Our very own International Director and Grants Chair Laura Tilrico was the speaker last week. “Yours truly” introduced her with some info you may not know about Laura:

• She has been a Rotarian for 26 years
• She was the first woman president of the Tracy, California club
• She is originally from Brooklyn, New York
• She is an artist and gourmet cook who also loves to garden
• She has 3 sons and 2 grandsons
• She ran a graphic design business for 30 years and is now retired. She generously donated the design work on the new Peace Pole Trails brochure

Laura’s topic was projects and grants–global, district and club. She distributed a helpful hand-out with a summary of the projects/grants our club did last year, this year and the plans for the future.

Global projects/grants:

Last year’s project funded through a global grant was the clean drinking water project in Godamcour, Nepal. It was approved for $62,000 total, and our Foundation contributed $8000. A holding tank and infrastructure have been built, and water lines are now being dug to individual homes.

This year, a proposed grant for $105,000 to expand/renovate a school in San Mateo, Guatemala is being written. Our Foundation would donate $17,500. The needs assessment is complete, thanks to the work of Auggie Gonzales and Lynn Montoya Quinn. Detailed costs of construction, labor, product and training are now being gathered. The goals of this project are to expand/renovate classrooms to alleviate overcrowding; to provide an industrial sized cookstove; and to provide teachers with new techniques with sustainable results. Dave Parker will be involved with the latter component.

Future plans for 2018-2019 include a grant to do an E-Med clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal and for 2019-2020, a clean water project in Zambia.

According to Laura, we must qualify for these matching funds by meeting our Rotary International giving goals.

District projects/grants:

Each year our club is allotted $2000 of District Designated Funds (DDF) for matching with $2000 of our club funds, for a total of $4000 for projects. The deadline to apply for these funds is Aug. 15. Sometimes, some clubs in the district do not spend all their funds, so there is another round of applications later in the year.

Last year, our “Act of Kindness Day” promotional materials were funded for $500 for the International Day of Peace.

Also, “Dream It, Be It,” a one-day seminar led by the Soroptimists to help teen girls with career choices was funded for $500, and the Christmas Tree Lighting gift bags for children for $3000.

This year, there is a repeat of the “Act of Kindness Day” and “Dream It, Be It.” In addition, the printing of 1,000 “Peace Pole Trail” booklets to be distributed widely in Newberg and Dundee is proposed for $2000 from our Foundation and $1500 from the district. “We feel that this effort will serve as a great public relations tool in helping to get the word out that Rotary is a working and indeed thriving component of our community,” she indicated on the handout.

GUESTS:

Heidi Hopkins was a guest of Past President Leah Griffith. Heidi is teaching Mindfulness at Chehalem Valley Middle School this year, and is working toward incorporating it into the District curriculum. Since school budgets are tight, she requested financial support from the Club Foundation. Jeff Lane indicated there would be a positive response!

 

 

 

VISITING ROTARIANS:

Dave Benson from the Early Birds club visited to remind us about the fundraising dinner the international exchange students were planning last Sunday, Oct. 1. They hoped to raise enough money to purchase five Shelterboxes for families of the recent natural disasters.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

You don’t want to miss Past President Jim McMaster talking about the new Aquatic Center at this Wednesday’s meeting!

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You’re invited to “Soup’s On,” the Fall fundraiser for Soroptimist International, on Oct. 14 at 5pm. Come enjoy a variety of gourmet soups made by professional and home chefs. Soroptimists work to improve the lives of women and girls locally and around the world. The venue is the Dundee Community Center, 1026 Hwy 99W in Dundee. Tickets for the event, which includes a silent auction, are $25. For more info, or to buy a ticket, go to SICV.org or call Debby at 503-740-8182.

MISCELLANEOUS:

It sure was great to have Marge O’Connell back in attendance at our meeting. She reported it was really tough to recuperate from a detached retina, but she is on the mend now.

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Jeff Lane is recruiting volunteers to work in the Resource Rooms at Chehalem Valley Middle School and Newberg High School. The work involves attending and helping kids select items they may need. According to Jeff, 48% of kids in the school district are from families living below the poverty line, so the need is great. Please see Jeff for more info if you are interested.

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How about contributing your ideas for our club’s weekly programs? Om Sukheenai said the period January through June 2018 is now open for booking speakers and topics. She is hoping that interesting luncheon talks will help draw new members and “brand” our club. Please send your ideas to Om.