Fundraising, Refitting and Delivering

Fundraising

In 2006 the Ottawa chapter of the Guatemala Stove Project, decided to focus their fundraising energies on acquiring a large 66 passenger school bus and converting it into a Mobile Medical Clinic (MMC) to be donated to CEDEC (Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la cooperación), a Guatemalan community health organization the GSP has worked very closely with for the past nine years. After several fundraising dances and events held with the support of the Ottawa/Gatineau Guatemalan Community Association, a suitable retired school bus was found and donated in August 2007, leaving several thousand dollars that could be used for the refurbishing and outfitting of the Clinic.

	Tom Clarke and visiting CEDEC Director Jose Yac speak at a fundraising event at the home of Otto Navas and Anne-Marie Robinson, October 2007.
	Anne-Marie Robinson and Otto Navas entertain at an Ottawa fundraiser.
	Young members of the Ottawa/Gatineau Guatemalan Community Association Performe.
	John Giokas MCs at the Fiesta Latina fundraising Event at Club Caliente in Ottawa, November 2007

Refitting

Many volunteer hours went into redesigning and converting the interior of the bus to turn it into a serviceable working clinic with partitioned areas for medical examinations, lab work, storage and patient intake areas. With the help of many volunteers from both Perth and Ottawa, the Clinic was refitted with the following: a reception desk with a computer to file patient records, a lab area with a sink, propane stove-top, and refrigerator, microscope, and centrifuge, a medical examination table, split lens bio-microscope, a blood pressure gauge and other related lab equipment. When on site it will be equipped with electricity powered by its own inverter, running water, medical equipment and supplies.

	Volunteers complete curtain partitions
	Volunteers complete electrical work on fridge and hotplate in the Middle / Lab section of the bus
	Kitchen and Lab area -Middle Section of bus
	Rear section of the bus with examining table.
	Front Reception/ Consulation area of the bus
	Regan Lee and other volunteers complete the final electrical work

The MMC will be used to service indigenous Guatemalan families living in the mountainous regions of the country who have little access to medical care.. The Mobile Clinic will be shared by CEDEC's medical teams funded through a United Nations WHO grant. The medical teams are made up of a doctor, nurse, health care promoter, secretary and bookkeeper. Without the Mobile Clinic, the medical teams must operate out of single rooms in local buildings with very limited medical equipment or space.

Send-off and Packing

Here are excerpts from GSP Coordinator Tom Clarke’s reports of the progress of the Mobile Medical Clinic:

January 2008 The dream came true, and the Mobile Medical Clinic officially opened on Thursday, January 17 at 10:00 am at the Crystal Palace in Perth, Ontario. The Guatemalan Ambassador, His Excellency Manuel Estuardo Roldan, the mayor of Perth, John Fenik, Robert Lovelace the honorary chief of the Ardoc First Nation, Harold Perry, the warden of Lanark County, and other local dignitaries took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony to launch this exciting project. A 3-day Open House followed the ribbon cutting. The bus was then packed for traveling with donations from numerous Perth and area organizations.

	Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Crystal Palace From left - Eliza Lee, John Fenik, Mayor of Perth, Guatemalan Ambassador Manuel Estuardo Roldan, Randy Hellier, MPP, Tom Clarke and Olivia Lee. Volunteers Rita Redner and Huguette Cote watch
	The layout of the bus is being explained by Tom to Tony Belcourt, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario while volunteers Nancy Arnot and Justin Young look on.
	GSP volunteers celebrate the start of a successful Open House at the Crystal Palace
	Student Volunteer Celina Clarke sorts school supplies to be donated to a Guatemalan School
	Rita Redner completes the bus inventory for U.S., Mexican, and Guatemalan customs
	Student Volunteer Jason Morgenstern helps pack the bus for departure.

The Journey to a New Home

Jan 23: Yesterday we had a great send off party for the drivers at Coutts. This morning at 5 AM, Luis Marchena,. Paul Hauraney, and Regan Lee, jumped in the bus and set off for Guatemala! I just received a phone call from Regan saying they arrived at the US border at 6:30 and by 9 they were through. Customs x-rayed the bus and called FDA to see if the syringes were allowed, and then cleared the bus with everything aboard. So Regan, Paul, and Luis, are headed down the highway, crossing the US of A and hoping to make the Mexican border by 8 AM Friday. Hope to reach the Guatemalan border and Xela (Quetzaltenango) around January 30th.

Jan 27: Mobile Medical Clinic (bus) has now crossed both the US and the Mexican borders and still has everything aboard! Regan called last night from Tampico, Mexico to say all is fine.
It took ten hours to cross the Mexican border after having done 5 hours of paperwork the day before in preparation. All is fine and bus should reach Guatemala around Friday.

	Enroute Who's faster?
	Snacks for the trip

Jan 28: Regan, Paul, and Luis are having a hot sweaty night (33 degrees) before meeting José tomorrow on the Mexican side of the bridge before crossing into Guatemala. So far the only breakdowns have been two flat tires.

	Tire Trouble
	Is this the biggest tree in the world ?

Our intrepid drivers are all in good shape and have made the trip in three days less than planned. Guatemala welcomes this old bus that will never see snow again. Hip, hip , hooray for los tres amigos, Paul, Regan, and Luis!!!!

	Customs and paperwork - Luis
	Customs and paperwork - Jose
	Paul and Regan read the Humm at the Guatemala / Mexico Border