Jennifer Silverstone - Eyes on Refuges 

 

Song:                                      God Bless America led by Leigh Ann Crimmings

Pledge of Allegiance:           Helen Halloran

Bulletin Writer:                    Rosario Rizzo

 

 

 

Leigh Ann Crimmings had four guests:

            Glenn Ruga

 

Florence Goulet had one Guest:

            Donna Mukanziza

 

 

1)         Therese Oliver was happy that the Patriots will win their 5th Super Bowl on Sunday.

 

2)         Dave Robertson was happy that no one was hurt in a minor accident in which his daughter Sara was a passenger on her way to our Rotary meeting.  Sara and her boyfriend had been looking forward to attending our meeting and did know what to wear, which delayed their trip.

 

3)         Jean Goldsberry was happy that Not Your Average Joe’s is running a fundraiser for Minuteman ARC on Tuesdays in February.  If you mention the Minuteman ARC fundraiser, Not Your Average Joe’s will donate 15% to Minuteman ARC.

 

4)         Dean Benedict was happy to present the Club with a flag from the Rotary Club of Clearwater East, Florida, that he attends regularly when he is in Florida.  (We owe them one of our flags.)

 

5)         Leigh Ann was happy to be doing the Polar Bear Plunge for the first time ever this weekend along with the Rotary Club of Lexington in Gloucester.  (Ask her how it went next time you see her!)

 

6)         Steve Kirk was happy that is son showed impressive public communication skills at his Tuesday presentation of Fly Fishing in Montana at the Concord Rod and Gun Club.

 

 

Dave Robertson bought Noel Choquette’s Door Prize ticket for the 3rd week in a row because Noel only had a $20.00 bill.  Noel promised to repay Dave once Dave has paid for 20 weeks.  (Dave asked that future bulletin writers keep track of this promise.  Allowing for possible snow days, the Pops Concert, and the Golf Tournament, and assuming both attend all meetings in between, the 20th meeting should be in late May or early June 2017.)

 

 

1)         Andrea Zall announced that she and her husband are going to Guatemala on February 19 to work on a water project.  She can bring donated items.  A list of items will be on our website.  Members can bring donated items to the next meeting or drop them off at Frameables.

 

2)         Dick Hale handed out Pops Concert packages to members.  Pops Concert is Friday April 7.

 

3)         Noel Choquette reported that the Pops Concert planning meeting the previous evening went well and that the planning committee is set.

 

4)         Karl Kussin reported that Golf Tournament postcards have been mailed.  The event is on Monday May 22.

 

5)         Dave Robertson reminded everyone that the Minuteman ARC Carnival will be held on held March 4.

 

6)         A meeting prospective members will be held on Monday February 5 at the Tap Room in the Colonial Inn at 5:30 p.m.

 

7)         John Lombard invited members interested in working on this year’s RYLA program to attend training on February 11 or February 13.  Further information is available on the RYLA website.

 

8)         Steve Kirk showed a video he prepared for District 7910.

 

 

Leigh Ann Crimmings introduced our speaker, Jennifer Silverstone of Carlisle.

 

            Jennifer is a resident of Carlisle, a mother, and a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital.  She is the President of Eyes on Refugees Inc.

 

Jennifer was moved by the plight of the Syrian refugees and was moved to do something.  In April 2015, she went to work in the refugee camps in Calais, France.  Jennifer and her husband took in a refugee family of 5 from Syria as the family awaited subsidized housing.  The family received a great deal of help from the community.  They are now settled into their own home.

 

In May 2016, she co-founded Eyes on Refugees, Inc., a tax exempt non-profit Massachusetts corporation, along with Sami Abdallah.

 

Eyes on Refugees is dedicated to finding solutions to assist in solving problems, not just sending aid.  It collaborates with non-governmental agencies in France and Greece.  Its volunteers travel to refugee camps and surrounding communities to learn first-hand from refugees and locals, and properly assess the most effective way to help.              In Lebanon, Eyes on Refugees works with local settlement agents to resettle into our area and set up households.

 

            Its first project involved the creation, in conjunction with a non-governmental organization in the U.K., of a safe-haven community center for women and children in a refugee camp in Dunkirk.  Using shipping containers as the basis of the structure, the community center has four living spaces, including a communal kitchen and a classroom.

 

            Jennifer has several goals for Eyes on Refugees.  She wants to improve Eye of Refugees storage and distribution of donated goods.  She is seeking a location in Lowell or Worcester.  Eyes on Refugees is now eligible for and will be applying for Federal grants.  She will be working on providing medical care in Greece and other refugee areas.  Eyes on Refugees will be working with non-governmental organizations locally and abroad to bridge gaps in services for refugees.

 

 

Susan Dee won the door prize, a $25.00 gift certificate from Concord Teacakes.

 

 

As scheduled.