Tennessee Federation News 2003

About 10 years ago, the Methodist Hospital Outreach initiated a program in which doctors from Russia would be brought to Memphis to study and learn under the auspices of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Through the years, the doctors have come, staying about three months at the time, learning and gathering information to take back to their homeland. When they went back home, these doctors would train others in Children’s Oncology, which they did not have in Russia. The program has benefited many people both here and on the continent.

When GFWC Landmark Woman’s Club heard about these visiting doctors from their member Yvonne McCrary, executive secretary to the president of Methodist Hospitals, the members agreed to help.

While the doctors are visiting in Memphis, they are busy during the week at St. Jude Hospital. But on the weekends, there was nothing for them to do, and with no transportation, and sometimes a language problem, they were just here. Members of GFWC Landmark invited the men and women out for special occasions, shopping trips, sightseeing, dinners and occasionally a party.

The program, and GFWC Landmark’s participation, has grown over the years, to the point where the Russian, Siberian and Armenian doctors have Dorothy and Neil Crader’s email address, and keep in touch after returning to their homelands. Now, when a new group of doctors plan to come to St. Jude in Memphis, other doctors tell them, "Be sure and contact the Craders. They will take care of you."

And the Craders do take care of our international outreach friends. With other GFWC Landmark members, groups have been taken to the Memphis Zoo, to Graceland (a "must" for visitors to Memphis), to Malls and grocery supermarkets, to Pickwick for an outing on a member’s boat, and to the new Central Library. One year, the group was invited to a big Halloween party at the home of District 9 president Mildred Smith. Having no celebration of this sort in Russia, the doctors were amazed and excited to be part of something so different.

Since the Methodist Hospital’s program is closing after this year, the last group of doctors, two from Moscow, one from Siberia, and one from Armenia, are in Memphis now. Dorothy and Neil met the Armenian doctor’s plane, only to discover that her luggage was lost somewhere between Europe and Chicago. Dorothy invited the woman to stay at her house until the airline could locate and deliver the luggage. On top of that, Dorothy took the woman shopping to buy the immediate necessities - not knowing when or if the missing bag would reappear.

A Christmas party has become a traditional entertainment for these visitors, and this year will be no different. Keith Mayo, a friend of Dorothy and Neil Crader’s, will open his home again for a buffet dinner honoring the doctors.

As an International Outreach program, GFWC Landmark has been privileged to participate in this endeavor, and will continue as long as the opportunities arise.

Armed with little more than a dream, club members set out to help raise over $125,000 to build a 17,000 sq. foot playground where children of all abilities can play.

Club members were extremely involved in the organization process. Plus, we helped with family fun day events, cookbook sales, bbq chicken sales, picture sales, grant requests, beauty pageants, brick and picket sales, donut sales, golf tournaments, fishing tournaments and just about every other fundraiser known to man. Club members arranged for publicity opportunities and were instrumental in raising awareness of the project.
Sept. 16-23 saw the realization of the dream when over 500 volunteers pitched in during build week. Located on Hwy. 70 in White Bluff, Tennessee, the Field of Dreams Playground stands on the site of a former children's baseball field and is a testament to the volunteer spirit.