ACT OF KINDNESS REPAID MANY TIMES.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

No telling what Chris Stanton would have done with the rest of his life if he hadn't gotten sick in Morocco back in his hippie days, when he was traveling the world on a shoestring.

``I thought I was going to die, but this Moroccan man took me into his home, gave me some medicine and watched over me,'' says Stanton, now a 52-year-old teacher living in Sylmar.

``It was a simple act, but one I never forgot.''

Over the past five years, Stanton has repaid that simple act of kindness a thousand times - making 21 trips to Morocco to help set up medical clinics and deliver supplies to the destitute population.

The founder of the nonprofit organization Bridge to Morocco was recently awarded the 2004 Friendship Award by the government of Morocco and the U.S. Embassy for his contributions to the Moroccan people.

Contributions that include bringing in supplies of cancer medication for those who could not afford it, helping poor people in remote mountain areas get needed surgeries, and recently shipping 10,600 packets of baby formula to five homes for unwed mothers in Casablanca.

``Anywhere there is a need among the poor in Morocco, Chris will do everything he can to help them,'' said Kathy Tebbett, coordinator of program services for the Catholic Medical Mission Board in New York, which provides Stanton with many of the medications and supplies he takes to Morocco.

``He's our guy there, the voice of the people who can't speak and have no access to resources.''

Morocco, a monarchy, has been an ally of the United States for more than 200 years. It is one of the poorest countries in the Arab world.

``It has nothing going for it,'' Stanton said. ``It has no oil. It's main export is potash, a mineral used in fertilizers. It's a poor country with nothing but beautiful people with a lot of heart.''

So when he was sitting at home in Sylmar this past February, and heard news reports that a 6.2-magnitude earthquake had devastated large parts of Morocco, Stanton knew exactly what he had to do.

He called his friends and supporters, and asked them for one more favor. Then he packed his bags, kissed his wife, Karen, goodbye and headed overseas.

``We all knew Chris was going because he had to,'' said Ron Regenstreif, CEO of Regency Lighting in Van Nuys, one of the businesses that supports Stanton's humanitarian efforts.

``He's opened his heart to those people, and made a tremendous impact on their lives. They needed him again. He wasn't going to let them down.''

Stanton showed up at the Delta Airline ticket counter at LAX later that day in February with 10 huge suitcases crammed with humanitarian goods - blankets, jackets, socks, medicines and anything else he could get his hands on in such short notice.

``I need your help,'' Chris told the Delta employee. ``There's been an earthquake in Morocco, and the people there need these supplies fast. Can you identify with the hurt of so many poor people? Can you help me?''

The counterman checked with his supervisor. Yes, they could help him, the man said - waiving the $1,000 overage fee for excess luggage.

Less than 36 hours later, Stanton was stepping off a Royal Air Maroc jet in Tangiers with almost a half-ton of humanitarian supplies.

Then he traveled 11 hours by car to deliver the blankets, jackets, socks and medicine to remote mountain villages. In one of them, the town of Al Hociema, residents gathered around him, and thanked the old hippie from America for his kindness.

Dennis McCarthy, [phone]

dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com

HOW TO HELP

--For information on Bridge to Morocco, call Chris Stanton at [phone], or e-mail him at stanton27(at)hotmail.com.

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Sylmar resident Chris Stanton is thanked by the people of a small village in Morocco for bringing them supplies after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake devastated much of the country in February.

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HOW TO HELP (see text)