Wheelchair Delivery Leon, Mexico, August 2009
Submitted by Peter Denooy
On August 8, 2009, four members of our club were joined by two Rotary grandmothers and their grandsons to go on a trip to Leon, Mexico. During three glorious days we were hosted by the Rotary Club of Leon together with 12 other Rotarians and some family members from the Ft. Worth area (District 5790).
After some 12 months of fundraising, planning (and waiting) we were finally going to be able to handout most of the 560 wheelchairs to people in the Leon area who cannot afford to purchase them. This trip was the result of an encounter at the 2007 RI Convention on the sidewalk of Salt Lake City, where the idea of Rotarians from the USA, Canada and Mexico working together delivering wheelchairs was born. Could such cooperation maybe lead to an improved North American Free Trade Agreement? Rotary has been known to accomplish larger feats that that!
On arrival at the airport in Leon we were greeted by several local Rotarians who took us to the city of Guanajuato, probably the most Spanish looking city outside of Spain. It was founded in 1572 and some of us stayed in Hotel Castillo Santa Cecilia which used to be a castle built some 400 years ago to protect the local silver mines. Several of the Americans had arrived earlier that day and we joined them for a late meal in a local restaurant.
The next morning all 20 of us were picked up by one of the nicest buses in Mexico. This vehicle complete with fridge, bathroom, benches and a table became our home on the road for the next few days. Our first stop was at CRIT. This modern facility houses a non-profit center that focuses its efforts on rehabilitating children up to 18 years of age and training the parents and other family members on managing their disability.
At CRIT we handed out 67 wheelchairs to kids that were selected by the staff. What makes this so special is the fact that we instantaneously change the lives of both the child and his or her family, as they all immediately experience the difference a wheelchair will make in all their lives. All you have to do is look in their eyes and you see their gratitude. No words can really describe what happens at that moment; a hug, a handshake and a simple “Gracias” is all that is needed to overcome the language barrier and to feel the special bond that now exists between you, the child and the family.
Lunch was served on the bus and after a visit to an educational science center and a tour of the city of Leon in an open bus we went to the Red Cross Hospital where two ambulances were being donated thanks to the efforts of two Rotary Clubs in Arlington, Texas.
After the bus took us back to Guanajuato, we all enjoyed a nice supper outside before retiring to our rooms to get ready for an early start and a busy Saturday.
We arrived at the Poliforum Convention Center in Leon around 8:30 am, where several hundred people were already waiting to receive a wheelchair. What happened during the next four hours was again something short of a miracle. Some 500 wheelchairs were unloaded from a trailer, removed from their boxes, had their footrests attached and were lined up as per their size (12” – 14” – 16” – 18” – 20”). We handed out wheelchairs to disabled individuals, old and young, who had come with their family to receive the gift of mobility. Each person had been selected by local community workers, had to show their identification, then was fitted with the right size wheelchair and had their picture taken for the records. On paper it all sounds so simple. But you had to be there to feel the energy, to experience the cooperation between all there to help (Rotarians, their family members and friends and other volunteers), to witness the gratefulness of the person (and their family) receiving the wheelchair and to see how, as always, organized Rotary chaos got the job done. By 1 pm some 1200 local people had come and gone through the hall and 372 individuals were now mobile thanks to all our combined efforts.
After this exhausting morning we all assembled in the “bull” bar for well deserved drinks and food and some real Mexican fun. Later in the afternoon we visited a local museum and we finished this awesome day with a very nice supper hosted by the Rotary Club of Leon.
The next morning we said goodbye to our American friends who were flying home that Sunday. The Canadians all went to the home of the parents of Lorenzo Miranda in a neighboring town. Lorenzo is not a Rotarian, but works for Jose Luis Diaz, the man responsible for the purchase of the wheelchairs directly from a factory in China. We were treated to drinks and a fabulous home-cooked meal. The family opened their doors for us and welcomed us in their home, making this an unforgettable experience.
That evening we all walked around the old center of Guanajuato amongst the crowds of Mexican people enjoying a great Sunday evening, adding another exciting experience to our amazing trip to Mexico.
And here is what my fellow Canadian travelers mentioned when I asked them on Monday at the airport in Mexico City what they experienced as the most memorable events of our wheelchair trip to Mexico; Matthew and Arlaine stayed a few days longer in the area and had some more time to reflect on their trip.
Jacob McIntyre, 12 years, grandson of Eunice Haverland-Maris
1. Handing out soccer balls at the Convention Center
2. Visit to and meal at Lorenzo’s family
3. Being greeted at the airport by local Rotarians
Eunice Maris, Rotary Club of Glenora
1. All the wheelchairs lined up after unpacking
2. Meeting Mexican Rotarians and seeing their children’s involvement
3. Visit to and meal at Lorenzo’s family
4. Walking in Guanajuato on Sunday evening and watching all the people and activities
Don Henry, Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona
1. CRIT Hospital and the dedication of the parents of the disabled children
2. Giving away the first wheelchair at CRIT
3. The gratefulness of the people that received wheelchairs
Ken Haverland, Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona, Past District Governor
1. Treatment of the patients at CRIT
2. The number of people on Saturday that were moved from a chair to a wheelchair
3. Gratefulness of all the people involved
Patrick Gibson, Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona
1. Fulfillment of a long-time goal
2. How things came together on Saturday morning
3. Disappointment in what the Mexican Government does for its people
Mathew Monaghan, 14 years, grandson of Arlaine Monaghan
1. Just seeing the faces of the people receiving the wheelchairs and the family members with them
2. The tours--like the hospital, the Art Museum, dinner at someone's home
3. Meeting so many people--all so friendly--from Edmonton, Texas, and Mexico
Arlaine Monaghan, Rotary Club of Spruce Grove
1. The smiles and the tears.....the smiles of recipients, and the range of emotions shown by family members--in their faces, their attempts to 'put into words', their obvious 'family caring' and appreciation
2. The wonderful teamwork and 'bonding' of Rotarians from Alberta, Texas, and Mexico, and the organizing done by the Mexican hosts--so seamless
3. A very special thing was having the opportunity to share this experience with my grandson, Mathew (14 1/2 yrs.). What a great idea to include several generations in this volunteer initiative!
4. What I particularly noted and appreciated was the way the adults from all 3 areas considered Mathew and Jacob part of the team--not just 'junior members'. It was so neat to observe them in conversation with any and all at some point over our time there, whether in transit, work or play
5. One of my most 'emblazoned' memories is that of one boy's smile.......When people were starting to leave the Convention Center, I was down to the last 'small Canadian memento’--it was a scarf....more of a girl's gift.....and the boy's face dropped. Then I woke up to the fact he could just take the insulated bag with Canada written on it--so I took the scarf out and asked him if he would like the bag I'd carried things in. His face absolutely lit up and he gave a huge toothy grin unlike any I'd seen and was so excited that he almost jumped out of his wheelchair (his mom caught him!). I took a picture and someone else took a picture of both of us and he never stopped hugging the bag and grinning.
Peter Denooy, Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona
Participating in the delivery of wheelchairs to people who cannot afford them is an unforgettable experience. Making this a Rotary event makes it even more fulfilling as you meet new friends, experience new cultures and as you realize time and again how great it is to be involved with this amazing organization called Rotary.
Edmonton, October 20, 2009