Johanna after her operation

I have not updated in a while and wanted to do so. We are now helping 12 children and their families. All told Circle of 12 touches close to 100 people on a regular basis. For those of you who have followed Johanna’s journey, she had her leg amputated below the knee to save her life. Her original wound is pictured on our main site and I have attached a picture here. Mailona is doing well with her new family although is bothered by frequent lung ailments. Many of you know that one of our kids was for all intents and purposes raped in the Batey and at 15 years old and with special needs is now pregnant. We are trying to start a medical fund for her so she can be seen regularly at Hospital El Buen Samaritano. Carmela continues receiving Physical Therapy. Cristofer who had been learning sign language at Hogar del Ninos has not been attending and we are working with his mother to try to get him back in. Transportation is always an issue. Speaking of transportation, thanks to First Baptist in Moorestown for donating money raised at a Camden Riversharks game to Batey Brador so all their kids will have bus fare to attend school!  Please attend our fundraiser on November 11th if you can!  Or make a donation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nov-2009-fundraiser-flyer1On Wednesday November 11th, Circle of 12 will hold our 2nd Fundraiser at Mirabella’s Cafe in Cherry Hill, NJ. It is open to the public and will feature a 4 course meal and the live band “Al’s Pals”. There will also be a live auction.  Tickets are only $50 plus tax and tip. Make your reservations now by calling Mirabella’s at 856-354-1888.nov-2009-fundraiser-flyer

For Less than a Lexus, (about $40,000)  Circle of 12 can buy and outfit a small property for use as a clinic/school for special needs children. A place where very poor kids can receive physical therapy, braille instruction, medical care and other services.  For a donation of $5000 or more we will name a room in the school after you! For details or more information please contact Todd Moreland at 609-417-3000 or Andy Maunder at amaunder@circleof12.com We need your help to help make lives better. Circle of 12 is a 501c3 organization.

If we recently spoke to your group or visited the website, please share your comments and suggestions. Join our Facebook group under Circulo de Doce/Circle of 12 too!

I had the pleasure of speaking to Professor Juli LaRosa’s Social Business Class today. About 50 business students at Drexel. They were great and ask alot of good questions about Circle of 12’s plans for the future, the kids and the sugar industry.  Many stayed after and expressed interest in going on a group trip to volunteer their help, some even with knowledge of Spanish which is fantastic.  Many took my card and flyers, so contact me folks! Alot hinges on our ability to find the funds for our special needs clinic/school in Guayamate, but I would like to do one in 2009 if possible. Many of the students wanted to wear Circulo de Doce bracelets in solidarity with the kids and workers in the cane fields. These bracelets are a great starting point for a conversation and are handmade in the Dominican Republic. If you would like one contact me! This class is doing reports on “Three Cups of Tea” which is a great book. Someday, i’d like to write one about my experiences, but first we need to get the clinic going and help more kids!  We need donations of any size…Please help!

To Reach me by email, please use tmoreland1@comcast.net. Thanks!

Mailona arrived home from the hospital on Monday afternoon feeling much better and eating food. The cost of her care is 10,750 pesos or alittle over $300. We need help with these costs. You can help Mailona by making a donation through the mail or through paypal!

Mailona was admitted to Hospital El Buen Samaritano this morning. She had a chest xray last Friday that showed some fluid on the lungs. Today she was in both respiratory distress and had a gastrointestinal virus with dehydration. She should be in the hospital 2-3 days. Please say a prayer for little Mailona who has lives a tough life! Circle of 12 will be covering her medical expenses.  As always your donations are appreciated!

I had a chance to speak to the Human Rights club today at the Barrack Hebrew Academy. What a cool and concerned group of kids. They came with great questions and a few volunteered to come down and help when we get the clinic off the ground.  I always learn as much from these young adults as they learn about Circle of 12. Thanks for having me!

April 2009 Circle of 12 Report

 

Greetings from the DR! First let me thank those of you who took time out of your busy schedules to come out last Tuesday to our Circle of 12 dinner and support us! It was a fun night for me and hopefully for you. We had 46 diners and the band was great. Thanks also to those who donated to the raffle and auction.

 

Some great news: As of April 1, we are now officially a IRS 501c3 and all checks can now be made directly to Circle of 12.

 

Here’s the update so far on what I know about our kids:

 

Mailona Policen: On Thursday Mailona was having such trouble breathing that I took her to the emergency room at Good Sam hospital and she got a nebulizer treatment. The hospital donated a home nebulizer for her to take with her. By Saturday she was fine and we went to the beach with Noemi from Mir and 2 girls with HIV who never get to go to the beach. All had a great time.  I am still working on the legal issues for Mailona and hope to have some worked out before I leave. As of now I am one of her two guardians.  Circle of 12 takes care of all her needs. Food, clothes, care and medicine.

 

Nanetta: Nanetta was seen for some PT on her hand. She has issues with her mother beating her lately and I am working on that to make sure that stops! I was told by someone in the Batey that this is happening again. We are accessing her for some schooling.

 

Cristofer: Cristofer continues in the class for the deaf in Hogar del Ninos.  He now uses sign language he has learned for communications with the teachers and students. We also delivered a need new school uniform.

 

File: Today I took two staff members from Hogar del Ninos to Batey El Salado to meet File. One is the Braille teacher. This Batey is an hour from Hogar del Ninos so it is difficult, but we are trying to get him there 2 times per week for Braille instruction not available in the Batey.  We delivered food and some clothes.

 

Pablito: Pablito has epilepsy and we provide medicine for him. He lives in Salado and he and File are friends. We also delivered food today and medicine.

 

Santos: We visited Santos and his family. Santos is too old for school but we remain hopeful we can find someone for speech therapy. He always goes crazy when we come and we gave his mom some adult diapers for him to make her life easier and of course some food.

 

Carmela: You might remember that in my report from February I asked for help for this little girl whose mom is HIV positive and has a problem with her feet. We found a sponsor for her and this week she starts physical therapy. She went to Santo Domingo last week to be fitted for corrective shoes that will also be paid for. After some sessions, she should be able to walk.

 

Johanna: Johanna is the little girl whose severe foot wound threatens her leg and her life. I have attached a photo of the foot. The wound looks better, but her leg is swollen and she had an abscess near hear groin area. The doctors say that without the amputation she may die, but the father refuses that treatment as he thinks the foot looks better. We should all pray for this little girl. We brought her some food and some pictures I took last time. In fact all our kids got photos.

 

Emmanuel: I have not seen him yet but will this week!

 

Circle of 12 property update: We have found an existing property suitable for a small clinic with some property attached. Tom Wright from Maine who is a builder went and surveyed the property and he feels it’s a good one for what we want to do as far as treatments, classes, and location. I am awaiting his recommendations. The property is about $18,000 US dollars. It is in Guyamate near many Bateys and we would own it as opposed to taking our chances with Central Romana and building one on their property in a Batey that they could choose to take back.  If we buy it we can bring groups down and utilize others here to paint, clean and build around! As usual, all we need is the money. But for the cost of a Lexus about $36,000 we could have it and outfit it.

 

Before I forget, thanks to Moorestown Friends school and Katy Rinehart for naming Circle of 12 as their charity this year for their Emancipation Rocklamation fest this year, the raised $1100 for us! Gracias.

 

That’s all for now, more later.

 

 

Todd