HELPING THE PEOPLE ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND

News release on Rotary project 12/21/06

   For those of you that have been to Christmas Island and enjoyed the unique experience, excellent fishing and geniunely friendly people, there is a project in the works that you need to know about.

   George Maybee, avid world-wide angler and active Rotary Club member is spearheading a project to help the people of Christmas Island with a long needed  medical clinic to be used by both visiting and local doctors to improve the health care on the Island.  

   In addition, Rotary has been conducting a study on the quality of available drinking water to identify toxins that  are causing health problems for the population, particularly in pregnant mothers and newborn babies.

The project is called “Friends of Christmas Island” and the project is now an official Rotary Club World Community Service Project.

This charitable project has three initial objectives:

1)  Aquire and ship basic medical equipment needed by the Island’s 5 room hospital and three village clinics.  This should cost around  $200,000.00 

2) Develop a means of providing safer drinking water. 

 This should cost between $75,000.00 and $100,000.00

3) Implement a visiting doctor program.

   At this time George is working on Phase One and has secured over $400,000 worth of medical supplies. He is now working through the red tape of getting it shipped to the island and raising another $20,000 to pay for that.  He hopes to have the supplies on Christmas Island by this coming January. 

The second phase of the project is scheduled for March of 2007.  This phase will be devoted to installing water testing equipment, repairing existing pumping and testing equipment and installing bio-sand filters to remove bacteria from drinking water.  In addition there will be an education project to teach the population on theIsland how to improve sanitation practices.

Phase Three will begin in the first quarter of 2008 and will involve having several clinics equipped and available to host fly fishing doctors.  George is currently looking for heathcare professionals interested in fishing Christmas Island and then volunteering to provide medical, dental and eye-care services.  He is also working with the local government, schools and churches to enroll the 7000 island inhabitants in the clinic program.

If you are interested in this worthy project and would like to get involved by making a donation and/or if you are a healthcare professional who would like to volunteer your services on the Island while experiencing the phenominal fishing, please contact George Maybee directlly at 303 655-9831 or email gkmaybee@aol.com

You can make your tax deductable donations to Friends of Christmas Island

Please mail to:

Friends of Christmas Island

Commerce City Rotary Foundation Inc

P.O. Box 1882

Commerce City , CO  80037

Thank You,

Fishabout Inc