Walk for Africa
Walkers make their way down Main Street during Saturday's fundraiser to benefit African Medical Mission, which was co-founded by the late Dr. Chris McConnachie of Hendersonville.
Leigh Wills
Nearly 100 people showed up on a crisp, chilly morning Saturday to enjoy a five-mile stroll through Hendersonville and to raise money that will provide health care for the people of South Africa's Eastern Cape.
African Medical Mission was co-founded in 1981 by the late Dr. Chris McConnachie of Hendersonville. His wife, Jenny, continues the work of her late husband by serving the people of South Africa.
Since AMM was founded, the organization has added a surgery complex and spinal unit to Bedford Orthopedic Hospital; trained healthcare workers; constructed a radiology department; built an outpatient clinic; and created housing for medical volunteers and staff, according to AMM's Web site.
Through its Itipini Community Project, AMM also provides medical care to a shantytown of 3,000, offering primary care, tuberculosis, and HIV testing, counseling, treatment, and nutritional aid. AMM also operates a preschool, youth program, hospice and economic programs.
Stu MacRoberts, a volunteer coordinator and former board president with AMM, explained more about what AMM does.
"African Medical Mission is an organization, a nonprofit, headquartered in Hendersonville that supports the efforts in Mthatha," he said. "Chris and his wife established an orthopedic hospital, which African Medical Mission has supported over the years. Then Jenny developed Itipini, which is a health clinic to help 3,000 people living on top of an abandoned city dump in Mthatha. The clinic, which was originally a shipping container, now has a permanent building, and we have a preschool for the children and we have an after-school program."
MacRoberts said the children, through AMM, also get one hot meal a day plus their immunizations. MacRoberts said Mthatha is located in the original homeland of apartheid. He added that AMM has received the endorsement of some notable world leaders.
"That's where President (Nelson) Mandela came from," he said. "President Mandela supports us certainly and was there for the dedication of our surgery building. Desmond Tutu supports us, President Jimmy Carter and others.
Saturday's walk set a goal of raising $20,000 to continue the work of AMM. The event is one of two major fundraisers that are held annually to support AMM, the other being a Kentucky Derby benefit in Tuxedo.
"Today's fundraising goal, and it's a goal, is $20,000. It's a very aggressive goal, and I'm not sure if we'll make it but we hope to," he said. "This year is the first year we've been able to use PayPal, so we've reached outside of Hendersonville."
MacRoberts said the fundraisers plus financial support from churches and individuals make the work of AMM possible.
Saturday's walk included a special guest. Mary Trower manages AMM's office in South Africa. Trower, who has been with the organization 10 years and was born in Mthatha, said the office does just about everything, from providing medicine and food to seeing to the needs of the children. The needs of the South Africans in Mthatha are great, she said.
"The people don't have work. They need to be employed," she said. "Medication is one of them."
Email
Print
Feed
