Rotary presentation on Heart 2 Heart program
Scenic 7 Rotary club members recently viewed a slideshow about Rotary’s Heart 2 Heart international program. Three local Rotarians, Jennifer Van Houtte, Joi Burton and Dennis Cooper, recently traveled to Mexico to inspect firsthand the many humanitarian efforts happening there with the support of Rotary Foundation matching grants.
Heart 2 Heart is a cooperative program between Rotarians primarily in the “Heart of America” and the “Heart of Mexico.” When the effort began in 2004, the first emphasis was providing safe well water. Over the years, however, the breadth of programs has expanded as more Rotarians join hands with financial and volunteer assistance.
Projects for the current year include kidney transplants, pacemaker implantation, basic education skills, cleft lip and palate surgeries, and the provision of used but usable medical equipment. Since its inception, Heart 2 Heart has received more than $1.3 million in grants from the Rotary Foundation. All grants are matched by local financial and volunteer aid.
Van Houtte, Burton, and Cooper visited many of these projects on their recent trip to Mexico and provided volunteer assistance at many of the sites. Each traveler called the experience extremely rewarding.
Scenic 7 Rotary Club meets at Charlie’s Pizza Pub at noon Thursdays. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call Barb Mitchell, 922-9004, or Amanda Kennedy, 922-0227.