Volunteer Spotlight: Geoff Willard

Team Renew


My name is Geoff and I am currently a Physical Therapist on the Spinal Cord Injury Unit of Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. I'm originally from New Orleans, LA, but moved to Florida in 2008 for PT school. I've been practicing for just over a year and have been looking for more opportunities to assist those in need through my career.
During an internship near Baton Rouge, LA, I met a PT who had just returned from Haiti. He told me stories about some of the natives who had been through the earthquake, and the physical, psychological, and emotional trauma they had been left with. He described his experience as "life-changing" and planned to return again.
I respected his efforts on multiple levels. As a New Orleans Native living in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I truly appreciated any and all assistance that was provided from outsiders. The aid that they provided considerably improved the conditions of the city and sped up the recovery period. Similarly, the amount of devastation in Haiti following the earthquake was vast. However, the Haitian population simply does not have the resources that the U.S. does, and their recovery process is a much slower one.
Therefore, they need all the outside help that they can get, especially by health professionals. I see this as my opportunity to use my skills as a therapist to improve the well-being of Haitian citizens and facilitate their ability to improve their own quality of life.
Any donations to cover travel expenses and supplies would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much for your support throughout all this.

-Geoff

If you would like to help Geoff raise the funds to cover his travel expenses, please visit http://www.medicalteams.org/netcommunity/GeoffWillard and click on the link "Click here to support my team travel". Thanks again for supporting each and every member of Project Haiti in this endeavor!

"Hope for Haiti" Benefit

Please come out and support the Project Haiti volunteers for their last big fundraising event before the end of the Brooks match. Approximately $1,000 must still be raised in order to reach our goal for Brooks to match us for $5,000. This would bring our total amount of funds raised within Brooks to $10,000! Find out more about the trip, the volunteers involved, and more information on how you can be involved in a future trip. 

Project Haiti Fun Friday!

Our Project Haiti Fun Friday was a success!  For those of you reading this blog who are not familiar with "Fun Friday", let me explain.  Every two weeks on payday Friday, we have a "Fun Friday" theme.  If you participate with the theme, then you are allowed to wear jeans to work. It was so awesome to see all of our friends and co-workers wearing their "Rehab. Restore. Revive." t-shirts in support of our mission trip.  

Laura Fetters sporting her t-shirt.

Robert Donor & Scott Pejsa.... tough guys on 3R. 

Robert Donor, Felisha Scarver, and Me (Hannah Foster) 

Paulette & Chaumame.... get it girl!

Best. Coworkers. Ever.

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night

Come Support Project Haiti at Chick-fil-A!!

Thursday, March 8th from 5:00pm - 8:00 pm

Tinseltown location

4461 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville, FL

Come eat some delicious food and help support your Project Haiti volunteers in the process! Up to 20% of the proceeds made will be donated to help the volunteers with their travel expenses and medical supply costs. Upon checkout, tell your cashier you are there for the Project Haiti Fundraiser. Invite everyone you know in the Jacksonville area. See you there!!

Volunteer Spotlight: Megan Schneider

Team Renew

"I have been an occupational therapist for a year and a half and am currently employed on the Brain Injury Unit at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. I became interested in the field when I was ten years old when I broke my wrist in a sleigh riding accident. After exposure to the medical field and experiencing the care I received, I have been focused on helping others in the same fashion. Going to Haiti and having the opportunity to help those in need with the same level of compassion and expertise I have towards Americans is a rare occurrence. I look forward to being able to make a difference in the Haitian communities and educate medical personnel on up-to-date evidence based practice."

Megan will be traveling with Team Renew, June 1-10. If you would like to support Megan in helping her raise the funds to cover her travel expenses and necessary medical supplies, please follow this link to donate to her account: http://www.medicalteams.org/netcommunity/MeganSchneider

Thank you all for your support and dedication to making this trip a reality for each volunteer!!

Shots! Shots! Shots!

Callie and Hannah are ready!

Since the trip to Haiti is fast approaching, it was time for us all to receive our necessary immunizations. We all had to receive the Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, and Tetanus immunizations before we travel to protect us from illness. Here are some pictures from the travel clinic....

Group shot

Some needed moral support...

Sarah's taking this well...

Nicole's turn!

Allie taking it like a champ!

Ali likes shots...

Besties and Teammates!

Geoff being dramatic

Megan's arm post shots :)

We would like to thank Ellen Tarulli, the travel medicine nurse specialist at Travel Clinic Jacksonville for staying late to accommodate our group and administer our immunizations. We really appreciate it!!

Nicole's Story, Team Restore

Everyday I wake up and get to do the things that I love the most.  I get to go to work at a state-of-the-art facility where families are trying to make the most of very difficult events in their lives.  I get to play with kids to try and help them improve functional use of one side of their body or help improve their core strength and stability after surgery to remove brain tumors.  I get to listen to pearls of wisdom from older adults while working on activities to improve balance after a fall in their home.  I've come across so many amazing children, adults and families in my 2 years as an occupational therapist at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital.  But, in all of my 26 years, I've never been outside of the United States.

There are so many things that I am looking forward to on this trip, from learning about the Haitian culture to the core principles of my profession.  I am so excited to get to know some of the Haitian people and learn about their lifestyles.  Hopefully, the limited resources we are able to provide will facilitate these individuals in being more independent and successful in activities of daily living.  I still have a lot of learning to do before my team sets off on this adventure in just 64 days!!  Thank you so much for supporting our cause in providing medical services to countries in need.