Streamwood Marine Medic hosts Haitian fundraiser
Streamwood's Rob Spejcher had a harsh, but useful preparation for his recent mission to help Haitian earthquake victims.
He served two stints at war in the Middle East as a Marine medic.
Last month, along with six of his Marine medic pals, he flew to Haiti, spending a week tending to infected wounds so severe that doctors would likely have had to amputate if not for medical resources provided by relief volunteers.
Inspired by goodwill he experienced from the Haitian people, Spejcher has organized a fundraiser for the victims beginning at 5 p.m. today at the Bartlett Firebarn. They're raising money to buy tents to keep families dry during rain season.
"I'd like to bring light to the people," Spejcher said. "I was just so touched by the simple things in life that they appreciated."
The two-room tents that can accommodate 12 patients will help keep wounds dry to preserve the work the medics accomplished.
"It's also going to prevent mosquitoes and flies landing on the wounds spreading secondary infections," Spejcher said. "These people have nowhere to live right now. And rain season is here already. This is what motivates me ... We did a lot of good, we saved a lot of limbs."
Spejcher expects to send more than 1,000 tents by truck to Miami, from where they'll be shipped onboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship to Haiti. He hopes the tents will reach Haiti by early April, when he plans to return the country and help distribute them.
Spejcher marveled at the earthquake victims' positive attitudes and said he wants to share that with other Americans.
"I've never seen a country so religious," he said.
Spejcher was surprised to see how disorganized some of the groups down in Haiti were when it came to distributing supplies. He said his military training shined through when it came to communicating with the victims. Some aid groups were too harsh and lacked an effective touch, he said.
A 27-year-old graduate of Streamwood High School, now attending Harper College in Palatine, Spejcher said he was motivated by one of his medic buddies, Guy Gachelin, a Haiti native and U.S. citizen. After the earthquake, Gachelin could not contact his family and was desperate to find them. The medics arrived in Haiti, as part of the Pan American Relief, and Gachelin eventually found his family in good health.
Spejcher said his father is friends with 15th District Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, who is helping by enlisting the aid of the Hanover Township Foundation, giving folks a place to donate money for the cause. He's also contacted Motorola Corp. which is pledging $1,000 to the cause.
"His energy and enthusiasm (are) contagious to me," Schneider said.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p>
<p class="News">Homes For Haiti is working to raise money for tents and tarps for earthquake survivors.</p>
<p class="News"><b>When:</b> 5 p.m. to midnight today</p>
<p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Bartlett Firebarn, 218 Main St., Bartlett</p>
<p class="News"><b>Call:</b> Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider's office for more info at (312) 603-6388 or e-mail Robert Spejcher at <a href="mailto:spejcher21@hotmail.com">spejcher21@hotmail.com</a>.</p>
<p class="breakhead">Other ways to help:</p>
<p class="News">• Tents can be purchased at a discount at <a href="http://farmandfleet.com" target="new">farmandfleet.com</a>. Go to "gift registries" under the "gift cards and registries" menu, choose Illinois for location, click "other" for the type of event, enter "Robert Spejcher" and click on his name listed below.</p>
<p class="News">• Write checks to the Hanover Township Foundation Fund, writing "Homes for Haiti" on the memo line. The deadline is April 1. Checks can be dropped off at the township office, 250 S. Rt. 59 in Bartlett.</p>