PROGRAM: Steve Curry and Valence Lutaisire -“YOUTH FOCUS AFRICA FOUNDATION (YOFAFO) AND THE UGANDA SCHOOL”
Pres. Jeff King opened the meeting at 12:39 PM by asking all members to see Andrea Lueker for names of service providers they would like included in our annual Charitable Giving Program.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Paul Holden reported that last week’s 16 bottles of Pinot for Polio were sold on last week’s National Polio Day. John Traversaro is sending around a sign-up form again seeking help on Monday evening, November 13 at the St. Barnabas Church Hall for the Rotary Foundation spaghetti dinner and meeting with the featured speaker TRF Trustee Brenda Cressey. November 14th meeting will be dark because of this event. Shelby McLean announced that the groundbreaking of the Arroyo Grande District Emergency Room will take place from 5 to 7 PM on November 6. Winter coats and jackets donations for the Rotaract Club of SLO’s Coats fundraiser can be deposited in collection boxes at Century 21 (on Branch and Bridge Streets, Arroyo Grande (Jack Hardy’s office) and Pismo Beach Vet, 990 Price St. (Joel Conn’s Veterinarian Clinic). The Club has expressed an interest in a hands-on service project for the year to build two 4-bedroom mobile homes to be located at the Tar Springs Ranch of Pat Loomis these homes will be used for the Human Trafficking program under the jurisdiction and supervision of Dan Dow, SLO’s District Attorney, who spoke to us on this issue on September 19, 2017.
FINES:
Pres. Jeff asked the following members to spin-the-wheel in recognition of their wearing a Halloween costume: Shelby McLean and Sharon Ellis. They each had a pay fines of $10 times the number of years they have been in Rotary. Since Shelby just joined her fine was only $0.80. Sharon Ellis’ fine was over $100.
PROGRAM: Steve Curry and Valence Lutaisire -“YOUTH FOCUS AFRICA FOUNDATION (YOFAFO) AND THE UGANDA SCHOOL”
Steve Curry began by showing a few slides and a video clip of the students in the Uganda school that was built under the direction of Valence. Steve explained that Valence graduated from high school at the age of 23 because he did not have sufficient funds to go to school when he was 6 years old. After he finally entered school, he received scholarships through primary and high school and received his degree at the tuition-free Uganda College. Steve then showed pictures of all the Uganda children that are being sponsored by the following members and spouses: Linda and Steve Curry, Jeff and Sally King, Don and Jackie Weber, Karen Zappia, John and Marcia Traversaro, Connie O Henley’s Interact Club, Deenie James Dotson, and Mike Hunsted of the Grover Beach Rotary Club. Steve also passed around letters from the students thanking their Rotary sponsors. Valence began his talk by saying that he started coming to our club 10 years ago to report on the support our club had given to their school and the program for the children’s education. The computer lab powered by solar cells that we recently installed has fulfilled the critical need in the children’s education to bring them up to the 21st century. Our club is currently putting together a grant totaling $37,000 to buy a school bus to transport the children who presently have to walk at least 5 miles per day to and from school. The bus is designed to carry 29; however, the bus is expected to squeeze in 45 students so they can accommodate 90 students per day. Those children that live even further away are housed in apartments having a capacity to sleep 200 children. The students who have the greatest need get the Rotary sponsorships. He stated that in the yearly test given in Uganda, their students were 2nd in their School District.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY BY ERIK MUND:
“'Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, Voices whisper in the trees, Tonight is Halloween” by Dexter Kozen
PROGRAM: Steve Curry and Valence Lutaisire -“YOUTH FOCUS AFRICA FOUNDATION (YOFAFO) AND THE UGANDA SCHOOL”
Pres. Jeff King opened the meeting at 12:39 PM by asking all members to see Andrea Lueker for names of service providers they would like included in our annual Charitable Giving Program.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Paul Holden reported that last week’s 16 bottles of Pinot for Polio were sold on last week’s National Polio Day. John Traversaro is sending around a sign-up form again seeking help on Monday evening, November 13 at the St. Barnabas Church Hall for the Rotary Foundation spaghetti dinner and meeting with the featured speaker TRF Trustee Brenda Cressey. November 14th meeting will be dark because of this event. Shelby McLean announced that the groundbreaking of the Arroyo Grande District Emergency Room will take place from 5 to 7 PM on November 6. Winter coats and jackets donations for the Rotaract Club of SLO’s Coats fundraiser can be deposited in collection boxes at Century 21 (on Branch and Bridge Streets, Arroyo Grande (Jack Hardy’s office) and Pismo Beach Vet, 990 Price St. (Joel Conn’s Veterinarian Clinic). The Club has expressed an interest in a hands-on service project for the year to build two 4-bedroom mobile homes to be located at the Tar Springs Ranch of Pat Loomis these homes will be used for the Human Trafficking program under the jurisdiction and supervision of Dan Dow, SLO’s District Attorney, who spoke to us on this issue on September 19, 2017.
FINES:
Pres. Jeff asked the following members to spin-the-wheel in recognition of their wearing a Halloween costume: Shelby McLean and Sharon Ellis. They each had a pay fines of $10 times the number of years they have been in Rotary. Since Shelby just joined her fine was only $0.80. Sharon Ellis’ fine was over $100.
PROGRAM: Steve Curry and Valence Lutaisire -“YOUTH FOCUS AFRICA FOUNDATION (YOFAFO) AND THE UGANDA SCHOOL”
Steve Curry began by showing a few slides and a video clip of the students in the Uganda school that was built under the direction of Valence. Steve explained that Valence graduated from high school at the age of 23 because he did not have sufficient funds to go to school when he was 6 years old. After he finally entered school, he received scholarships through primary and high school and received his degree at the tuition-free Uganda College. Steve then showed pictures of all the Uganda children that are being sponsored by the following members and spouses: Linda and Steve Curry, Jeff and Sally King, Don and Jackie Weber, Karen Zappia, John and Marcia Traversaro, Connie O Henley’s Interact Club, Deenie James Dotson, and Mike Hunsted of the Grover Beach Rotary Club. Steve also passed around letters from the students thanking their Rotary sponsors. Valence began his talk by saying that he started coming to our club 10 years ago to report on the support our club had given to their school and the program for the children’s education. The computer lab powered by solar cells that we recently installed has fulfilled the critical need in the children’s education to bring them up to the 21st century. Our club is currently putting together a grant totaling $37,000 to buy a school bus to transport the children who presently have to walk at least 5 miles per day to and from school. The bus is designed to carry 29; however, the bus is expected to squeeze in 45 students so they can accommodate 90 students per day. Those children that live even further away are housed in apartments having a capacity to sleep 200 children. The students who have the greatest need get the Rotary sponsorships. He stated that in the yearly test given in Uganda, their students were 2nd in their School District.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY BY ERIK MUND:
“'Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, Voices whisper in the trees, Tonight is Halloween” by Dexter Kozen