Rotary District 6110 Newsletter Vol. 5

ROTARY

DISTRICT 6110

this issue • La Paz, Mexico • Oaxaca, Mexico • Nogales, AZ & Magdalena de Kino, Mexico

15 Years of Changing Lives

15 Years of Changing Lives with the Gift of Mobility The 15th annual wheelchair distribution for the Rotary Club of Springdale, Arkansas and Rotary District 6110 took place in La Paz, Mexico. In attendance were 47 people who traveled to Mexico to take part in the lifechanging delivery of wheelchairs into the lives of children, teens and adults without mobility.

Our Mission

The Rotary Foundation’s global push to eradicate polio has set the stage for a polio-free world, and has spared millions of children from the reality of this crippling disease. Great progress has been made, but there are still many people in the world who suffer the lasting affects of polio or post polio syndrome.

The American Wheelchair Mission is a non-profit organization with a goal to deliver brand new, free wheelchairs and mobility aids to physically disabled children, teens and

There are numerous answers as to why so many children have been robbed of their mobility throughout Mexico, but thankfully the Teletón Rehabilitation Centers for Children, or CRITs, have been established in 22 locations throughout the states of Mexico. These world-class centers use medical and holistic approaches in dealing with every type of physical disability. Parents are involved in the treatments given to the children so they can continue the exercises, or therapies at home, and the whole family is encouraged to take part. The services are provided free of charge, or at a very low rate based on the family’s ability to pay.

adults throughout the world who are without mobility or the means to acquire a wheelchair. The American

Wheelchair

Mission will continue to change the lives of entire families with the gifts of hope, dignity, freedom and independence.

The Need

When it comes to mobility devices like wheelchairs, there is no way the CRIT centers can afford to provide the great numbers needed, so this is where the participation of Rotarians and their families becomes so important.

We estimate more than 100 million people worldwide are in need of a wheelchair but cannot afford one.

Our gift

immediately changes the lives of entire families by answering prayers and making

dreams

come

true.

Cover: Noel Morris leads the way.

1

The container of 280 brand new wheelchairs that was delivered to the CRIT in La Paz by the Rotary Club of Springdale, Arkansas and Rotary District 6110, represents many things.

Among them, is the commitment to helping people without mobility, the participation in a “hands on service” project that connects people on a human level regardless of their language or geographical location, and most importantly, represents the essence of kindness from one person to one another that illustrates the key to a more peaceful world.

American Wheelchair Mission

This mission also included wheelchairs made in Guatemala for children with cerebral palsy and other motor neuron conditions. Our goal is to get more of these wheelchairs to the people who need them.

The CRIT center showcased the dedicated efforts of doctors, nurses, therapists and volunteers who spend their days improving the lives of children with disabilities. They take great pride in what they have accomplished over the years, and hope to grow the organization into every one of the 32 states of Mexico.

Approximately 100 wheelchairs were delivered that day at the CRIT center, and the rest were delivered over the next few weeks to the kids in dire need of a wheelchair.

In April, the Rotary Clubs of Southeast Kansas sponsored their first container of 280 wheelchairs to the CRIT center in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the Rotary club of Grove, Oklahoma sponsored their second container of 115 wheelchairs to the St. Andrews Children’s Clinic in Nogales, AZ. The St. Andrews Clinic brings children over the border from Mexico once a month to receive treatment for a variety of medical needs, and is now able to give them wheelchairs as well.

The gift of a wheelchair to a child allows them to go to school, move themselves around their house without crawling or being carried, go outside to play with their family and friends, go to church, and go places that their parents just can’t carry them.

Over the course of the past 15 years, the Rotary Club of Springdale, Arkansas and Rotary District 6110 have sponsored the delivery of more than 9,000 wheelchairs around the world to people in dire need of mobility.

Every wheelchair delivered changes and improves an average of 10 lives. So just in the numbers, more than 90,000 people have had their lives changed, saved, or improved by the gift of a wheelchair.

$150 Sponsors the delivery of a brand new wheelchair The

wheelchair

ered

by

deliv-

the American

Wheelchair Mission would sell for more than $500 at a medical supply store.

Yet because we purchase wheelchairs directly from the manufacturer, and ship them 100 to 280 wheel-

Tea Patru brings a girl to her new wheelchair

chairs at a time by ocean freight containers directly to the country of destination, we can deliver this $500 wheelchair with each $150 donation we receive.

Cornelia Zander made this boy very happy

VISIT OUR SITE Amwheelchair.org On our website you will see videos of wheelchair distributions around the world,

Sydney Moreno and John Brodbeck work together to help a happy lady

photos of people and their families who had their lives changed by the gift of a wheelchair, and stories of our mission that touches lives in a very tangible and immediate way.

Join Us! Join us on a wheelchair distribution trip – Please email

Richard Cazzell shares a touching moment with a young man

Chris

Lewis

at:

clewis@amwheelchair.org

Ben Helmer connects with a grateful man

for details.

2 www.amwheelchair.org

The Springdale Rotary Club and District 6110 team at the La Paz CRIT on distribution day

La Paz sunset

3

This man was so grateful for his wheelchair

Specialized wheelchairs for kids with cerebral palsy and other degenerative conditions

American Wheelchair Mission

The Costa Baja Hotel

Southeast Kansas Rotarians in Oaxaca The seven Rotary clubs in Southeast Kansas sponsored the delivery of a 280 wheelchair container to the CRIT center for children in Oaxaca, and a center for assisted living.

Kurt and Kate Long of the Rotary club of Coffeyville, KS spearheaded the effort, and were able to change many lives with the gift of mobility.

Celebrating new mobility and new friends

Kurt Long meets a very happy lady, who just received a new wheelchair

The assisted living center helps people with physical challenges

Lauren Madison helps prepare the wheelchairs for distribution

4

www.amwheelchair.org

Rotary club of Grove, OK in Nogales & Magdalena de Kino, Mexico For the second year, the Rotary club of Grove, Oklahoma has sponsored the delivery of a 115 wheelchair container to the St. Andrews Children’s Clinic in Nogales, Arizona.

For more than 45 years, the St. Andrews Clinic has brought children over the border from Mexico on a monthly basis to receive medical care and other health related services not available to them in Mexico.

Grace Gilbertson gets a kiss from this sweet boy

5

Tom Brigham shares the joy with this lovely lady

Judy McHenry makes a new friend in Nogales, Arizona

American Wheelchair Mission

The Rotarians also traveled across the border to do home visits in Magdalena de Kino, Mexico to deliver life-changing wheelchairs directly into the homes of the people in need.

Happy day and new wheelchair

Future Rotarian

Rotarians from Grove, Oklahoma.

Top, L to R: Judy McHenry, Sam Grasso, Bob Brogdon, Geneva Brogdon, Don Wasson, Margaret Wasson Bottom, L to R: Suzanne Knott, Pauline Hale, Jim Corbridge, Sarah Dyer, Bill Dyer

Proud sponsor of the wheelchairs

A new life ahead

6 www.amwheelchair.org

The American Wheelchair Mission delivers free wheelchairs to children, teens and adults without mobility or the means to acquire a wheelchair.

We deliver brand new, high quality wheelchairs by entire sea containers.

2003 – Tepic, Mexico 2004 – Tepic, Mexico 2005 – Constitucion & La Paz, Mexico 2006 – Puebla, Mexico 2007 – Zihuatanejo, Mexico 2008 – San Jose, Costa Rica 2009 – Cancun, Mexico 2010 – Panama City, Panama 2011 – Spanish Town &

The brand new wheelchairs we deliver in 5 sizes (12, 14, 16, 18 & 20 inch seat widths) would sell for over $500 in a medical supply store, but because we ship by 100 to 280 wheelchair containers from the factories directly to the country of delivery, we can do this at an average price of $150 each for a basic mobility wheelchair.

For entities interested in delivering an entire container of wheelchairs to a specific country or local destination, a gift of $16,500 will deliver a shipping container of 100 pneumatic, mountain bike or 110 solid rubber tire wheelchairs to a country specified by the donor, from our list of approved destination countries. A gift of $42,000 will deliver a container of 260 pneumatic, mountain bike tire or 280 solid rubber tire wheelchairs. A logo or short text of the donor’s choice will be stitched onto the back of each wheelchair when sponsored by container.

At retail these containers of wheelchairs are valued at $55,000 and $140,000. (For special sizes or delivery locations prices may vary) The wheelchairs we deliver allow children to go to school for the first time, adults to go to work to provide for their families and the elderly to get out of a bed that they may have been confined to for years at a time. We are answering the prayers of entire families.

Our mission is to deliver a wheelchair or mobility aid to anyone in dire need who cannot afford one. Over 100 million people worldwide need a wheelchair but cannot afford one! Our gift delivers Hope, Dignity, Freedom and Independence.

We estimate that each wheelchair delivered changes and improves an average of 10 lives!

2012 – Guanajuato, Mexico

The American Wheelchair Mission also delivers all terrain wheelchairs and pediatric wheelchairs for children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. These wheelchairs are custom fitted and require additional funding. In addition, we deliver canes, crutches, walkers, seat cushions and other mobility aids as needed.

2013 – Cancun, Mexico

For more information about our mission, please visit our website at www.amwheelchair.org, or contact:

Montego Bay, Jamaica

2014 – Puebla, Mexico 2015 – Acapulco, Mexico 2016 – Guadalajara, Mexico – Nogales, AZ & Magdalena de Kino, MX

Noel Morris 6110 Wheelchair Coordinator 17891 Sundown Point Springdale AR 72764-9200 nmorris@amwheelchair.org

2017 – La Paz, Mexico – Oaxaca, Mexico – Nogales, AZ & Magdalena de Kino, MX

Chris Lewis President American Wheelchair Mission 2505 Anthem Village Drive, Suite E 602 Henderson, NV 89052 clewis@amwheelchair.org (702) 580-0705

© Copyright 2017 American Wheelchair Mission | Photos by: Randy Hale & Contributing Photographers

Springdale / 6110 Delivery Missions