Annual Highway to Mexico project rolls out of Grande Prairie

Swan City Rotary Club member and co-leader of the Highway to Mexico project Mark Marcotte says; “You want to talk about a green project, take something we think is junk and they’re still using it 20-years later.”

“Besides the emergency vehicles, the fire trucks, school buses and ambulances, we also take donations of fire gear, and medical supplies. I think this year we have an x-ray machine going down, about 300,000 pairs of latex gloves that doctors use, school uniforms for basketball, and volleyball, we’ve (also) got basketballs and wheelchairs.”

Marcotte says we’re “not donating huge dollars down there, but we are making a huge impact, as things we think are junk, are absolute gold down there.”

“Back in 2014, I was part of donating a fire truck to what they called a small town. The town had a volunteer fire brigade, no firetruck, no ambulances. This town, when we got there, we realized it had 70,000 people, that’s Grande Prairie.”

He added that the impact this trip makes is almost instant, as the fire truck they delivered last year was used for a call the same day.

Photo Courtesy Rotary Clubs

Other than emergency services, local youth will also be benefitting from this year’s donations as the Mazitlan Zoo and Aquarium will be using these six buses for school field trips, which is a very rare experience for a lot of kids in the area.

“Mazatlan is a coastal city. A lot of us have been to Mexico. We understand when we get there we see all these big fancy resorts and hotels and fun things that look first world, but statically, 99 per cent of children that are 100 kilometres from the shore will never see the shore.”

Through this program, Marcotte says the local youth will now have a chance to see fish and other animals alive and in person.

Anyone interested in following along with the Highway to Mexico’s eight-day journey can do so by visiting their social media.

Photo Courtesy Rotary Clubs

Marcotte also took the time to thank his fellow Rotarians taking part in this year’s journey, saying “I really appreciate all the drivers.”

“We all have our lives’ families, children, our jobs with limited holidays and these drivers are sacrificing two weeks of their time to do this.”

He added if there is anyone who wants to help out with this Highway to Mexico project, or any of their other local initiatives, the best way to get involved is to reach out to their local Rotary Club.

by Tanner Smith