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- Written by: Kelly Jo Ross - Breese Journal Reporter
Dr. Renato Rivera of Breese has collected donations to give back to his native homeland in the Philippines. As part of Operation Giving Back: Bohol Mission, Dr. Rivera has been instrumental in helping collect money and sending it overseas to help needy families receive food and housing. Families receive food packs of rice and canned goods with donations from others. ‘Tis the season for giving and one local resident is giving back to his native homeland.
Dr. Renato Rivera of Breese has been helping his native homeland in the Philippines for close to 20 years.
Organized in 2005 by Dr. Rivera and local doctors and nurses, the Operation Giving Back: Bohol Mission provided free surgical operations to the less fortunate brothers and sisters in Bohol, Philippines.
For years, Dr. Rivera and a team of other doctors and staff from St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese traveled to Bohol, an island in the Philippines, to perform free surgeries for the needy.
Between 2005 and 2020, the medical, surgical and nursing teams of volunteers were able to provide approximately 2,000 major surgical operations to prolong and improve the quality of life for those people.
Following the COVID pandemic, as well as aging, Dr. Rivera and his team stopped going to the Philippines, but wanted to keep helping the Bohol residents.
In 2023, the mission to start feeding the hungry program every month was established.
Dr. Rivera collects monetary donations and sends them overseas to his native homeland, where "food packs" of rice and canned goods were distributed to over 100 poor families in the Bohol area.
Dr. Rivera said the area's main food source is fishing, so there is no food during bad weather, hence, why they send out food packs to residents.
The mission also donates toward building small bamboo huts for the homeless.
"It's a very poor area, but the citizens are always very thankful and appreciative," said Dr. Rivera.
He added that helping his native community for nearly 20 years was made possible through the generous and kind-hearted citizens of Clinton County and the surrounding area.
The contestants — finalists and alternates — from the Aviston Sons of the American Legion 18th annual Black Tie and Talent Contest in January of this year on stage at Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston for the start of the program. The entrants, from left, are Lauren Wuebbles of Carlyle, Kalie Wellen and Reagan Rickhoff, both of Albers; Jillian Krack, Lucia Knapp and Shelby Peters, all of Breese; Jordyn Robke of Germantown, Makenna Budde of Damiansville, Madeline Kohlbrecher of Trenton, Cole Buschmann of Aviston, and Samantha Elling of Breese. Shelby Peters was announced as the winner of the contest. The Aviston Sons of American Legion is holding its 19th annual Black Tie and Talent Contest on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston.
This formal event is a talent and glamour contest where they give away over $8,000 in scholarships to eight area college-bound ladies and gentlemen in a final competition for nine monetary scholarships worth over $10,000.
Interested contestants can tryout at a downselect competition at the Mondt-Lampe American Legion Post 1239 in Aviston at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec 20. A 3-minute speech on a topic of that contestant's choice and a talent demonstration is required.
Contestants must be planning to attend a college or trade school full time in 2025 and must be residents of Clinton County.
The event has distributed over $188,000 in scholarships to over 154 Clinton County college students over the past 18 years.
The Jan. 11 Black Tie and Talent Contest calls for formal attire with a happy hour at 5 p.m. (wine tasting, beer and mixed drinks available), dinner at 6 p.m. and the contest starting at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $50 each and tables are also available.
For tickets or entry information, call or text Jim Kues at 618-973-5688 or Craig Timmermann at 618-830-7737.
The event is held in honor of Nick Timmermann and Dick Kues.
