When Betty Picklesimer heard about the group from St. John Mennonite Church, Pandora, that was going to go to Haiti in February, she wondered what she could do to help support such an effort.

The group needed volunteers to go and work on construction crews, to help with the medical needs, and to teach about healthy living and how to avoid getting cholera and other infections.

Betty, who is now retired and living at the Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio in Bluffton, has been confined to a wheel chair and lost the use of her legs due to her cancer, so traveling with the group was not something she could do.

But Betty's thoughts were not about herself and her circumstances but about how exciting it would be to serve those less fortunate than she and who are living in such horrible conditions.

Betty came in contact with Pam Macke, an R.N. who will be going to Haiti for three weeks, and Pam shared her idea with Betty.

Macke is working with the medical hygiene training team that will conduct women's health clinics in Haiti. These clinics will be conducted in three parts: first the women will be educated in a health class, then the nurses will treat these women and after that they will receive their hygiene kits along with instructions.

Macke would love to see over 500 women receive personal hygiene kits. These kits include 10 reusable pads, one bar of ivory soap, a bottle of ibuprofen, and several pair of underwear.

"These women have no personal hygiene products; they are using anything they have, rags, and leaves, whatever they have. If we can help them to have clean, reusable products, it will make such a difference in their lives." Macke said.

Macke showed Betty a sample of one of the many pads that the women of St. John are sewing. Betty had an idea-what if she and her friends at the Mennonite Home could cut out the material for the pads, then the women at St. John could sew them together.

For weeks Betty and several other ladies at the Mennonite Home have been cutting fabric from large bolts in the conference room. They trace the outline of the pads on the fabric and then cut them down to size. So far they have cut 493.

"This is something I can do," says Betty, "knowing they have nothing and that this will make such a difference. I work on it for a few hours everyday and it doesn't really inconvenience me in any way. I can take them to my room or do it here with others. It is so important to get these done so that the team can meet their goals."

At Maple Crest Senior Village, also part of Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio, Kimberly Hansen a volunteer has been guiding seniors on another project for Haiti.

This one will benefit babies and their mothers. Hansen is working with resident volunteers to knit baby blankets. Several times a month she gets together with these residents, some who are getting a refresher course on knitting, to create squares and then put them together into blankets. These blankets will go to the orphanage, His home for Children, in Haiti, in the beginning of March.

Hansen is working with Betty Engle, Mary Huffer and other residents at Maple Crest, to knit or crochet 8 by 8 inch squares. These colorful squares are then put together in a 9-patch blanket.

"If people want to help, they can join us to knit together the squares or drop of their own 8 by 8 inch squares at Maple Crest," said Hansen.

The group meets on the first and third Friday of each month from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Maple Crest Senior Living Village, Bluffton. For more information contact Debbie Mohr, activities coordinator at Maple Crest, 419-358-7654.

Open the attachment at the bottom of this story to view a photo of Betty Picklesimer.