Last night around 1:30am an earthquake awoke several team members. We felt some shaking and will certainly have a story to tell, but other than that all is well. There was no damage or injuries that occured. We know our family members may be concerned but please know everyone was fine, quickly went back to sleep, and are carrying on with our last day of sight seeing before having to leave beautiful Panama.
Prior to the quake we were all treated to a fiesta thrown by our dear friends, the Lions club of La Chorrera. In attendence was the Mayor of La Chorrera which was a special treat. We witnessed several traditional Panamanian dances that only pictures can truly describe. (We will post some soon!) Some members even cooked us a homemade meal complete with ceviche, many salads, empanadas and delicious sweet treats! It was bitter sweet to celebrate with our new friends and have to say goodbye, but emails and phone numbers have been exchanged in order to stay in contact.
Today will be our final day in Panama. Several team members will be traveling to the rain forest area where they can choose to hike, zip line, or just enjoy the wildlife. Others will be sight seeing the ruins and perusing local artisan markets.
Again, everyone here is safe and ready to enjoy the last day! See everyone very soon!
Besos y Abrazos,
Team Panama 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Team Panama Canal!
It's Friday. We helped 5,425 people during the last 4 days and it was amazing having our family and friends here to help. Leona and the Lion's Club set up a tour for us at the Panama Canal and it was spectacular. We watched a couple of very large cargo ships pass through the canal gates at the Miraflores Lockes. We assembled in a theater room where we listened and asked questions to a knowledgeable presenter. Cargo ships pay $5,000 per 20 ft container which usually adds up to $90,000-$365,000 per ship to pass through the canal! Expansion of the canal will finish in 2014 which will also be the 100 year anniversary of its completion. Also fascinating was that 58% of the fresh watershed around the canal is used in passing the ships through the chambers in the 3 different lockes. 36% of the fresh water is used in generating electricity to run the canal, and 6% is used for human consumption! So water (rain) is crucial.
After the canal our group split up. Some went to the causeway by the canal, a place to eat (Bucaneros restaurant) and shop. Others waited in a torrential thunderstorm for a shuttle to Panama de Viejo (thanks Mary for your planning and Todd for negotiating with our driver David!) which was in the more developed part of Panama City, but with ruins of some of Panama's first stone structures. We did not have much time so we all spent money fast buying crafts from local artisians who make bags, purses, backpacks, jewelry, art, clothing, and many other very authentic Panamanian products. We then went to Casco Viejo which is Panama's old town with very narrow cobblestone streets and old structures mixed with renovated architecture. A scenic point of the village allowed us to see 360 degree views ranging from the old Panama city, across the ocean skyline, to a sharply contrasted view of Panama's modern business district lined with hundreds of skyscrapers. We also shopped in this quaint old town.
This evening the Lion's Club of La Chorrera graciously hosted our group for dinner and entertainment. We watched several dancers in very colorful costumes as they provided us with a taste of the traditional folklore dancing typical for Panama. The Mayor of La Chorrera joined us for dinner, awards and thanks were exchanged for a well done clinic, and we danced to Panamanian music until it was time to say our goodbyes. A touching point to the evening was when one of the volunteer youth leaders of the Lion's Club had tears in his eyes when he said, "We don't want you to leave!"
For my wife to be with me on this clinic has been a fantastic experience. She has enjoyed all the work and adventure. Although details change somewhat on every OneSight mission, the emotional connections we make are similar. It is a miracle of humanity coming together after hundreds of hours of preparation and execution to celebrate giving, loving, and life. Let's keep the miracles coming!
Huge thanks to all.
Chad Fellows - Team Panama 2009
After the canal our group split up. Some went to the causeway by the canal, a place to eat (Bucaneros restaurant) and shop. Others waited in a torrential thunderstorm for a shuttle to Panama de Viejo (thanks Mary for your planning and Todd for negotiating with our driver David!) which was in the more developed part of Panama City, but with ruins of some of Panama's first stone structures. We did not have much time so we all spent money fast buying crafts from local artisians who make bags, purses, backpacks, jewelry, art, clothing, and many other very authentic Panamanian products. We then went to Casco Viejo which is Panama's old town with very narrow cobblestone streets and old structures mixed with renovated architecture. A scenic point of the village allowed us to see 360 degree views ranging from the old Panama city, across the ocean skyline, to a sharply contrasted view of Panama's modern business district lined with hundreds of skyscrapers. We also shopped in this quaint old town.
This evening the Lion's Club of La Chorrera graciously hosted our group for dinner and entertainment. We watched several dancers in very colorful costumes as they provided us with a taste of the traditional folklore dancing typical for Panama. The Mayor of La Chorrera joined us for dinner, awards and thanks were exchanged for a well done clinic, and we danced to Panamanian music until it was time to say our goodbyes. A touching point to the evening was when one of the volunteer youth leaders of the Lion's Club had tears in his eyes when he said, "We don't want you to leave!"
For my wife to be with me on this clinic has been a fantastic experience. She has enjoyed all the work and adventure. Although details change somewhat on every OneSight mission, the emotional connections we make are similar. It is a miracle of humanity coming together after hundreds of hours of preparation and execution to celebrate giving, loving, and life. Let's keep the miracles coming!
Huge thanks to all.
Chad Fellows - Team Panama 2009
Cole Family Video
In thanks for their generous corporate donation, OneSight invited Transitions Managing Director David Cole and his family to join us on our family clinic in Panama.
http://luxtube.beluxonline.com/?ID=567
http://luxtube.beluxonline.com/?ID=567
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Thursday July 2, 2009
Final Clinic Day: Today was our final clinic day and Dana asked me (David) to write the day's blog. Iasked my family to join in, but my sister's were exhausted and went to bed. So I sit in the hallway with my mom and dad (the only place we get internet) to write this long after we should be asleep! The day started with torrential downpours, but that didn't stop it from being our busiest day of the week. We served over 1600 patients. From start to finish the clinic was packed. The lightning strikes were dangerously close and threatened to shut down our power, but fortunately we remained dry and all systems go!
It was amazing how smoothly the day went despite the record crowd and the adverse weather. The team really pulled together and the local volunteers were an important part of the day's success. Throughout the week I was able to work every station which was a goal for the team leaders. I know I learned a lot in this process and from what I saw the other team members had the same experience.
Because it was the last day, we were asked to bring gifts to share with the local volunteers. This was very rewarding because we became very close with them throughout the week. The last hour of the clinic was cleaning, packing up equipment and saying goodbye to our new Panama friends. We participated in the traditional final day team building exercise called "cleaning the chord". I hope this tradition will continue in future clinics.
Although it was very sad to finish our mission work, I am looking forward to some much needed rest and spending the next two days touring and experiencing this great country!
Leona has worked diligently behind the scenes making sure that we are well fed and well cared for. Tonight, she arranged a beautiful boat ride down the Canal under the "Bridge of the Americas". With the Panama City skyline as the backdrop, it was a great way to celebrate our successes at Clinic.
We will spend tomorrow with the Lions Club visiting the Canal and participating in the final celebration dinner. Our family really appreciates the warm welcome of the OneSight volunteers and I know that we have grown through this experience while making new friends along the way. I encourage everyone to pursue this opportunity for it is one you will not soon forget! Look for more updates tomorrow!
It was amazing how smoothly the day went despite the record crowd and the adverse weather. The team really pulled together and the local volunteers were an important part of the day's success. Throughout the week I was able to work every station which was a goal for the team leaders. I know I learned a lot in this process and from what I saw the other team members had the same experience.
Because it was the last day, we were asked to bring gifts to share with the local volunteers. This was very rewarding because we became very close with them throughout the week. The last hour of the clinic was cleaning, packing up equipment and saying goodbye to our new Panama friends. We participated in the traditional final day team building exercise called "cleaning the chord". I hope this tradition will continue in future clinics.
Although it was very sad to finish our mission work, I am looking forward to some much needed rest and spending the next two days touring and experiencing this great country!
Leona has worked diligently behind the scenes making sure that we are well fed and well cared for. Tonight, she arranged a beautiful boat ride down the Canal under the "Bridge of the Americas". With the Panama City skyline as the backdrop, it was a great way to celebrate our successes at Clinic.
We will spend tomorrow with the Lions Club visiting the Canal and participating in the final celebration dinner. Our family really appreciates the warm welcome of the OneSight volunteers and I know that we have grown through this experience while making new friends along the way. I encourage everyone to pursue this opportunity for it is one you will not soon forget! Look for more updates tomorrow!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Our experience at the OneSight clinic for Panama 2009 has been a fabulous experience. To see just how wonderful it's been for us all, check out this great video that OneSight put together of our experience at clinic:
http://luxtube.beluxonline.com/?ID=563
Let us know what you think!
http://luxtube.beluxonline.com/?ID=563
Let us know what you think!
Hello again from Panama! Tonight´s our silent auction night, so Dana asked me, Joanne, to post with today´s stories from another great day at clinic in La Chorrerra.
We served over 1470 patients today, and it was another great day, even if the thunderstorm shut down our electricity for a couple minutes. Some other loud noises were due to celebrations for today´s Panamanian holiday, the inauguration of their new president and government. (We saw some of the setting up for the ceremony on our way to clinic this morning.)
Krystina had a fun story today. She worked in IMS (with me!), which is where we match patients´ prescriptions from the inventory of glasses that we have here. Krystina had brought glasses of her own and from friends, and she was able to match one of them to a prescription for a young girl. The glasses were ones owned by her former boss, and she went to the dispensing station to present them to the girl herself. It was a really special moment for her, and we will try to upload the photo of her and the girl as soon as we can!
We had some interesting stories with patients who´d never had glasses yet had strong prescriptions; for example, I enjoyed watching as Mary dispensed such a pair to a young boy of 11. Vincent told us about a woman who had -17 in one eye and something like -11 in the other (a very strong prescription, indeed!). She´d been wearing very scratched and almost unreadable lenses for five years, and Vincent was pleased to provide her new glasses that matched her need. So was she!
We´re excited about our silent auction tonight, hoping to raise more money for OneSight as well as find something fun to take home. Was that Wally modeling one of the items at last night´s dinner?
Tomorrow is the last day at clinic, and we´ll be sad to see it end. Our Lions will treat us to something special on Friday (we´re hoping it´s on the Panama Canal), and we´ve started making plans for Saturday too. Look for our stories here in a day or two!
We served over 1470 patients today, and it was another great day, even if the thunderstorm shut down our electricity for a couple minutes. Some other loud noises were due to celebrations for today´s Panamanian holiday, the inauguration of their new president and government. (We saw some of the setting up for the ceremony on our way to clinic this morning.)
Krystina had a fun story today. She worked in IMS (with me!), which is where we match patients´ prescriptions from the inventory of glasses that we have here. Krystina had brought glasses of her own and from friends, and she was able to match one of them to a prescription for a young girl. The glasses were ones owned by her former boss, and she went to the dispensing station to present them to the girl herself. It was a really special moment for her, and we will try to upload the photo of her and the girl as soon as we can!
We had some interesting stories with patients who´d never had glasses yet had strong prescriptions; for example, I enjoyed watching as Mary dispensed such a pair to a young boy of 11. Vincent told us about a woman who had -17 in one eye and something like -11 in the other (a very strong prescription, indeed!). She´d been wearing very scratched and almost unreadable lenses for five years, and Vincent was pleased to provide her new glasses that matched her need. So was she!
We´re excited about our silent auction tonight, hoping to raise more money for OneSight as well as find something fun to take home. Was that Wally modeling one of the items at last night´s dinner?
Tomorrow is the last day at clinic, and we´ll be sad to see it end. Our Lions will treat us to something special on Friday (we´re hoping it´s on the Panama Canal), and we´ve started making plans for Saturday too. Look for our stories here in a day or two!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Second Fabulous Day of Clinic!
This photo was the gentleman Mona helped yesterday and about whom the story was written. Isn´t he cute?
On our second day of clinic, we served over 1,400 Panamanian friends, with 110 referrals to specialists, and had another great day. We handmade over 80 pairs of glasses with frames and lenses we brought with us.
One of our team members, Alli, dispensed three pairs of her son´s glasses, all to one person who could use all three pairs!
The Lions volunteers were incredible, as always. They are students from 14 to 17, who translate and help move the patients through the clinic stations. They were responsible, fun and extremely helpful. We couldn´t do these missions without the local volunteers.
Wally Lovejoy had a great experience at dispensing today when he was able to put a pair of glasses on a woman who was -13.00 and had been wearing -4.00 glasses. She was 67 years old and never had any other glasses. When Wally gave her the glasses and she put them on, she was smiling and exclaimed, ¨I can really see!¨ It was a touching moment for Wally and everyone in dispensing.
The rooftop swimming pool at our hotel is quite impressive with its view of the city. However, the noise level in the night on the street is something none of us is used to. We were treated to a loud disco concert at 4.30 this morning from a car in front of the hotel. It was all the talk at breakfast.
Our team has really bonded in our short time here. The alumni are having a great time teaching our family and friends the workings of a clinic. They are catching on quickly!
It is interesting that here the sun rises over the Pacific Ocean!
Talk to you tomorrow - maybe we will all wear our Panama Hats when we talk!
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Grand Entrance to Panama!
Welcome back to our blog, Everyone! We all arrived safely and late Sunday night and met up with the crew who was already here setting up the clinic. The restaurant stayed open late for us for dinner and off to bed. Bright and early we began our journey to the clinic. A multi-level journey starting in Panama City much like a large metropolitan city in the U.S. We crossed the Bridges of the Americas across the Panama Canal and continued into the rural villages toward La Chorrera. As we pulled into the clinic, there was a crowd anxiously awaiting our arrival, making us feel like heros. We were motivated with a quick OneSight cheer and hurried off to our assigned stations to learn new skills and work with new partners. In a true team effort with no barriers by title, age or experience, our Team Panama joined with the Lions Club members and Leos/student volunteers/translators to set up our clinic stations. The people streamed in with the hopes they would be able to see better when they left, improving their lives. We did our best to make sure that happened, and in the end saw 982 Panamanian people. With local ophthalmologist support, we had over 100 referrals requiring additional services needed to address glaucoma, cataracts, etc.
There were special heartfelt stories at the end of the day. One particularly touching story came from leader Mona, who described a man who came in with old broken glasses and a very high prescription. His old glasses were held together with tape, but he was so proud of those glasses. He had received those glasses at our clinic in 2006 and had been showing them off ever since. Mona and others were trying to find glasses to fill his high prescription, and he kept telling stories of the time he visited the U.S. last year to play drums in a band. He especially liked Key West and hopes to go back there to visit his girlfriend. While he was in America, he had shown off his glasses and told everyone who would listen that the kind people of The Gift of Sight had given him the glasses and that is how he was able to play the drums. When Mona was able to find him a pair of glasses that were nearly perfect, he was ecstatic! In fact, Mona gave him TWO pairs of glasses in case one happened to break before we could come back and give him another pair! I am sure there will be many more stories from others similar to this to warm our hearts!
From what we have seen of the country during our bus rides, it is a beautiful, lush, warm and humid place. We can´t wait to explore more of the sights and get to know the people. Please come back and enjoy the ride with us!
There were special heartfelt stories at the end of the day. One particularly touching story came from leader Mona, who described a man who came in with old broken glasses and a very high prescription. His old glasses were held together with tape, but he was so proud of those glasses. He had received those glasses at our clinic in 2006 and had been showing them off ever since. Mona and others were trying to find glasses to fill his high prescription, and he kept telling stories of the time he visited the U.S. last year to play drums in a band. He especially liked Key West and hopes to go back there to visit his girlfriend. While he was in America, he had shown off his glasses and told everyone who would listen that the kind people of The Gift of Sight had given him the glasses and that is how he was able to play the drums. When Mona was able to find him a pair of glasses that were nearly perfect, he was ecstatic! In fact, Mona gave him TWO pairs of glasses in case one happened to break before we could come back and give him another pair! I am sure there will be many more stories from others similar to this to warm our hearts!
From what we have seen of the country during our bus rides, it is a beautiful, lush, warm and humid place. We can´t wait to explore more of the sights and get to know the people. Please come back and enjoy the ride with us!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Ready for Adventure
Hello!
Welcome to the blog of Team Panama 2009! We are glad you are here.
Team Panama is getting ready for their big adventure at the end of June. This is a very special mission comprised of Friends and Family joining seasoned international mission members. We will have about 50 associates, doctors and loved ones together for a week in La Chorrera, Panama, about an hour southwest of Panama City. From Sunday, June 28 through Sunday, July 5, we will be changing lives in the clinic and then taking some time to get to know the culture and see some local sights. Please come with us on a 'virtual' mission.
We are all very excited to share the experience with our loved ones, meet new friends and participate in the "Mission Magic." While in Panama, we will be posting photos and messages daily along with stories of our journey. We hope all of our friends and supporters will log onto our blog daily to see what we are up to and post their own messages back to us. That is one way we will truly be able to share this heartwarming experience with everyone back home.
If you are not familiar with OneSight and our Global Clinics, here is a little background. OneSight is a family of charitable programs dedicated to improving vision through outreach, research and education. Sponsored by Luxottica Group, OneSight programs have helped over 7 million people in its 20-year history. OneSight conducts clinics in developing countries where our doctors and trained volunteers provide free eye exams and recycled eyewear to thousands of people in need. Please log onto www.onesight.org for more information and clinic locations.
We are very excited to invite everyone along for a great ride!
Welcome to the blog of Team Panama 2009! We are glad you are here.
Team Panama is getting ready for their big adventure at the end of June. This is a very special mission comprised of Friends and Family joining seasoned international mission members. We will have about 50 associates, doctors and loved ones together for a week in La Chorrera, Panama, about an hour southwest of Panama City. From Sunday, June 28 through Sunday, July 5, we will be changing lives in the clinic and then taking some time to get to know the culture and see some local sights. Please come with us on a 'virtual' mission.
We are all very excited to share the experience with our loved ones, meet new friends and participate in the "Mission Magic." While in Panama, we will be posting photos and messages daily along with stories of our journey. We hope all of our friends and supporters will log onto our blog daily to see what we are up to and post their own messages back to us. That is one way we will truly be able to share this heartwarming experience with everyone back home.
If you are not familiar with OneSight and our Global Clinics, here is a little background. OneSight is a family of charitable programs dedicated to improving vision through outreach, research and education. Sponsored by Luxottica Group, OneSight programs have helped over 7 million people in its 20-year history. OneSight conducts clinics in developing countries where our doctors and trained volunteers provide free eye exams and recycled eyewear to thousands of people in need. Please log onto www.onesight.org for more information and clinic locations.
We are very excited to invite everyone along for a great ride!
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