ROTARY IN ACTION
ROTARIANS HELP HUNDREDS IN
HONDURAS
T
his past February, Bonita Springs, Florida, Rotarians Bob
Lombardo and Klaus Helf, along with Bonita Springs
Noon club Rotarians Gary Dworkin and Steve Agius,
traveled to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. There they met up with Jeff
Behring, Founder of Wine for Wheels, and Glen Perry, volunteer
and longtime supporter of Wheelchair Foundation, to distribute
270 wheelchairs with the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa.
“We physically helped place more than 100 people in wheelchairs
on Saturday and Sunday, from small children only a couple years
old, to elderly men and women. We also delivered 40 wheelchairs
to area hospitals and care facilities that were in dire need, including
Escuela Hospital and the Senior Home Las Misioneras de al
Caridad Hogar don de Maria.
“We were hosted by Club President, Fidel Velasquez, and an
amazing group of Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa.
They treated us both as visiting dignitaries and as family members
during our 48 hour stay with them. It was a pretty incredible
fellowship experience to say the least. We have made dear friends
with some wonderful people as a result of this joint project.”
“I can promise you that this experience had
a significant impact on those of us who were
fortunate enough to be able to make the trip.
It was profoundly affecting.”
Honduras Fast Facts:
Population: 8,296,693 (July 2012 est.)
Number of Mobile Phones: 8,062,000 (2011 est.)
Median Age: 21.5 years old
Average income: $12 per day
Population living below poverty line: 60% (2010 est.)
Wheelchairs Donated by Wheelchair Foundation: 6494
Estimated need: Greater than 250,000
Percentage of disabled population reached: 2.6% or 1
in 38
-Steve Agius, District 6960 Rotarian
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