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KZ Donates AIDS Care KitsAn irresistible challenge was given to the employees of KZ, a recreational vehicle factory in Shipshewana, Indiana. Daryl Zook , president, told the 360 employees about Mennonite Central Committee’s AIDS Care Kits and said that if they donated the items in the kits, KZ would supply the bags and the $100 donation for each kit. “Dave gave the idea so we all thought it was a good thing to do,” said employee Kenny Otto. General Office Manager Susan Thomas admitted that they had no idea how the challenge would go because their company had never done anything like it before. At the end of the collection period, however, a total of 306 AIDS Care Kits were loaded on a trailer and taken to the MCC Material Resource Center in Goshen. “It really blossomed,” said Thomas. Employee Ray Schrock said that he tries to help out when he can and added that he got his wife and children involved in this project. “They did the shopping,” he admitted. Those from whom KZ buys their materials also got involved. A local supplier, for example, donated all of the gloves put into the kits while another supplier contributed about a mile of string to make the kit bags. A KZ employee strung all of the string through the bags, which were made from the upholstery used to make RV curtains, and sown together by the KZ sewing department. “It was so much fun to see these guys put the kits together,” said Thomas, noting how things were organized and how well everyone worked together. She said that it provided a good way for people to think outside the box and now knows that “if we see a need we can bring it to the employee’s attention.” She added that it is good to know what kind of people work at KZ. MCC has distributed 825 AIDS Care Kits in five African countries, with plans to distribute more. The kits are used by caregivers as they provide physical support to those with HIV/AIDS. Caregivers also give emotional support through listening and caring, and spiritual support by praying and singing with patients. A list of kit contents is available at www.mcc.org/aids/kits. Money donated along with the kits is used for medicine, Bibles, and training costs for the caregivers.
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© 2003 Mennonite Central Committee |