Dear Friend,
Please help sponsor our trip to the Dominican Republic. If we are able to go, we will be helping crowds of people by setting up medical clinics, teaching the local residents how to prepare their food to cut down on food borne parasites, and provide basic health education. This is one of the only times that any of these people can receive any sort of medical care, so it wouldn’t only mean a lot to my group to be a part of this learning experience, but it is immeasurably valuable to the people of the Dominican Republic.
So far, we have held a raffle at the MCC Thanksgiving dinner, collected ink cartridges, and held an Uno’s Fund Raiser. We are currently selling Avon products and sending out more “Dear Friend” letters to people whom we hope will find it in their heart to sponsor us. The Student Senate was kind enough to donate half the cost for each student. So instead of raising the original $1200, we only need to raise $600. We realize that some of the cost must come out of our own pocket. But any donation will help our mission succeed.
Sincerely yours,
The hopeful students of MCC
While this may not be an accurate depiction of a “Dear Friend” letter written by the students, it is more to help make others aware just how much effort the 23 students are putting into this project. Instead of going to a spring break, laying on the beach all week, and possibly bar hopping, students of all levels are trying to make a difference in the lives of people residing in rural communities, while furthering their education and worldly experience.
Originally, when Alternative Spring Break (ASB) started four years ago, it was more education based. The students who had previously gone taught the children English. This enabled them to get jobs in the resort areas of Monti Cristi, the wages going towards the survival of their family. The focus has been changed and honed within the last two years since the nursing students found out about the opportunity. Except, as much as they like and want to help, they realized that by going in the Spring, they would be returning to too many tests and finals. So their alternative was to go during the Winter Break (January 9-16).
Except, not only did this make some demands on their life as well in the way that they had to take a week off of work, it meant that they could not accompany the doctors who usually supervise the clinics. Flying Doctors who literally fly to wherever the poor need them to provide assistance, only go to this area during the Spring. So by working with Orphanage Outreach, who is a non-profit organization based in Arizona, they were able to set up their mission for a different time. Orphanage Outreach provided all the bottled water and the volunteer quarters that the students will stay in.
However, the students had to find or put together a medical staff that was willing to help them. Four medical professionals right from the Manchester area stepped up to the plate. Both the doctors and nurses will be there to advise and watch over the students who choose to go. The only problem, however, is that the students also need to put together their medical kits. The doctors will provide some, but the students are still actively seeking any medical donations. This month, bins will start going up around campus. They can use anything from bandages to Advil. Monetary donations can also be sent to Aileen Clay, Director of Student Life, the checks payable to MCC Medical Mission. Any helping hand is useful on a trip like this. So try not to just walk by any boxes in the hall. Take a look and see who they’re set up by. This is, after all, the season of giving. You may not personally see the benefit of your actions. But just think how far one bottle of pills will go, one tube of antiseptic. An untold number of people will be thanking you and your generosity when they arrive home from their rare medical visit. Help the ASB students provide that peace of mind for them.
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