Our Rotary dental clinic team is off to Guatemala!

Following is a quote from the group’s first blogsite post: “Our first clinic day is in the books! After a few initial hurdles, the team had quite a successful day, treating 72 patients in the dental clinic. Maureen, the team’s physical therapist, treated seven people for various physical ailments as well.”

Please take a minute to follow this important group and their work at the blogsite:  “Guatemala Community Service Project.”

At last week’s meeting, Dave Parker updated us on our club’s donation of Lego Robot Kits to 4th and 5th graders at Joan Austin Elementary School to help them meet the Next Generation Science Standards. He showed a fun video of the “Can Dew” challenge, where the kids performed the engineering feat of programming a robot to push 5 cans out of a circle drawn on the floor and then parking the robot in a “garage.” What a kick. Next thing you know these kids will figure out how to have our Rumbas returning cans for the bottle deposit!

Dave also asked for help in evaluating scholarship applications.  If you can spare a little time, your help would be appreciated. Volunteers are needed April 21 through May 5 to read applications. Interviews will take place May 16.

GUESTS LAST WEEK:

Lynn Montoya Quinn brought Rose Doherty, the coordinator of the Learning Garden at Portland Community College Newberg. Rose is looking for volunteers to help build the Cob Shed we learned about at a meeting awhile back, as well as to help construct raised beds.  This will be a garden for our community, so check it out!

Becky Ankeny’s guest was her husband, Mark, who was on Spring Break from Pacific University, where he is Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.

Deborah Cathers-Seymour introduced her guest, Dr. Doug Altilio, a psychologist now with Chehalem Counseling Center. Doug said he will be supervising clinicians and interns, and lives in Beaverton. He is excited to learn more about the Newberg community.

We also welcomed back Mike Caruso ,who had just returned from 5 days in Israel and 7 in Palestine. Mike was there working to develop a peace project with various Rotary clubs, in conjunction with George Fox University, which has a sister school in Ramallah. And he doesn’t get a chance to rest, as the planting of the peace poles starts this Saturday, the 8th.

THE PROGRAM: “GIVE A LITTLE”

Give a Little Presentation by Anna and Phil 032917

Ana and Phil discuss “Give A Little” projects.

Ana Barsotti and Phil Pirages of the McMinnville-based nonprofit “Give A Little”  presented their vision of helping needy folks in Yamhill County.

Founded in 2008, “Give A Little” gives one-time, small grants to people in trouble, but who are just a short distance from self sufficiency. Here’s an example: the fellow who has a job, but just can’t afford his car repairs. And he needs the car for work.

In 2008, they served 20 families. Now, they help more than one person per day. “We’re really trying to improve the quality of life for poor people,” said Phil. They especially help seniors, veterans and at-risk school kids.

They mostly work behind the scenes, getting leads and projects from 25 front-line agencies like YCAP, St. Vincent DePaul, Love, Inc., and Chehalem Counseling.  Ana is their first employee, and she is part-time.

They have done many diverse types of projects, such as working with McMinnville High School to help homeless kids by providing hygiene kits, or working with the Knights of Columbus to provide jackets to the needy.

“You have to go through some agency to get to us,” said Phil. “The best way is to call 211. We can usually respond within 24 hours.”