The suitcases are packed for the annual Chemainus Rotarians’ sojourn to San Antonio Palopo, Guatemala, but with a lot more than personal effects.
Tom Andrews and Derek Hardacker are representing the club and being joined by Hardacker’s son Devan from Grande Prairie, Alberta on the humanitarian trip to take supplies and assist the residents of the region with various projects. They’re carrying an extra load by taking along donated shoes from Queen Margaret’s School plus shoes and donated funds to purchase more from Rotarians and friends of Rotarians as well as dental supplies from Dr. Brian Megas and the staff at Chemainus Family Dental on Oak Street.
“That’s what Rotary is all about,” said Andrews. “One of the Rotary areas of focus is maternal and child health.”
Related story: Chemainus Rotarian service in Guatemala reaches a milestone
The first trip made by Rotary Club of Chemainus members to Guatemala was in 2014 and the program has continued every year since. Andrews has only missed two: in 2015 due to a broken ankle and in 2021 while COVID travel restrictions were in place.
“We still did the project during COVID,” Andrews pointed out. “We just did it remotely.”
Hardacker went previously in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019. The last trip included his daughter Kimberley from Whitehorse and he’s looking forward to this one with his son along.
“It’s a good experience for them to see,” Hardacker said.
“The first time I was really taken aback. The second year it was appreciating how much of a difference we were making to peoples’ lives.”
The Rotarians are busy working the entire time they’re there and this is not a free ride, either.
“We pay our own airfare, hotel,” said Hardacker. “We pay all of our own travel expenses.”
Andrews noted funds are raised through various club activities, including the highly-successful Saturday bottle drop devised by Hardacker, for other expenses and materials purchased in Guatemala.
Rotary District Community Grants are obtained to get back about half of that amount, $5,000 from an estimated $10,000 required in this case.
The mission is similar to other years, picking up where assistance provided to citizens left off and to make further contributions.
“This year, we’re building chicken coops for 20 families and supplying them with baby chicks and nutrition, chick feed to get them going,” explained Andrews.
That supplies food for the families with the eggs and any surplus can be sold for income.
An ex-pat living in Guatemala, Thomas Zieffle, allows the Rotarians to use his shop for building the chicken coops.
Previous families who got started in 2021 with remote direction from Rotarians are doing well.
“A lot of those families still have those cages and raising chickens,” Andrews indicated.
For the newcomers, “we’ll have someone train them on how to raise the baby chicks, feed them and keep them warm,” he added.
There won’t be any house-building this time which has been a frequent part of Rotarian visits.
“We couldn’t find a family that qualified,” Andrews pointed out. “They had to own some land and be in need of a home.”
Keep in mind when we’re taking about homes here, it’s not in the traditional sense of what we know.
Hardacker helped build a house on his other two trips. He pointed out it’s nothing more than a 10x12 structure, often for as many as six people in that limited space.
Other needs for the children being met by Rotary are for school supplies for up to 100 children in the elementary schools from Grades 1-6.
“Schools don’t supply anything so the kids’ families really can’t afford it,” Andrews said.
“Then we’re doing the nutritional supplement for 50-60 kids over six months.”
The supplement called Incaparina can be added to whatever families make for meals or even to milk.
“It really helps the kids develop physically and mentally,” Andrews noted. “A lot of them are really undernourished.”
Most homes are also just heated with a stove.
“We may buy some stoves for families that are still cooking on open fires,” Andrews reinforced. “If we have extra funds, we put it to good use. They can use it to cook and heat their homes.”
With Andrews embarking on his ninth trip and Hardacker his third, the experience never grows old and leaves a lasting impression.
“I appreciate the fact we have so much here that we take for granted, North Americans as a whole,” said Hardacker. “Down there, the people have basically nothing. The kids that run up to you barefoot are happy.
“When you give them something, they appreciate it. It’s a bit overwhelming, that part of it. I really do think it’s good time spent and you come back and appreciate what I have.”
“It’s an eye-opener,” added Andrews. “You realize how much we have compared to what they have and, yet, they seem so happy with just the basics of life.
“You appreciate so much more and see what percentage of the world lives like that. A lot.”