The Rotary Club of Bethel is coordinating a major fund raising effort for a portable, digital x-ray machine for Hope Village Orphanage and School in Cayes, Haiti.
Sixty percent of the children arrive at Hope Village testing positive for tuberculosis, a highly contagious lung disease and Haiti's second most common killer. All the children must be screened periodically via a diagnostic x-ray machine. By having
an x-ray unit at the village, it will also be possible to quickly isolate fractures and other ailments common to the young Haitian community.
The x-ray machine will cost approximately $40,000. This amount includes the machine, the viewer and necessary computer equipment. It is digital so there are no x-ray film or chemicals. The x-rays can be sent by computer to the States or to other facilities to be read. The unit can withstand the heat and humidity of Haiti and is the same type used in military fields.
A generous anonymous donor has offered to match donations up to $20,000 for the purchase of the x-ray system, not only to help the children at Hope Village but the villages nearby. However, the donor has given "Free The Kids" until October 31 st to raise their $20,000. The deadline was set because that is the latest date the vendor will guarantee the current price. This deadline date was unexpected and has put some urgency in our fundraising project.
The Bethel Club is prepared to send $11,890 to "Free The Kids" this week. Some of this money was raised selling luggage tags which we hope will be an ongoing
fundraiser for Hope Village. Another $1,500 has been donated from other sources. Our club is looking for other clubs to join with us in this humanitarian effort. You may make your contributions directly to Hope Village on their website www.freethekids.org or through the Rotary Club of Bethel.
Hope Village Orphanage and School has close ties to Maine as its founder, Fr. Marc Boisvert is a Lewiston native. Many of its Board members are Mainers including its Medical Director, Dr. Cynthia DeSol, in Lewiston and Robert Morris, an attorney from Portland.
For more information contact Joe Arizzi, President, Rotary Club of Bethel.