Kiwanis of Las Vegas joins global effort to prevent tetanus

Motorcyclist Bob Burlison, front, pauses before the Las Vegas welcome sign after rolling into town May 30 on a ride across America for a Kiwanis-UNICEF effort to stop tetanus deaths in global South countries. Behind him are four local Kiwanis Club members, from left, Howard Naylor, Len Yelinek, Chris Steadman and Ed Ravelli, as well as an Elvis impersonator, Eddie Powers, second from right, who happened to be there to greet tourists.

If you could save a life by donating $1.80, would you do it?

That’s how much it costs to vaccinate a woman in a global South country to prevent death to her and her newborns from maternal and neonatal tetanus. That’s the driving force behind the Eliminate Project, part of Kiwanis International’s Global Campaign for Children.

In Las Vegas, the 10 Kiwanis chapters are planning fundraising efforts for the cause. In May, Kiwanis of Las Vegas, with half of its 37 members from Summerlin and adjacent areas, hosted a chili cook-off that raised $1,900.

Kiwanis of Las Vegas President Howard Naylor said, “Those countries are not equipped, financially, to do this. A lot of them spend their money in other places. Sometimes there are corrupt administrations who don’t care that babies die. But we do.”

He said he had no idea how much the Southern Nevada chapters would raise. The effort is ongoing and is scheduled to last until 2015.

“We would hope we’d come up with maybe $100,000 or something like that,” Naylor said. “We’re not rich people; we’re just ordinary gals and guys.”

Kiwanis member Jon Bastian said areas in global South countries have a severe lack of medical facilities, and babies often drop into the dirt when they’re born. There is often no sterilized knife to cut the umbilical cord.

“They bite it,” he said. “It’s very primitive … these are very unsanitary conditions.”

The soil contains tetanus spores, and exposure to the bloodstream often results in infection. The vaccine requires three doses for a total cost of about $1.80 in U.S. dollars. Maternal and neonatal tetanus kills nearly 60,000 babies and a significant number of women each year.

On May 29, the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas hosted Bob Burlison from the Kiwanis Club of La Canada Flintridge, Calif. He spoke about his planned 12,000-mile motorcycle ride across America to bring awareness to the Eliminate Project. He set off on Memorial Day and expects to finish on Labor Day. Some people are pledging a set amount for every mile he completes.

“The purpose of this is to unify our Kiwanis mission,” he said. “Hopefully, it will generate an interest in serving. … I thought challenging myself to do something a little different, it would emphasize the service aspect of this project.”

He said he’d like to raise $100,000 and had already raised $10,000 before even getting on his bike and leaving California. The name of his tour is Kiwanis Unity Ride to Eliminate –– K.U.R.E.

Burlison got a BMW motorcycle dealership to donate a BMW 640GT urban mobility vehicle. He is raffling it off for a donation of $50 per entry. For more information, visit kure2013.com. The winner will be drawn at the conclusion of his ride and can opt for a $10,000 cash prize instead.

The Eliminate Project is being conducted in partnership with UNICEF. Since 1999, UNICEF and its partners have eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 31 countries. Kiwanis International’s pledge to raise $110 million will help fund elimination of the disease in the remaining 28 target countries, including Angola, Chad, Kenya, India, Sudan and Somalia.

Derrek Yelton, a Kiwanis member for 27 years, said he liked being part of a group that gives back to the community.

What did he think about babies dying of tetanus?

“I really didn’t know,” he said. “I didn’t think it was a problem until I read about it.”

Sue Christensen has been with Kiwanis for about 12 years. She said she finds enjoyment in service work such as cooking meals for those at the Ronald McDonald House or Street Teens. She’s part of an effort that makes padding on which members of the latter group sleep. She also volunteers at Dailey Elementary School, 2001 E. Reno Ave., and WestCare.

“There are so many kids who need help,” she said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Kiwanis of Las Vegas schedules its meetings for noon Wednesdays at Marie Callender’s, 8175 W. Sahara Ave. Visitors are welcome.

For more information, visit kiwanis
cluboflasvegas.org.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.