For the past two years, a State University at Fredonia group has traveled to Honduras to conduct medical brigades. An art raffle is being held to raise money for future trips.

The program, including students, faculty, alumni, and emeriti has conducted an art raffle fundraiser each year to raise funds for medicine and health supplies to bring on their trip to Honduras. A video from the January trip is available online at https://focus.fredonia.edu/medical-mission.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ted Lee of the Department of Biology noted, the Fredonia group will not be going to Honduras in January as scheduled, but is hoping to go in the summer of 2021, adding, “We have decided to do the art raffle fundraiser as scheduled to have funds for medicine for when we go and to hopefully provide some good will in a challenging time.”

For the medical brigades, the group travels with Honduran hosts to small rural communities and set-up day-long health clinics in a school or community center. Community members are welcome at the health clinics where they will see a physician and receive medication. The group also provides vitamins and dental supplies to the clinic visitors, with no cost to the visitors to the clinic.

Tickets for the art raffle are priced at $10 and may be purchased and donations made online at give-to-fredonia.formstack.com/forms/honduras When a raffle ticket is purchased, the purchaser will select an item they wish to win, and a ticket will be placed in a drawing for the item.

The drawing for the winners will be held Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Williams Center at 7 p.m. The giveaway will also be on Zoom for those who wish to tune in. In addition, students will be there to answer questions about the Honduras program.

Many local artists have donated items for the fundraiser. Contributing artists, including faculty and emeriti faculty and staff, alumni and community members, include Marv Bjurlin, Ann Burns, Paula Coates, Lisa Eppolito, Carolyn Grady, Elliott Hudson, Rhonda Lee, Dr. Lee, Marcia Merrins, Ron Nasca, Jim and Pat Reno, SUNY Distinguished Professor Alberto Rey, Amy Snyder and Jacob Swanson. Also to be given away will be artwork purchased in Honduras last January, including a mangrove bowl, wood plate and tumbler set, and Lenca vase with lizard. The Lencas are an indigenous group in Honduras, and the piece is representative of their black and white ceramics.

For more information, contact Dr. Lee via email at ted.lee@fredonia.edu