In today’s Dallas Morning News, LH’s own Rick Hawkins and his collection of crutches for Haiti are the focus of James Ragland’s column. As you’ll recall, Rick and his wife Terri began collecting crutches, walking canes, folding wheelchairs and boots when they learned of the massive numbers of broken limbs and amputations resulting from the January 12 earthquake. Their brilliant idea and industrious effort has been joined by groups like the LH Exchange Club and Women’s League, and the LHHS Peer Helpers student group added more than 100 walking aids to the approximate 300 total.
Rick, who spent six years of his childhood in the Dominican Republic, continues collecting in hopes of sending 1,000 items to Haiti. He found a group – International Medical Outreach – to deliver the items, and his neighbor Don Russell, head of VCP International, is providing warehouse storage space until the items are shipped. Now he and Terri are looking for a local company with multiple sites to serve as a collection point. If their success in LH is any indication, walkers and wheelchairs will come rolling in from all over the metroplex soon.
