Rainbow Families - An Inspiration
ESSI- The Quarterly Connection
June 2003, Page 23
By Kitty Powell - Radian
Two winters ago, Radian employees Bob and Pat Grisar decided to get out of the fierce Ohio cold and seek a little sunshine. Little did they know when they planned their winter vacation to the Dominican Republic that it would change their lives forever.
Although the Grisars stayed in a beautiful, up-scale hotel with all the amenities, they were shocked by the poverty and austere living conditions of the people just outside the resort area. When they returned home, Pat was especially troubled. Constant visions of the poor people she saw suffering would not give her peace. Bob asked, "What do you want to do?" A light shone from her eyes as she said, "I want to hold a clothing drive." Her goal was to collect 1,000 pounds of clothing for the poor families in the mountain villages near Puerto Plata.
It took innumerable hours of research, soliciting, cajoling, and just plain hard work, but she did it. Thanks to an article in the Ohio News-Herald and broadcasts on Cleveland, Ohio news channels, over 3,000 pounds of donated items were received. On Christmas Eve 2000, Pat flew to the Dominican Republic, and on Christmas Day, personally started delivering donated clothing, shoes, toys, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, blankets, and linens to the families of many villages. No portion of the donations was garnished or seized by any person, organization, or the government for self-gain.
Due to the generosity of donors, Pat's originally planned weeklong trip was extended to a month. That should have been a clue as to what was to come. Pat decided it was time to really commit. When she returned from her first campaign, Pat proceeded to establish the Rainbow Families Foundation, a recognized 501(c)3 not-for-profit humanitarian foundation.
Pat, who does not speak Spanish, spent June and July of 2001 in the Dominican Republic receiving and distributing additional donations from her home in Cleveland. During this "visit" Pat and Bob's new grandson arrived. She tried to explain to the people that she needed to go home to see her grandchild, but they were so distressed at the thought of her leaving she delayed her homecoming. After a much-delayed meeting with the Governor of Puerto Plata and fighting a serious infection, Pat finally returned home.
Her next mission was scheduled for January 2002. Since that time, Pat has remained in the Dominican
Republic, wading through the bureaucracy to receive shipped containers of donations, helping people get appropriate health care in medical emergencies, visiting government officials asking for much-needed school supplies, fighting poor Internet service for that oh-so-important touch with home, facing the rainy season in poor living conditions, and coping with the challenges of maintaining basic personal hygiene in an impoverished nation.
Pat's service to the people of a suffering country continues. Please visit her home page at www.rainbow-families.org to read her monthly newsletters and learn about the plight of these gentle people. Read the list of needs to see if you can contribute - all donations will be gratefully accepted.
Radian is certainly proud of Pat for her humane works, and we applaud the loving support of her husband, Bob.
By the way, congratulations go to Bob and Pat, who last month celebrated the arrival of a second grandchild - a girl!