Hi all,
Many of you have contacted me about wanting to help the victims of Sandy. The following email from one of my Rotary District Governor classmates in the NJ area explains what we can do now and what we are planning for the delivery:
Dear Rotarians,
Right now, here are some of the most asked-for items:
Clothing Underwear Socks Blankets Cleaning supplies Storage space in each area Toys for kids (not electric) Batteries Bottled water Non-perishable food Sweat pants Sweatshirts and sweaters Grooming supplies Towels Bedding Mattresses Linens Pillows
Our biggest problem is we have no way to get this stuff here. (DG Tony's note - We are working on transportation issues now. We will plan collection points within the district and will try to consolidate the shipments on a truck - hope fully large enough to carry all of our donations. Please be patient on the transportation)
These are short-term needs. We will be filling longer-term needs later, such as rebuilding and equipping schools, civic centers and senior centers that must be replaced as they were deluged.
Those of you who wish to make a financial donation can send checks to the Walter D. head Foundation if Rotary District 7490, a 501(c)(3) organization. Our District will share your donation with the other affected districts, unless you specify that your donation should go to Hoboken, Moonachie, Little Ferry, Jersey City or North Hudson (West New York) in our District. You can send the checks to DGN Calisto Bertin, c/o Bertin Engineering, 66 Glen Avenue, Glen Rock, NJ 97452. If you are a member of the Rotary International Fellowship of quilters and Fiber Artists, you can send blankets to me at Bonnie Sirower, 69 Godfrey Terrace, Glen Rock, NJ 07452.
I cannot begin to tell you the depth if the anguish up here. Our DGE in 7500 has lost her home. One of the clubs that meets in Staten Island had its meeting place washed away. One of our Youth Exchange students from Brazil who was living on Long Island is now homeless. In Hoboken, throughout District 7500 in Monmouth and Ocean counties,, in Atlantic City, on Coney Island in Brooklyn and Breezy Point in Queens, everything has been washed away. Hoboken is still flooded. One of our Presidents living in Secaucus had to be evacuated from water up to her chest. In many places, there is simply nothing left but silt and sand. The rest of us, most of us at least, won't get our power back for at least another week, and gas for generators and cars is very scarce. Stores are closed all over, and. Many businesses are closing. Residents of Moonachie and Little Ferry were awakened at 2 am when water from a broken levee burst into their homes, a lot like what happened to parts of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
But the silver lining is the generosity if Rotarians throughout the world. Even the tax collector in my town offered to help through her Girl Scout troop. Please be patient- i will get more information out to you ASAP. (Hopefully, I will have power and won't be typing on myI-Pad in the dark. plus, I hope to have a phone that really works. )
God bless all of you for caring...
Bonnie Sirower
Thank all of you for being generous in advance.
District Governor 2012-2013
Rotary District 7870 Foundation
To: Club Presidents, Club Members, Partners, and Supporters of Amigos De Honduras
Re: Amigos De Honduras Projects – Trip Dates set for February 2nd to the 10th
I have been a part of the Amigos De Honduras program for the past twelve years. We take great pride in the fact that over that time numerous teams of Rotarians from 29 of our clubs, have constructed 5 schools, expanded 2 schools, converted 2 buildings into schools, painted and repaired 4 schools, and have worked on a youth center. We have also repaired hospitals and constructed a Dental Clinic. Also over that period, we have had 18 medical and dental missions and have served more than 21,000 people. Finally, we have installed more than 25,000 water filters and more than 125,000 people now have pure water to drink which has greatly improved their health status.
This past year I was part of a great team of 33 Rotarians and Friends of Rotarians that ventured to Danli, Honduras (my eighth trip). This team was led by Bob Couch (his eleventh trip). The projects that this team was involved with concentrated on three main areas 1) The third phase of a school we built in Los Robles that added two more classrooms: 2) Medical Care and Dental Teams which saw more than 1500 people; and, 3) Pure Water Projects in the village of Quebrada Larga.
As we look ahead to 2013, the trip dates have been set for February 2nd to the 10th. Orientation /Informational meetings have been set for Saturday, November 10th at 10 AM in Springfield VT at the Public Library and for
Tuesday November 13th at 7pm in the offices of Combined Services LLC, Two Delta Drive, Concord, NH. If you have questions or you plan on attending either of these sessions please e-mail me at cep617@comcast.net
We are in great need for funding for our projects and are requesting donations from Rotary Clubs, from Business, and from individuals. The Rotary International District 7870 Foundation is a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization. Checks should be made out to “Amigos De Honduras”. Please send contributions to our Foundation Treasurer, Alan Kanegsberg.
I would very much like to thank you in advance for your support of the Amigos De Honduras program. In closing, let me share with you one of my favorite quotes from Margaret Mead:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Every child in Wallingford has the opportunity to learn to fish with a certified in Vermont Fishing expert.
The event has been sponsored by the Wallingford Rotary for many years.
Not only do the children learn fishing technique and rules and regulation-but they have a lot of fun!
Next Monday, August 6th come to Wallingford Rotary, 7AM Monday morning for breakfast and hear our guest Alina Sidorova speak about her fantastic year in the Rotary Student Exchange program in Taiwan.
It's unbelievable that she has been back for just over a week! This past weekend she, along with all our rebound students had a weekend retreat. Her comments “it was so wonderful to spend two the days with all of us who recently returned from spending the year all over the world and catch up and share the stories.” Alina will be off to Yale in September. Please think of attending our Monday morning meeting and hear her story! Please, mark your calendar for Sunday, September 30th, 5-7pm for the Wallingford Rotary Lobster Dinner. The venue for this event is the old boys camp on Lake Elfin in Wallingford, VT. Dine on the porch or in the old dining hall-bring all your friends and enjoy the finest lobster or steak dinner in New England! Reaching within to embrace humanity and creating peace through service!
In order to get help, any one (except Rotarians or their families) can contact one of the five Community Action Agencies to apply. They will do the intake screening to determine eligibility according to Rotary guidelines and decide what can be done for them and how. Purchases of eligible items will be done by the CAA and the reimbursement of costs will be overseen by the Host Committee of three Rotarians from District 7870.
Rotary International celebrated 100 years of service in 2005.
The Wallingford Rotary club was started in 1928 and has been active in our community ever since.
Our Club sponsors an annual motorcycle ride on October 1, 2011 to benefit local projects and the end of polio in the world.
Every year we give monetary awards to deserving graduating students from Mill River Union High School.
Wallingford Rotary is a supporter of the annual Wallingford Bike Safety Day along with GE Volunteers, numerous local organizations and members of the community every May. Boys and girls are fitted with helmets and are given instructions about safety on the road.
We have been involved in student exchange programs since 1981. We send one to three students to another country for a year to experience another culture, attend high school and to be a good will ambassador for our country. Julia Huessy is our ambassador to Chile. Grigor arrived from Croatia and is living with local families for the year and attends Mill River Union HS.
Every Christmas holiday, our club joins with the National Honor Society of Mill River Union HS. to give turkeys to families who might be struggling.
The Wallingford Rotary Club donates its building to other local non profit organizations. The Wallingford Little League uses the building for sign up day and we invite volunteers for Vermont Green Up Day.
Group Study Exchange is a program where three to four adult professional people receive the chance to visit another country for four weeks. They live with host families and exchange ideas.
Wallingford Memorial Rotary Club celebrates 82 years of service on July 28th, 2010
Wallingford is a small town nestled in the hills of Vermont on the west side of the state south of Rutland. It was the boyhood home of Paul Harris. Paul came to Wallingford with his brother Cecil when he was three years old. His grandfather met them at the train station and took them to live with him and their grandmother. Cecil went back to his parents after a few years, but Paul chose to stay with his grandparents, Howard and Pamela Harris. His life story is recounted in his book, "My Road to Rotary".
Rotary International celebrated 100 years of community service throughout the world in 2005. Paul Harris founded Rotary in Chicago, Illinois on February 23, 1905. Paul was a lawyer in Chicago. He knew many people, but missed the close friendships like those that he enjoyed as a child living in Wallingford, VT.
Paul met with some business friends who wanted more than their work. They met weekly for fellowship, mutual cooperation and a chance to do something for others. They rotated their meeting places, thus came the name, Rotary. The first community project was a public toilet facility in a Chicago park.
The Rotary concept began to grow three years later when an old friend of Paul's, Manuel Manoz started the second Rotary service club in San Francisco in 1908 and members of that club started clubs in Oregon and Washington.
Rotary became an international service organization when a club was started in Winnipeg, Canada. The first club in Europe was started in Madrid, Spain by Angel Cuesta.
Currently there are more than one million Rotarians in 166 countries throughout the world.
Rotary elects new officers each year, both on the International level and local communities.
Ray Klinginsmith is the Rotary International President for the year 2010 - 2011. President Ray Klinginsmith comes from Grangemouth, Central, Scotland.
His motto for the coming year is: "Building Communities Bridging Continents".
"Rotarians are a varied lot. We come from dozens of countries, speak hundreds of languages, and adhere to a wide spectrum of religious, political and philosophical beliefs. If one strong common thread exists among our 1.2 million members, it is our willingness to share"
Quote from: The Rotarian, July 2007
Thank you all so much for volunteering to assist the hundreds of victims of Hurricane Sandy in Districts 7230, 7490, 7250, 7260, 7500 and 7640 in New York and New Jersey. We are still assessing the needs of the clubs and districts that have been affected, but I can tell you what these clubs and districts have asked for so far. I intend to create a spreadsheet that will list each club in these areas that need help along with the needs they have expressed for the short-term. I would then like to assign the clubs and Districts that have offered help to one or more of the clubs, and will send you the e-mails of the Presidents, the AG's and the DG in each area.
District Governor, Rotary District 7490
(Bergen, Passaic and Hudson Counties, NJ, USA
Tony
Rotary District 7870 (southern NH & VT)
Christopher Parkinson, DG 2007-2008
13 Wheeler Road Bow, New Hampshire 03304
From: Chris Parkinson, Chair of Amigos De Honduras and 2013 Team Leader
Date: November 2, 2012
From the Rutland County Express
The 2012 Wallingford Rotary Children’s Fishing Derby!
Welcome Home-Alina Sidorova!
Wallingford Rotary Lobster Dinner :: September 30th
VT Recovery Grant-Irene
About the Wallingford Memorial Rotary Club
We meet every Monday morning, 7 AM to 8 AM.
Come, enjoy a home made breakfast for only $9.00
Wallingford Memorial Rotary Club
96 North Main Street
Wallingford, VT 05773
President :: Adrian Eisler
President Elect :: Steve Benard
Treasurer :: Stan Wilbur
Secretary :: Jay White
