Vitamins to Cambodia

Date: 5/26/2010

GREATER SPRINGFIELD -- Dr. MaryAnne Herron, Ph.D., director of special projects at the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation is seeking donations of children's chewable vitamins for her return trip June 5 to Phum Thom which is in the Kendal Province in Cambodia.

The vitamins will be distributed through the clinic with the services of a home health aid.

Dr. Herron has been to Cambodia many times and oversees five primary schools, 63 orphans and a medical clinic in the Phum Thom Commune.

The clinic boasts eight rooms, most of which are the size of a small closet. Half of the rooms serve as a "birthing center" for the women of the village. Last year the clinic served over 100,000 people.

Herron also works closely with the Girl Guides of Cambodia (similar to Girl Scouts) as girls and women are treated as second class citizens and receive little education. Many are sold into human trafficking.

If anyone is interested in donating children's chewable vitamins they can contact Herron at 439-1953 or e-mail maryanne_herron@aspensquare.com.