Rotary District 6110 Newsletter Vol. 4

ROTARY

DISTRICT 6110

Giving the Gifts of Service and Self

Rotary Service is a Family Affair There are probably as many reasons people become members of a Rotary Club in their local community as there are things we would like to improve in our world for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.

Our Mission

The 14th annual wheelchair distribution for the Rotary Club of Springdale, Arkansas, and Rotary District 6110, took place in Guadalajara, Mexico. In attendance were 51 people who traveled to Mexico to take part in the lifechanging delivery of wheelchairs into the lives of children, teens, and adults without mobility. Twelve of them were the children and grandchildren of the participants.

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 adults throughout the world who are without acquire a wheelchair. The Wheelchair

Mission will continue to change the lives of entire

“Beginning in the year 2000, I personally witnessed about 30 percent of the wheelchairs delivered being given to victims of Polio throughout the world,” said Chris Lewis, President of the American Wheelchair Mission, and member of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, “but through the great efforts of Rotarians worldwide, Polio is a thing of the past in all but very few wartorn regions of the world. The effort to give mobility to people worldwide who crawl on the ground, or rely on others for mobility has been one of the highlights of what I have seen initiated by Rotarians and their families.”

families with the gifts of hope, dignity, freedom and independence.

The Need 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

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.

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 in their lifetime.

mobility or the means to American

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.

come

true.

Cover: David Matty, Mountain Home

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There are numerous answers as to why so many children have been robbed of their mobility throughout Mexico, but thankfully, the Teleton Rehabilitation Centers for Children, – or CRITs – have been established in 22 locations throughout the states of Mexico. These world-class centers

American Wheelchair Mission

Local Rotarians help children in need of mobility

Little Ana Paty will go to school in her new 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

Michael Morrison carries a young girl to her new wheelchair

Stan and Donna Grigsby of the Rotary Club of Iola help a young man into his wheelchair

them 100 to 280 wheelchairs 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.

VISIT OUR SITE Amwheelchair.org On our website you will see videos of wheelchair distri-

Rotarians and family members at the CRIT in Guadalajara

butions around the world, 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

Chris

Lewis

at:

clewis@amwheelchair.org

The Palfreeman boys experienced changing peoples’ lives in friendship

for details.

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www.amwheelchair.org

The container of 280 brand new wheelchairs that was delivered to the CRIT Guadalajara 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 another that illustrates the key to a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren to call their own.

gift of mobility into the lives of children and their families they have come to know so well.

Among the Rotary Club members from Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma were friends, family, children, and grandchildren. Some have been a part of Rotary service for many years, and others counted this as their first time connecting with people very different from themselves.

The learning experience for a young person traveling to a foreign country for the first time can be as eye opening as anything in the history of their lives.

The gift of a wheelchair allows children 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.

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.

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On the day of the distribution, every member of the CRIT staff and volunteers welcomed the visitors and helped deliver the

American Wheelchair Mission

“You can see the happiness on the faces of the volunteers and staff at the CRIT when their kids get new wheelchairs,” said Noel Morris, District 6110 Wheelchair Chairman since 2002, “and you can see our people enjoying their kids and grandkids being a part of the effort.”

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.

The day after the CRIT distribution, the visitors from District 6110 went to a community center operated by the Rotary Clubs of Guadalajara. Fifty wheelchairs were distributed to needy members of the community, identified by the local clubs and their outreach efforts.

chairs around the world to people in dire need of mobility.

Every wheelchair that’s delivered changes and improves an average of 10 lives. So just in the numbers, more than 85,000 people have had their lives changed, saved, or improved by the gift of a wheelchair.

In the area of humanity, a humanitarian is described as “a person who seeks to promote human welfare, or well being.”

Humanitarianism is described as “a moral of kindness, benevolence, and sympathy extended to all human beings.”

In the experience of the American Wheelchair Mission, its founders and directors, the word Rotarian has been elevated to equal stature by hands-on service, leadership by example, navigation of challenges, persistence with purpose, compassion for those most in need, and examples of peace and friendship set for future generations.

In the evening, visiting Rotarians and family members were invited to the homes of local Rotarians for dinner, taking stories, experiences, and fellowship to a new level.

Over the course of the past 14 years, the Rotary Club of Springdale, AR and Rotary District 6110 have sponsored the delivery of over 8,500 wheel-

A new wheelchair changes the lives of the entire family

Judy Hammond brings another beautiful smile to a child’s face

Many children say this is the most fun gift they have every received

6110 Wheelchair Chairman, Noel Morris, shows off a newspaper article about the CRIT distribution

John Hammond and Jon Palfreeman help a woman into the local Rotary Center to receive her new wheelchair

A line-up of wheelchairs brought in by the visiting Rotarians

Alan Fulton gets a fist bump in thanks from this young man

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www.amwheelchair.org

Terry Bushay brings new mobility into this young man’s life

Ana Paty gave Chris Weiser a kiss as soon as he picked her up

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Children of all ages are in need of mobility assistance

American Wheelchair Mission

Deborah Phillips brings a happy boy to his new wheelchair

Twelve future Rotarians were excited to participate at the CRIT center wheelchair distribution in Guadalajara

Stewart Brunner, of the Rotary Club of Mountain Home, helps a man into his new wheelchair

John Brodbeck gets a thankful hug from a young lady

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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.

Springdale / 6110 Delivery Missions 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

2015 – Acapulco, Mexico 2016 – Guadalajara, Mexico

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

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

© Copyright 2016 American Wheelchair Mission | Photos by: Randy Hale

2014 – Puebla, Mexico