarians unpacked and assembled the wheelchairs and fitted them to the individuals in need. But the best was yet to come. We conducted personal visits to the homes of shut-ins in need of a wheelchair, accompanied by small groups of Rotarians. There was heartbreak and joy, mingled with tears.

Weary Rotarians and Interactors arrived home late at night on Day 5. There was a sense of accomplishment and a grateful thank you for all the time and effort put into the planning by Foster City President Linda Grant, supported by her husband, Jon Grant, and with the strong support of former Mazatlan Rotary Club President Jose de Jesus Sanchez Reynoso, known to all of us as Pepesan.