Jamie Tripp introduced John, who has been a Club President and a DG and is now with the Collingwood Club, a Paul Harris and a Benefactor.  Cora was a member of a Club in the Philippines but now belongs to the Collingwood Club as well.

John reminded us that he had seen the city dump outside Cebu in 2005 was watched the kids picking for food and celebrating the discovery of a load of hot dogs.  This changed his life - he felt someone had to go out into the rich world and talk about this.  Within a year they were feeding 4,000 kids a day.  Then they closed the dumps and the kids became street people and they started a back to school program because, as Kofi Annan said, the road from misery to hope is education.

First they find a sponsor, then a scholar willing to learn and then appoint a mentor to observe and assist.  $50.00 a year is all it takes and they have 1,000 in the program now.  But many have never been to school at all and don't know how to start.  So they started an alternative learning program that uses computer training remotely run by teachers in their spare time.  One group has seen 200 kids go far enough to be employed and they bring the money home and help educate their younger siblings.  The government helps by running the tests that certify graduation.  They are trying to expand this program beyond Cebu.  John feels that if they can stay where they are the migration to the city might be curbed a bit.  Rutal poverty to urban poverty isn't progress.

John feels that what we do for others will live on and you can see that he and Cora are leaving a legacy.

John also reported on two recent disasters they've suffered there - the floods that washed houses away with families sleeping in them.  Short term help arrived fairly quickly but long term is always problematic so they have raised funds from Clubs and through matching grants to organize over 10 40 ft. containers full of supplies that will be going soon.  And last week they had an earthquake that left severe destruction in its wake.  They are helping with surgery equipment and have arranged for a fire engine to be delivered.

Jamie thanked John for his presentation and his dedication and announced a donation to RI International has been made in his name.  Bill Richardson presented John and Cora with a cheque for $2,500.00 for disaster relief and John promised to double and triple it through matching grants and thanked the Club for its support.