Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, February 21, 2001 Haiti (continued from page 1) founder of Hands Together,” said Father Lambert. “He has a free clinic in Citie Solei (City of the Sun) and only one doctor. Our doctors helped relieve some of that void, if only for a short time. Our other volunteers helped serve meals and provided human interaction by caring for and nurturing the children at the Hands Together Schools.” Dr. Tomedi was struck by the response to his presence in the desperate island nation. “I was in culture shock,” said Dr. Tomedi. “Two things really struck me. Word got out there were two American doctors in the clinic and long lines formed immediately. We took some medical supplies and vitamins with us. They operate the clinic on next to nothing. There was no running water and no way to take x-rays or perform tests. People had suffered for years with neglected wounds, burns, tumors and malnutrition. The doctors found themselves fulfilling the role of teacher as well as physician. The former was important because they were able to leave behind some learned skills for Dr. Maurice, the only doctor in the clinic, to help more people in the future. Dr. Moody found his skills in equal demand. “There is no eye care there at all,” said Dr. Moody, a local op- tometrist. “We took over 550 pair of glasses with us that peo- ple here had donated. With Paulette Zerfoss’s assistance, I was able to see over 100 pa- tients per day. Many people over 40 could not read and could not change their plight because they could not see to learn. Nor could they see clearly to cook and sew for their families. Sewing is the livelihood for many of the peo- ple, and they were losing their means of making a living. Cataracts were numerous due to the high exposure to ultra violet rays associated with living near the equator and spending so much time outdoors.” Since he has returned from the trip, a few people have asked Dr. Moody why he would spend his time helping people in Haiti when there are poor people in this country as well. “My first answer,” he said, “is that the poorest person in our country is still rich compared to the poverty and lack of every- thing that we saw there. My sec- ond answer resides on the face of a woman who needed glasses to attend a literacy class. I saw her in the beginning of the week Dr. John Tomedi and Dr. Mau- rice, who is the only doctor at a clinic in Citie Solei, Haiti. and gave her the glasses. At the end of the week, I happened by an adult class. She saw me and waved. She was proud and I felt good.” Dr. Moody expressed his ap- preciation to the Luzerne Optical Labs in Wilkes-Barre for filling 20 prescriptions free of charge. “Father Hagan feels very strongly about education,” said Father Lambert. “There is no free education there, so he runs free schools that educate over 1,600 children. He provides one meal a day of corn meal, rice and gravy. For some, it is the only meal they get. He also pro- vides material for uniforms, which are the nicest clothing they own. Many adults are en- rolled in the adult literacy pro- gram. It's all part of helping them help themselves.” “The school is an oasis,” said Sister Marilyn Karas of the Sis- ters of Mercy. “The children are neat and clean despite their sur- roundings. I spent three years in Africa so I was familiar with what | was going to see, but the poverty was still unimaginable.” Hands Together needs more resources to do their work. There are five schools, including one for 120 infants and toddlers. Six Sisters of Mother Teresa's Order attend to all of the chil- dren as best they can with the help of three or four other women. The children desperate- ly need attention as many of them are very ill. and have been left as orphans, Sr. Karas said. Everyone said .they would. go back again. They all agreed that it's rewarding and heart break- ing at the same time. They feel they made a difference if only in small ways for a short time. “The volunteers who make this trip pay for their own trans- portation and all of own their expenses,” said Father Lambert. “The church collects bottles of vitamins all year long and they are part of the valuable cargo that makes the trip with our vol- unteers.” Anyone wishing to help with cash donations or vitamins can call the Gate of Heaven Church office at 675-2121, or drop them off at the church. Brush fires (continued from page 1) to hand out these kinds of grants. “These rural fire departments are very supportive of DCNR,” said Anthony D. Santoli, one of the district foresters on hand for the presentation. “This compa- ny has done a tremendous job fighting wild fires,” he added. Since the program started sev- eral years ago the Lackawanna Forest District processed more than 100 grants totaling over $250,000 of RCFP money to vol- unteer fire companies. That dis- trict includes about one-third of Luzerne County plus Lackawan- na, Wayne, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties. “I enjoy these grant presenta- tions,” said Lemmond. “It is im- portant for these people who are helping their neighbors to know that the state really appreciates them.” POST PHOTO/M.B. GILLIGAN Presenting the check, from left: Jack Zborovian and Gerald Kelly, DCNR district foresters; Senator Charles D. Lemmond, Jr.; Dan Manzoni, fire chief; Steve Yencha, Ray Bernick, treasurer; Mark Man- Pund raising is.an ongongac- zoni, Carl Moyer, secretary; Brian Titus, Butch Manzoni, president of the fire department, and Anthony tivity for all volunteer fire de- partments. “We've decided not to run any more bazaars,” said Manzoni. “We remodeled our hall and we rent it out for wed- dings and parties and that helps. We also raise money by filling swimming pools all year round.” For more information on either of these, call the fire department at 696-1818. Grant applications have be- Santoli, DCNR district forester. come a very important form of revenue. “We had an exception- ally good year last year with our grant money,” said Mike Attana- sio, who usually writes up the grant applications for the fire department. “We received grants from Proc- ter and Gamble, Land o’ Lakes, and the state government, in ad- ' dition to a large donation from American Asphalt. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers