The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Zonta Club and Rotary of Woden Sunrise combined efforts recently to assemble 2,000 birthing kits for mothers in developing nations.
The event was held at the Latter-day Saints’ Lyneham meetinghouse where its youth had previously filled the hall with tables and chairs.
Some groups met in the morning to ready the kits by cutting three cord ties and gauze squares into a specified size. Others counted out the scalpels, wipes, biodegradable black plastic, gloves, and soap in preparation for the hundred volunteers that would be there by the afternoon to assemble the kits into small sealable plastic bags.
The two-dollar kits were purchased by Zonta, with a generous cash donation from the Rotary Club, and the Church donated the use of the building, wipes and assembly containers.
After each volunteer entered the building and signed his or her name, hand sanitation was required. Surgical gloves were a must while assembling the kits.
Tables were also set up for making cushions for patients having breast cancer surgery.
Refreshments were provided for the workers afterwards to meet and mingle.
Penny Lucas, Zonta president, was thrilled with the turnout. “It is wonderful to see people from the Church and the community working together on such a worthwhile project,” she said.
“To date Zonta and the Church have made over 6,000 kits that have been sent to Ethiopia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.”
