A Message From Kevin McGee: "Operation Deployed for Good"

 
Dear Rotary Club of Akron:
 
Season's greetings to all my friends in Rotary (and service) back home in Akron. It is a cold 55F Christmas Eve in the desert this evening and I'm burning a little midnight oil as most all of the Soldiers have abandoned their posts for the holidays. (that's a joke, but everyone in my tent did leave early).
 
I am writing home with great pleasure in order to update on you on "Operation Deployed for Good", the joint operation between the Rotary Club of Akron and the Soldiers of Ohio's 371st Sustainment Brigade to assist children with disabilities and orphans in Kyrgyzstan.
 
While this project started with discussions and seeds as I left the club last Spring, the gift of international service from the Rotary Club of Akron would arrive half-a-world away, like a present under a Christmas tree. With a battle rhythm to match the gift of the Magi for children of south west Asia, the gifts of kindness and generosity from our Rotary family were delivered to the children yesterday, Dec. 23.
 
I just got off the phone with a Kyrgyz Air Force interpreter in Manas who was instrumental in facilitating the deliveries. These deliveries on the Manas end of the operation evolved into quite a story of adaption to overcome barriers. I will save the details for another day, but suffice to say, since our Ohio soldiers were committed to deliver the supplies themselves, they had to operate without the support of Manas Area Benefit Outreach Society (MABOS). It's hard to explain, but MABOS needed to be paid to assist in the delivery. This unforeseen issue could have been a game stopper, but our resourceful leader at the Manas Transit Center, 1LT Howard, made alternate delivery arrangements with a Kyrgyz speaking interpreter. Some pictures of the delivery are here:
 
 
The team in Manas, being challenged to find another way to deliver the Rotary donations, ended-up delivering the supplies to not only the two orphanages, but also to two other organizations that serve children and adults with developmental disabilities. After receiving the shipment of 33 boxes from Akron, the Ohio soldiers under the command of 1LT Howard, developed a distribution plan with the Kyrgyz interpreter that would best utilize what had been sent. With the plan and sorted supplies and clothing, the soldiers then traveled as a plain-clothed unit into the Republic of Kyrgyz capital city, Bishkek, on three occasions during December.
 
Here are the delivery details of Operation Deployed for Good:
- On Dec. 8 Ohio's 371st soldiers took 40% (13 boxes) of Rotary's donated supplies to Nadjeshda Children's Center, a school that serves 72 children with disabilities from Kyrgyz families that cannot afford to pay for the special services they need. This center-based, school-age program serves children just like those served by the Akron Rotary Camp. If these children lived in Ohio, they would qualify to summer at our beloved camp.
- On Dec. 9 Ohio's 371st soldiers took 27% (9 boxes) of Rotary's donated supplies to Uventis School that serves 21 teens and adults with developmental disabilities (ages 15+). This is a "day program" and workshop that teaches life skills (habilitation) and vocational skills to adults. Just like Weaver Workshops, they sell products to help fund the employment program. If these adults lived in Akron, they would qualify to attend respite weekends at our beloved camp.
- On Dec. 23 the 371st SB soldiers took 33% (11 boxes) of Rotary's donated supplies to the Belovodskiy Orphanage and the Voenno-Antonoskiy Orphanage. Belovodskiy serves 160 children ages birth-3 and Antonoskiy serves 101 children ages 7-17. There is no institutional comparison for these facilities. We have no orphanages in Ohio. If these children lived in Ohio, they would be in foster homes or group homes. They have no parents in their lives and they are cared for by institutional staff.
 
The generosity of the Akron Rotarians is humbling and I am so proud to be a part of this great club of socially responsible patriots. Operation Deployed for Good was a monumental effort.
 
Special appreciation for everyone who donated time and supplies to the effort. Through my communications, I have seen exceptional efforts from our President Lance Chima, Dir of International Service Graham Reinke, and Jack Harig , Doug Hausknecht and Steve Shechter who have brought this whole project to life.
 
God bless you all on Christmas Eve and grant you health and wealth in the new year so that you may continue you service above self.
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Very Respectfully,
 
Kevin McGee
1LT, USA
SPO DIB
Kuwaiti Liaison Officer
371st Sustainment Brigade
Zone 6 Triad Tent #11
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
APO, AE 09366
DSN: 430-9791
Cell: 9726-1904
Sponsors