‘More warm doors, windows needed for Vladivostok hospital’

 A member of the Vladivostok Eco Rotary Club, a sister club of the Saipan Rotary Club, said the extreme cold in the city during winter season has created the need for more windows, doors, and even a new toilet room for the Children’s Municipal Hospital 3.

Nataly Kolchev described the situation at one of Vladivostok’s oldest hospitals, which serves as an institution for orphaned children from newborn to 4 years old, and even showed pictures of its facility when she addressed the Saipan Rotary Club general membership meeting last Wednesday.

The Children’s Municipal Hospital 3, was the beneficiary of Vladivostok Eco’s Warm Doors Project. The project involved the Saipan Rotary Club and three Rotary Clubs in Taiwan.

The hospital cares for more than 100 young children, over 20 percent of whom are sick with AIDS, said Rotarian Eli Stoilova.

Kolchev said before the renovation project, the hospital looked “very bad” as it had “terrible furniture,” some of its structure was “destroyed,” and it didn’t have enough doors and windows.

“But after the project, you can see the big difference,” Kolchev pointed out, adding that there were Rotary Club symbols that can be found in newly built hospital doors and windows.

Kolchev noted, however, that the hospital still needs more warm windows and doors. This summer, they found out that the hospital needs new toilet facilities as well.

“We will continue with this project and help the children,” said Kolchev. “The hospital is home for them.”

With this, the Saipan Rotary Club donated $1,000 to its sister club yesterday.

“It’s always nice to have nice money from nice people, whatever it is. It doesn’t matter how much but it’s direct from the heart. I can feel it; that’s more important. Money is not everything,” Kolchev told Saipan Tribune after the meeting.

Kolchev, who now lives in Sacramento, California and just travels to Russia every now and then, noted that some of the doors at the hospital are pose danger to children “because it’s right on the baby’s eye level.” “It’s terrible,” she added.

Kolchev emphasized that they will finish the project “as soon as possible because winter is coming already.”

She also underscored the need to have the children at the hospital adopted or they will have to go to an ordinary orphanage.

“That’s not good for them because [at the hospital], they have a better life. They have plenty of food and all things good,” said Kolchev.

Kolchev disclosed that those working at the U.S. Embassy in Russia have adopted some of the children.

Those who are interested in adopting may email her at nkolchev@gmail.com so she can inform the hospital staff.

Wednesday’s meeting was also attended by another Rotarian from Russia, Nikolay Cherpak, who is a member of the Rotary Club Vladivostok Center, and another visitor, Victor Yakimov.