Operation Walk Angels started in 2017, when the late Gayle Garner Rossi went on an Operation Walk mission with Dr. Lawrence Dorr (1941-2020) to Antigua, Guatemala. Gayle went along to learn more about how Operation Walk helped people in underserved countries. Gayle, a renown artist, was taken by the beauty of the country and the stories of the people that came to the Hermano Pedro Hospital hoping to be helped. Every person that came to the screening clinic had been praying for a miracle. Hips and knees that had limited mobility and caused pain for years, had the possibility of being operated, and an operation that was unaffordable to all of them suddenly became possible.
Through the collaboration of Dr. Dorr and Gayle, an idea was conceived to help raise funds for Operation Walk, and to give our supporters at home a closer look of the work we did and the people we were helping. Operation Walk Angels was born! The story can be found in the book “The Crooked Man, His Doctor, and His Angel,” written by Dr. Dorr and illustrated by Gayle Garner Rossi.
Many of you, having suffered from crippling pain, know the feeling of hopelessness. Fortunately, I have not felt this personally, but I feel it through every email, letter and face to face request, pleading for help and the return to a better life. It is heartbreaking. There are so many that need help, but funding and time are limiting the work we can do.
The Angels are a cornerstone of our fund raising. Each year, each Angel donates $1,000.00 to Operation Walk. Some are able to donate more, but this is the minimum to be listed as an Angel. Over the years some of my neighbors and colleagues have said they wanted to join, but this is a large amount of money to them. I take pride in suggesting to them how to raise money to become an Angel. Yard sales, bake sales, GoFundMe campaign’s, asking for donation via holiday gifts…the ways are endless. I am proud to say our Angel’s group now stands at 68 ladies. We join together for our Annual Spring Luncheon (this year April 26) to raise a toast to those we have helped, and to our volunteers who make it all happen.
A suggestion I have, as I have gotten older, is to focus on the continuation of philanthropy by introducing our adult children and our grandchildren to the cause of Operation Walk. We encourage our current Angels to bring someone, family, friend or colleague to the luncheon this year with them. They will be motivated to carry the torch of Operation Walk, as Dr. Dorr wished.
On a personal note, many of you know that my husband is blind. My little granddaughter is just realizing that Grandpa is “different” and there are things he can’t do that other people can. There is no “Angel” that will be able to fix his situation. She is learning kindness and patience. I will make her an Angel this year. I believe that it is never too early to learn and care about the plight of others. I will teach her of the 25 years I spent helping develop Operation Walk with Dr. Dorr and she will be part of the future of his legacy.
I hope you can join us too.