HAINES CITY, FL (May 10, 2019) – The Archbishop Fulton J Sheen Fourth Degree Assembly 3200 donated 14 wheelchairs to the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. The assembly is affiliated with Knights of Columbus Council 10484 in Haines City
On the morning of April 19, eight members of the assembly met at the K of C hall in Haines City where they loaded a trailer with 12 of the wheelchairs and placed two more in the back of a pick up truck owned by Florida Knights of Columbus District 32 Deputy Terry Gallardo before making the near 70-mile trip to Tampa.
Upon their arrival at the VA hospital, the knights were greeted by Janeth Lopez of the VA hospital staff who escorted them to the Prosthetics Lab on the second floor where they dropped off the 14 wheelchairs. “As we waited for the elevator to take us to the second floor, we were all so happy to be able to complete our mission and give these wheelchairs to the VA,” said the assembly’s Faithful Navigator Sabas Diaz-Mendez.
The delivery of the wheelchairs completed a project that began in January of 2018 when the assembly sponsored a dinner/dance to raise funds to purchase them. Diaz-Mendez organized the fundraiser and was part of the delegation of knights who delivered the wheelchairs to the VA hospital.
The seven other knights who participated in the wheelchair delivery were District 32 Deputy Terry Gallardo, Robert Higgins, Bob Matthews, James Landon, Tommy Hines, Lerry Gallardo and Joe Lopez.