WOODMAN
Contributor
I don't know if the Board condones what I am gonna do here, but I have to try.
Folks, I just got back from a great trip to Coz, with the usual superb diving, dining, etc. This trip was a little different, however, as I went down there with a secondary agenda. My wife and I literally became "mules" for the Mexican Red Cross. We had some spare luggage capacity, as the airline allowed us both 2 free bags of checked luggage, and we were able to put this to good use. In short, we brought down badly needed basic medical supplies for use by the Red Cross down there.
Let me tell you a little about this. The Red cross operates a clinic and a few ambulances in Coz, and services a surprisingly large part of the local population. Socialized medicine is usually available to employed people, but there are a lot of others, such as housewives, not formally employed, etc, who have no access to the main hospitals and such. And neither do most of the children. So where do these people go? The Red Cross clinic. I am told that they service up to about 50% of the local population, and thats a lot of gauze bandage and rubber gloves, friends. They receive little formal help, and money is always tight. I managed to bring down a modest amount of basic medical supplies, and you should have seen their faces when we gave it to them. I bought some of this stuff up here in the USA, and others I know were kind enough to donate and assist me in this little project.
We have been visiting Coz for years now, and enjoying all it has to offer. I never thought about giving something back to the place before, and I only wished I had thought of this sooner. And I am calling on all of you to think about doing the same. It doesn't have to be a lot, anything helps. Basic medical supplies are pretty light, and you can pack a surprising amount into one of those big duffel bags, which then folds up into one of your other pieces of luggage for the trip home. Bulk packages of things like roller gauze, Ace-type elastic bandages, 4X4 gauze sponges, etc, etc. The cost goes way down when you buy in bulk packages, and it's easier to pack. You can contact me, or better yet, my friend ddeborahdelamar (her scubaboard handle) for more information and advice on what is needed and how to get it down there. Deb is closely affiliated with the Red Cross down there, and lives in Coz. She is a gold mine of information, and was instrumental in bringing my little project off.
My friends, I was able to pull this off, and so can you. I know that we travel gear intensive, and luggage space is often at a premium. All I am asking is for you to think about it. The need is intensive, and always there. Here is your chance to do a little to show your appreciation for a place that so many of us love. PM me if I can help in any way. My thanks for your consideration, and hopefully, your help. Woody
Folks, I just got back from a great trip to Coz, with the usual superb diving, dining, etc. This trip was a little different, however, as I went down there with a secondary agenda. My wife and I literally became "mules" for the Mexican Red Cross. We had some spare luggage capacity, as the airline allowed us both 2 free bags of checked luggage, and we were able to put this to good use. In short, we brought down badly needed basic medical supplies for use by the Red Cross down there.
Let me tell you a little about this. The Red cross operates a clinic and a few ambulances in Coz, and services a surprisingly large part of the local population. Socialized medicine is usually available to employed people, but there are a lot of others, such as housewives, not formally employed, etc, who have no access to the main hospitals and such. And neither do most of the children. So where do these people go? The Red Cross clinic. I am told that they service up to about 50% of the local population, and thats a lot of gauze bandage and rubber gloves, friends. They receive little formal help, and money is always tight. I managed to bring down a modest amount of basic medical supplies, and you should have seen their faces when we gave it to them. I bought some of this stuff up here in the USA, and others I know were kind enough to donate and assist me in this little project.
We have been visiting Coz for years now, and enjoying all it has to offer. I never thought about giving something back to the place before, and I only wished I had thought of this sooner. And I am calling on all of you to think about doing the same. It doesn't have to be a lot, anything helps. Basic medical supplies are pretty light, and you can pack a surprising amount into one of those big duffel bags, which then folds up into one of your other pieces of luggage for the trip home. Bulk packages of things like roller gauze, Ace-type elastic bandages, 4X4 gauze sponges, etc, etc. The cost goes way down when you buy in bulk packages, and it's easier to pack. You can contact me, or better yet, my friend ddeborahdelamar (her scubaboard handle) for more information and advice on what is needed and how to get it down there. Deb is closely affiliated with the Red Cross down there, and lives in Coz. She is a gold mine of information, and was instrumental in bringing my little project off.
My friends, I was able to pull this off, and so can you. I know that we travel gear intensive, and luggage space is often at a premium. All I am asking is for you to think about it. The need is intensive, and always there. Here is your chance to do a little to show your appreciation for a place that so many of us love. PM me if I can help in any way. My thanks for your consideration, and hopefully, your help. Woody
