KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Sponsors, supporters, volunteers and approximately 30 hikers recently helped Worldwide Healing Hands (WHH) raise more than $10,000 during this year’s Hike 4 Healing.

The event, an annual fundraiser to help the organization continue its delivery of much-needed health services in underserved areas of the world and free health screenings for homeless and impoverished in Lake County, took place April 30.

Event participants traversed the Wright Summit Trail on Mount Konocti, a trail with an elevation gain of 1,600 feet and a distance of a little more than 6 miles round-trip, on a breezy yet sunny Saturday.

A team of docents led by Val Nixon guided the group to the top of the trail, where the hikers were greeted by Dr. Paula Dhanda, WHH’s medical director, and Carol Stahr who had water and snacks provided for the participants by Foods Etc.

“We were thrilled to have such a wonderful group join us for our hike this year,” said Dhanda. “Even our youngest walkers, Mateo and Mark Pacheco, ages 6 and 8, completed the trek. We were also fortunate to have so many supporters help us with financial and in-kind donations. We are extremely grateful because the funds raised by this event go directly toward our work. Our volunteers pay for their own expenses to help us with our missions.”

Dhanda expressed thanks to several agencies and individuals who helped make the Hike 4 Healing possible this year, citing the county of Lake, Kelseyville Fire Department (especially crew members Tyler Nolan, EMT, and Matt Copenhaver, paramedic), Foods Etc. (owners Dennis and Ruth Darling) who donated snacks and water for participants, Tom and Val Nixon and their crew of docents, People Services and van drivers Ilene Dumont and Margaurite Alves, Mountain Vista Middle School and photographer Nathan DeHart.

Major sponsors for this year’s Hike 4 Healing included Diamond (donations of $1,000 each) sponsors St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, Dr. Marlene Quilala, and John Clarke; plus Gold ($500 each) sponsors Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Derrick and Alisa Barnes, Don and Anthy O’Brien, Top Speed Data Communication, Drs. Elyse and Keith Donald, and Dr. Ming-teh Chen; and Silver ($250 each) sponsors Dr. Diane Pege, Dr. Corey and Amber Warner, Nicole Hill (X2nSat), Lake County Lumber (Dan Nelson) and Dina Hutton.

WHH provides health care services to women and children in underserved areas of the world. WHH teams have traveled to Uganda, Nepal, Chad and Haiti to deliver health services. WHH volunteer medical teams have also provided free health screenings to homeless individuals in Lake County, as well as to fire evacuees following last year’s devastating fires in south Lake County.

Earlier this year, WHH sent a team of volunteers to Haiti for a week-long mission in conjunction with Project MedShare. While in Cap-Haitien, the WHH doctors and nurses conducted cervical cancer screenings and treatment for dozens of Haitian women and provided training to Haitian physicians and midwives.

The WHH Board of Directors is planning a second mission to Uganda for the organization later this year, following WHH’s successful 2015 trip to the Muko Health Center.

“Funds raised by the hike will help us acquire equipment and supplies for the clinic in Uganda,” says Dhanda. Doctors, nurses and staff who accompany Dhanda on the WHH missions are not paid for their time; they donate their services to WHH. However, there are other costs incurred, mainly for much-needed supplies and medicine, according to Dhanda.

For more information about Worldwide Healing Hands, call 707-279-8733. Visit WHH’s Web site, www.worldwidehealinghands.org , or its Facebook page to read more about the organization.