Wareham fundraiser for victims of human trafficking
Employees and members of Wareham’s Elite Fitness (formerly Elements Fitness) are holding a fundraiser for an upcoming trip to Mexico City where they will work with victims of human trafficking.
The group of seven will bring their expertise in exercise and healthy eating to children and women forced into sexual slavery and labor while learning about the work of El Pozo de Vida, which means Well of Life in Spanish.
To fund the trip, There will be an all you can eat Mexican buffet at El Mariachi on Main Street on Tuesday, April 26. Tickets are $12 in advance and can be purchased from Elite Fitness, also located at Wareham Crossing or $15 at the door. There will also be a raffle for a pair of Red Sox tickets. For more information, call Amy O'Brien, 508-728-1777, or Elite Fitness, 774-678-0782.
Fitness instructor and clinical social worker Suzanne Gokavi is one of the women who will go to Mexico City next month. She said El Mariachi has helped the group in the past.
“They were very enthusiastic about partnering with us again even though it was on such short notice,” Gokavi said. “They are very sympathetic to the cause.”
El Pozo, a nonprofit, works to end modern day slavery and human trafficking by working with victims of sexual exploitation, and by rallying others to fight against trafficking.
The week-long trip to Mexico was sparked when Elite Fitness owner Ann Marie Churchill read about El Pozo workers Kathleen Gately Delgado, a Wareham native, and her husband Oscar in a Wareham Week article. During the trip, the group, which is made up of gym employees and trainers, will assist with three projects by teaching fitness, healthful eating and healthful lifestyle habits.
To donate online, visit www.gofundme.com/wadbtm2s or contact the gym for more information by calling Elite Fitness at 774-678-0782.