Shriners Help Less Fortunate During Holiday Clinic

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Christmas came just in time for several hundred youngsters and their parents as they were treated to one of the acts of benevolence people can provide.

The Rio Grande Valley Shriners Club, headquarters here in Lan Feria, held their last of four clinics of the year to help children and under aged youngsters in need of orthopedic and other services.

Called Holiday Clinic because of the time of year, dozens of volunteers and workers with the organization’s hospital in Houston and from the Valley spent two busy days providing an array of services to the sons and daughters of parents who perhaps would not be able to afford it.

Many of the youngsters suffer from various conditions from birth and have problems walking.

About 215 children, most of whom came from Mexico, received the free-of-charge services during the two-day clinic, held Dec. 12 and 13.

Some of them came from as far as Monterrey, an industrial city in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, while other were from Matamoros, Ciudad Victoria, Reynosa and other cities from the state of Tamaulipas.

The clinics are held four times a year in March, June, September and the last one this month.

Each child is evaluated, measured, weighed and checked out by a doctor and other staff members so they can determine what their needs are.

Others come to find out if they need new equipment such as walkers, braces, wheel chairs and so on.

The clinic goes on until the last youngster gets the needed services and many of them return at another time of year to be checked for their progress.

Some parents said they couldn’t be happier to be here.

“We came last night from Monterrey,” Cesar Muñoz said on the first day of the clinic as he and his family waited to be called. “Our daughter has no strength in one of her legs and has problems walking.”

He commended the Shriners Club for providing such services, particularly for those who need them the most.

Isabel Santiago Garza of Matamoros and Carla Melendez of Ciudad Victoria both echoed similar remarks.