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