Fire Fighter Meets Obama’s Grandmother While Delivering Aid

June 24, 2009 – As part his quest for a masters degree in public policy and public administration, Glenview, IL Local 4186 fire fighter Scott Waddle traveled to Kenya to learn first-hand more about African politics. During the trip, Waddle and his classmates met President Barack Obama’s grandmother and delivered almost 400 pounds of medical supplies to her village – Kolego.

“The hospital there looks more like a clinic,” says Waddle. “When we delivered the supplies, the storage area was completely barren. Some of the staff were in tears when they saw what we had brought.”

Waddle had the idea to bring along medical supplies about three weeks before the trip. “I called a friend of mine who works for Kendall Healthcare and told her about our trip,” he says.

“The next thing I knew, she had sent me more wound care supplies than I could have imagined. My initial thought was to bring a carry-on bag full, so this was a great surprise.”

Waddle soon discovered that even the cheapest shipment rate was $1,200. Local 4186 President Brian Gaughan offered to have the union pay the shipping costs.

Waddle had a little more luck after he arrived at the airport. “The man who checked our boxes had a sister who married a Kenyan,” he explains. “He took it upon himself to get a discount, reducing the cost to $300. We were ecstatic.”

Through another friend, Waddle was able to establish communications with Malik Obama – President Obama’s half-brother. Malik hosted Waddle and his classmates for the afternoon, introduced them to Obama’s grandmother and escorted them to the village hospital.

The medical supplies will serve about 4,000 people, half of whom are under the age of 16.