Electronic Newsletter: September 2022 |
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1 - Spring Cleaning in August
2 - Operation Walk Florida meets Op Walk Los Angeles in Guatemala.
3 - Cast iron skillet Stuffed Chicken 'Devine' Recipe.... it is Devine.
4 - Did you Save the Date? Operation Walk Annual Gala October 22!
5 - The next generation of volunteers-- Meet Molly Anderson.
6 - Almost Operation #4 for artist Juan Manuel Diaz of Nicaragua. To find out his heartbreaking story, scroll down.
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Spring Cleaning in August!
Thank you to our 'Clean-Team'
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Our teams know how to heal patients & they know how to clean! On a steamy Saturday morning, our doctors, sales reps, nurses, physical therapists, and volunteers organized & cleaned our headquarters. Spic-n-span! This is the CLEAN TEAM! (not for hire). |
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- Mary Ellen Sieben, RN
- Jim Sieben
- Jeri Ward, RN
- Jennifer DeSanto
- Brian Marshall
- Matt Sandusky
- John Kumar, MD
- Shelly Kumar, Pharm D
- Ava Baldwin
- Kyle Baldwin, DPT
- Stacy Kelso
- Paulina Andujo, RN
- Jane Song-Gee, RN
- Joe Rangel
- Alan Gutierrez
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Music, Food, & Fashion Gala
OCTOBER 22, 2022
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Save the Date and dust off your boogie shoes!
Operation Walk’s Live Music, Food and International Fashion Gala, Reggae to Rock & Roll, is set for October 22, 2022 at Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena, California.
The festivities get started at 5:00pm PST and will last until 10:00pm.
Two bands, international food stations, and our own Op Walk nurse/DJ “Paupau” will make this a most festive evening for all to enjoy!
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Chicken 'Devine' is ... devine
from the kitchen of Kyle Baldwin, DPT
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"What's for dinner?" We've got the answer! Dinner is prepared & served in ONE cast iron skillet. Spinach, bacon, shallot, & feta stuffed Chicken Breasts.
Sure to be a hit, healthy and a 1 skillet clean up!
INGREDIENTS:
4 BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN BREASTS (pounded out thin and salt and pepper to taste).
2 SHALLOTS minced (more is good too)
8 SLICED OF BACON ( ok so not totally healthy but yummy- you can use turkey-bacon for a low-cal alternative)
3 CUPS OF uncooked SPINACH LEAVES
3/4 CUP OF FETA CHEESE- (add more if you're like me!)
1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL
SALT/PEPPER TO TASTE-- this is so flavorful you won't need much.
PREPARATION:
MUST use large iron skillet, I've tried other cookware, it's a no go!
- Butterfly and pound out your chicken salt & pepper leave aside. Thinner is the winner!
- Cook bacon in the iron skillet -slightly crispy, remove and crumble it.
COOKING:
- Pour 1/4 c. olive oil in skillet and sautee shallots, when soft add spinach until soft not super wilty. Remove.
- Add a bit more oil to skillet (better not to clean). Fry chicken until golden brown.
- Stuff chicken with the spinach/bacon/shallot mixture-add feta I like ALOT.
- Roll chicken and secure with large toothpicks, put back into skillet.
- Put skillet in the oven @ 350 degrees for about 15-20 min.
- Place chicken on top of gently cooked spinach or rice . Garnish with lemon or tomato slices.
Serves 4.-- Enjoy. The best part, a one pan clean up!
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Mother and Daughter
Volunteering-Duo
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Meet Molly Anderson, daughter of Team Leader and RN, Julie Anderson. Molly's an Operation Walk volunteer who just returned from her inaugural trip to Guatemala. Molly 's mother, Julie Anderson, has been an Operation Walk volunteer since 2011. Like mother like daughter, their service to humanity is exemplary!
While in Guatemala, Molly worked along side Cami Ward, social media coordinator, the floor nurses and physical therapy. Molly was considered an 'Angel-helper' and what an angel Molly is! Molly engaged patients, painted their nails, & gave them 'dolces' (candies). She even celebrated their birthdays (& her own!) Molly is a great bi-lingual asset to our team.
She became interested in Operation Walk when she would help unload/load pallets of cargo at the warehouse and hear the stories of medical missions. She loves the teamwork and how everyone pitches in and works together. Molly is an incredible inspiration to young people. She earned part of her flight money for Guatemala by selling her handmade earrings & bracelets
You can meet Molly at this year's gala. She will be selling her jewelry and donating the profits to Operation Walk!
Operation Walk is grateful for Molly's effort. We know the future of Operation Walk is in good hands.
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Operation Walk, Los Angeles
meets up with
Operation Walk, Florida
in Antigua, Guatemala!
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Operation Walk replaced 49 joints in 47 patients in Antigua, Guatemala.
A special thanks to the following donors:
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Donated surgical and
exam gloves
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If you would like to sign up as a volunteer for this year's Gala event, please contact
Volunteers are encouraged to purchase a ticket or obtain a sponsor.
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Juan Manuel's Story
by: Ava Baldwin, Administrative Coordinator
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Juan Manuel Diaz with Dr. Paul Gilbert holding Juan's drawing in Nicaragua 2019 |
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The many What's App messages of excitement, nervousness, anticipation about coming to Guatemala from Nicaragua were heartwarming. Juan Manuel and his wife Tina had never been on an airplane, actually they had never been out of their village except to travel to Managua, Nicaragua for his 3 prior Operation Walk surgeries. But that was a bus ride, not an airplane!
Living in a remote fishing village, Juan supports his family by teaching art to local students and selling his artwork to whoever will buy it.
When Operation Walk's generous donors agreed to help, Juan & Tina left behind their 3 small children, boarded the plane with $200 from a local charity, and headed to Guatemala to have his fourth and final joint replaced by Dr. Paul Gilbert. EVERYONE waited with great joy.
The night before screening day, the Operation Walk team saw him and his wife enjoying a meal in the hotel restaurant. They looked relaxed and happy. He had his lab-work done and was feeling really good. Although Juan suffers from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis & his artistic hands and joints are swollen and disfigured, his smile radiates like the sun.
But on Sunday, we all had a terrible shock, his Covid test results came back -- POSITIVE. 'Let's run it again" I say, somewhat incredulous. A different test maybe? Same result --POSITIVE. The tears spilled out of Tina's eyes. Juan tried to hold it together, but I could not.
Such a journey, so much coordinating and planning, & so close to being able to walk pain free, our hopes vanished. There were no words-- just hugs and tears.
As we were leaving, Juan Manuel wanted me to tell the whole team how sorry he was for having Covid; that he was so grateful for the 3 joints he's had replaced. He was forever grateful for Operation Walk founder, Dr. Larry Dorr. He wanted Dr. Gilbert, Jeri, the team, and the donors to know how grateful he is for all their help. He is optimistic that another team will go to Nicaragua soon and he can be on the list. We are grateful to Juan for showing us that a kind and grateful heart is the way we all want to be remembered.
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To stay up to date with us daily, please follow our social media pages below: |
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Operation Walk Los Angeles | (424) 558-8076 |Ava@operationwalk.org | Website
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