On Friday, April 25^th, 2008: Friends Across the Border departed for a vision-screening clinic in K-57, Mexico.  We departed our staging area in Hemet at 6:30am, Yucaipa at 7:00am, Beaumont at 7:30am and Menifee at 8:00am.  At 11:00am we arrived at Barrett’s Junction for an early lunch.  As scheduled we arrived and crossed the border at noon thanks to the efforts of Clemente Maldonado of the Tecate Lions Club.  After obtaining supplies we departed for K-57 at 2:00pm and arrived at our destination around 5:00pm. 

After setting up our sleeping gear and equipment/eyeglasses we sat down to a nice meal and conversation with the Sonora Baja California Lions Club and their families.  After a brief FAB meeting and we all headed to get some sleep by 9:00pm.

On Saturday the 26^th, the clinic began at 6:00am and the last patient was leaving with their recycled eyeglasses at 2:30pm.

After the clinic some house cleaning was done on the eyeglass inventory and some special Clemente drinks started being consumed.  Needless to say, a little fiesta had started.  Some dancing to music provided by a DJ, sing along with the locals playing their string guitars and all enjoyed a nice meal.  Rob and Lucy Manning who were along on their first trip to K-57, got to celebrate their 23^rd Wedding Anniversary with a surprise cake and dance to a nice Mexican love song.  Most of the group was heading for sleep by 11:00pm to be rested for the next day’s clinic.

On Saturday, the 27^th, the clinic began at 6:00am and the last patient was leaving with their recycled eyeglasses at 11:00am.

Listed below is a synopsis of the second day of clinic:

• 259 patients were seen for the day.
• Of the 259, 35 needed no prescription, 8 need their prescription made at the Optical lab and the balance received recycled eyeglasses
• 6 people need cataract surgery on at least one eye.
• 3 people need excision of their pterygium
• 1 person needs surgical treatment for strabismus
• 2 people need peripheral iridotomies for narrow anterior chamber angles
• 1 person needs laser treatment for diabetic maculopathy
• 1 person needs treatment for glaucoma
• 1 person needs a work up for bilateral optic atrophy

The equipment and eyeglasses were repacked for our trip back home.  After a nice meal and our salutations we departed for the USA at 1:00pm.  At about 3:30 pm, the FAB mini-bus ran into transmission problems right at the Federal checkpoint outside of Mexicali.  Our friend Clemente offered to stay with the bus and make arrangements to get it towed into Tecate and check out the problem.  The buses future use is pending at this point.  The balance of the group piled into the two other butt mobiles for the rest of our trip home.

On both days of the clinic, the FAB group was also donating a grocery bag of miscellaneous items such as; clothing, juice, cereal, soup and oatmeal to needy families.  Known as Linda’s Mercado, it was a great success and was made possible by the efforts of Linda Peroutka, a FAB member.  Additionally, thanks to the donation of Mike and Janet Curran, kids attending the clinic received some hard candy and school supplies of paper, pens and pencils.  The kids were beaming with smiles, because they were also receiving stuffed animals thanks to the efforts of FAB members.

 We arrived at the border at 4:30pm and all were across by 5:00pm. Rancho San Diego was 30 minutes away and by 5:45pm we were headed to the Menifee staging area.  We departed Menifee at 8:00pm and dropped one of our group in Hemet at 8:30pm.  By 8:45pm we had arrived at the Beaumont staging area.  Our last staging area in Yucaipa was met at 9: 15 pm.

It was a nice trip for all involved in the process.

Listed below is a synopsis of those that participated in the clinic from Mexico:

Sonora Baja California Lions Club:  Vicente Rodriguez, Jorge Felix, Joaguina Cazarez, Gilberto Ibarra, Amparo Ruiz, Linda Palacio, Lilia Pelayo, Xavier Magana Lopez, Javier Magana Ceja, Benito Vega, Rosy Diaz, Juan Carlos Segura, Aurora Aceves, Armando Cabala, Ernesto Parra, Miguel Antona, Luz Godinez, Amparo Garcia and Noe Rodriquez. 

Tecate Lions Club:  Clemente Maldonado

Listed below is a synopsis of those that participated in the clinic from the USA:

Sunset Lions Club:  Linda Peroutka

Yucaipa Valley Lions Club:  Carl Decker, June Decker and Nita Allgower.

Crestline Lions Club:  Ricardo Terrones and Dan Ogaz

Rialto Lions Club:  Joe Delgado

Hemet Lions Club: Kim Malone

Ramona Valley Lions Club:  Rosalie Cardena Vaca

Costa Mesa Lions Club:  Dr. Wes Kohtz and Mary Kay Kohtz

Calimesa Breakfast Lions Club:  Ron Meader, Don Ranney, Pat Ranney, Lucy Manning, Rob Manning, Pati Van Dusen and Brian Van Dusen