2008 Vermont-Hands to Honduras-Tela Program Accomplishments
70 volunteers

1. Constructed a 26’ x 20’ concrete block classroom (replaced a small 12’ x 12’ open thatched roof classroom) at the very poor rural Jazmin School (70 students in grades one through six). Provided a brand new set of 15 soccer uniforms, shin guards, cleats, socks and soccer balls to the Jazmin School for competition against other local schools (their first set of complete uniforms ever so they will wear them with great pride!).

2. Constructed two latrines, a cistern and associated water-system piping at the J.F.K. School that has 800 students.

3. Donated the materials for the construction of a new roof to cover three classrooms at Antonia Paz School. Built and installed new basketball back boards, rims and nets for the outside court, and provided basketballs and soccer balls for the Antonia Paz School (200 students in grades one through six).

4. Donated the materials for the construction of a roof over one large and two small classrooms and a small administration building at the Gravil Avelar School (240 students in grades one through six). Also built and installed new basketball back boards, rims and nets for their outdoor basketball court, and donated basketballs and soccer balls for their school teams. Mayor Zaccaro matched our donation of $3,000.00 for further repairs at the school in this very poor area of Tela.

5. Painted the outside (front) of the Gravil Avelar School.

6. Constructed/installed the first public children’s’ playground in Tela – metal play equipment transported from Vermont with climbing bars, slides, etc. at the Mayor’s Park.

7. Constructed two kitchen tables, several picnic tables for the children of various sizes for the IHNFA Day Care Center.

8. Under the guidance of the first year VT-Hands to Honduras-Tela (H2HT) Coach, we supplied complete sets of soccer equipment (shirts, shorts, socks, shin guards, cleats) for 12 soccer teams (boys and girls teams) in the Tela area as managed by the City of Tela Director of Sports. We also gave additional sports equipment consisting of many basketballs, soccer balls, shirts, shorts, socks, and cleats that will be given by the City Director of Sports to kids of other teams that cannot afford to buy the equipment. All of the above sports equipment was donated by several VT Soccer Leagues, sporting goods stores, and individual family contributions.

9. A team of nurse practitioners/registered nurses conducted a one week Women’s Health Clinic, under the supervision of Dr. Marco Alvarenga (Jefe de Centro de Salud Health Clinic), testing for cervical cancer and doing breast exams, treating 120 women with 13 follow up colpopscopies. H2HT paid for the all the lab tests and treatments.

10. A medical team of volunteer physicians conducted pediatric clinics (pediatricians/family physician/child psychiatrist and nurse practitioners/registered nurses) under the supervision of Dr. Alvarenga. The team also conducted a one day pediatric clinic at the Rehabilitation Therapies Center under the general supervision of Dr. Lopez.

11. A volunteer family physician assisted patients at the Tela Lions Club nursing home.

12. A Vermont policeman provided fire, police and rescue training to members of the Tela Fire and Police Departments and supplied them with donated fire and police equipment (boots, clothing, computers, office supplies, etc.). A gift of 15 pair of new handcuffs was presented from H2HT to the Tela Police Department. We provided the Bomberos (fire department) with a large water pump for the City Fire Station.

13. Contributed funds for the construction and continuation of the much needed police wall (this is the third year of H2HT funding).

14. Contributed a large portion of the medical supplies contained in the 43 foot container, shipped by H2HT to Tela from Vermont, to the old Tela Hospital which will be re-opened to treat people too poor to afford the new Tela Hospital.

15. Supplied medical equipment and supplies to the Tela Lions Club nursing home.

16. Supplied and installed a solar system for computer use at the Rio Tinto Garifuna School on an island northwest of Tela.

17. Donated clothes, school supplies, toys to schools per their wish lists to IHNFA Day Care; SOS Day Care; SOS orphanage and many Tela families and children.

18. Donated 35 baby joggers to the Rehabilitation Therapies Center and IHNFA Day Care Center.

19. Donated wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, canes to needy Tela citizens.

20. The Rehabilitation Therapies Center, under the guidance of Samuel Feitelberg, conducted training and treatment for over 80 special needs patients. Five Vermont physical therapists, one Maine physical therapist, one Vermont occupational therapist and one Vermont special educator assisted in the training and treatment. Assembled and distributed 13 baby joggers.

21. Supplied the Rehabilitation Therapies Center with five computers and a web cam. Our computer programmer volunteer spent the week programming all of the computers.

22. Constructed a complete water system at the Rehab Therapies Center which included a 5,000 liter in-ground tank and 750 liter water tower for the three toilets and four washbowls that we installed last year.

23. Equipped the Rehab Therapies Center with a new air conditioner for the therapy room and number of new pieces of therapy equipment.

24. The official dedication of the Rehab Therapies Center (Centro de Atención y Rehabilitación Integral El Paraíso Divino de Los Niños Oscar Edgardo Pineda Castro) on January 31. The celebration was attended by community members; representatives of the Rebano Church from Chicago and Miami; H2HT volunteers; the full staff of the Center and the supporting staff of H2HT; and parents of the children (patients). The Center is a three year very successful project of H2HT which includes the construction of the buildings; the equipping of the therapy rooms; furnishing the office with computers, desks and office equipment; the development of Center while supporting the staff with occupational and physical therapy training and special education training. The dedication was a beautiful ceremony.

25. The Mural project enlivened walls at the Rehab Therapies Center and the IHNFA Day Care Center. This project was innovative and its purpose was to create beauty and colorful animal and floral scenes on otherwise drab walls.

26. Dr. Peter Moses, a Vermont Gastroenterologist, who specializes in endoscopy and digestive diseases, at the request of Dr. Alvarenga, presented two power-point lectures in his specialties for doctors and nurses at the Tela Hospital.

27. Constructed a water system at the Centro de Salud Health Clinic which included a large cistern, ¾ horse power pump and associated piping, toilets, sink replacements, etc.

28. Offered art education to children at two schools – Triunfo de la Cruz and J.F.K. All art supplies were available for the children to use under the guidance of artist Gladys Agell.

29. Prior to our January, 2008 departure to Tela, H2HT was gifted an ambulance from the St. Michael’s College in conjunction with the Colchester/Milton and Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary Clubs. Plans are underway on how to transport the fully equipped ambulance to the city of Tela. This will occur during 2008.

2/19/08 (L.G.)

Vermont - Hands to Honduras-Tela Organizing Committee:
Samuel Feitelberg; Alphonse Gilbert; Linda Gilbert; Colleen Haag; Dorrice Hammer; John Hammer; Norm Robinson

The Vermont - Hands to Honduras -Tela program is a part of the Rotary Club of Charlotte-Shelburne (Vermont) Foundation
and is a fully federal tax exempt 501(c) (3) charity, ID number 22-3543303.
For information, kindly e-mail: lindaggilbert@gmail.com visit our web site: www.handstohonduras.org call: 802-425-3838
Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Club, Honduras 2008 Program PO Box 156, Shelburne, Vermont 05482