Dear Friends,
My friend, Laura Marier just published an excellent Op-Ed piece in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Check it out at: http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/1213690,CST-EDT-open10.article.
She confronts the divisiveness within our country over politics.... and she does it well. It's too bad that political candidates resort to personal attacks on each other, rather than just dealing
with the issues.
What do you think about it?
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Introspection
We just celebrated the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, a time for reflection. How did another year fly past?
In just a few more days, the holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day Of Repentance, will be here... a time for fasting and feeling the "oneness" with the world.
With such a tumultuous political scene in front of my eyes, it's often tough to feel the "oneness." So much nasty political slamming by the Republican candidates... especially Sarah Pallin. She mentioned that Obama is friends with Bill Ayers, who was a political revolutionary forty years ago. I personally know Bill Ayers and he is a fine, dedicated man, a author and professor in Chicago. Obama knew Bill from his childhood at age 8, and Ayers' past has nothing to do with his current status... Still, Pallin has to search for some dirt to throw, since she knows so little about solving the important issues in our country... like the economy.
It's upsetting to watch political talk -- especially when I realize that Pallin voted against healthcare rights for women, and wants to keep our country in a war that is unjust.
I hope and pray at this time that the significant masses out there will put aside their prejudices against race and color, and vote for an intelligent man, Barack Obama. His running mate, Joe Biden, offers our country compassionate leadership. That's what we need.
Somehow, if more people could feel this "one-ness".... perhaps war could be considered a thing from the past.
In just a few more days, the holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day Of Repentance, will be here... a time for fasting and feeling the "oneness" with the world.
With such a tumultuous political scene in front of my eyes, it's often tough to feel the "oneness." So much nasty political slamming by the Republican candidates... especially Sarah Pallin. She mentioned that Obama is friends with Bill Ayers, who was a political revolutionary forty years ago. I personally know Bill Ayers and he is a fine, dedicated man, a author and professor in Chicago. Obama knew Bill from his childhood at age 8, and Ayers' past has nothing to do with his current status... Still, Pallin has to search for some dirt to throw, since she knows so little about solving the important issues in our country... like the economy.
It's upsetting to watch political talk -- especially when I realize that Pallin voted against healthcare rights for women, and wants to keep our country in a war that is unjust.
I hope and pray at this time that the significant masses out there will put aside their prejudices against race and color, and vote for an intelligent man, Barack Obama. His running mate, Joe Biden, offers our country compassionate leadership. That's what we need.
Somehow, if more people could feel this "one-ness".... perhaps war could be considered a thing from the past.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Great to be back...
Can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post. How time flies....!
It took a L-O-N-G time to recuperate after Ecuador. Both Joel and I came down with a type of bronchitis that seemed to hang on forever. Thank goodness, our immune system finally kicked in. Despite getting ill toward the end of our Ecuador adventure, it was quite an experience. I'm hoping to upload some pictures onto this blog soon.
A VERY strange thing happened since my last note. Somehow, my former website disappeared. Literally -- into thin air. I'm not sure how it happened. I'm in the midst of redoing the website, and temporarily have a few pages up. I'm planning to get a new design done soon. It all takes some time.
In the meanwhile, we're moving full steam ahead on a variety of projects. Our social justice film for Or Tzedek, the youth organization within JCUA (Jewish Council On Urban Affairs) is in the editing stages now. The director, Bruce Frankel and I reviewed hours and hours of great footage. Looking forward to seeing it all come together.
Westside Health Authority (www.healthauthority.org) keeps producing programs to help improve health and well-beintg on Chicago's west side. We're keeping the public updated with publicity releases.
I just finished a new children's story, "A New Home For Fuzzy Bear" that shares the story of one of our small stuffed animal donations to Ecuador. It's based on a true story, and I'm sending it out to a few publishers.
Soon, we'll be writing web copy for a most special, holistic, innovative, caring dentist on the north shore. He is someone who not only speaks Spanish fluently, but also has a passion for service. He has patients who flock to his office from hours away -- and yet he has built up his practice solely by word of mouth. It's now time to get his name out into the e-universe.... no one other than Dr. Joel L. Sanders, DDS -- my hubby! His construction page is still out there -- www.naturaldent.org.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Lynn
It took a L-O-N-G time to recuperate after Ecuador. Both Joel and I came down with a type of bronchitis that seemed to hang on forever. Thank goodness, our immune system finally kicked in. Despite getting ill toward the end of our Ecuador adventure, it was quite an experience. I'm hoping to upload some pictures onto this blog soon.
A VERY strange thing happened since my last note. Somehow, my former website disappeared. Literally -- into thin air. I'm not sure how it happened. I'm in the midst of redoing the website, and temporarily have a few pages up. I'm planning to get a new design done soon. It all takes some time.
In the meanwhile, we're moving full steam ahead on a variety of projects. Our social justice film for Or Tzedek, the youth organization within JCUA (Jewish Council On Urban Affairs) is in the editing stages now. The director, Bruce Frankel and I reviewed hours and hours of great footage. Looking forward to seeing it all come together.
Westside Health Authority (www.healthauthority.org) keeps producing programs to help improve health and well-beintg on Chicago's west side. We're keeping the public updated with publicity releases.
I just finished a new children's story, "A New Home For Fuzzy Bear" that shares the story of one of our small stuffed animal donations to Ecuador. It's based on a true story, and I'm sending it out to a few publishers.
Soon, we'll be writing web copy for a most special, holistic, innovative, caring dentist on the north shore. He is someone who not only speaks Spanish fluently, but also has a passion for service. He has patients who flock to his office from hours away -- and yet he has built up his practice solely by word of mouth. It's now time to get his name out into the e-universe.... no one other than Dr. Joel L. Sanders, DDS -- my hubby! His construction page is still out there -- www.naturaldent.org.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Lynn
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
We're BACK!
Dear Friends:
We're back from Ecuador!
What an amazing, transforming, challenging, exhausting, fascinating, and powerful trip.
Imagine a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows... that was our experience in Ecuador.
I'm going to write different blogs... so I don't get overwhelmed in trying to convey it all.
First, let me thank you all for your loving support, encouragement and help before our trip. We gathered about 1600 toys -- both small stuffed animals and other stuff -- balls, tiny cars, even a few puppets and jumpropes. Everything was so appreciated by the children.... they don't have any toys -- not one thing. So you can imagine how thrilled the kids were to have anything.
We arrived in the Guayaquil airport with 19 packages in tow... four suitcases of dental supplies, along with boxes and suitcases of toys and lotions. By the time everyone from around the U.S., Jamaica and Australia arrived, it was quite late -- around 11:00 p.m. We then boarded a bus for a 2 1/2 hour ride to a tiny town called Naranjal. We stayed in the only hotel there -- Hotel Delicias... and that would be our resting place for the week. No tourists come into Naranjal, and we were told to be very careful with our belongings. If we wanted to see a little bit of the area, we could turn right out of the hotel, go two blocks down the street, make a left two blocks, and then another left two blocks. That was it! We weren't supposed to go left because it was dangerous. (Even the director's sister had been held up once at knife-point for money...)
So, we were careful. Each day, a bus took us for an hour or so ride to another small village, where we were driven to a school. An armed guard came with us in the bus and stayed with our group throughout the day. People traveled for hours and from miles around -- just to get our free medical and dental care. Five rooms in the school were set aside for our use. One was for the eye doctor, one for the three dentists, one for the "education room" (to teach toothbrushing), one for pharmacy (dispensing kid vitamins and anti-parasite medicine, along with some aspirin), and one for the occupational therapist and medical doctor. Lines of moms and their kids lined up to get care.
In the meanwhile, I provided musical distraction for the kids while they waited for hours in line. Since the kids had never seen a shot before, you can imagine the reaction when they saw the dentists. Screaming, crying, and just plain fear... I sang songs with them, danced, played ball, taught them jump-rope, showed them puppets or we waved scarves... anything that I could do to keep them occupied... while speaking in my broken Spanish. It was fairly exhausting from morning till the end of day... That's why I now have a sore throat and feel quite tired.
The kids were being checked for abcesses or infections, and were having "extractions" (the fancy word for getting their teeth pulled out!). Even though an adult tooth would grow back in its place, the kids were naturally scared. There was no electricity... no fancy equipment... no modern conveniences.
The kids received their toy after the dental appointment, and those toys were invaluable in giving them comfort and joy.
Will write more as I get more energy.... I'm very glad to have been a part of this trip. The Mayor and his wife in Naranjal honored us all in the evenings with wonderful meals and performances by local children and adults of Spanish dancing. It was all non-stop activity.
Amazing trip.... and also so glad to be back home to a modern bathroom. (that's another story...)
Feel free to drop me a note and give me your comments... :)
We're back from Ecuador!
What an amazing, transforming, challenging, exhausting, fascinating, and powerful trip.
Imagine a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows... that was our experience in Ecuador.
I'm going to write different blogs... so I don't get overwhelmed in trying to convey it all.
First, let me thank you all for your loving support, encouragement and help before our trip. We gathered about 1600 toys -- both small stuffed animals and other stuff -- balls, tiny cars, even a few puppets and jumpropes. Everything was so appreciated by the children.... they don't have any toys -- not one thing. So you can imagine how thrilled the kids were to have anything.
We arrived in the Guayaquil airport with 19 packages in tow... four suitcases of dental supplies, along with boxes and suitcases of toys and lotions. By the time everyone from around the U.S., Jamaica and Australia arrived, it was quite late -- around 11:00 p.m. We then boarded a bus for a 2 1/2 hour ride to a tiny town called Naranjal. We stayed in the only hotel there -- Hotel Delicias... and that would be our resting place for the week. No tourists come into Naranjal, and we were told to be very careful with our belongings. If we wanted to see a little bit of the area, we could turn right out of the hotel, go two blocks down the street, make a left two blocks, and then another left two blocks. That was it! We weren't supposed to go left because it was dangerous. (Even the director's sister had been held up once at knife-point for money...)
So, we were careful. Each day, a bus took us for an hour or so ride to another small village, where we were driven to a school. An armed guard came with us in the bus and stayed with our group throughout the day. People traveled for hours and from miles around -- just to get our free medical and dental care. Five rooms in the school were set aside for our use. One was for the eye doctor, one for the three dentists, one for the "education room" (to teach toothbrushing), one for pharmacy (dispensing kid vitamins and anti-parasite medicine, along with some aspirin), and one for the occupational therapist and medical doctor. Lines of moms and their kids lined up to get care.
In the meanwhile, I provided musical distraction for the kids while they waited for hours in line. Since the kids had never seen a shot before, you can imagine the reaction when they saw the dentists. Screaming, crying, and just plain fear... I sang songs with them, danced, played ball, taught them jump-rope, showed them puppets or we waved scarves... anything that I could do to keep them occupied... while speaking in my broken Spanish. It was fairly exhausting from morning till the end of day... That's why I now have a sore throat and feel quite tired.
The kids were being checked for abcesses or infections, and were having "extractions" (the fancy word for getting their teeth pulled out!). Even though an adult tooth would grow back in its place, the kids were naturally scared. There was no electricity... no fancy equipment... no modern conveniences.
The kids received their toy after the dental appointment, and those toys were invaluable in giving them comfort and joy.
Will write more as I get more energy.... I'm very glad to have been a part of this trip. The Mayor and his wife in Naranjal honored us all in the evenings with wonderful meals and performances by local children and adults of Spanish dancing. It was all non-stop activity.
Amazing trip.... and also so glad to be back home to a modern bathroom. (that's another story...)
Feel free to drop me a note and give me your comments... :)
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Pioneer Press Article About Us
Causes for Change at work in Ecuador
June 26, 2008
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/glencoe/business/1019733,gl-ecuador-062608-s1.article
Recommend (1)
By RUTH SOLOMON rsolomon@pioneerlocal.com
Winnetka resident Lynn Sanders runs a multimedia business and is not a dental assistant, but her dentist husband, Joel, said she can still help identify patients for him during an upcoming service trip to Ecuador.
The reason: the patients, many of them children, have such poor dental care that it is obvious when their teeth are decayed.
» Click to enlarge image
Three girls from a remote village in Ecuador happily clutch stuffed animals brought to them on a 2006 trip by Causes for Change International volunteers, including Wilmette photographer George Pfoertner. (George Pfoertner/for Pioneer Press)
» Click to enlarge image
Wilmette residents Nina Schield, 12, and Laura Tatgenhorst, 13, with bags containing 310 stuffed animals that dentist Joel Sanders and his wife, Lynn, of Winnetka will take to children in an impovishered area of Ecuador. (Joel Sanders/for Pioneer Press)
PHOTO GALLERY• Changing Ecuador
RELATED STORIES
• Ecuador trip facts
The Sanders, along with their son, Andrew, 17, and his friend, Winnetka resident Jack Fuller; Tom Bayne, a holistic physician with an office in Glenview; and Highland Park resident Anne Bartels, a premed student at the University of Illinois, are among a group of volunteers who will be heading to the South American country in July.
The program is sponsored by Causes for Change International, a charity run from an apartment in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood by Zully JF Alvarado, who works in her husband's financial services and real estate business. Alvarado, the daughter of a banana plantation worker father and a mother who washed clothes for a living, grew up on the coastal areas of Ecuador. She suffered from untreated polio before finally receiving good medical care after being brought to the U.S. by missionaries in 1965 at age 9.
Alvarado set up the Causes for Change International charity in 1996 and it operates on a shoestring budget. Volunteers who go on the service trips pay their own way. Joel Sanders collected all the dental supplies himself.
Alvarado said she solicits volunteers through word of mouth or from her Web site (causesfor change.org).
Joel Sanders said he heard about Causes for Change International from a patient who runs a Web site that lists all not-for-profits needing volunteers.
"He (Joel's patient) knew I speak Spanish and that I had lived in Argentina for a year-abroad program," said Sanders, who years ago participated as a volunteer in the Amigos de Las Americas program.
Joel said he typically sees two patients an hour at his Highland Park office, but has heard in Ecuador he will be seeing 160 patients a day.
Joel's wife, Lynn, explained why he decided to undertake the grueling dental work free of charge. "My husband has a good heart," said Lynn, a publicist, commercial lyricist and writer with a multimedia company in Winnetka called "Parkside Productions."
For this trip, Lynn has been soliciting stuffed animals and toiletries to donate to the children in the Ecuadoran villages they will visit. After hearing about Lynn's request, two Wilmette girls, Laura Tatgenhorst, 13, and twins Nina and Audrey Schield, 12, donated 310 stuffed animals.
More volunteers
Another Wilmette resident, photographer George Pfoertner, has been to Ecuador as a volunteer on almost a yearly basis since the inception of the Causes for Change charity, including one trip two years ago with his daughter, Eva, now 19 and a New Trier graduate. (A sampling of some of Pfoertner's photos from the 2006 trip can be seen on Pioneerlocal.com.) One photo Pfoertner took shows three Ecuadoran girls with big smiles on their faces, clutching their new stuffed animals.
Alvarado said the children's teeth decay because mothers typically give sugarcane to their children to soothe them. The parents who live in the coastal areas work in the sugarcane, banana and fishing industries, Alvarado said.
Lynn said her son, Andrew, was, like his father, also in the Amigos program, helping build a water tank in Costa Rica. Such trips are good lessons for youths, she said.
"It's very important for them to see how much a difference they can make. And kids are more open to trying new things."
Lynn herself said a recent life-threatening bout with appendicitis and the death of several people close to her gave her the impetus to do more to help others. "It just shakes you up. Life is finite. Do what you need to do while you are on Earth," she said.
June 26, 2008
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/glencoe/business/1019733,gl-ecuador-062608-s1.article
Recommend (1)
By RUTH SOLOMON rsolomon@pioneerlocal.com
Winnetka resident Lynn Sanders runs a multimedia business and is not a dental assistant, but her dentist husband, Joel, said she can still help identify patients for him during an upcoming service trip to Ecuador.
The reason: the patients, many of them children, have such poor dental care that it is obvious when their teeth are decayed.
» Click to enlarge image
Three girls from a remote village in Ecuador happily clutch stuffed animals brought to them on a 2006 trip by Causes for Change International volunteers, including Wilmette photographer George Pfoertner. (George Pfoertner/for Pioneer Press)
» Click to enlarge image
Wilmette residents Nina Schield, 12, and Laura Tatgenhorst, 13, with bags containing 310 stuffed animals that dentist Joel Sanders and his wife, Lynn, of Winnetka will take to children in an impovishered area of Ecuador. (Joel Sanders/for Pioneer Press)
PHOTO GALLERY• Changing Ecuador
RELATED STORIES
• Ecuador trip facts
The Sanders, along with their son, Andrew, 17, and his friend, Winnetka resident Jack Fuller; Tom Bayne, a holistic physician with an office in Glenview; and Highland Park resident Anne Bartels, a premed student at the University of Illinois, are among a group of volunteers who will be heading to the South American country in July.
The program is sponsored by Causes for Change International, a charity run from an apartment in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood by Zully JF Alvarado, who works in her husband's financial services and real estate business. Alvarado, the daughter of a banana plantation worker father and a mother who washed clothes for a living, grew up on the coastal areas of Ecuador. She suffered from untreated polio before finally receiving good medical care after being brought to the U.S. by missionaries in 1965 at age 9.
Alvarado set up the Causes for Change International charity in 1996 and it operates on a shoestring budget. Volunteers who go on the service trips pay their own way. Joel Sanders collected all the dental supplies himself.
Alvarado said she solicits volunteers through word of mouth or from her Web site (causesfor change.org).
Joel Sanders said he heard about Causes for Change International from a patient who runs a Web site that lists all not-for-profits needing volunteers.
"He (Joel's patient) knew I speak Spanish and that I had lived in Argentina for a year-abroad program," said Sanders, who years ago participated as a volunteer in the Amigos de Las Americas program.
Joel said he typically sees two patients an hour at his Highland Park office, but has heard in Ecuador he will be seeing 160 patients a day.
Joel's wife, Lynn, explained why he decided to undertake the grueling dental work free of charge. "My husband has a good heart," said Lynn, a publicist, commercial lyricist and writer with a multimedia company in Winnetka called "Parkside Productions."
For this trip, Lynn has been soliciting stuffed animals and toiletries to donate to the children in the Ecuadoran villages they will visit. After hearing about Lynn's request, two Wilmette girls, Laura Tatgenhorst, 13, and twins Nina and Audrey Schield, 12, donated 310 stuffed animals.
More volunteers
Another Wilmette resident, photographer George Pfoertner, has been to Ecuador as a volunteer on almost a yearly basis since the inception of the Causes for Change charity, including one trip two years ago with his daughter, Eva, now 19 and a New Trier graduate. (A sampling of some of Pfoertner's photos from the 2006 trip can be seen on Pioneerlocal.com.) One photo Pfoertner took shows three Ecuadoran girls with big smiles on their faces, clutching their new stuffed animals.
Alvarado said the children's teeth decay because mothers typically give sugarcane to their children to soothe them. The parents who live in the coastal areas work in the sugarcane, banana and fishing industries, Alvarado said.
Lynn said her son, Andrew, was, like his father, also in the Amigos program, helping build a water tank in Costa Rica. Such trips are good lessons for youths, she said.
"It's very important for them to see how much a difference they can make. And kids are more open to trying new things."
Lynn herself said a recent life-threatening bout with appendicitis and the death of several people close to her gave her the impetus to do more to help others. "It just shakes you up. Life is finite. Do what you need to do while you are on Earth," she said.
We're Up To 950 TOYS!
Hi Everyone,
Can you believe it?
When I first heard that I was supposed to bring about 1000 small stuffed animals and small. toys for the poor kids in Ecuador, I panicked. How was I ever going to do that? It seemed impossible.
Then I thought -- well, I've got to at least TRY. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't even give myself a chance. So I sent out an email blast to a bunch of people... and the word seemed to magically travel out to lots of people. The Pioneer Press wrote a lovely article about us, which I'll attempt to include at the bottom of this note. Soon -- donations started appearing from all over -- people calling (even strangers)... and before we knew it, our garage started filling up with bags and boxes, both small donations and large. Today, I just finished counting 950 TOYS! And I haven't even finished. A man at my hair salon "coincidentally" happened to have a large garbage-sized bag of beanie babies which were supposed to go to another cause, but the cause didn't need any more toys. So -- we'll have even more...
We're supposed to count everything, because 2000 (yes, that's right! TWO THOUSAND) kids will be treated in one week -- with five dentists working full steam ahead, along with two doctors, a nurse and assorted volunteers. I was told that since the kids are really scared -- you can imagine that they've never seen a shot -- and they're about to get teeth pulled out -- the kids do a lot of screaming. Then, those kids waiting in line also start screaming. We "floater" volunteers are also responsible for keeping kids distracted while they wait in line. Some people donated puppets, so I'm going to use those in line with the kids. I also bought two books with suggested activities for elementary kids.
I'm so very grateful for everyone's support and help. I was feeling pretty scared last week, especially in light of the primitive conditions we're going to face. Still, after our meeting last Sunday with Zully Alvaredo, the director of Causes For Change, I felt more reassured. I met about 17 other volunteers and we learned about many things. Besides the village I mentioned earlier, where the Shuar Indian tribe will be waiting, we're also going to another village where many children have birth defects. This village (Taora ?), was sprayed with defoliants for their banana and sugar cane plantations. But the defoliants have lots of toxins. Some of the kids are microcephalic, which means they have little heads. I was told they don't have much of a brain.
I can't even imagine it.
It will feel especially good to be able to bring these many gifts on behalf of the Americans. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I doubt I'll have access to any computer in Ecuador. Our hotel is primitive, and the villages have no electricity. I just bought three flashlights for each of us. Joel will need people to hold flashlights over each child's mouth, so he can see what tooth he is supposed to pull.
I'll write manually in a journal, and will write to share more news.
All the best to you,
Lynn
Can you believe it?
When I first heard that I was supposed to bring about 1000 small stuffed animals and small. toys for the poor kids in Ecuador, I panicked. How was I ever going to do that? It seemed impossible.
Then I thought -- well, I've got to at least TRY. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't even give myself a chance. So I sent out an email blast to a bunch of people... and the word seemed to magically travel out to lots of people. The Pioneer Press wrote a lovely article about us, which I'll attempt to include at the bottom of this note. Soon -- donations started appearing from all over -- people calling (even strangers)... and before we knew it, our garage started filling up with bags and boxes, both small donations and large. Today, I just finished counting 950 TOYS! And I haven't even finished. A man at my hair salon "coincidentally" happened to have a large garbage-sized bag of beanie babies which were supposed to go to another cause, but the cause didn't need any more toys. So -- we'll have even more...
We're supposed to count everything, because 2000 (yes, that's right! TWO THOUSAND) kids will be treated in one week -- with five dentists working full steam ahead, along with two doctors, a nurse and assorted volunteers. I was told that since the kids are really scared -- you can imagine that they've never seen a shot -- and they're about to get teeth pulled out -- the kids do a lot of screaming. Then, those kids waiting in line also start screaming. We "floater" volunteers are also responsible for keeping kids distracted while they wait in line. Some people donated puppets, so I'm going to use those in line with the kids. I also bought two books with suggested activities for elementary kids.
I'm so very grateful for everyone's support and help. I was feeling pretty scared last week, especially in light of the primitive conditions we're going to face. Still, after our meeting last Sunday with Zully Alvaredo, the director of Causes For Change, I felt more reassured. I met about 17 other volunteers and we learned about many things. Besides the village I mentioned earlier, where the Shuar Indian tribe will be waiting, we're also going to another village where many children have birth defects. This village (Taora ?), was sprayed with defoliants for their banana and sugar cane plantations. But the defoliants have lots of toxins. Some of the kids are microcephalic, which means they have little heads. I was told they don't have much of a brain.
I can't even imagine it.
It will feel especially good to be able to bring these many gifts on behalf of the Americans. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I doubt I'll have access to any computer in Ecuador. Our hotel is primitive, and the villages have no electricity. I just bought three flashlights for each of us. Joel will need people to hold flashlights over each child's mouth, so he can see what tooth he is supposed to pull.
I'll write manually in a journal, and will write to share more news.
All the best to you,
Lynn
Monday, July 14, 2008
Our Upcoming Adventure To Ecuador...
Dear Friends:
Only nine more days till we take off to a new adventure -- to help poor kids in Ecuador!
We're embarking with Causes For Change International, Inc. (www.causesforchange.org) Through one of his dental patients, my husband, Joel, discovered that this program needed dentists. It's a bonus that Joel also speaks fluent Spanish. (They have adult translators.)
My son, Andrew, Andrew's buddy, a college student friend, and Joel will all be leaving on July 23rd, and we'll be joined by about 25 other people. I have a feeling this will be an experience of a lifetime.
Joel will be one of five dentists, along with two doctors, a nurse, and a variety of other volunteers -- both youth and adults -- who will provide free healthcare to kids who have never received any care at all. From our team meeting last Sunday, I know we'll definitely have many eye-opening experiences.
We'll be visiting four different remote villages, and staying in a modest hotel in Narajal -- about 90 minutes from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Zully Alvaredo, the director of Causes For Change was a poor orphan from that community, who almost died as a child from lack of adequate nutrition and healthcare. She wanted to give back to the villages, so no child would have to suffer as she did. We were told that in one village, we'll be visiting an Indian tribe, the Shuar (not sure of spelling), who were just discovered by the outside world in the 1980's!!!
There will be NO electricity, so the dentists will be doing strictly oral surgery - pulling teeth. The children are mostly elementary age, and have never received medical or dental help. As a non-medical/dental volunteer, I'll be asked to help out in different ways -- from keeping the kids calm as they wait in line to doling out small little gifts to the kids after they receive treatment.
Thanks to an email blast, along with a local article in the Pioneer Press, we've gotten a tremendous response in gathering small stuffed animals for donations! THANKS to all of you who have helped us out! I believe we'll now have close to 1000 toys! Whooooooeeee! The anticipated total of kids who will be treated is going to be TWO THOUSAND KIDS!!!! (That's just in one week -- with five dentists at work from early morning till evening.)
So -- that's my corner of news for now... Will do my best to keep a journal while we're there. A van will take us to each village -- and they're about an hour away... so I'll have a little time free on the van. I'm excited to see another part of the world and help these kids. The organization is even going to find a little guitar for me to play for the kids.... Nice, huh?
Looking forward to sharing more...
All the best,
Lynn
Only nine more days till we take off to a new adventure -- to help poor kids in Ecuador!
We're embarking with Causes For Change International, Inc. (www.causesforchange.org) Through one of his dental patients, my husband, Joel, discovered that this program needed dentists. It's a bonus that Joel also speaks fluent Spanish. (They have adult translators.)
My son, Andrew, Andrew's buddy, a college student friend, and Joel will all be leaving on July 23rd, and we'll be joined by about 25 other people. I have a feeling this will be an experience of a lifetime.
Joel will be one of five dentists, along with two doctors, a nurse, and a variety of other volunteers -- both youth and adults -- who will provide free healthcare to kids who have never received any care at all. From our team meeting last Sunday, I know we'll definitely have many eye-opening experiences.
We'll be visiting four different remote villages, and staying in a modest hotel in Narajal -- about 90 minutes from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Zully Alvaredo, the director of Causes For Change was a poor orphan from that community, who almost died as a child from lack of adequate nutrition and healthcare. She wanted to give back to the villages, so no child would have to suffer as she did. We were told that in one village, we'll be visiting an Indian tribe, the Shuar (not sure of spelling), who were just discovered by the outside world in the 1980's!!!
There will be NO electricity, so the dentists will be doing strictly oral surgery - pulling teeth. The children are mostly elementary age, and have never received medical or dental help. As a non-medical/dental volunteer, I'll be asked to help out in different ways -- from keeping the kids calm as they wait in line to doling out small little gifts to the kids after they receive treatment.
Thanks to an email blast, along with a local article in the Pioneer Press, we've gotten a tremendous response in gathering small stuffed animals for donations! THANKS to all of you who have helped us out! I believe we'll now have close to 1000 toys! Whooooooeeee! The anticipated total of kids who will be treated is going to be TWO THOUSAND KIDS!!!! (That's just in one week -- with five dentists at work from early morning till evening.)
So -- that's my corner of news for now... Will do my best to keep a journal while we're there. A van will take us to each village -- and they're about an hour away... so I'll have a little time free on the van. I'm excited to see another part of the world and help these kids. The organization is even going to find a little guitar for me to play for the kids.... Nice, huh?
Looking forward to sharing more...
All the best,
Lynn
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Father's Day At Wrigley Field!
What an amazing Father's Day at Wrigley Field!
This is the fourth year that the Chicago Cubs management sponsored a Father's Day for anyone and everyone to be on Wrigley Field itself. For a mere $150/per person, anyone is allowed on the field, to play catch, run the bases, go in the batting cage, or just hang out with their dad.
(If you'd rather be a spectator, it's $15 to sit anywhere you'd like in the stands.) A red wristband is given to the spectators, while the players receive the honorary blue wristband to be on the field.
Our family gathered for a family reunion, and it was tremendous fun. Our son, Andrew and a family friend, Rob happened to be interviewed by Univision Television (Spanish-speaking T.V.), and my brother, Mark and Andrew were then shown catching, while my dad pretended to be swinging a bat.
It was even fun just sitting in the dugout, knowing that our butts rested on the same cushioned seats that the Cubs team used. Very cool.
Even the weather cooperated. After a rainy, overcast morning, the clouds magically parted during our 11:00 a.m. time, and the sun broke through in all its glory. A professional photographer was on hand to take pictures of everybody, and all the photos were made available afterwards at no charge in an acrylic frame. A lunch of burgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches were also provided in the price.
A great way to spend Father's Day for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
This is the fourth year that the Chicago Cubs management sponsored a Father's Day for anyone and everyone to be on Wrigley Field itself. For a mere $150/per person, anyone is allowed on the field, to play catch, run the bases, go in the batting cage, or just hang out with their dad.
(If you'd rather be a spectator, it's $15 to sit anywhere you'd like in the stands.) A red wristband is given to the spectators, while the players receive the honorary blue wristband to be on the field.
Our family gathered for a family reunion, and it was tremendous fun. Our son, Andrew and a family friend, Rob happened to be interviewed by Univision Television (Spanish-speaking T.V.), and my brother, Mark and Andrew were then shown catching, while my dad pretended to be swinging a bat.
It was even fun just sitting in the dugout, knowing that our butts rested on the same cushioned seats that the Cubs team used. Very cool.
Even the weather cooperated. After a rainy, overcast morning, the clouds magically parted during our 11:00 a.m. time, and the sun broke through in all its glory. A professional photographer was on hand to take pictures of everybody, and all the photos were made available afterwards at no charge in an acrylic frame. A lunch of burgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches were also provided in the price.
A great way to spend Father's Day for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
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