Rotary Toronto West supports international projects as well as local ones. Past president Patricia Wright recently visited the Dominican Republic on the Club’s behalf.
 
In her own words:
 
 

This picture is of me pushing a lovely young man in the wheel chair that we brought for him on Thursday March 23rd. The wheel chair was donated by the Sisters of Grey and we delivered it.

This young man is about 9 years old and he is unable to walk. When we met him on March 21st, his mother was carrying him around and clearly exhausted. I fell in love with him immediately as he has the most charming smile. He is mentally challenged and unable to speak. On Tuesday the 2oth, we gave him a ball and he was so thrilled, it brought tears to my eyes. The picture does not show the joy radiating out of him when we gave him the chair… he insisted that I push him around and around.

This community, called Batey Construction, is a second generation Haitian community in the Dominican Republic. The men work at the sugar cane factories and they live in tin huts. They have a beautiful community garden and have hens and pigs. Their language is creole which I could not understand as they speak so quickly. I was in awe of the community suport they gave each other. We brought them clothes and shoes and toys for the kids. They were truly grateful for the support and the “community” feeling amongst them as they watched each child receive clothes and shoes was inspiring.