Posted by Bill Lawrie on Mar 15, 2019

Guest: Ross Thomas from Viaduct Foundation

Filling in for President Ian this week was newly retired Steve Witiuk—great job Steve!

 

June 15th City of Port Moody Community Fair. We will take a table to talk up RIBFEST and all the things we do plus look for new members. Time 11-3 so 2 shifts of 2 people each.  Please sign up with Reena 

 

Birthdays—Terry March 17th , Meghan and Alan K on the 18th—none of them in attendance   We wish you all the very best.

Linda: reminded everyone of Installation Dinner Thursday June 20th at Saint Street Grill. Members dinner cost is included in your annual dues but +1’s are $55.00.

Also to please sign up for RIBFEST....There are lots of slots available for volunteering.  Please pass along to your family, friends and neighbours.  We have 1098 slots to fill to make our 2019 the huge Success we know it can be.

April 3rd  is District Training Assembly. Those attending will carpool to event in Surrey.

District Grant project was moved to the weekend of June 1st and 2nd. at City Hall. High School students grades 9-12 will get sessions led by leaders in government, education, science learning by Socratic Method.

 

SFPP- volunteers will be needed for set up, take down, selling raffle tickets, helping with ice distribution, etc. It is a great 1 day event and very raises a lot of funds for our projects. Tickets (650 guests max) will be $45.00 again this year.  Please tell all your friends to get their tickets before we sell out.

 

Dan G’s Rotary minute reminded us this is World Rotaract Week. Reminded us of the Rotary Intl. President’s article in the latest magazine and all the projects Rotaractors do in their communities. Make them feel welcome, include them  in our projects, welcome them into our Clubs as they age out of Rotaract.

 
Ross receiving the GOLDEN SPIKE from Dan.
 
 

Guest speaker Ross Thomas, is a 30 year resident of the Tri-Cities. Their organization, Viaduct Foundation, (Ross went to school in Toronto and was working there at the time the Bloor Street Viaduct was being re-purposed to include being a rapid transit carrier; so he saw a “viaduct” as being a way to be creative and flexible) works on education projects in the poorest 10% of the countries in the world. Some issues in Education can be solved with money but not everything:

  1. Described a school in Honduras destroyed by an earthquake that took 7 years to be rebuilt—kids were without a school for 7 years, almost ½ a generation lost.
  2. In El Salvador they drove a building behind an 8-10 foot razor wire barricade in a residential neighborhood—it was a school and the fencing was to protect their computers. 1st time the equipment was stolen before the wall.
  3. Guatemala a Rotary project they worked with was to supply RACHEL computers but parents had to sign and attest they would pay for the electricity so they would work.

The UN has set 17 targets for “Sustainable Development Goals” to eradicate poverty. Several involve education: 

  1. Not enough teachers. In some countries class sizes are up to 100 kids. Projected number required = one half of all kids graduating each year.
  2. Quality of teachers is a problem. In Sub-Saharan Africa up to 60% of the teachers have just High School education themselves and they are paid below poverty level.
  3. Attendance. Kids are required to work for a wage or to help on the family farm
  4. Focus on girls. Some projects enroll girls in private schools. For these girls they sleep 3 high on bunk beds and have all their clothes, toiletries, etc, in 1 small locker for a year.
  5. In the poorest 10% of the world they calculate 400 million kids who HAVE gone to school can’t read, do math, or spell. 

What can we do: a) sponsor a student, subscribe to their semi-annual newsletters, donate an android tablet.

 
 
Rotary Cleaned up Heritage Mtn. Blvd. once again.  The snow was gone, the sun shone and a total of 8 bags of trash was collected.  Thanks to Gladys, The Berrisford's, the Burnham's, PP Alan & Bill.  Great job everyone.
 

 

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