On Friday, August 31 the Commerce City Colorado Rotary Club’s World Community Service “Friends of Christmas Island” project begins its journey to the Republic of Kiribati. Ultimately taking to the air on September 7 from March Air Force Base in Riverside California, 13 large wooden crates filled with equipment and supplies plus a septic tank pumping truck will fly to Christmas Island. This crated cargo provided by the Commerce City Rotary Club is over 5,000 Cu Ft. and 60,000 pounds of much needed medical, water and educational equipment and supplies for the people of Christmas Island.
Christmas Island is part of the Line Islands Group of the Republic of Kiribati. Kiribati is the poorest third-world country in the Pacific. Christmas Island is a coral atoll located in the Central Pacific 1200 miles South of Hawaii at the intersection of the International Date Line and the Equator.
Many partnerships were critical in making this immense humanitarian effort successful. Earlier this year, Rotarians George and Sharon Maybee met with individuals from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a Boulder Colorado based educational research non-profit organization. NCAR is currently conducting an atmospheric research project on the island. They contracted with the 302nd Air Lift Control Flight Unit at Peterson Air force Base in Colorado Springs and the 452nd Air Wing Division located at March Air Force Base in Riverside California to fly a C-17 Globe Master III providing project support. NCAR compassionately is providing the “Friends of Christmas Island” a once in a life opportunity to fly a truck and cargo to the island.
The 50+ members of the Commerce City Rotary Club continue to work on this project by obtaining, cleaning, packing and crating each of the hand-made crates. Project CURE, GlobUS Relief, and Porter Adventist Hospital plus many other medical offices throughout the US were instrumental in providing medical items. The Arvada Rotary Club provided 524 pair of prescription and reading glasses. The LDS Church Humanitarian Center of Salt Lake City provided 560 hygiene kits and Tetra Tec Inc provided funds for purchase of toothbrushes and paste. This medical equipment and supplies will be use for the island’s hospital and village clinics; in addition to Rotary’s four future visiting doctor clinics which will include: dental, vision, pediatrics and OB/GYN general care.
In support of the safe water phase, Commerce City Rotary Club has purchased the septic tank pumping truck and water testing equipment and supplies. These items will be used to empty leaking holding tanks, repair existing water systems and the testing of over 400 residential wells.
The fifth phase of the project received a jump-start from the Westminster 7:10 Rotary Club who provided over 100 computers for the six schools and medical facilities on the island. In addition, the LDS church provided 420 school kits for elementary children and the Colorado Rapids supplied soccer balls, shoes and used clothing for the youth soccer program.
George Maybee, Commerce City Rotary International Service Chairman states, “This project is a wonderful example of a combined effort by numerous individuals, clubs and companies in providing much needed humanitarian support to the residents’ of an island in the mid-pacific.” He further states, “Final loading for transportation to California will take place on Friday at 6:00 AM with the assistance of Vaughn Concrete Products, Inc of Henderson Colorado.”
For further information regarding the WCS project please contact George Maybee, WCS Committee Chairman, email gkmaybee@aol.com phone 303-655-9831. Tax deductible contributions may be sent to: Friends of Christmas Island, Commerce City Rotary Foundation, Inc, - P.O. Box 1882 - Commerce City, Colorado 80037. 
