A Work of Love

Shriners Help the Helpless

The charitable, philanthropic work of the Shriners at their La Feria Shriner’s Club is well known and recognized for its program of helping disabled, handicapped children from both sides of the Rio Grande. To get a better understanding of what they do, LA FERIA NEWS met with Maria Rodriguez. She tells people she is the club’s Office Manager. However, that title doesn’t do justice for what she does.

Maria also is the official translator for the visiting doctors of the Shriners Hospital from Houston during their Evaluation Clinics. They conduct eight clinics locally each year. Four are designated as major, and four as minor clinics. The difference is that during major clinics, they evaluate for treatment in Houston and needed prostheses. During the minor ones, they come back for their new limbs.

“It’s then that my eyes sometimes fill with tears of joy as I watch them try on their new legs,” she said.

In her work, she joins forces with Dr. Douglas Barnes, the Chief Medical Director of the Shriner’s Hospital in Houston. “I’ve had to learn medical Spanish to interpret the findings and the diagnoses of the volunteer doctors,” she said.

“Sometimes, I have to tell the hopeful parents and their child in Spanish that there is nothing the doctors can do in their case. That’s hard,” she continued. “It is at those times when my job makes me the bearer of sad news–I feel it along with the parents.“

The Shriners help as many youngster as they can she said. They also pick up all the expenses. Usually there are around 200 youngsters of all ages seeking help during the clinics, “Most of them can be helped,” she assured.

“The parents are so happy and appreciative. They express it in many ways: Some send before-and-after pictures to the doctors, some write touching letters and cards. “They love to send pictures of their children running, jumping and playing with their brothers and sisters in Mexico,” she said.

“The doctors really appreciate it.”

Rodriguez has been associated with the Shriners since she began as a volunteer worker and interpreter in 2005. In 2007, the Shriners needed a qualified bilingual office manager in La Feria.

“They had my name; so, one day, they called me to see if I could accept the job,” she said, adding, “Would I? I jumped at the opportunity because I love to work with handicapped, special-need children.” That’s how this dedicated, young lady signed on with the Rio Grande Valley Shriners Club as their “ Lady for all occasions.“

She is currently enrolled as a student at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen. Her plans will be fully realized when she graduates with a Bachelor in Education degree. She will then be a certified Special Education teacher working with schools in the Valley. It is a field where there is great need, and it will be the fulfillment of a life-long dream.