Donations to Hispanola Health Partners Key to Health for those in Haiti and more. Kudos to Louise Lindenmeyr for decades of Advocacy!

I feel fortunate to catch up on the great works by relatively small ongoing efforts to bring hope to a hurting world. Two efforts I have gotten to help in very small ways over the last few decades help those in Haiti: Hopital Albert Schweitzer was the first I learned of from efforts in the Tri-Corner (MA/NY CT) area that faith groups and Rotary Clubs raised funds for with leadership from Inge Dunham and a Hope for Haiti outreach begun at the Sharon Congregational Church in Sharon CT

.Back in the 1980s, my dancer friends Vicky and Louise joined me in doing a dance during a Folk Music Concert by The Patons to benefit that fund. The annual Christmas Eve Services at this church were often packed. At one in the late 1990s, I did a dance (for the first time in a long while) to Mary Did You Know, which became a bit of a metaphor for my own journey when our teen son Kaelan Palmer Paton spent his last minutes on earth helping save a few friends from a dangerous river).In addition to many fundraisers, the Christmas Eve donations often running about $500 were (and are I believe still are) donated to the remarkable medical facility, Hopital Albert Schweitzer.

I also had learned about Project Troubadour back in the 1980s with Louise Lindenmeyr, a nurse practitioner and musician, and many other wonderful performers building bridges of care and culture between countries. Louise is now the Executive Director of www.HispanolaHealthPartners.org which oversees a Haitian clinic and does training of medical people in Haiti as well. Coverage in The Lakeville Journal of CT has an article by Peter Halle who is the Treasured of Hispanola Health Partners which accepts tax-deductible donations. You can learn more about these efforts also on www.llindenmeyr.blogspot.com  I know you'll join me in sending Louise and those still working to support Hopital Albert Schweitzer and other efforts in Haiti (such as at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie NY and The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville CT.)

Anthony Piel, a former WHO (World Health Organization) Director, also is featured in The Lakeville Journal (and ideally his articles would be on a blog of their own since many are part of a series and are chock full of wisdom and important clarifications about what is legal or appropriate for world leaders or organizations or even citizens to declare or promote or enact.)

Seeing the efforts of a few people gain support over the years through direct actions, fundraisers, networking and publicity (in papers and online), paints a path of success for anyone wanting to Dream Out Loud and Invite Others to Join in Key Journeys. Trusting in the timing, the many challenges that could come up (the weather, the planes, shipments, equipment and people and recipients all working together as part of a choreographed dance and complex play) can provide a guide for more people to 'keep the faith' and 'do the next right or helpful thing' with a sense of team support.

To keep steadfast care efforts going over many years and decades is monumental and important during these times of growing challenge. I hope everyone can note these kinds of folks, from the leaders to the recipients of services, the donors and the providers of care as true heroes and leaders we can all look to for more inspiration as the climate, politics, and challenges 'heat up.'

 Let's find reasonable approaches to helping one another on many levels, the earlier in life the better. Preventing illness, low-birth weight or drug-affected infants, nurturing mothers, infants and children, fathers and familes and caregivers and helping more people get basic human needs for care, food, housing and education met with a Team of Support. Too often caregivers or those leading efforts can get burned out, worn down or otherwise challenged which can thwart good works. Thanks for planning ahead for your own good safe, care and travel, eating and keeping in good company and decent housing and living a life of balance and generosity. Thanks in advance for the generous help and support you may be able to give to an organization or someone on that path of helping or in need of a loan or gift. All the best and don't forget to Rest!