Racine’s generosity shines in Belize: Fire truck donation will save lives
Larry Vail, 20-year Racine Founder's Rotary Club member is pictured with the City of Racine fire truck that will soon be headed to Belize. Vail was instrumental in helping to make this incredible donation happen. / Photo by Julie Rossman for Racine County Eye
RACINE, WI — A retired City of Racine fire truck is on the verge of making a huge difference for the people of Punta Gorda, Belize. The truck, along with pallets of supplies and gear, is set to ship to Belize soon. All thanks to a joint effort between the Racine Founder's Rotary Club, the Racine Fire Department, the City of Racine, and the Mayor’s office.
The Racine Founder's Rotary Club might best be known for their sponsorship of the popular “Post Prom” event held annually for area high school prom-goers, or for sponsoring a variety of scholarships and other charitable projects in the Racine area. Rotary International, which might be a lesser known aspect of the club, oversees humanitarian efforts in other countries.
“They (Rotary) just do some great things for our community, great things for people in general,” said Larry Vail, a 20 year member of Racine Founder's Rotary Club, and President of Jim’s Garage Door Service. “And I love the aspect of the international part of it; that’s been really intriguing to me.” The club is in its fourth year of a ten-year commitment to the city of Punta Gorda and surrounding villages, providing assistance to the local medical community, the library, the schools, and the fire department.
How it all began
The relationship between the cities came about when Racine Founder's Rotary Club member Steen Sanderhoff mentioned he knew a Racine doctor who was retiring from his job to work in Belize. Through the doctor, Racine Rotary got connected to a Rotary group in Belize. Belize is an English-speaking country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. Punta Gorda is a city in the southernmost district of Belize.
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