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Margaret Is Going to the Amazon |
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Margaret Gladski, friend of AWR member Jeannie B, is going to Peru in February to volunteer her services as a Physician's Assistant for a program called Amazon Promise.
Amazon Promise is a non-profit international relief organization whose teams of medical and non-medical volunteers visit remote jungle locations in the Peruvian Amazon in response to the requests of local villagers, to provide basic and emergent medical assistance, healthcare education and training. While they are working, the Amazon Promise teams stay in the primitive communities they serve without running water, electricity, or the more rudimentary medical facilities. Teams work in huts or riverside, under the interested gaze of everyone in the village. Team members pay their own trip costs, averaging $2,500 to $3,500 per person.
Although Margaret is financing her own volunteer work, she is holding a fundraiser in order to donate more medical supplies to Amazon Promise because of an unfortunate incident that occurred a few months ago in Masusa, a poor community where Amazon Promise holds clinics in the city of Iquitos.
A confrontation ensued, which resulted in Amazon Promise Peruvian staff being forced to abandon their supplies (which included 16 Rubbermaid containers and other boxes of essential medicines, all of their instruments for patient exams, laboratory supplies, surgical sets, and wound care materials). No one was seriously hurt. However, a large proportion of their supplies were lost, both stolen and burned (purportedly to cover up the theft).
This is a tragic and unprecedented event for Amazon Promise, which was widely and sympathetically covered by the local media in Iquitos. Amazon Promise continues to uphold the excellent reputation they have built over the last 15 years, and will not be changing the services they offer to the residents of Iquitos in Belen and Masusa along with the remote jungle villages. These communities need the help of Amazon Promise more than ever, and they will continue to provide that essential medical care and support to thousands of people each year. The value of the medicines and supplies lost was over $50,000.
Margaret is holding a fundraiser at 6:00 p.m. on January 10, 2009 at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee, MA.
Come one! Come all! Donations will be $20, and beer, food, and music will be provided. It is guaranteed to be a great time, and it is for such a great cause! Please pass this invitation/information on to anyone and everyone that you can. Every little bit helps!
If you would like to make a donation, but are unable to attend the event please mail to:
Margaret Gladski
2 Mechanic Street, Unit S
Easthampton, MA 01027
Checks may be made out to Amazon Promise/MARGARET GLADSKI FUND.
Thanks for your help!!
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