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 News from Around Banderas Bay | May 2005 
Local Support for the Naval Hospital
 PVNN
Puerto Vallarta - On Friday May 20th, an anesthesia machine and a heart and oxygen monitor were formally handed over to the Mexican Naval Hospital in Puerto Vallarta. The story behind this gift starts several months ago, when the annual Navy League's regional meeting was held in Puerto Vallarta last February.
According to Puerto Vallarta Navy League council member Peter Gray, though Puerto Vallarta's Naval Hospital opened some three years ago, it still lacks critical equipment. February's two-day program focused on building productive relationships with other non-profit organizations in order to find viable solutions for fulfilling the community's needs for medical equipment and supplies.
To that end, 25 local nonprofit, charitable organizations were invited to participate in a seminar on improved management skills. Those in attendance included representatives from the International Friendship Club - which can fairly be described as the powerhouse of Puerto Vallarta charitable activities - the Salvation Army, New Life Mexico, the Vallarta chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation and the Vallarta Contra SIDA organization, among others.
During last February's conference, the wives of Mexican Navy personnel and the Puerto Vallarta Navy League organized an "Hawaiian Luau" to raise money for the purchase price of the anesthesia machine. The Luau dinner and dance, which required a donation of $400 pesos per person, raised $79,000 pesos and proceeds from the event covered the monitor's cost.
Through the support of IFC and an individual contribution by Charles and Sandy Israel, the anesthesia machine was purchased in the United States. All that remained to be done was the anesthesia machine's delivery, so Puerto Vallarta Navy League members organized the transportation of the medical equipment from the USA to Puerto Vallarta on the "Hamilton," a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.
Upon its arrival, representatives of the Puerto Vallarta Navy League Bill Semeyn, Dale Hansen and Peter Gray were onhand to receive the delivery at a special presentation held last Friday. Also attending the ceremony were Capitan Vidal Preciado Diez Mora representing the Mexican Navy along with Naval Hospital Director Teniente Miguel Padilla Gutierrez and anesthesiologist Teniente Guillermo Munoz Perez.
Friday's "handing-over" ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Puerto Vallarta International Friendship Club, including Al Ward, President; Yvonne Ward, Vice President; Patricia Mendez, Chair of the Medical Program; and Susan Davilos, Chair of Community Services.
The presentation ended with Bill Semeyn, the Director of Operations for the Navy League, being attached to the monitor. Fortunately this confirmed that his heart was beating and his oxygen content was satisfactory. |
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