A wheelchair-accessible van filled with medical supplies reached its far-away destination - a health clinic in Chile - thanks to the efforts of the Bellingham Sister City Association, the City of Bellingham, Whatcom Transportation Authority and many others.
The Rehabilitamos Clinic, in Punta Arenas, Chile, recently received a donated, wheelchair-lift-equipped van that was shipped from Bellingham. Clinic staff, patients and local community leaders held a ceremony to welcome the van into service on Dec. 3, 2009.
"The donation of this van will allow us to transport young adults and adults with severe disabilities," said Dr. Juan Carlos Velez Gonzalez, project coordinator for the van donation from Rehabilitamos Clinic. "We previously had to use regular vans needing a lot of assistance from parents and staff. Now they will be comfortable and very safe and we won’t have the risk of injuries to caregivers."
"The entire Punta Arenas community is very excited to receive this van, which was a real need in town for people with disabilities. Everybody appreciates what the City of Bellingham and Sister City association did for Punta Arenas," he said.
The journey began two years ago, when former Mayor Mark Asmundson, city staff members and Bellingham Sister City Association members visited Bellingham's sister city of Punta Arenas, Chile. They toured the Rehabilitamos Clinic and learned of the organization's need for a van to transport patients.
"They told us some of the kids use wheelchairs and it was difficult to transport them from their homes to the clinic and back without the proper equipment," said Terry Carten, Bellingham Sister City Association board member who served as project leader for the van delivery. "They really needed a van with a wheelchair lift."
Asmundson and his staff had this need in mind when working with Whatcom Transportation Authority. When the transit agency prepared to surplus one of its vans, the city partnered with Carten and the Sister City board to put the wheels in motion.
"I talked with WTA and they agreed to provide a van with wheelchair lift that was to be surplused, and I began researching how to get the van to Chile," said Carten.
Shipping the van from Bellingham to Punta Arenas proved to be the biggest challenge of the project. It was shipped overland to Baltimore, Maryland, as all ocean shipping to Chile originates on the east coast. The van was then placed on a vehicle-carrying ship for the ocean voyage through the Panama Canal and on to Chile.
"Local community groups provided generous donations toward the cost of shipping the van. The Rotary Club of Bellingham and Bellingham Central Lions Club agreed to become primary community partners in support of the project and are to be commended for their efforts," Carten said.
"The clinic is very excited to receive this new piece of equipment," Carten said. "With much patience and perseverance the van was acquired, successful fundraising occurred, shipping companies were contracted, customs issues were resolved and the van found its way to the clinic."
"The Bellingham Sister City Association would like to thank all of its community partners in making this project become a reality. A project of this scope would not be possible without wide ranging support in our community."
The Bellingham Sister City Association advises the Mayor and other city departments on the establishment and maintenance of sister city relationships between Bellingham and other international cities. For information:
Published: Dec 11, 2008
