Many members of the Lordsburg Elks Lodge attended the presentation at Southside Elementary School. Pictured above are Sandra Kolean, Angela Armstrong (Southside Principal), Randy Piper, Maria Sanchez, Julie Montenegro, Glenda Greene, Samantha and Manny Turner, Tyler Massey, Teresa Meza, Brenda and Tommy Hood, Christine Ortiz and Elroy T. Elk. Not pictured was Edgar Gomez and Irene Galvan.
“A Christmas miracle.”
That’s what Teresa Meza is calling the gift she received last week from the Lordsburg Elks Lodge and the New Mexico Elks Association’s Cerebral Palsy Commission.
The gift she received was a 2004 Chrysler Town & Country handicap-accessible minivan.
While it’s not a brand new vehicle, it is by far an improvement for Meza—who has been using a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer to transport her 9-year-old handicapped grandson, Manuelito “Manny” Turner.
The presentation was made at Southside Elementary School last Thursday just before the students let out for Christmas break. An assembly was held in the cafeteria where Maria Sanchez, of the Lordsburg Elks, gave a presentation on charity and giving back.
“Kids in Lordsburg understand need, it is all around them. But charity happens when someone takes action to fill that need,” says Christine Ortiz, Lodge President. “It was great to see the kids’ hands shoot up when Maria asked how people can help others. They talked about giving food or toys to people in the community--not just parents or teachers. It is so important, in small communities like Lordsburg, that we instill this value in our young people early on.”
The assembly was moved outside where the van presentation was made. Meza was surprised and brought to tears by the presentation.
“With Christmas just a few days away, we want all of you to remember it’s not about the presents you receive, but more importantly about what you can give and do for others,” Lordsburg Elks’ Cerebral Palsy Chairman Brenda Hood told the students and teachers on hand. “The Lordsburg Elks Lodge and the New Mexico Elks Cerebral Palsy Commission are honored to present this van to Teresa Meza—who has gone above and beyond to enrich the lives of Manny and Samantha.”
Samantha and Manny Turner check out their new ride with Southside Elementary School teacher Siva Raven.
About Manny
Born a happy, healthy baby in 2004, Manny now suffers the crippling effects of Cerebral Palsy as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome when he was just 18 months old. His mother and her boyfriend were jailed for the assault, and little Manny was not expected to survive because of the severe brain damage he suffered. His heroic grandmother, Meza, stepped up and took Manny and his sister, Samantha, under her wing.
Manny was sent home on hospice, but Meza never gave up on him. He was blind in both eyes, needed a feeding tube and was unable to perform any voluntary movements. But after several months of hospice care and physical therapy, he began to show improvements. Today, he has regained some sight in his right eye and anyone who knows him knows he is full of energy and has an improved range of movement.
Meza has dedicated her life to her grandchildren, but she has never been able to afford a handicap-accessible vehicle to help her with Manny. Her 15-year old Chevrolet Blazer, while reliable, was becoming more and more difficult for her to transport her grandson in. She would physically have to pick Manny up out of his wheelchair, place him into a car seat, buckle him in, fold up the wheelchair and load it in the back of the vehicle. During this time Manny would become antsy and fidgeted with his restraints and the door itself.
“We approached Teresa about her needs for her grandson,” CP Chairman Hood said. “After visiting with her we determined that we could help her most by getting her a vehicle that better suited her needs.”
The new vehicle allows her to simply roll the wheelchair into the van, buckle it in and go. Meza says she can see her and her little family being able to do more together now that she has more room and transporting Manny is going to be so much easier.
Teresa Meza gives Glenda Greene a hug in appreciation for her efforts in obtaining the van.
About Cerebral Palsy
•Cerebral Palsy is a broad term used to describe conditions whereby brain trauma adversely affects a child’s motor abilities.
•In the United States, more than 500,000 Americans are estimated to suffer from Cerebral Palsy.
•There is currently No Cure for Cerebral Palsy, but treatments for Cerebral Palsy can be used to manage this condition and help a child reach his or her potential. These treatments and therapies include physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, surgery, braces and more.
•The average lifetime cost for a person with cerebral palsy totals nearly $1 million over and above the costs experienced by a person without the disability.
The New Mexico Elks’ Cerebral Palsy Program has been providing services for children with Cerebral Palsy for the last 55 years. The annual Cerebral Palsy Raffle program contributes more than $25,000 per year to the fund, making it one of the most successful Cerebral Palsy programs in the United States.
“Each year the Lordsburg Elks and lodges across the state push the $20,000 prize raffle tickets,” said CP Chairman Hood. “It is these ticket sales that make purchases like this van possible.” The Lordsburg Lodge is well-respected around the state for consistently raising more money per member for this fundraiser than any other lodge. This year, the Lordsburg Lodge raised $38 per member, with the next closest lodge, Tucumcari, raising $15 per member.
The NMEA’s CP Program helps purchase equipment and makes modifications to equipment and facilities for those affected by Cerebral Palsy.
In addition to the vehicle, Meza was also given a voucher for a year’s worth of liability insurance—thanks to generous donations from Farmer’s Insurance and members of the Lordsburg Elks Lodge.
“Our charitable committees (youth, veterans, etc) at the Lordsburg Lodge have been actively working outside of the lodge to identify and help with needs of the community this year,” says Ortiz. “This project filled a need that didn’t seem to exist but was there. And with the help of the NMEA, we were able to help this family.”
“Without the dedication of the local lodge’s Cerebral Palsy Committee this would not have been possible,” said Hood. “Special thanks to Glenda Greene, Loren and Amanda Frost and Maria Sanchez for their diligence and hard work on this ongoing project.”
Anyone suffering from Cerebral Palsy is eligible to apply for assistance from the NMEA Cerebral Palsy Commission. For more information, contact Brenda Hood at 575.590.0377 or brendajhood@gmail.com. For information on any of the Elks many charitable programs or about how to become a member, contact Exalted Ruler Christine Ortiz at 520.507.0455 or hidalgospirit@yahoo.com.
Lordsburg Exalted Ruler Christine Ortiz and Elroy T. Elk make a connection with Manny Turner.
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