Nigerian boy home after life saving heart surgery funded by Rotary Club of the Pelhams
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Rotary Club of the Pelhams.
Nigerian Boy Back Home After Life Saving Heart Surgery Funded by Rotary Club of the Pelhams Fundraiser; Next “Tastings” Days Away on Oct. 14th
Pelham – With 6-year-old Ikechukwu (Ike) Orji back home in Nigeria, going to school and playing soccer after successful life-saving heart surgery this past April, the Rotary Club of the Pelhams is ready for its 2018 food and wine fundraiser Sunday, Oct. 14 with proceeds to fund not only cardiac surgery for other children like Ike but for grants to train medical staff in other developing countries.
To date, Pelham Tastings has donated $10,000 each to programs in the Philippines and Uganda this year in addition to the $7,000 required for expenses related to Ike’s pro bono cardiac surgery at Westchester Medical Center’s Marie Fareri Children’s Hospital. The medical attention was not available in his home country.
While awaiting surgery and during recovery, Ike and his mother stayed at the Pelham home of Lyn-Roth Jacobs, President of the Rotary Club of the Pelhams, and her husband for approximately six weeks. The Pelham Civic Association made a donation for clothing for the youngster and his mother and other items they needed, and the Junior League of Pelham contributed clothing and toys.
The 2018 Tastings on Oct. 14 will be the local Rotary Club’s 14th annual fundraiser and feature 20 restaurants offering their signature dishes along with wines from Blue Dog Wine & Spirits. Music will be compliments of Phillip James Orchestra. There will be a large silent auction, a raffle for a Charles Fazzino piece of art and an open wine bar.
The event will be held from 4:00-7:00pm at Pelham Country Club.
Tickets are $100. If not buying tickets online at pelhamrotary.com, make check for $100 tickets payable to Pelham Rotary Charities Fund and mail to Rotary Club of the Pelhams, c/o Lyn Roth-Jacobs, President, 47 Iden Avnue, Pelham, NY 10803.
“With so many restaurants sharing their many varieties of food, guests can enjoy a meal and taste some wonderful wines, make a tax deductible donation and honor our three community leaders,” said Betty Bucher, chairman of the Rotary Tastings Committee.
This year’s honorees are Clayton Bushong, The Picture House’s Director Programming, Operations & Marketing and President of Pelham Chamber of Commerce; Josephine Catalano, Hebrew Home’s Director of Volunteer Programming and active member of St. Catharine’s Parish, and Syd Thayer, active member of Huguenot Memorial Church and past President of Pelham Children’s Center.
In addition to supporting Rotary’s Gift of Life programs here and abroad that sponsor life-saving heart surgeries for children, Tastings proceeds also support Rotary CPR programs for adults and young people. A free CPR program for PMHS seniors is scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Since 1975, the Gift of Life program has provided hope to more than 30,000 children spanning 79 countries and 5 continents. For more information, visit http://www.giftoflifeinternational.org/
