Mario Vegas Barquisimeto’s Rotaplast Mission director has been with Rotaplast in Barquisimeto, Venezuela for about 10 years. He is pictured above with Johanna Mendez who has had both cleft lip and palate corrections thanks to Rotaplast. She has been one of the 80 Rotaplast volunteers in Venezuela since 2008, and is very proud to be a former Rotaplast patient. Many of the Venezuelan volunteers are former Rotary Exchange students who are of great assistance with the patients who speak only Spanish. Aquiles Perez is the coordinator for these volunteers. He too has been a volunteer with Rotaplast for 10 years. The Venezuelan Rotaplast team has been an invaluable part of our success in Barqusimeto. Our hosts have been there for every moment – from meeting us in Caracas and traveling on the same 5-hour bus ride with the Team, to simply making themselves available on a day-to-day basis.
Above Dick Burkhalter, John Marshall and Linda Jenkins are pictured with an all women’s club Rotary Club of Barquisimeto. This is only 1 of the 7 clubs in Barquisimeto. So many Venezuelan Rotarians and other friends have been helpful in far too many ways to tell in this small space. Ask anyone who has been on this trip and be prepared for quite a heart felt story.