THIENSVILLE-MEQUON ROTARY FOUNDATION, INC.

Guatemala Medical Resource Project (GMRP) is a 100% volunteer-based team that travels annually to a remote village in Guatemala to provide full medical, dental, vision, and medication care. This team sees 600+ patients who have little to no income in 4 1/2 days each year, providing free care to anyone that attends. We also support continuing community programs such as installing a fluoridated water tower, a continuing education fund for 6th grade through university, and continuing medical care for those with more serious conditions requiring year-long treatment.

January 2025 will be the 21st year GMRP has been serving the people of Guatemala. The volunteers are responsible for all overhead and maintenance costs, setup and teardown, and funds to pay for medicine and supplies. We also generate referrals for over 150 patients for follow-up care and surgeries and 60+ continuing education scholarships each year.

Continuing to run this program and provide service to the people of Guatemala is expensive, but a worthy cause for hundreds of people each year.

This year, we have had a generous donor willing to match up to $15,000 in funds raised! Our goal here is to hit that target, so we can raise $30K in funds to keep our program going for 2025 and beyond. 100% of funds donated will go to the support of this program.

This will be my third trip to Oliveros for this mission. Each year I’ve been honored to care for such humble people of this city. I would be so forever grateful for any donations and prayers as our group embarks on another hopeful mission in January. ❤️

Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions regarding the city, the mission, and my experiences.

Feel free to donate on here, but know that GoFundMe has a processing fee, so Venmo and cash are also highly appreciated!!

Pukaite Woods at Rotary Park has been trimmed by an unlikely landscaping crew since 2020: a herd of goats! Now the Mequon-Thiensville (M-T) Sunrise Rotary Club is seeking public help to bring the goats back to continue the woodland restoration.

The future of Pukaite Woods is dependent on the reproduction of all the native trees that make it such a unique and enjoyable place for children and adults who walk the trails. Removing invasive species like buckthorn has been an uphill battle over the years.

The goats are kept in 1-acre to 2-acre paddocks enclosed with electrical mesh fencing to keep the goats in and to keep predators and people out. Once the goats eat all the leaves off the buckthorn and thistle plant in that area, they move on to the next paddock.

The leafless buckthorn plants will use the energy in their root system to grow back. Once the leaves grow back, the goats are brought back to graze again. Throughout the two grazing sessions, the energy in the buckthorn's root system is slowly depleted, starving the roots before they go into winter dormancy.

There are costs to rent the goats, fencing and transportation annually. The Rotary and OWLT have donated over $40,000 to the goat project since 2020. Please help the M-T Sunrise Rotary bring the goats back and keep the woodland restoration going for the benefit of current and future generations to come. Donate today!

*The Public is invited to stop by and see the goats in action this summer.

Photos Provided by: "Eddee Daniel"

Information provided from “Article by Jeff Rumage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/24/20"

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/mequon/2020/06/24/goats-were-taken-rotary-park-mequon-chew-away-weeds/3221730001/