Tuesday, February 10, 2015 

Reprinted from the Forecaster

Falmouth Elementry School First Graders Initiate Blanket Drive

Project 10,000, spearheaded by Partners for World Health founder Elizabeth McLellan, is an effort to raise money to send birth kits to expectant mothers. McLellan met with groups of students in four different sessions on Feb. 3 to tell them what they can do to help.

 

To help raise funds for medical supplies, the students have been doing chores around their homes for extra money. The money will also be used to buy receiving blankets and hats for newborns; McLellan also asked the students to see if they had any receiving blankets at their homes that were no longer being used.

 

PWH, a South Portland-based nonprofit formed in 2009, initially collected discarded, but unused medical supplies for distribution around the world. Initially, McLellan kept the supplies in her own home and made arraignments for the supplies to be distributed.

 

Eventually, her volunteer-run program grew and it now operates medical mission programs in Bangladesh, Burma, Rwanda and Senegal. She said the blankets and medical kits are important because without any prenatal care, the mothers and babies could die in childbirth.

 

"We give (the mothers) the delivery pack and they take it to the midwife or doctor," McLellan said.

 

The kits will be going to five countries in Africa, with each country receiving 2,000 kits. Senegal and Congo have already been selected as recipient countries, and McLellan said the other three have not been decided; she said they need to find local organizations to take ownership of the project, since PWH won't be there.

 

All of you are going to make a difference to people in Africa, even if you never meet them" McLellan told the Falmouth students. "You're making a big difference in people's lives."

 

The blankets and other supplies will be collected not only in Maine, but from hospitals around New England, McLellan said. The supplies will be packed in a shipping container in Scarborough, and then shipped to Africa.

 

First-grade teacher Kathryn Bacon said this was a great way to have students involved, and it fits in with unit called "Children Around the World," which she said teaches students about the similarities and differences between children around the world and emphasizes "what we all have in common."

"It's really important for them to make the connection that kids all over the world have the same needs and to recognize there's something they can do for kids all over the world who are less fortunate," Bacon said.

 

AS OF 3/15, OVER 300 BLANKETS HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTED BY THE F.E. SCHOOL 1ST GRADE STUDENTS

 

The drive isn't just limited to students, though. Others can donate new or gently used receiving blankets to PWH at 2112 Broadway, South Portland, and there will be a collection box at the Falmouth Elementary School, 58 Woodville Road in Falmouth.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

BEANIE BABIES:

A 12-year-old student from Yarmouth wanted to collect Beanie Babies to donate overseas.  She collected an amazing amount of them (2500) and gave them to us to send to orphanages and pediatric wards in Africa and Asia.  We are also adding them to the birthing kits we are making for pregnant women in Africa.  Inspired by this one young woman's efforts, other people in the community have responded by donating receiving blankets and more Beanie Babies. We appreciate these acts of kindness yet still have a long way to go to reach 10,000 birthing kits, so if you have a group or a class that is interested in doing a collection, please feel free to contact us to discuss it.