The Enumclaw Rotary Club is, for the fourth year, teaming up with World Vision and inviting local churches, community groups and individuals to join volunteers worldwide who assist AIDS victims by providing Caregiver Kits as part of an Enumclaw community project. Last year the project raised a little more than $4,400 and assembled approximately 150 kits.
One way to get involved is to join Enumclaw Rotary between 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday for a pancake-and-eggs breakfast at the Applebee’s restaurant in Bonney Lake. The meal is $10 with half that amount going toward the purchase of AIDS Caregiver Kits. That morning, Enumclaw Rotarians will be the waiters and waitresses, and Applebee’s kitchen staff will do the cooking.
Anyone or any group can get involved with the international Caregiver Kit project.
This World Vision project supports the volunteers who are already trying to care for the nearly 40 million people currently infected with HIV with very few tools. Nearly 3 million people die as a result of AIDS each year with a total of 25 million people dying since it was first identified in the 1980s. Today, one in every eight people contracting HIV is a child younger than 15. There have been some improvements in preventing infection and conversion to AIDS, but many of the victims are in very poor areas with little or no health care. The village volunteer may be one of the few care providers available.
The Caregiver Kits are strong cases filled with anti-diarrheal medicine, batteries and flashlight, acetaminophen, cotton balls, washcloths, notebook and pen, latex gloves, petroleum jelly, soap, and, what touches the volunteer caregiver the most, a personal note thanking them for their work. Each kit costs $30. Kit contents are supplied and then shipped by World Vision – with the kit assembly done by community organizations.
There are additional ways to join the Enumclaw effort to help raise the necessary funds:
• Purchase a Taco Time fundraiser coupon Books for $1 from a Rotarian. All proceeds go to the Caregiver Project.
• Sponsor the cost of one or more kits.
• Volunteer to assemble the kits from 1 to 3 p.m. June 9 at the Enumclaw Senior Center.
Enumclaw Rotary Club is supporting this event as an international project and has contributed $500. Other community groups have expressed an interest in participating. To join the effort, see photos of previous year’s event or for information, contact the Enumclaw Rotary Club by visiting www.enumclawrotary.com. On the homepage, click on AIDS Event under download, and/or e-mail questions to the International Service Committee via the link on the left side of the homepage. Information also is available be phoning Nancy Baer at 360-825-4484.
