A brand new and energetic club has been formed on Ambergris Caye, with the purpose of contributing to the community and helping those in great need. As such, the island now counts with a Rotary Club that formed three weeks ago, and it has already brought international assistance to San Pedro Town.
After weeks of meeting and recruiting new Rotarians the now established, “The Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye,” was a proud recipient of a Rotary International gift. On Friday, March 4th, they received five wheel chairs which were transported to the island via Tropic Air. This first achievement of local Rotary Club brought the hope of mobility for five San Pedro residents who received the chairs at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez Polyclinic II.
Newly installed president of the club, Dawn LoCascio was thrilled with the donation. “We are so happy for these wheel chairs and very grateful with the donors that made them available for us,” she said. “Now we can help five persons who really need them, and we will continue working with our partners to identify other ways we can assist the residents of the island.”
LoCascio thanked the Rotary Clubs of Ellsworth and Bar Harbor, both in Maine USA and the Rotary Club of Vancouver, Canada, for having generously donated the wheelchairs.
On Saturday, March 5th, Rotarian Jodie Bowen and Rotaract member Kaitlin McWhorter were on hand at the polyclinic to present the five wheelchairs on behalf of the Rotarians. The chairs were handed over to Dr. Ingrid Zuniga and polyclinic administrator Owen Vellos. Three of the chairs were delivered to individuals in need, including Amilcar Amin Teck and Bradley Haylock. The other two chairs will remain at the medical facility.
“I am thrilled that Rotary International has come to San Pedro, and that The Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye is now a reality. Being a Rotarian is a gift and an honor, one I take to heart. It was the one thing that was missing in my island life. Now I have everything I need right here in San Pedro,” said LoCascio who also extended thanks to Anthony Hunt of the Rotary Club of Belize City Sunrise and to Tropic Air for getting the chairs to San Pedro.
The Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye meets weekly on Wednesdays at Banyan Bay for fellowship and service. Guests are invited to explore membership and upcoming service projects. Lunch ($20) and fellowship begins at 11:45AM, followed by a weekly meeting promptly at 12:15. To explore membership with Rotary International, come to a meeting or contact Andrew Ashcroft at 610-4969 about Rotary International.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary is the world’s first service club, and each year provides some $90 million for international scholarships, cultural exchanges, and humanitarian projects large and small. The aim is to improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.
The first Rotary club was founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA on February 23rd, 1905. Rotary has around 1.2 million service-minded men and women belonging to more than 28,000 Rotary clubs in virtually every nation in the world. Rotarians meet weekly for fellowship and interesting and informative programs dealing with topics of local and global importance.
The Rotary Clubs receiving the wheelchairs included the Rotary Club of Belize City and the sponsor of the Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye, the Rotary Club of Belize City Sunrise. In the true spirit of Service Over Self, a Rotarian’s mission, the two clubs in Belize City agreed that the new club on Ambergris Caye should join in the generosity of others. Of the total chairs that were received in Belize City, Ambergris Caye was added to the list for distribution. There is the assurance that more are coming in the upcoming months.
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