For many years, our club has assembled and given away newborn baby supplies, layettes. This year, the hospital that traditionally distributed our gift was not available to help and the layettes were sent, instead, to Honduras. Dana Timaeus and Angela Claire Bjorøy-Karlsen presented the story of these layettes on their journey from us to the people who are using them and tells the story of how our layette project has become a service project and not just a gift of useful newborn supplies to deserving mothers.

Through the magic of Zoom and the willingness of Angela from the Rotary Club of Roatan in Islas de la Bahia, Honduras we learned how the layettes were delivered, distributed, and documented. The bonus of the story is that we saw firsthand the pictures of the mothers, the children and the volunteers as these layettes brought needed supplies and more than that a feeling of hope from the Beaumont Rotary Club 1,200 miles away as the crow flies.

The Roatan Rotary Club also added to the layettes by providing packages of six nappies (diapers) and diaper pins. Since many of the areas where the moms live have limited electricity which may consist of a single light socket, washing and drying the nappies takes time. The humidity in the area is extremely high so these nappies do not dry quickly enough to provide for numerous changes. So, the nappies are made of linen rather than the conventional material we see in our country. This allows for the diapers to be washed, hung out to dry and reused in about 4 hours rather than a full day.

We saw the faces of the moms, grandmothers, and children who arrived to pick up the layettes. Some of the children were sent with the youngest baby to pick up the layettes since the mom was not able to leave home. Many of these moms are very young and have many children to look after. The living conditions are full of challenges. Clean water and adequate sewage management is a daily problem. Health care for a new mom and a new baby lacks adequate modern-day assessment and treatment. The picture of a local clinic showed an exam table with a black garbage bag for the patient to lie on. The supplies and medical equipment were limited to a stethoscope, a bottle of Acetic Acid (vinegar) and a small light. There was a crib for the newborn. This is a clinic and not a place for an extended stay. The trip to the mainland for more intensive medical treatment is expensive and not available to most residents.

Some of the crucial needs that have been identified include basic medical supplies, ultrasound equipment, laboratory testing, surgical equipment, and education on well baby, prenatal, postnatal, nutrition, vaccinations, and routine health information. The Roatan Rotary Club is willing to help coordinate future projects and to assist in any way that is needed. They are a compassionate club with volunteers that are committed to the community they serve.

There is much to do in this small country for the children and the families. We continue to explore opportunities to bring needed supplies and education to these families. The professional community is struggling as well as the volunteers with boots on the ground. If anyone has any questions or ideas of

how to continue to serve this community, please contact Dana Timaeus. He has been to Honduras many times and continues to maintain relationships with the mayors, the public officials, the educators, and the volunteers. He is our liaison to this community. Thank you to Dana and Angela for all your dedicated help with a project that is truly overwhelming. But as with anything worth doing, Rotarians always find a way to serve.