910th, Notre Dame, local Rotary partner to aid Dominican needy Published Dec. 18, 2008 By Capt. Brent Davis 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- The Dominican Republic is arguably one of the best vacation spots in the Caribbean. Beautiful resorts line the southern coast of the island providing a nice escape from reality. However, a short distance from the lush resorts, a hard reality is very evident. Although the country's economy is one of the fastest-growing in the Caribbean, 30 percent of its citizens live below the poverty line. The Dominican Republic shares a long border with Haiti, one of the poorest, least developed and least stable countries in the Americas. Large numbers of poor, illegal Haitian immigrants add to the Dominican poverty burden. Countless islanders are in need of help. Dr. Paul A. Wright, a medical doctor, former cardiologist and Notre Dame alumnus and medical ethics lecturer who resides in Brookfield, Ohio, approached Col. Karl McGregor, commander of the 910th Airlift Wing last July in desperate need of free airlift to transport approximately 45,000 pounds of new and used clothes to the Dominican's neediest people. Dr. Wright would never have been involved with this project if it were not for divine intervention several years ago. "Initially I met (the late) Mother Teresa in Tijuana, Mexico and there she clearly explained to me the purpose of life - to serve humanity and God within humanity and that we are committed to serve Jesus Christ in the poorest of the poor," said Dr. Wright. "In my life I've noticed that highly academic knowledge multiple degrees does not necessarily correlate with the amount of wisdom an individual possesses," he added. The project began in April 2008 with Notre Dame students and alumni converging to collect clothes for the students to box, label and eventually ship to the Dominican Republic. According to Dr. Wright, a widespread group comprised of various consignment stores, the Retired Teachers Association of Trumbull County, local area schools, the Girard Athletic Department, the Girard Robotics team, senior citizen groups, local church groups, K-Mart and Schneider trucks participated in the worthwhile endeavor. Col. McGregor felt confident that the 910th could be tasked to airlift the cargo as long as Dr. Wright followed the Denton program process. The Denton program permits the Department of Defense to provide transportation of privately donated humanitarian cargo to foreign countries using military transportation on a space-available basis. The program is authorized under the Jeremiah Denton amendment to the 10th United States Code (section 402). There is no cost to the donating agency or organization for U.S. government transportation related costs. "Initially I thought it would be much more complex. It took a considerable amount of phone calls and e-mails to Washington, but they walked me through the process. They made it as simple as possible for this humanitarian mission to be workable," said Dr. Wright. By September, Dr. Wright and Col. McGregor began anticipating that the mission would be a go. They chose December 5 as a realistic date to plan for. In late November, the 910th's 76th Aerial Port Squadron received hundreds of boxes filled with clothes to fit infants to adults. Meanwhile, Dr. Wright contacted the Rotary International in the Dominican to let them come up with a distribution plan for the island. "The clothing will help the children of families of the lowest income class--thousands of children," said Arturo Perez, executive director of the Rehabilitation Medical Center in Santo Domingo. Clothing was also delivered to a Catholic convent in a community called 27 February. The neighborhood is named after the Dominican Republic's independence day. The community is considered one of the most dangerous places to live due to the desperation of its residents. "The Dominican Rotary is comprised of 64 groups throughout the country. Each of the 64 responded to the offer to receive clothing. The plan would be for each Rotary group to distribute to area churches, schools, and the late Mother Teresa's homes for the poorest of the poor," said Dr. Wright. Two C-130 airplanes, one from the 910th and one from the 911th Airlift Wing, were tasked by Air Force Reserve Command to airlift the donated clothes to the island. "It's an honor and a privilege to be a part of such an outpouring of generosity. Experiences like this speak volumes of the C-130 and our mission; we truly are capable of operating in all theaters, bringing joy and happiness to those in need just as easily as we bring beans and bullets to the men and women at the front," said Major Casey Keibler, mission commander. The cargo arrived in Santo Domingo and Santiago December 6, and 9, respectively. The Dominican Rotary governor was on hand at the Santo Domingo air base to welcome the 910th aircrew. "I am very happy that the Air Force Reserve and Notre Dame University are helping our people. This is the first time we've worked together. The clothing will be given out to many poor people in the Dominican," said Rotary district governor Milqueya Portes. Some of the clothing was already being distributed the following day throughout the Dominican Republic. "They're doing what Jesus says: what you are doing for somebody you are doing for Jesus himself. This effort is very welcome because there are so many kids here that don't have any clothes," said Sister Andrea Martinez, a nun serving at the late Mother Teresa's 27 February community home for the poor. According to Dr. Wright, some of the donated clothes will be distributed to Haitian refugees, allowing those that choose to go back to Haiti to be clothed. "Our basic philosophy behind the project is to give clothing because it's so accessible. We have found that this is a program to improve a person's physical appearance so they can go out to church, to school, to try to find work, to essentially break the poverty cycle," he said. "I'm especially grateful to the Dominican Republic military, specifically, considerable support by Dominican Army Lt. Col. Ruben Goico who is a Rotarian. Also, the American Embassy was beneficial as well as the Salvation Army." The outreach program simply could not have been accomplished without the Air Force Reserve's airlift capability. "What impressed me the most about the Air Force (Reserve) was the tremendous compassion they have for humanitarian missions. They made an intense effort to make this happen. It was their priority despite the continuing war efforts," Dr. Wright concluded. The 910th Airlift Wing is currently planning on sending approximately 30 medical personnel assigned to the 910th Medical Squadron to the Dominican Republic in April 2009 to provide immunizations, dental and eye exams to thousands of needy islanders.