Pictures taken at a joint GOL Dinner meeting of the Sauquoit, Oriskany-Whitestown and Greater Utica Sunrise Rotary Clubs held at Orchard Hall, Sauquoit on November 10, 1999 in honor of  Ivan Petryk, GOL child from the Ukraine. Ivan arrived here on October the 24th along with his mother Maria Petryk. He has had the surgery to repair his heart problems. The operation transformed him into a robust young man who is full of life.

(L to R) Father Joseph Kopchik, Maria Petryk - Ivan's Mother,
Deborah Bauder - Sauquoit RC President, Father Michael Bundz,
Ed Rowan - Gift of Life Committee and Ivan Petryk in the front row.
 

Ivan looking good!

 
Ivan ready to travel!

Marie Petryk, Ivan’s mom, gave about a 5 minute talk in Ukrainian, interpreted by Father Joseph Kopchik. She noted that Ivan was born with the hole in his heart, and excess tissue in the arteries. No Ukrainian doctors, or hospitals, could do the required surgery. Marie spent numerous sleepless nights praying that somehow, somewhere, Ivan’s heart problem could be repaired. She offered "thanks from the bottom of my heart to Rotary District 7150 and to God, for giving my son’s life back to us. I understand the inconveniences and hard work that so many people had to make this miracle happen. Special thanks to Mike and to Donna Occhipinti, who reflect all of the goodness of all of you here tonight. Thanks to the Doctors, Nurses, and technicians at the hospital. And more thanks for having a translator at our side every step of the way; that was very important, as we were scared about how we would talk with people. We will pray every day with thanks for Rotary and District 7150 for giving a mother her son’s life and future. We will tell about this life giving program to the towns, villages, and cities and other people in the Ukraine."

Father Kopchik closed by giving a brief re-cap of thanks and congratulations to District 7150 for the Gift of Life program, and for having Father Bundz and him serve as interpreters and host families for Ivan and Marie.

(L to R) Gustavo Restrepo, Manuel and Rosa Moncada

Manuel Moncada is the child who received the "Cornea Transplant" by Dr. Norton in our "Gift of Vision" program. He is the 5th of 11 children. He is 10 years old, and recuperating wonderfully, according to recent the reports and his mother. The Moncada family lives in the town of Cuauhtemoc, a farming and cattle town which is located 52 miles west of the city of Chichuahua, Mexico.

President Gustavo visited Manuel, and his mother, Rosa on Sunday, March 23, 2003 at the Ronald MacDonald house in Syracuse. He took them to the Carousel Mall where they spent some time walking and talking, mostly with Rosa. Manuel spoke not more than 3 or 4 words during the time with me. He mostly talked in a very low voice with his mother. They had lunch at the Pizzeria Uno.

The Ronald MacDonald House where many of the children are housed during thier recovery.