….and still so much to do!
Once again we have gathered to pack the needed items for the work ahead, and hope to get everything through Customs intact at the other end. We have really honed the process with an eye to what is truly needed…and a few additional “discretionary” items to fill in the empty spaces.
Imagine a warm sunny morning after several days of rain. You have spent your night in a small two-room cement home with your husband and children, and your husband has left very early to go out on the ocean to fish. The labor pains start fast and hard, and you know the baby will be born today. Your labor is too difficult to allow you to walk up the steep hill to ask the “Big Man” on the island for a ride to the clinic in the back of the only truck in your community, so some neighbors pick you up on the springs of your mattress and carry you up the hill.
Recently a Friend in Bedford, VA suffered a puncture wound to his leg while trying to do some yard work. It was a mild injury, but unfortunately his leg became a bit red, and over a couple of days became more and more painful: he had to see a Medical Practitioner in his town to have minor surgery and an antibiotic. It was a bit frightening, but his surgery was done that day in an office setting, and antibiotics took care of the rest. He had already had his tetanus shot and healed very quickly. He paid a copay for his care, but much of the bill was paid by his insurance, and he has made a complete recovery. Read More
A recent letter mailed to friends and colleagues of Peter…but just as meaningful to all friends and supporters of Project Starfish-Haiti:
Dear Friends & Colleagues of Peter,
I am writing this letter with the understanding that many organizations and causes are vying for your financial support, especially at this time before the end of the year. I am writing to you, not because our cause is any more worthy than the others you are hearing from, but rather, because of your connection to Peter Whitehead, and because the dream of creating a better way to deliver sustainable healthcare to the deserving people of Haiti was something he was passionate about and committed to, even in his waning days.
I am pleased to inform you that, together with our partners in western New York, we have raised nearly half the funds required to completely finish the Peter Y. Whitehead Memorial Clinic. Our building fund balances total nearly $225,000 as of this communication. The majority of these funds (nearly 90%) have come from our partners who never even knew Peter, but they heard of his passion and commitment to this cause and shared in our desire to dedicate a permanent clinic in his memory. I encourage you to recall Peter’s life and how he may have impacted your life. No donation is too small, but as you know, a project of this size will require substantial funding.
We expect ground to be broken on this project after the first of the year and will update all those interested via Facebook and our website. It is our wish to maintain momentum on this project with no substantial pauses in its completion. We need your help to see Peter’s dream, a dream he shared with Project Starfish-Haiti, become a reality.
Please visit our website, www.projectstarfishhaiti.net, to see how easy it is to make your tax-deductible donation. If you have already done so, please accept our most sincere gratitude!
Best Regards and Happy Holidays,
Adam and all of us at Project Starfish-Haiti
