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Nicaragua Wheelchair Distribution 2014

Josh Burroughs began his legacy of supporting Wheelchair Foundation in his college days at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California.  In August of 2008, Josh was a team leader among a group of students who traveled to Peru to distribute 400 wheelchairs.  The students purchased these 400 wheelchairs through a year’s worth of work as a class project.  Josh was totally overwhelmed by the powerful, life-changing experience of placing someone in a wheelchair, and from that point on, committed to continuing this wonderful work.

In 2014, Josh along with the Silicon Valley Rotary Club visited Nicaragua for a wheelchair distribution. This was in partnership with Los Pipitos and the Wheelock Family. Included the installation of new bathrooms, a new potable water system and purchase of educational supplies for the Las Iguanas School for low income children.

Take a moment and watch this touching video that Wheelchair Foundation just received. Thank you Josh, Silicon Valley Rotary Clubs and all of our wonderful supporters!

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Rotary Club of Dickson Donates Wheelchairs To Local Agency

Below is the press release regarding the Rotary Club of Dickson and their donation of wheelchairs to the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency.

rotary_club_dickson

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFor further information contact:
 
11.6.14Dale Qualls at 615.446.8939
 

Good Morning Rotary Donate Wheelchairs

(DICKSON) – The Good Morning Rotary Club of Dickson recently acquired four wheelchairs from the Wheelchair Foundation to donate to Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency.

The Wheelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organization leading an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a wheelchair to children, teens and/or adults in the world who need one, but cannot, on their own afford one. For these people, the Wheelchair Foundation delivers Hope, Mobility, and Freedom.

wheelchairs 021The Good Morning Rotary Club has 28 members made up of business leaders and individuals in our community that are interested in the “Service Above Self” premise. The club was chartered in May 1958 and upholds the motto:  “Doing Good in Dickson County and in the World”.  This is the first year that the Good Morning Rotary Club has participated in a wheelchair project. The idea of donating wheelchairs was presented to the Board by Whitney Qualls. One of Whitney’s goals to one day accompany her fellow Rotarians and distribute a container of wheelchairs to the country of Guatemala. Guatemala has the world’s highest rate of Spina Bifida.

The Good Morning Rotary Club, under President Debbie Barber, is passionate about partnering with Club Rotario Guatemala del Este www.rotaryeast.org/en/  to provide mobility and independence to its citizens but the need for mobility is also seen in our own community.  With this donation of wheelchairs, the Club wishes to begin a tradition of providing wheelchairs to those who may not be able to afford or acquire needed means of mobility.  It is our hope you will join us in this effort to encourage mobility and independence to those that need our help.

The Good Morning Rotary Club selected Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency as the recipient of these wheelchairs. Mid-Cumberland will distribute these mobility devices to elderly or disabled clients in Dickson County through the Homemaker program.

Mid-Cumberland, a non-profit organization celebrating 40 years of providing essential services to residents of Dickson County as well as 12 additional counties in Middle Tennessee, has remained true to its mission since 1974: “to help people help themselves by providing knowledge and resources to improve the quality of life in the Mid-Cumberland Region”.

The Homemaker program provides essential in-home services to elderly and disabled individuals who have been abused, neglected, exploited, or are at imminent risk of such abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Statistics have shown that every 5 seconds an elderly individual is abused with 1 in 9 elderly individuals reporting they have been a victim of abuse. As a result there are as many as 1,044 victims in Dickson County. While many people are surprised by the high prevalence of elder abuse, what is more shocking is that only 1 out of 23 victims will report abuse, neglect, and exploitation to authorities. Even more disheartening is that it is estimated 90% of abuse cases that are reported are perpetrated by a family member. This is the reason the Homemaker Program exists. Mid-Cumberland’s Homemaker Program is the only agency providing essential in-home services to those referred by Adult Protective Services.  The Program is funded in part by Tennessee Department of Human Services, United Way, local city and county governments, and private contributions.

wheelchairs 020Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency established the Homemaker Program to serve and protect residents in the community who are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation and are pleased to report they successfully enable over 92% of clients to remain safe, independent, and free of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Unfortunately, there is still a waiting list for these essential services.

If you would like to make a financial contribution or provide comfort items for clients within Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s Homemaker Program, you can contact them by phone or mail. All donations are tax deductible. A referral can be made for Homemaker services for someone you know by calling 850-3909 (toll free 1-866-707-8791) or you may visit www.mchra.com to fill out an available form. If you believe an adult you know is being abused, neglected, or exploited please report this to Adult Protective Services at 1-888-277-8366.

The Good Morning Rotary Club meets Thursdays at 7 am at Shoney’s and welcomes anyone interested in learning more about how to help with this or other projects to join them for breakfast on a Thursday morning.

To learn more about the Wheelchair Foundation visit www.wheelchairfoundation.org. If anyone is interested in providing wheelchairs to Mid-Cumberland or Guatemala send donations to: Wheelchair Project, Good Morning Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1216, Dickson, TN 37056.

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The Fantastic Mr. Josh Burroughs

Josh Burroughs in Shanghai, China, at the official handover of wheelchairs sponsored by his Rotary club, the Rotary Club of San Jose, California, for the 2010 World Expo.

Josh Burroughs in Shanghai, China, at the
official handover of wheelchairs sponsored by his Rotary club, the Rotary Club of San Jose, California, for the 2010 World Expo.

Josh Burroughs began his legacy of supporting Wheelchair Foundation in his college days at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California.  In August of 2008, Josh was a team leader among a group of students who traveled to Peru to distribute 400 wheelchairs.  The students purchased these 400 wheelchairs through a year’s worth of work as a class project.  Josh was totally overwhelmed by the powerful, life-changing experience of placing someone in a wheelchair, and from that point on, committed to continuing this wonderful work.

In the fall of 2009, Josh again traveled with Dr. Lynn Metcalfe, Professor of Marketing and humanitarian, and fellow students whom she had challenged, guided and encouraged to become philanthropic. This time they flew to Oaxaca, Mexico, to deliver 400 more wheelchairs they had purchased.

Following graduation from Cal Poly, and still smitten by his desire to make a difference in the world, Josh joined the Rotary Club of San Jose, California, and began a career with Barry Swenson Builders. Through his business and Rotary connections, Josh has helped fund and organize distributions in Shanghai, China, and Bangladesh, where Josh and fellow Rotarians visited community centers, hospitals and homes to deliver the gifts of hope and mobility directly to recipients.

Josh in Oaxaca, Mexico, as a Cal Poly student.

Josh in Oaxaca, Mexico, as a Cal Poly student.

This spring, San Jose Rotarians and Wine for Wheels worked in partnership with the Forever Love Foundation and the Department of Social Development and Welfare to arrange wheelchair distributions in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Chon Buri Provinces in Thailand. Ceremonies were held at rehabilitation centers, a veteran’s hospital, individual homes and a home for the disabled. These home deliveries were especially emotional, allowing the Rotarians to witness first-hand how wheelchairs would help the recipient and family members around their home.

Josh is back to work, championing a new project to send wheelchairs to Croatia. He is a shining example of the philanthropic spirit of a new generation and of how just one person can make a huge difference in the world by helping others and changing lives.

 

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Australian Rotarians Walk Nearly 1,100 Miles To Provide Wheelchairs for Madagascar

David Rivett, left, and Peter Pearce, of the Rotary Club of Gosford North, NSW, set out on a 1770km walk across the UK to raise funds for Wheelchairs & Desks for Madagascar.

David Rivett, left, and Peter Pearce, of the Rotary Club of Gosford North, NSW, set out on a 1770km walk across the UK to raise funds for Wheelchairs & Desks for Madagascar.

Two “super keen but mad” Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Gosford North, AUSTRALIA, David Rivett and 2014 Gosford City Council Citizen of the Year Peter Pearce, are walking 1770km from the Scottish Highlands to Lands End in the UK to raise funds for Wheelchairs & Desks for Madagascar.

A brand new wheelchair delivered by Rotarians direct to a beneficiary in devastated Madagascar costs $180. A donation of 10 cents per kilometre will pay for one wheelchair. The full price of a desk constructed in Madagascar by Rotarians is $15.

While David will walk part of the route, his main role is to provide support to Peter.

The walk commenced on June 10 at John O’Groats at the top of the Scottish Highlands and will take approximately 79 days to reach Lands End in the far south west of the UK on August 27.

The marathon walk includes The Great Glen Way, which stretches for 117km from coast to coast across the Highlands, linking the main centres of Fort William and Inverness, a 152km walk along the West Highland Way, which transverses the Loch Lomand and Trossachs National Park, and The Pennine Way, a 432km walk from the Peak District National Park along the Pennine ridge through the Yorkshire Dales down to the Scottish Borders.

Peter and David will visit many cities and towns along the route, including Inverness and Edinburgh in Scotland, Worcester, Gloucester and Bath in England, finishing in Cornwall at Lands End.

Contact has been made with District and local Rotary clubs in the UKto gain their support for the marathon walk to raise funds for the Madagascar Project. It is anticipated clubs will meet Peter and David along the way. They plan to do it tough by free camping or staying in van parks at night.

Peter and David will be visiting Madagascar in October 2014 to distribute wheelchairs, and assist the local people of Madagascar construct school desks. It is hoped some Australian Rotary clubs who appreciate the devastating conditions may donate a wheelchair or two.

To follow the big walk you can go to www.facebook/RotaryMadagascarProject

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Providing Mobility to Hermosillo, Mexico

In late January Rotary District 5490 visited Hermosillo, Mexico and distributed 110 wheelchairs.   Rebecca Wilks, MD, a Past President of Peoria North Rotary Club, attended the distribution and wrote the below story.

“I have some history with the Wheelchair Foundation.  I’d read Ken Behring’s Book, Road to Purpose. Our club honors High School Students of the Month with wheelchairs donated in their names.  I’d even had (thwarted) plans to join another wheelchair distribution trip to Mexico several years ago.”

“There were 49 of us, Rotarians from Arizona and friends on a bus.  We were lavishly entertained in Hermosillo by our partners in this endeavor, the Hermosillo Pitic Rotary Club.  Like many International Rotary trips, it was as much a cultural exchange as a service trip.”

“Rotary District 5490 has been delivering Wheelchair Foundation chairs to various parts of Mexico for at least a decade.”

“There were 8 Rotarians and spouses from our club, Peoria North Rotary. We helped to deliver 110 wheelchairs that Saturday.  A dozen went to Guaymas to be used short-term on a rotating basis.  We were honored to hear some personal stories from the recipients and to see the power of connection of people across cultures.”

“I’ll let the images tell the stories.”

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