| | |  Vallarta Living | August 2008 
U.S. Coast Guard Helps Local Clinic
 Peter Gray - PVNN
| | Under the hot sun of an August day in Puerto Vallarta, fifteen volunteers from the USCG Sherman swarmed over the walls of the Santa Barbara Rehabilitation Clinic, scraping and painting as they went. | | |
Under the hot sun of an August day in Puerto Vallarta, fifteen volunteers from the USCG Sherman swarmed over the walls of the Santa Barbara Rehabilitation Clinic, scraping and painting as they went. The clinic is a sizeable establishment with a lot of painting needed to maintain it well.
Bill Clark, who is the Navy Leaguer in charge of these community relations projects in Puerto Vallarta, estimates he needs two more ship’s visits to accomplish all that the clinic needs to be in tip-top shape. Fortunately, he is already expecting another ship to arrive in September to continue the work.
The normal day at the clinic, with patients coming and going, went on as usual, with the painters taking care to make sure they did not interfere with the work of the care-givers or the needs of the patients. The volunteers were able to put two coats of paint on the front of the clinic, prepare other walls for painting later and clean the patio with a high pressure hose.
I interrupted CWO3 Andrew Dean from his painting long enough to get his thoughts on the help U.S. ships give to communities they visit on their tours of duty. He happily reminisced about his previous visit to Puerto Vallarta.
He told me the Sherman was carrying medical supplies gifted by the Handclasp organization in the States. They were destined for Central America. The plan was to deliver them to either Guatemala or Costa Rica. As it turned out they were unable to make landfall in either place.
Warren Johnson, who masterminds the delivery of medical supplies to Puerto Vallarta, learned of this and quickly recommended the Sherman put into Puerto Vallarta and offload the supplies here.
So Central America’s loss turned out to be Puerto Vallarta’s gain.
I asked the ship’s XO, Commander Patrick St. John, whether the Sherman still held the record for the largest drug seizure ever. This took place in April 2007, when twenty tons of drugs, worth upwards of 600 million dollars, was seized off the coast of Panama. He conceded that this record was finally broken a few months ago. "It’s been a pretty uneventful trip down here," he said. I thought he looked a trifle disappointed that the Sherman did not have another crack at the record.
Although it is the quietest time of the year for organizations like the Navy League, whose membership includes many part-time residents who leave Puerto Vallarta during the summer, there was a good turn out of Navy Leaguers willing to lend a hand. They included Bill Clark, Judy Sorrell, Laurie Ailworth, Norma Carrion, Clem Celis and Peter Gray. Sid Philips joined the Navy League during the course of the morning and Art Pernsteiner also turned up to help.
When the day’s work was over, the Coast Guard volunteers were treated to a well-earned lunch at the Noria restaurant.
New members are always more than welcome at the Navy League. Membership is open to all – you do not have to be American or have a nautical background. Just turn up and support the charitable activities the Navy League performs. You will be welcome at any of the monthly meetings which are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Marriott Hotel. |
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