When Rod Mace shares his stories with you, it’s easy to assume he has a background in opthamology or some other sector of the medical field.  That’s not the case.  Rod is a retired insurance agent and a member of the Memorial-Spring Branch Rotary.

 

Why the confusion?  Twice a year, Rod volunteers at the Guerrero Eye Clinic in Guerrero, Mexico, mapping eyeballs using an auto-refractor machine.  Eye doctors use these maps during the examinations that follow.

 

I recently sat down with Rod to learn more about his annual pilmgrimages to Guerrero.

 

Twice a year, a group of twenty to thirty volunteers travel to Guerrero, Mexico to work at the eye clinic.  This year, they will be traveling from October 19^th to the 25^th.  These volunteers include doctors, technicians, and folks who don’t know a stethoscope from a thermometer.  Rod said, “There is a lot of work to do supporting the doctors and helping the 800 or more locals who will visit us.  Medical training isn’t a necessity.  We just need Houstonians willing to help.”

 

The helping provided is more dramatic – and more wonderful – than you would expect.  Rotary will reach out to chieftans, priests, mayors, and other civic leaders to make them aware that the clinic will be open.  Many folks will walk to the clinic – walks of up to 20 or 30 miles – to receive care.

 

Once those in need reach the clinic, they receive medical examinations in one of eight examination rooms.  If necessary, there are three operating rooms for procedures.  Local bilingual teenagers volunteer to translate.

 

Many of those who are treated have cataracts that have lead to blindness.  This is a dangerous situation as in poor and remote areas, blindness can be a death sentence.  Doctors perform up to 40 cataract surgeries per day removing those cataracts.  Elderly and children who have not seen in years are suddenly blessed with the gift of sight.

 

We all want to make a difference.  Can you imagine a simpler way to make such a large impact?  I asked Rod about this, about what is the most rewarding aspect of his work, “Watching a child see for the first time in two or three years.  That’s amazing.”

 

The cost of this trip for the volunteers surprised me.  They fly from Houston into Chihuahua, take two vans to Guerrero, stay in a local hotel, and eat well.  Rod said the trip typically costs about $1000.

 

Rod finished by saying, “That’s a low price for the opportunity to help people see again, to make a quantifiable difference in people’s lives.”

If you’d like more details on sponsoring a volunteer or traveling to Guerrero with Rod’s group, contact Rod at rodmace@gmail.com.

The District is in process of forming an Educators Fellowship, and if you are an educator or have interest or passion for education, this is your opportunity to get in on ground floor.  Plus the cost is nominal, $20.00/year.

 

You do not have to be an educator to become a member of this fellowship.  Rotarians, their spouses, and Rotaractors may be members.

 

 

What is a Rotary Fellowship and who may join?
Rotarian Fellowships are independent groups of Rotarians, their spouses, and Rotaractors who have a similar interest or passion and are organized around a specific vocational or recreational interest.  Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make new friends around the world.

 

What is the purpose of this proposed fellowship?
The International Fellowship of Rotarian Educators would be a group  dedicated to promoting quality education (both public and private) as well as other types of  training and development such as Continuing Education (CE), Further Education,   Adult Education, Lifelong Learning and other forms of instruction as an opportunity for fellowship.

 

Nominal dues are to offset administrative cost.  Dues for this fellowship would be assessed at $20.00 annually, $50.00 for three years, or $100.00 for a life time membership.

 

Forward these two attachments to those you think may have an interest in becoming a charter member of this proposed fellowship.  As mentioned above, send to Rotarians, their spouses, and Rotaractors.  Also, please forward to Rotary and Rotaract Clubs around the world* as well as to District Fellowship Chairs.  Please remember to send to e-clubs too!

 

Please send your name, country name, Rotary club name, Rotary district number and email address you want to use for this fellowship to Dr. Charles Grant, Rotary Club of North Shore at charles1grant@aol.com.