Cumberland Kiwanis
Minutes of August 2, 2010
Lee Jacobson
Speakers: Lee Jacobson, Cumberland Optometrist
Topic: Rotary Eye Care Mission Trip to Mexico
Lee Jacobson gave an
extensive report, with slides, on his recent participation in an eye care
mission trip to the city of Sahuaripa in Mexico. In the group were 8 optometrists, 2 ophthalmologists, and twenty
Rotarians from Saddle Brook, Arizona, near Tucson. The trip was a cooperative project of the Saddle Brook and
Hermosilla Rotary Clubs.
The group traveled by caravan
350 miles south of Tucson, with no problems. Four pickups carried all the equipment and supplies. The care was given in an empty
warehouse and served 2016 patients with ca. 1600 pairs of used eyeglasses
provided. Unfortunately, the
Mexican government did not allow the ophthalmologists to perform service in
order to ÒprotectÓ the Mexican doctors.
Ca. 500 sunglasses were provided, important because of the high
frequency of cornea damage from the sun.
With two days of work and one
day off, the group was able to do sight-seeing around the area. The group also was treated to a party
in a covered plaza area with music and dancing. Housing was in a quality hotel in the neighboring town of
Bamori. The food was good, but
some people tired of tortillas and beans at every meal! At a final ceremony, the group thought
that the local government was taking a bit too much credit of the project,
requiring the group to exchange their blue Rotary shirts for white ones, which
were the government color.
An optometrist from North
Dakota was a sponsor of the trip, and was there for the 30th
time. Lee plans to be back next
year.