THIS IS FOR THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO SEE CHRISTMAS.
Yes, it's true. Christmas Island is the most easterly inhabited land mass on the International Date Line and each and every day they see the light of day before the rest of the world.
Christmas Island is one of the foundations for peace in the World and our freedom today. In 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered W.W.II it was almost impossible to reach the Japanese fortifications in the South Pacific. In an effort to mount a counter attach on the closest enemy out post on Tarawa, the current Capital island of the Republic of Kiribati, the US, British and Australians established three air strips and a full military supply depot on Christmas Island. Throughout the war the island was used to support the military activities in the Pacific Theater. <>Following W.W.II in the 1950’s the British and American Governments conducted more than 50 atmospheric atomic bomb tests on the island. In the 1960’s the US Government constructed a satellite tracking station on the island for the Mercury Space Program. Christmas Island was used for the splashdown point for the project with the familiar television commentator identifying splash- down as “Down Range at Christmas Island”.
Christmas Island has truly been a pillar in the foundation of World Peace; however, the residents of the island have been left behind. The Commerce City Colorado Rotary Club feels it is way past time for a token of the World’s appreciation.
For Immediate Release
By: Sharon Maybee
303-655-9831
SENDING CHRISTMAS TO CHRISTMAS ISLAND
On December 15, members of the Commerce City Colorado Rotary Club and Project C.U.R.E., www.projectcure.org in Brighton loaded 15 wooden crates filled with half a million dollars worth of donated medical equipment and supplies headed for Kiritimati (Christmas) Island.
This filled container should leave the West Coast this week on a freighter bound for Honolulu and will be at sea on Christmas Day. Once in Honolulu the crates will be off loaded and stored until mid-January, and then will set sail on Kwai, www.svkwai.com a motorized sailing vessel. Kwai’s Captain Brad, said, “The people of Christmas Island” will have our ‘Christmas Present’ by the first week in February”.
The 52-member Rotary Club has worked relentlessly for months investigating the needs of the Christmas Island people, obtained, cleaned, sorted, and packed the equipment and supplies; built the 15 crates plus loaded and shipped the container; in addition, solicited funds to cover the cost of shipping.
Outside support has come from members of the fly fishing industry including: Ross Reels, Frontiers Travel, Orvis, Fly Water Travel and Fishabout in addition to numerous other Friends of Christmas Island.
The Rotary’s wonderful “Christmas Present” will be going to a tiny atoll located 1200 south of Hawaii in the Republic of Kiribati. This island and its residents are facing unprecedented environmental, social and economic challenges with no means for assistance.
“It is impossible to describe the magnitude of need,” Commerce City Rotary’s World Community Service Chair, George Maybee said. “They have competent medical personnel but virtually nothing to work with and very little hope for improvement.” “The hospital is an old British Military building with almost no facilities or equipment. No beds, birthing table, baby scales or delivery equipment, women in labor must sleep on concrete floors with only a hand-woven reed mat. They use a 100 year-old operating table that won’t go up or down, manual oxygen and anesthesiology equipment for surgery and the list goes on and on,” exclaimed Maybee.
The Commerce City Rotary Foundation is still accepting year-end tax deduction contributions for the shipping cost which amount to be over $19,000. For more information you may contact George Maybee @ 303-655-9831 or gkmaybee@aol.com Contributions may be sent to: Friends of Christmas Island
Commerce City Rotary Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 1882
Commerce City, CO 80037-1882
