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.
Hope you are managing the stress of the holidays well and enjoying the many family and friend gatherings along with many opportunities to give and serve others! Occasionally take a few slow deep breaths and reflect on your life and count your blessings as there are so many without....a roof over their heads, food to eat, toys for their children when classmates receive a bountiful, good health, gainful employment to support their family, transportation, and the list goes on. Let's work together in the New Year to improve the lives of those in need, share books and teach others to read, provide clean water and food, and hope for peace in this world.
This past November 17, we finished the first stage of our garden project at Margaret Long Wisdom High School. Many thanks to all volunteers, including our district governor Carmen Cuneo, and several club members who helped to start building our eco-garden!
ABOUT THE MARTIN BAILEY GARDEN PROJECT: This eco-garden is a green space that will produce resources for students, including food and educational opportunities. It aims to develop a modern concept of an integrated urban garden that encourages sustainability, education, and healthy food options including vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The garden will also benefit educators by enhancing curriculum and live education options, with state-of-the-art green technology features and more. Furthermore, professional artists will collaborate with Wisdom HS students to design garden beautification projects with murals being part of the first stage of development.
We are very pleased to share this testimonial from Sister Ana Maria from CAINA “We are thankful for the donation of nutritious rice-soy fortified nutritious RAH meal packs. The meals will be shared with the children from the nursery, integral classroom, and CAINA skills training school. Additionally, because is so much amount, we want to make sure this food gets to children from very, very poor communities who don’t have anything to eat. We plan the prepare an “Olla Solidaria” (a solidarity community meal) to bring happiness to that group of children.”
Bear Hugs for Venezuela pilot project is a partnership between Rotary E-Club of Houston, Rise Against Hunger, Rotary Caracas, and beneficiary organizations in Venezuela.
Anniversaries celebrated in December included active members Ed and Robin Charlesworth, Nicole Bianchi, Jose Alves, and Dick Robie.
Ruby Powers is busy volunteering legal services with asylum seekers in Tijuana, Mexico. She was interviewed by Maria Salazar with Fox 26 News and interviewed o NPR's All Things Considered by Alisa Change regarding immigrants entering at the border and the "Remain in Mexico" policy.
On Dec 17, 2018 Attorney Ruby Powers spoke on the topic of Asylum Bars, Withholding of Removal and Convention Against Torture at the Joe Vail Asylum Workshop at UH Law. See her tv interviews on the Powers Law Group website.
Wind Nguyen and Ed Charlesworth used the Rotary trailer to help a woman move on short notice while her husband is unavailable due to treatment for opioid addiction.
Marcia Natali Allgayer created a fundraiser for Alpha-1 Foundation to celebrate her birthday. This will promote research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha -1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. This is a genetic disease that can cause lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It can also cause liver disease that leads to jaundice, which makes your skin look yellowish. There's no cure, but treatments can help you manage your liver and breathing problems. You may make a donation on her Facebook page.
Marcia Natali Allgayer, Marcio Natali de Assis (her brother) and MargarethSouza Natali (her mother) - all members of our e-club attended the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker in Tucson, AZ to celebrate the holidays.
Mike and Adriane Miller jumping for joy with Tyler Miller and Natasha Edwards, all members of our club, and daughter Lexie Miller in Sandy, Oregon celebrations in the holiday spirit captured in this photo:
Phillip Harris has helped several blind folks through Be My Eyes (currently living in Sweden).
Please share your service to others with Adriane Miller or Lori Prouty to be posted In our newsletter. We are scattered around the world, but there are always service opportunities where our eyes, hands, and feet can be useful to be true to the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".
What if we took out more greenhouse gases than we put into the atmosphere? This hypothetical scenario, known as "drawdown," is our only hope of averting climate disaster, says strategist Chad Frischmann. In a forward-thinking talk, he shares solutions to climate change that exist today -- conventional tactics like the use of renewable energy and better land management as well as some lesser-known approaches, like changes to food production, better family planning and the education of girls. Learn more about how we can reverse global warming and create a world where regeneration, not destruction, is the rule.
Members, please share your service to be published to our newsletter by clicking on “Adriane Miller” on the left side of the page. Your service will inspire the world!
Members, please send us articles about your service or community projects and include a photo or video of you doing Rotary work. We would love to receive feedback from our subscribers on how we are doing, and content you would like to see published. Be the inspiration! Please send your info to Lori Prouty at lbprouty@comast.net. Thank you!
Ready to join a great Rotary Club? Click on membership application on the left side of the homepage. Please complete all fields on the application and press submit. You will be contacted soon by Nicole Bianchi, Membership Director.
On the membership application you will be asked if you have attended two Rotary e-Club of Houston meetings on-line. Look for the Weekly Program and either view the video or read the article, then go to the tab for Weekly Meeting beneath the banner of the page and submit the attendance form to receive credit.
To pay your membership dues: By credit card, please click on the PayNow yellow link on the left side of the home page. Thank you!
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