The Rotary Club of Kirkland held a meeting on April 4, 2022 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
President Dave DeBois rang the bell at 6:18 p.m., calling the club meeting to order.
Patty Smith led the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attending were George Anderson, David Aubry, Scott Becker, David DeBois, Margie Glenn, Mike Hunter, Isabelle Kalisa, Jim Meniketti, Rick Ostrander, Joanne Primavera, Patti Smith, John Storbeck, and Brian Tucker.
Guests:
Guests this evening were the speaker, Judy Ginn, and her guests, Jeannette and Michael Banobi.
Greeter:
Our greeter this evening was Margie Glenn, and Jim Meniketti manned the front desk.
Announcements & Club Business:
Dave DeBois reminded us of Bunco at the Shinstroms’ on April 9. Food sign-ups are on line. Mr. DeBois also recounted our joint meeting at the Flatstick Pub Tuesday last with the Rotary Club of Kirkland Downtown. He filled us in on the continuing work being done by Vital Solutions with Ukrainian refugees in Rumania. So far, our club has raised $3,500 – $4,000 for this work.
Scott Becker gave us a progress report on Duck Dash sponsorships.
Mr. DeBois recounted a story of a family that was “surprise-treated’ to dinner at Disneyland, as an example of how helping others brings joy to the giver. He also reminded us that two weeks hence we will participate in a District Zoom-only meeting on combatting sex trafficking.
Happy Bucks:
There were no Happy Bucks this evening.
Program:
Joanne Primavera introduced our speaker, Judy Ginn, from the Seattle International District Club. Joanne met her during a Rotary project in Nepal. Joanne reminded us that we have done international projects such as purchasing a new bed for a hospital in Rumania and sending money to club member Kristin Olson’s Rotary Club in Mexico’s project to upgrade the physical plant at a local school. We have also recently participated in a project in Kenya.
Ms. Ginn spoke about how she became involved in developing international Rotary Projects. Ms. Ginn recounted how she quickly learned about and became involved in international projects with her Rotary Club. She learned as she went, about financing, sponsoring, assessing needs, developing solutions that fit those needs, and helping to implement those solutions on the ground. She used the example of a school in Tanzania to illustrate how interrelated all the issues are. It is difficult to get good teachers if there is no housing for them. Students cannot stay in school if they are not healthy and well-nourished. They cannot stay in school if their presence at home is vital to their family’s economic survival. Schools are much more effective if they have water and electricity, so water storage and distribution, and solar power projects are integral parts of an effective village school.
There were many questions from Rotarians about the issues faced by the people in Tanzania, that they were attempting to overcome so that everyone’s lives could become better. We heard about the foods available in the area, such as bananas, casava, beans, and ground nuts. Rainfall is not constant all year, so water availability limits the type and quantities of crops that can be grown. Because of the geography and geology of the area, ground water is not available in any quantity.
Part of the education process is to teach students about sanitation and hygiene, food diversity, etc. The idea is to inspire new generations to improve life in the country. There is also a problem of ensuring that girls have an equal opportunity at an education. Often girls must stay home after a certain age to assist the family in maintaining a livelihood. But it is important to educate everyone so that the standard of living can improve throughout the country. Successful schools like this one serve as an example for other communities to do similar things.
A very informative presentation detailing the nuts-and-bolts of a successful project and how it can act as a catalyst for social and economic improvement.
Joker Pool:
There was not a Joker Pool this evening.
Adjournment:
President Dave rang the bell at 7:36 p.m. to adjourn the meeting. Immediately after, we convened a short Kirkland Rotary Foundation meeting. Minutes were taken separately for this meeting.
Respectfully Submitted
Dave Aubry – Acting Scribe