The Westerner for May 9, 2011
Meeting: chair, Mike Ryan; music, Jerome; grace, Ed
Attendance/Guests: 42 including Nadine Fulmer, Rotary Club of Edmonton Northeast
Gift Cards: don't forget to buy cards from Kasey, profit to the club's projects
Golf: John advises 85 of 144 golf positions are registered; all 18 holes are sponsored; the Oilers and Kevin Lowe have bought t shirts and printed them with #3 for Al Hamilton and the Rotary International logo; if you wish to golf - contact John; if you wish to volunteer - contact Brian. Registration forms will be available soon.
Ethnic Dinner: At Matahari restaurant; May 27 - 6:00 cocktails, 7:00 dinner - 124 Street & Jasper Ave N W
Rotary Club of Edmonton West Licence Plates: see Laurie - frames for $27; front plate for $8
Eyes for Huehue: tickets available from Ben Doz - May 18 @ U of A Faculty Club
50/50: Al Sanderson & Jerome did not match cards
Finemaster: Doug Sollows - standard fines except for sweetheart comment from Bill Buckham
Guest Speaker: Jennifer introduced Duane, our club's international service director. He outlined past and future endeavours re Placencia, Belize, much of the data is a result of his and Al Sanderson's visits to the area. Our interest in Placencia supports the Rotary District 5370 Educational Program for Belize.
Placencia is a village of 1200 people on a long peninsula along the east coast of Belize. It is a long drive down the peninsula to get there so most visits are by small aircraft (they shut the main road down to allow landings and take-offs) or boat/water taxi. Our club partners with Rotary Club of Placencia. This is a developing country and the main tourism is adventure, not 5 star resort.
Rotary Placencia has 15-20 members, all prominent business people and they have developed a powerful relationship of trust with Rotary Edmonton west.
Independence High School is on the main land so Placencia students get there by boat/water taxi. The principal is Omar Longsworth and he administers 736 students. There are some junior college courses available at night. We gave $1000 to Omar to administer for scholarships - he got other donations as well - he gave out 25 that ranged $35 to $150. In future, scholarship money will go to Placencia Rotary to be administered. Omar also got $1000 for hardship fund - he bought 5 stoves and some sewing machines for Home economics lab. Future $2000 each scholarships and hardship fund.
Placencia elementary/playschool - we replaced the inadequate toilets with ones that have running water; we also gave kindergarden books; teaching aides.
Future interst besides these 2 schools is Seine Bight Playschool. Seine Bight is a very poor hamlet 5 miles north of Plcencia. The facilities are very poor. Rotary Placencia has a budget of $20,000 to help upgrade by extensive renovations including bathrooms, library, small computer lab. The school has several hundred students. Our club may contribute 1/2 the Rotary Placencia budget.
In August, 2011, we plan to send 3-4 Alberta teachers to provide a summer literacy/home ec seminar for both Independence and Seine Bight. We will provide $3000 to cover cost of accomodation, etc.
Duane and his wife Cathy plus Al and his wife Karen took educational supplies on the last visit which helped the teachers help the kids.
Our club's international budget for 2010-2011 was $47,000 of which $37,000 will be expended.
Jerome, during question/answer period, thanked Duane for being one of the super people needed to develop the strong relationship we have in Placencia.
From questions, Duane advised long term plans are to provide 500 septic systems in Seine Bight which has no or very little septic capacity - Cost $600,000. Both Placencia and Seine Bight need fire fighting equipment.
Ben Doz thanked Duane for the excellent presentation. The applause from the gallery was deserved.