Submitted by the Rotary Club of Bedford
Paula Gilarde, a member of the Rotary Club of Bedford, will travel to Puerto Rico with other Rotarians from District 7910, the Liberty Rotary Club, Operation Endeavor, and Wings of Michael, to participate in a hurricane relief mission from February 2 – 5. The team will be based in Moca, a municipality in the northwest corner of the island that was one of the hardest-hit areas of the nearly-Category 5 hurricane.
Their relief-efforts will be coordinated by the Moca Rotary Club, the mayor of Moca, and Our Lady of Monserrate Parish in Moca. The volunteers will help to staff flu- and tetanus-vaccination clinics; and deliver food and clean water, shelter and restoration supplies, and toys for children who sustained total losses during the hurricane.
“All supplies and toys will be purchased in Puerto Rico by Moca Rotary, to help stimulate the local economy devastated by the hurricane,” states Gary Hough, chair of District 7910’s Hurricane Relief Committee.
Images in the gallery below are (c) Rotary International – Click each twice to see it at full size
About Rotary International and the Moca Project
District 7910 is partnering with the Moca Rotary Club and four other non-profit organizations in the Moca relief effort. They are Rotary District 7000, which covers Puerto Rico and includes the Moca Rotary Club; the Rotary Club of Liberty, New York; Operation Endeavor, based in Monticello, New York, which supports public health and safety, EMS-system development, and disaster preparedness in developing regions of the world; and Wings of Michael, a special airborne rescue service devoted to the rescue and protection of those at risk of injury and death from disaster and oppression, also based in Monticello.
District 7910 is supporting the mission by providing a $25,000 grant from the Rotary Foundation that will supplement another $25,000 in donations being collected through a fundraising effort by Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs in Central Mass. and Metrowest.
“One-hundred percent of the funds raised for these hurricane-relief efforts will be overseen by the Rotary Club of Moca, to purchase and distribute supplies and administer vaccines for disease prevention to those families in need,” states Karin Gaffney, 2017-2018 governor of District 7910.
To donate to the Moca hurricane-relief effort, make your check payable to “Rotary District 7910 Charity Fund.” On the check’s memo line, note that the donation is for “Hurricane Relief for Puerto Rico.” Mail your check to Past District Governor James Fusco, 192 Bridle Cross Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420
Because District 7910’s Charity Fund is a 501(c)3 charitable, non-profit organization, all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by federal tax laws. “
Rotary District 7910 serves 51 Rotary clubs in Central Massachusetts and Metrowest represent more than 1,500 Rotarians. The motto of Rotary “service above self” which we provide by serving others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
Rotary’s charitable, non-profit organization’s efforts are driven by five core values: service; fellowship; diversity; integrity; and, leadership. We have six areas of focus: peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention and treatment; water and sanitation; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and, economic and community development.
For more information on Rotary, contact District Governor Karin Gaffney at 978-387-5369 or [email protected]. Or, visit District 7910’s website at www.Rotary7910.com.