Meetting January 12, 2016
Guest: Tom Wilkinson, Charlottetown Rotary Club
- We circulated the schedule for the food drive at Loblaws on Isabella Street on Saturday, January 23, 2016.
- Chris mentioned that the South Ottawa Club raised $2,000 at the Scottish Night.
- Wendy raised the subject of whether we should continue to fund the teacher’s salary at the school in Kenya. We normally send the money at this time of year. Unfortunately, salaries are not eligible projects for a Simplified District Grant. Suan Cross has mentioned that payment of salaries is critical to the success of the school. Many of the teachers in Kenya are poorly trained. Payment of salaries is critical to keeping the good teachers. However, Suan mentioned that if our Club wants to apply for a grant, we could instead fund a breakfrast program in the school. Lunch is currently provided to the children but they do not receive breakfast. Mike has very generously offered to fund $800 so that we can continue to pay the salary plus apply for a grant.
- Tom Wilkinson gave a presentation on a proposal that we fund a project to provide solar heating of water in an orphanage in North Korea. Our club committed to fund $500 annually for three years to a fishing project in North Korea. However, Rotary has cancelled that project since the Government of North Korea had asked that the project be moved to another community and would not allow Rotary’s representative to visit the new site. Tom has now asked if our Club would be willing to redirect our commitment of $500 annually for three years to another project.
The Mirim School Solar Water and Hygiene Project involves providing 550 children who live in an orphanage with heated water and soap and education about hygiene. Soap is a precious commodity in North Korea and the current standard of cleanliness in the school is very low since there is no hot water. Water is currently heated with wood which creates soot.
The project involves an overall commitment on the part of Rotary of $29,000. Many other Rotary Clubs are participating in the project.
A key concern on the part of some of us is whether we should be involved in a project in North Korea, given the notorious nature of the government in that country. Tom spoke eloquently on this subject. He said that Rotarians have an obligation to go to places where Rotary is not present to promote world peace and understanding. There has never been a peace treaty between North and South Korea and the potential for conflict there is great. Rotary’s role is to help promote peace. A Rotarian Peace Fellowship Group will go to North Korea following the next International Conference which will be in Seoul. Rotary has successfully participated in many projects in North Korea.
The next Board meeting will be on January 31, 2016. This item will be on the agenda for discussion.