The Thursday Club - Project Santa 13.

Rechel, I noticed you said someone donated by PayPal. Is the account to which send donations should sent posted somewhere? If not, and/or if you'd rather not post it, could you please PM me? Thanks!

 

Thanks for your generous offer.
wish you got the PM i send you..

Thanks in advance.

 

Rechel, got it, thanks!

 

Update.

With the recent generous donation from Redhorse, we have now marginally gone over our target figure of 40,000p, so heartfelt thanks to everyone concerned. We have reviewed the contents of the gift bags, and will spend some of the remaining money on an extra item for the girls in order to pad the bag out a bit. Thereafter, the final item to get is 120 cuddly toys/teddy bears for the babies and youngest children, and these will probably be collected this week.

I will make a liaison visit to the hospital some time next week to make the final arrangements with the staff there, as we do not want to disrupt the hospital routine by turning up unannounced. The timings that we stuck with last year worked very well and we will probably do the same this year, but I will confirm those after I have visited the hospital.

 

Visit and timings.

I spent an hour at the Provincial yesterday (11 December) to formally get permission for us to visit, and to also check on the new layout now that the building programme is well under way. The giant ward with 80 children in it, on the top floor, that we visited last year is now closed. All the children, up to the age of approximately 13, are now in the new pediatric wing on the second floor of the new building. This is a purpose built wing with small wards of 4 - 6 patients, catering for about 80 children, plus an Intensive Care Unit. The maternity wing is in the same place as last year, the ground floor of the building on the left. On the night, I can guide Santa through the maize of corridors up to the childrens ward.

We have got gift bags for 50 new arrivals, but speaking with the Chief Nursing Officer yesterday it was clear that there are 50+/- in the maternity unit at any given time. I found that there are some more toddlers up to walking age also in the new pediatric wing, so with the money that is still in the pot, we will buy another 10 gift bags for the additional toddlers.

I spoke with the senior nursing officers that will be on duty on the night in both the maternity wing and the childrens ward so they are both aware of our impending visit. The Chief Medical Officer of the hospital has happily given permission for it to happen. So, we are good to go on Monday 23rd December.

Timings.

1800. Meet at Casablanca for cold drinks and organise who does what. Please be prompt.
1830. Depart for the Provincial Hospital.
1845. Start handing out the gift bags.
1945. Should be done by now, so depart hospital for Casablanca.
2000. Drinks and eats.

I have reserved three tables outside to be made into one long table, from 1800 onwards for the whole evening, but I do need firm confirmation of who will take part.

Roger.

 

Roger, Please count me in, if not before, I will see you at CB cica: 1800 on the 23rd

 

So then, a bunch of us did do this (with just-arrived me joining at last-minute), and it was good cheerful fun as-before; truly a heartwarming & seasonally-meaningful thing to do! I want to thank Broadside Rog and co-conspirator Rechel for organizing it so well, again; and also to thank the many kind donors. Having a Miss Dumaguete contestant along added some elfin-spice to the affair ;-)

We found far less impoverished sick, injured & newborn kids there than were anticipated; don't know why that was, buy must suppose it's a good thing overall. Afterwards we took some of the surplus gift-bags to an orphanage.

I hope that those several who took photos alon the way will post them soon...