Today is Blog Action Day and those of us who registered have agreed to blog about one subject POVERTY. I just clicked on the banner at the bottom of this post and saw that 9,376 bloggers had signed up (at 7:45 pm the night before) and their posts will reach 10,430,874 readers. Very impressive numbers that are still growing. I am happy to add my voice. (Update...7pm in New Jersey...10/15...12,205 bloggers participating; reaching 13,079,246 readers.)I would like to call attention to Remote Area Medical® (RAM) Volunteer Corps. A non-profit, volunteer, airborne relief corps dedicated to serving mankind by providing free clinics for health care, dental care, eye care, veterinary services, and technical and educational assistance to people in remote areas of the United States and the world.
Please give their website the attention it deserves. Click on every link and consider making a donation of your money, your services, supplies, or your time. I mailed a large check today...10/16/2008. It felt so good just writing it!!! Plus I know it will be put to such good use.
Founded in 1985, Remote Area Medical® is a publicly supported all-volunteer charitable organization. Volunteer doctors, nurses, pilots, veterinarians and support workers participate in expeditions (at their own expense) in some of the world's most remote and places. Medical supplies, medicines, facilities and vehicles are donated.
I first learned about them on March 20, 2008 when CBS 60 Minutes ran a segment about a weekend in poverty stricken rural Tennessee where huge crowds gathered days before the event to get free medical assistance. Hundreds were turned away at the end due to lack of time.
Luckily, I found a shortened version of the segment on YouTube.
Please watch...it is very inspiring. You won't be sorry.
RAM FREE CLINICS will be at the following locations between now and Election Day (the next three weeks).
Oct. 18-19
McCreary County, Kentucky & Scott County, Tennessee
at Scott Appalachian Industries (SAI), Huntsville, TN
(Dental, Vision, Medical)
Oct. 25-Nov. 2
Honduras - Seguatepeque (South America)
(Dental, Vision, Medical)
Nov. 1-2
Grundy County, Tennessee
(Dental, Vision, Medical)
See full 2008 schedule. See full 2009 schedule.
Remote Area Medical Foundation
1834 Beech Street
Knoxville, TN 37920
865-579-1530
Thank you for visiting my blog on this important day.
DON'T FORGET TO WATCH THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TONIGHT!
4 comments:
Great information -- thanks for elightening me!!
Thank you for your comment on my blog. Such wonderful organizations you have drawn attention to!
This is important and reminds me of my journey through American in my youth which feels long ago but isn't really (I'm a Canadian). I was shocked by the level of abject poverty in such affluence (that's not to say there isn't poverty in Canada). Since then, I have be known to say that America has a high population of third world people living in a first world country. At any rate, thanks for letting me know about this organization.
Thank you Sabina, Oliveaux, and Ottawa gardner. I appreciate your comments and your efforts to raise awareness on your own blogs.
SPECIAL NOTE:
I sent an email to RAM to let them know about my blog post.
I received this reply from Stan Brock, the founder.
Dear Rosemary:
Thank you for so thoughtfully selecting Remote Area Medical® and poverty in America as the subject of your Blog. We deeply appreciate your concern, and for your efforts to bring this grave problem to the attention of the public.
Very sincerely,
Stan Brock
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