For over 30 years, Rotary has been working to eradicate polio worldwide. In the 1950's polio victims were suddenly crippled, isolated and feared by their communities. In 1961, an oral polio vaccine came into commercial use. By mid-1960's Polio was eradicated in the USA. Worldwide mass inoculations have made polio close to being eradicated with the exception of a few countries.The Rotary Polio Caborca trip provides Rotarians an experience filled with fellowship, international service and a greater appreciation for the benefits that Rotary Global Grants provide in the way of equipment that changes lives.
The Arizona Rotarians including Pam Cohen, Melodie Jackson and Chuck Flint representing Mesa West Rotary, met the California Rotarians at the Buckeye Elks Club, where we boarded a bus with Rotarians representing Alabama, Wisconsin, Texas and Washington State. Together we made the 5-hour ride to Caborca, just a little over an hour past the Arizona/Mexico border.
Late Friday afternoon, we checked into the El Camino Hotel, and went to the Caborca Rotary Clubhouse to have a meet and greet dinner with our hosts, the Caborca Rotary Club.
After a scrumptious meal and a not-so-restful sleep (the nightclub at the hotel played festive music until past 3AM) we boarded the bus early Saturday morning to visit the medical clinic, and saw a medical/dental van purchased by a Rotary global grant.
We then divided into several small groups of 3-4 with an assigned local Rotary host and local public health nurse to visit the 4-separate ejidos (small villages).
We walked the dirt streets, where the nurses knew which families had young children needing polio oral drops. We collectively administered drops to about 200 children in one morning. We gave away toothbrushes, candy and toys. We met up again in Desemboque (fishing village on the Sea of Cortez) for lunch and the bus trip back to Caborca.
Before dinner at the Caborca Rotary clubhouse we stopped at the local hospital and saw another global grant project that purchased neonatal equipment including incubators and ventilators. This equipment is vital to the community.
The director said they have 20-30 births a week with many of the mothers being young - 15018 years old. The next closest hospital is a 3-hour drive in Hermosillo.
We had another amazing dinner provided by the Caborca Rotary Club. We celebrated some of the success stories of the Caborca Children's medical fund. This fund provides procedures for local children to correct debilitating conditions.
The various Rotary Club representatives gave generously to this fund. Our club had combined contributions of $700. The grand total of contributions was over $15,000.
We again had a restless sleep (music played until past 2AM) and after breakfast and a group photo, we boarded the bus headed for Arizona.
Before crossing the border, we stopped for shopping. Melodie bought olives and Crema de Bacanora liquor and it was Four Hundred Rabbits Tequila/Mescal for Pam! This is a safe, well-planned trip that provides a wonderful experience for our Rotary family!
More photos from the trip are available on the Mesa West Rotary Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MesaWestRotary/