As September creeps by extending the dog days of summer we can all dream of the changing season and cooler weather. Houston is officially in a drought- again, and if you remember a few years ago when many trees died because of lack of life-giving water, you can really appreciate the importance of water in our daily lives. But what can you do about it?
Read a book and donate to basic education programs!
September is basic education and literacy month for Rotary. Think of the Rotary wheel with its gear shaped cogs and central spokes. Now, think of each cog as being a nugget of knowledge, a little piece of literature or a community class to help people learn new things. Education is key to helping people or communities move up and advance in many other areas of Rotary focus. For example, reading a book and sharing a story about water and sanitation can help people understand what can be done for disease prevention and treatment, which are two other areas of service in Rotary.
Join us for our 4th "Rotary Connects The World" Online Meeting!
Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 6:30 pm CT (US and Canada)
Rotary e-Club of Houston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: District 5890 online meeting with Presentations on Online Fund Raising
Our eClub member, Wind Nguyen will be one of the speakers. This is a meeting you do not want to miss! Not only will you learn about how to raise funds electronically, but Public Image Chair, Tommie Buscemi, will also roll out a new way to let others know about your fundraiser! Hosted by the Rotary eClub of Houston!
One tap mobile: +13462487799,,91470930551# US (Houston) +16699006833,,91470930551# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 301 715 8592 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 876 9923 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US Meeting ID: 914 7093 0551
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ab2YjamtZX
We have an urgent need for your support for the Hope for Venezuelan Refugee Project. Therefore this is a CALL TO ACTION request for all members of our E-Club.
There are several ways that we can use your talents to help with this effort (speaking/writing Spanish is not a requirement). All project support/help can be done from a computer or smart phone from anywhere in the world.
Please see Isis and Cristal's International Services Committee Report (attached) that gives the latest update on the status of this important project and what you can do to help. All specific areas of help are very well described so that you will know what is needed.
The time is Now to help make this project a success- the duration is a short 13 weeks!
Please read the update and let Isis know in what area you can help. If we all pitch in, the project will be a success and we will have helped give humanitarian aid to thousands of people who are in desperate need.
I challenge each one of you to get involved. As Rotarians, this is what we do and this is the opportunity to do it.
Isis Mejias announces with great pleasure that our second 40-ft container with Rise Against Hunger Meals arrived July 17th to Pamplona, Colombia to support our Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project. We are officially starting Phase 2 of this project and are very excited to lead this effort to build peace in the region by providing a hot meal to Venezuelan refugees. We are in need of help urgently (see message above). Please contact Isis if you are interested in participating.
David and wife Tanya, of Arlington, TX, had arrived at their vacation cottage west of Cobano, Costa Rica in the middle of the night in blinding rain. The next morning, as they were drinking coffee with John and Stephanie, the managers of the cottage they rented, they were introduced to Graciela, a woman living on a nearby farm who was selling milk, eggs, fresh chicken, and cheese. David and Tanya bought all she had, as they were going to be staying for the whole week and needed these basics.
The following morning when Graciela arrived, David asked her (through Stephanie’s translation) if she could teach him how to make the white cheese she sold them. She seemed puzzled, but also pleased, and she agreed. So the next morning she showed up at their cottage with 2 gallons of fresh milk, buckets, cheesecloth and a wooden press, and for the next four hours, they made cheese.
David was in Costa Rica for the ninth time that July and this was Tanya’s first time there. David had just come out of the jungle in the eastern mountain region where he had spent a week working with the indigenous Cabecar people through his church in Texas. Tanya joined him on the other side of Costa Rica for a little R&R after his mission work. David spoke very limited Spanish, so all his conversations with Graciela were through Stephanie or John.
They talked about Graciela living with her husband and teenaged daughters on their farm farther down the rough road. John told them, that in reality, her humble house could not be driven to in anything but a 4-wheel drive vehicle. In fact, getting out to sell her produce is usually quite a chore. She travels into Cobano sometimes, but usually sells to rural folks. They talked about their families – Tanya and David have a son, a daughter, two grandsons and a granddaughter. Graciela told about her twin sixteen-year-old daughters, but one was having to live with Graciela’s mother in Nicaragua because she was handicapped and life is hard on the farm.
Wind Nguyen in Austin to present the Martin Bailey Memorial Garden Project to 10 Rotary Districts and talk about our high impact District Grant from Rotary District 5890. Thank you Wind!
Please use the following link when shopping on Amazon and select the Rotary E-Club as your charity to support. The E-Club will receive quarterly donations based on the amount of sales made through AmazonSmile. Every little bit helps! Sign up now at this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/38-3915709
