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Wheelchairs for Kids Inc.
Since 1998
A PROJECT OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF SCARBOROUGH ASSISTED BY THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
VOL 9 ISSUE 5
2012 We listen, we care, we give to disabled children around the world.
Principal Sponsor of Wheelchairs for Kids
in Western Australia.
Rest in peace.
DECEMBER OCTOBER -
CONTACT INFORMATION : Postal Address: PO Box 1175, Wangara DC, Western Australia, 6947
Rotarian GORDON HUDSON 0412 111 419 (Volunteer Chief Executive Officer)
Hon. Rotarian BR. OLLY PICKETT 0411 633 020 (Volunteer Workshop Manager)
Rotarian DAVE TAGGART 9447 0940 (Volunteer Chairman, Management Committee)
BOB SHERIDAN 9409 3633 ( workshop ) (Volunteer Workshop Coordinator and Editor)
To place an article in “The Drill” contact Bob at [email protected]
More than just making wheelchairs !
The
DrillPage 2
Generosity & Skill
Put Smiles on Young Faces.
Above, (L to R ) Nita McCamish, Patricia Young, Frances Sorensen, Barbara Metaxas and Barbara Brown
combine their social get together each Wednesday with knitting, crocheting and cleaning toys for the
underprivileged children of our world.
Above, ( L to R ) Judi Rowan and Sylvia Takiari join 85 year old Monica Mathers to make colourful knee
rugs to accompany our wheelchairs. Judi and Sylvia are members of Soroptimists International,
Joondalup, which holds a “Knit, Nails & Natter” at Jacaranda Lodge, Belgrade Village, Wanneroo every
2nd & 4th Thursday . “Knit” for WFK, “Nails” can be painted and “Natter”…..pretty obvious!
Smiles all round.
The
Drill Page 3 The Way We Were….. A look back to when our volunteers were just a little younger.
BACK THEN TODAY
The picture of CEO Gordon Hudson above ( left ) looking like he would love to go back up there
again ...without an engine, brings two songs to mind: “Those magnificent men in their flying
machines….” and “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun….” With 600 flights to his
credit no doubt Gordon often has flights of fantasy as he handles the very down to earth business of
running the administration of Wheelchairs for Kids.
Moldova
Mission Without Borders International
distributed 40 wheelchairs here
in October.
THE WORKSHOPS RESUME ON TUESDAY 29 JAN. 2013
RECYCLING UPDATE:
TOTAL INCOME: $41604.88
The
DrillPage 4
YEAR NUMBER TOTAL
1998 120 120
1999 250 370
2000 300 670
2001 300 970
2002 1117 2087
2003 1755 3842
2004 1685 5527
2005 2170 7697
2006 2172 9869
2007 3430 13299
2008 2671 15970
2009 1824 17794
2010 808 18602
2011 2480 21082
2012 3166 24248
Donated Wheelchairs V OLUNTEERS WHO MAKE THE WHEELCHAIRS
Keith Govey drills
components that
are part of the
handle assembly.
Cliff Turner assembles
components which
make up a key
postural support
device -
the head rest.
Br. John Rae sorts
the recyclable metals
to raise funds
for the wheelchairs.
Bob King cuts and
punches the holes in
aluminium flat bar
to make spacer
components.
Ken Randle cuts
the lengths of
aluminium to
be formed into
wheelchair
components.
ALBANIA
Mission Without Borders
International
distributed 40 wheelchairs here in
October.
Distribution of wheelchairs around the World
Wheelchairs for Kids Inc. The
Drill
Page 5
SAMOA 65
SAVU SAVU ( FIJI ) 40
SINGAPORE 1
SOLOMON ISLANDS 243
SOMALIA 322
SOUTH AFRICA 90
SOUTH KOREA 20
SRI LANKA 1864
SUDAN 218
SUMATRA ( INDONESIA ) 22
TAIWAN 50
TANZANIA 1059
THAILAND 168
TONGA 16
UGANDA 181
UKRAINE 25
USA ( CALIFORNIA ) DEMO 1
VANUATU 122
VIETNAM 5520
YEMEN 166
ZAMBIA 347
ZIMBABWE 463
TOTAL 24248 CORRECT AT
DECEMBER, 2012
IRAN 22
IRAQ 2288
JAVA 112
JORDAN 105
KENYA 178
KIRIBATI 60
LAOS 20
LIBERIA 181
MADAGASCAR 26
MALDIVES 4
MAURITANIA 75
MAURITIUS 44
MOLDOVA 40
MONGOLIA 108
MOZAMBIQUE 99
MYANMAR (BURMA) 750
NAURU 10
NEPAL 11
NIGERIA 438
ONI - I - LAU ( FIJI ) 10
PAPUA NEW GUINEA 1697
PERU 2
PHILIPPINES 336
ROMANIA 131
SALATIGA (JAVA) 8
AFGHANISTAN 1
ALBANIA 40
ANGOLA 50
ARMENIA 292
BALI ( INDONESIA ) 585
BELARUS 131
BOSNIA 100
BOUGAINVILLE ( PNG ) 6
BRAZIL 2
BULGARIA 25
BURKINA FASO 164
CAMBODIA 683
CANADA 1
CHERNOBYL ( UKRAINE ) 60
CHINA 1245
COOK ISLANDS 5
D.R. OF CONGO 640
EAST TIMOR (TIMOR LESTE) 791
EL SALVADOR 1
ETHIOPIA 49
FIJI 443
FLORES IS. ( INDONESIA ) 20
GAZA STRIP 656
GHANA 162
INDIA 347
BURKINA FASO OUR 70th WHEELCHAIR LOCATION
Formally the French colony “Upper Volta” this land locked West African country achieved
independence in 1960 and then in 1984 changed its name to “Burkina Faso” which means
“the land of upright men” .
Wheelchairs for Kids Inc
world.
making a difference around the
The
Drill
Page 6
ORDERS (* BLUE INDICATES ORDER HAS BEEN DISPATCHED )
2012
JANUARY SOMALIA(10), NEW GUINEA(2).
FEBRUARY TIMOR LESTE(30), VIETNAM(141), KIRIBATI(30).
MARCH ARMENIA(162), TIMOR LESTE(1), SOMALIA(10).
APRIL TONGA(10).
MAY THAILAND(166), ZIMBABWE(10), TANZANIA(10), TANZANIA(160).
JUNE TIMOR LESTE(30).
JULY ZAMBIA(160), MYANMAR(340), VIETNAM(160), D.R. OF CONGO(160), CAMBODIA(1). AUGUST NO WHEELCHAIRS DISPATCHED. SEPTEMBER PHILIPPINES(160), IRAQ(340), YEMEN(166), TAIWAN(50), ETHIOPIA(20). OCTOBER ALBANIA(40), MOLDOVA(40), GHANA(20), TIMOR LESTE(30), BURKINA FASO(164), BALI(1), TANZANIA(166). NOVEMBER KIRIBATI(30) , SALATIGA (JAVA)(8). DECEMBER SUDAN(166), BALI(6), VIETNAM(166).
91 wheelchairs are completed and ready
for the start of 2013.
ORDERS
2013
JANUARY
FEBRUARY IRAQ(340).
MARCH CHINA(340)
APRIL N. GUINEA(166), LIBYA(166)
MAY SRI LANKA(340)
JUNE TANZANIA(166)
JULY MYANMAR(340)
S hipment to Tanzania in May continues
to change more lives.
I n May, 2012, Grant Pierce arranged
with Montero Mining to take 160
wheelchairs to Tanzania. These
wheelchairs would be given to needy
children as they were identified in the
rural Morogoro Region.
A mother of two, Salome Rashid
Nassor, (left) lives in a remote part of
the region with her daughters after
her husband died.
Her first daughter is severely
handicapped, both physically and
mentally, and Salome has carried her
on her back for 22 years. There was
never a real hope of her ever getting
a wheelchair. The lives of this little
family have been changed for the better thanks to Grant, the Mining
Company, the volunteers who made, assembled and packed the wheelchair
and the supporters responsible for providing the rug and toy.
Page 7 The
Drill
Thank you. All at Wheelchairs for Kids would like to thank the following for their continuous support:
COMPANIES:
AUSCO PRODUCTS, BLACKWATER ENGINEERING, CAPRAL ALUMINIUM, COATES HIRE,
GLENWAY SIGNS, IGA HOCKING, L & T VENABLES, NON-FERROUS MACHINING,
OFFICE NATIONAL WANGARA, SCOTT’S TRIMMING, TOLL EXPRESS, ULLRICH ALUMINIUM,
VISY BOARD, WANGARA FOAMS, WANGARA STORAGE,
WESTERN INDUSTRIAL CLEANING SUPPLIES.
THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE RENT FOR OUR FOUR WORKSHOPS.
THE HUNDREDS OF SEWERS AND KNITTERS AROUND AUSTRALIA.
R otary Club of Scarborough’s
Karrinyup Swapmart The motto of Rotary International, “ SERVICE ABOVE SELF”, very much comes to
mind when we thank the Volunteers from the workshops who have helped out
at the Sunday Swapmarts over the years.
Each time a workshop volunteer helps at the Swapmart, the Rotary Club of
Scarborough donates $150 to Wheelchairs for Kids. This generous support from
the Rotary Club is augmented by the generosity of the volunteers who get up at
an unearthly hour to attend at the Karrinyup Shopping Centre Swapmart. The Swapmart support in
2012 has resulted in $3500 being donated to the project. In past years many Volunteers from the
workshops have put up their hands and secured the donation from the Rotary Club.
Our thanks are expressed to the Rotary Club of Scarborough, to all those who have volunteered in
the past and to the following who came forward during 2012:
GLYN ASHLEY SHIELA BOLDY MARGARET BURROWS FRANK CONING
BEPPIE DE KUYER TONY FREEMAN JOHN HOSGOOD JOHN JEFFERY
JOHN MASHMAN KEITH MINKEY ALAN MURROWOOD
DIANNE AND JOHN PASSMORE GLENDA PEARCE PETER POUGNAULT
JEAN ROSS- ADJIE STEPHEN WILLIAMS BILL YEO
The
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Page 8
Max
During our recent trip to Dubai to visit our daughter and son-in-law I took the opportunity set up for me by Volunteer Glyn Ashley on behalf of WFK, to pay a courtesy visit to one of our international supporters, the Nautical Institute of Dubai. The Institute is a body of volunteers set up to look after the interests of Ships' Captains and Officers of the merchant navy in the Middle East. This association between our organisations was originally instigated by Glyn when he worked in Dubai, has been in operation for many years and has provided WFK with many thousands of dollars over a long time. They run an annual ball in Dubai and WFK is one of the charitable recipients they contribute funds to. My visit was simply to fly the WFK flag to show them that we both care and appreciate their valued contribution to our project. Glyn arranged for me to meet with the Treasurer of the Institute, Capt Adil Moos and a thorough gentleman he is - I passed on a dozen WFK caps, some brochures, a copy of the latest "Drill" and our grateful thanks for their continued support. I am sure
the visit was well received and well worth the effort. Incidentally, my wife and I also took the opportunity to fly to Jordan and visit the ancient city of Petra and to float in the Dead Sea. If anyone has any inclination to visit Petra, I would encourage them to do so - the sheer scale, grandeur and complexity of what these people achieved 2000 years ago by literally carving a city out of solid sandstone has to be seen to be believed. (Photo attached)
V olunteer Max Butt meets our Dubai connections.
Page 9 The
Drill
A FINAL WORD FROM THE C.E.O. FOR 2012
Gordon
Being an incorporated organisation we have an elected management committee, similar to a company
board of directors, which is ultimately responsible for the legal and ethical workings of Wheelchairs for
Kids. This committee of 11 has 7 Rotary members, 3 from the workshop and a Christian Brother in
addition to Brother Olly Pickett. The committee has been very ably chaired for some years by Rotarian
Jerry Pilcher, who has recently for personal reasons, retired. He has been succeeded by Rotarian David
Taggart (left). David is a long standing member of our Rotary Club and a lifelong and active member
of the Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club.
As Wheelchairs for Kids does not
normally provide freight costs for our
wheelchairs, but, expects our distributers
to provide this, Rotarian Peter Klaaysen,
from the Rotary Club of Lilydale in
Victoria, has been very active in
drumming up funds to provide the freight
costs of wheelchairs sent via the East-
ern States to the Pacific Islands and areas
north of Australia.
In addition, one project instigated
recently by Peter and taken up
enthusiastically by the staff and students
of Mentone Grammar School in Victoria,
was a wheelchair race day..
Their efforts raised the wonderful sum of over $9,000, enough to pay for the materials to build 72 wheelchairs to be
delivered to Thailand in April. THANK YOU MENTONE GRAMMAR.
This project was also enthusiastically supported by the Rotary Club of Mordialloc , providing and cooking hot dogs for the
day.
The pupils at Mentone Grammar will be interested in this comment from Donald Wilcox of the “Foundation To Encourage
The Potential Of Disabled Persons in Thailand”. This Thailand charity will be the receivers of a container of wheelchairs, 72
of which, sponsored by Mentone Grammar, will make 72 disabled children very happy. .
“Wow! So wonderful and uplifting to hear about the active participation and dedication of Aussie Rotary clubs and
schools. Please let everyone know, especially Mentone Grammar, how very much we appreciate this support. For us,
your support is, extraordinary. Clearly, we could not do this without you. Here in north Thailand we have thousands of
children who suffer from various degrees or forms of cerebral palsy, often resulting from complications at birth or
during pregnancy. The problem needs to be addressed, but so far medical authorities are not addressing it. Kids
wheelchairs provide multiple solutions, not only for the child but also for the caregiver who is very often an elderly
grandmother who has enough difficulty getting around on her own without also trying to lift, carry, and manipulate a
growing disabled child. Most of these kids without wheelchairs spend their lives lying on cold floors and if they are
lucky being visited by a public medical official whenever the moon rises with blue and pink stripes (not very often). So
once again, thanks to all. You are appreciated. Donald.”
Once again we come to the end of a fantastically successful year for wheelchairs for Kids.
To all you hundreds of volunteers all over Australia (and elsewhere) in production, knitting, sowing, fund raising, supplying
and administration, I wish you an enjoyable and well earned break over the festive season and look forward with you to
another, or even better year, in 2013.
Staff and students of Mentone Grammar with Peter Klaaysen in the centre.
The
Drill
Page 10 A FINAL WORD FROM THE WORKSHOP MANAGER
FOR 2012
AND A FINAL THOUGHT FOR 2012
Volunteer Neil McKellar has taken the wisdom and imagery from Rudyard Kipling in this
observation of our Project. Comparing the development of the British Empire to a garden,
Kipling wrote:
“Such gardens are not made
by saying ‘Oh! How beautiful!’ and sitting
in the shade
whilst better men than we
start their working lives, weeding garden paths
with broken dinner knives.”
Neil comments that the volunteer workers of Wheelchairs for Kids, past and present, have toiled
over the years to change the lives of handicapped children and their families in under-resourced
areas of the world. He concludes: “A garden that produces care and help in time of need and
changes lives for the better, requires constant cultivation and care.”
Under the unsurpassed stewardships of C.E.O Gordon Hudson and Workshop Manager Brother
Olly Pickett AM and judging by the dedication of our volunteering workforce and the awesome
generosity of our supporters, Wheelchairs for Kids will continue to grow and flourish.
Best wishes to all. Bob
2013 THE WORKSHOPS RESUME ON TUESDAY 29 JAN.
A s 2012 comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our
wonderful volunteers who make the wheelchairs for the disabled children. Also
thanks to all the ladies who sew the materials and to those who make the beautiful
rugs and toys which go with every wheelchair. Over 3,000 wheelchairs have been
made this year all with love and care. We can all be proud of what we do.
A big thank you to our volunteer C.E.O. Gordon Hudson, to Bob Sheridan, our
Workshop Co-ordinator, and to the Technical Review Committee members Bob Izett,
Don Kidson, Charles Miller, Bob Morris, Peter Murray, Bob Parry and
David Shepherd. Finally thanks to the Rotary Club of Scarborough, the Christian
Brothers, Movies by Burswood, the State Government, the Schools, the Service
Clubs the individual and corporate donors as well as our suppliers for their most
generous support.
I wish you and your families a very happy and peace-filled Christmas.
Looking forward to seeing you all again in 2013.
Br.Olly (Vol. Workshop Manager )
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