March is Water and Sanitation Month. On the Rotary International website, they describe why this issuch an important area of focus for Rotary.
“Clean water is a basic need for human beings. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, they live healthier and more productive lives. However, at least 3,000 children die each day from diseases caused by unsafe water, which is what motivates our members to build wells, install rainwater harvesting systems, and teach community members how to maintain new infrastructure. While very few people die of thirst, millions die from preventable waterborne diseases, providing the impetus for our members to also improve sanitation facilities in undeveloped countries. Members start by providing toilets and latrines that flush into a sewer or safe enclosure and then add education programs to promote hand-washing and other good hygiene habits.”
Our club is fortunate to be able to be very involved in water projects throughout the world.
Please check out the information later in the bulletin.
If you haven’t done so already, please sign up and join one of the shifts at the Habitat for Humanity build. It is a great way to support those who are looking for a hand up to get back on their feet. See the link to sign up later in the bulletin.
This week’s speaker is Lola Woloch, President and CEO of the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, speaking on Women’s History Month.
Next week our program will be Chef Brother Luck speaking about Mental Health Awareness. It is a very important topic for our community. Come and bring a friend! Don’t forget to RSVP by Monday at 5 pm!
Please take time to read the bulletin each week and check out our website that has more information about all our events, activities and upcoming speakers.
Lola has been the President and CEO of the Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce for over 8 years. She has received numerous accolades to include CEO of the Year from the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and a recipient of the Women of Influence award from the Colorado Springs Business Journal.
3333 Templeton Gap Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
PURPOSE
Now in its fourth year, the Craig and Kyle Whitney Memorial Golf Tournament was established to provide community service. To-date, this very fun event has been sponsored by a wide range of local businesses and individuals and has raised more than $50,000 to benefit our community through the programs of the Salvation Army and the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs. Beginning last year and now going forward, the Whitney Tournament also provides “scholarships” for First Tee youth.
“Being able to participate in the Whitney Memorial Golf Tournament gave our participants an experience that they will never forget because it gave them a chance to grow and provided them a safe place to fail. They were pushed outside of their comfort zones and were able to rely on all the active learning experiences that we have been teaching them through our life skills and leadership curriculum.” Emily Ortmeier, LPGA, Director of Golf and Education First Tee – Southern Colorado
It's time again for the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs to give back our time to a great organization helping to bring homes and stability to those who need it most! Join the Community Service Committee in volunteering at Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity this season, helping with their Sand Creek development build!
Our club will be focusing on the following dates to get volunteers coordinated and able to join up in groups: March 25th, March 30th, and April 1st. Please see the details below for times available on those dates! However, if you can't make one of those dates but you still want to volunteer, please take a look at their volunteer page here: https://pikespeakhabitat.org/volunteer/ and see if one of the other days around or within that same week might work, choose the option for Sand Creek Construction Site. Pikes Peak Habitat operates every week Wed-Sat.
Send an email to Cody Burket or sign up at the Sign Up link for an available timeslot if interested in volunteering. Thank you all and I look forward to seeing you there!
Dates & Times Available:
Sat. March 25th, Afternoon Shift Only, 12:30PM - 4:30PM
Thur. March 30th, Any Shift, 8:30-12 or 12:30 - 4:30
Sat. April 1st, Any Shift, 8:30-12 or 12:30 - 4:30
PEN (Practical Education Network) in Accra, Ghana (installation of online training facility) $5,000
Science Lab at Masai Mara High School in Kenya, Africa. $2,500 (with $2,500 from the Los Altos, California Rotary Club)
Social Work Scholarships at Hubert Kairuki Memorial University (HKMU) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Two individual scholarships) $3,000
School bus purchase for Rotary Volcanes School of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico $2,000 (Tri Lakes Rotary Club project; total goal from area clubs and District grant $16,000)
Ukrainian Letter Project (supplies, printing and shipping) $2,600
Ankara Turkey disaster response $3,000
Yours in service,
Tom Nelson
Director and Chairman of the Community Service Fund
March is WASH Awareness month, so lets take a look at RCCS engagement with the 6th SDG! Two water purification enterprises were just installed at 2 Maasai communities in Kenya. Once certified and launched this Spring, both will be run by Maasai women and will be supplying purified water to over 20,000 per day, and generating an annual revenue stream of over $300,000 combined each year. This was funded 90% by a Program Related Investment from a Minnesota Rotary Club, and 10% by our own CSF and an anonymous club member.
We are developing some exciting projects going forward. These include:
A Refuge de Higene in Guatemala at Escuintla Regional Hospital. For the past 4 years, the H2OpenDoors project has been adding purification equipment made here in Colorado. This last January, an expedition of 34 installed the final system, bringing total capacity to 100,000 liters each day. Next January we return to cut the ribbon on a new 20 toilet and sink building to provide sanitation and hygiene for the family visitors to the hospital. Their pediatrics unit performs 45,000 births annually.
A rural community in Peru will be receiving a large water system from Global Water First, our social impact investment strategy to fund projects. Our Minnesota Rotary partner will be funding their second PRI for $80,000 to establish a water business. An expedition will be promoted to Rotary members in late Spring once political unrest calms down there.
Ethiopia and Somalia are experiencing extreme drought. Global Water First will be working with Alight Foundation to rehabilitate dozens of boreholes and establish water distribution points to serve over one million people.
At EarthX in Dallas on April 19-23, we'll be displaying 6 water tech configurations made in Rocky Ford to an estimated 200,000 attendees and investors. EarthX is the largest environmental and climate conference in the world, and for the first time we will have our own Rotary Pavilion. Opening day of the Expo features a presentation by Jon Kaufman, followed by Past RI President, Mark Maloney.
Warmly,
Jon Kaufman
P.S. If you are interested in participating in our International Committee, please email Jon Kaufman jk595@aol.com to be added to the notification list!
Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on 6 February that has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather.
The Rotary world responded to this catastrophe immediately. RI President Jennifer Jones activated our disaster response efforts, communicated with the affected districts, and encouraged governors in those regions to apply for disaster response grants and share information about their relief efforts so that Rotary can amplify the calls for support.
The Rotary Foundation Trustees decided that all donations made, from now until 31 March, to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund will be used to aid earthquake relief projects. In addition, the Trustees made available more than $125,000 to Rotary districts affected by the earthquake through Disaster Response Grants.
Rotary's project partner ShelterBox also has an emergency response team assessing the needs in the region and how it can respond. That team is communicating with Rotary district leaders. Rotary's service partner Habitat for Humanity International is also working on its response. Many Rotary members are asking how they can help. Here's how to have the greatest impact:
Give to Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund. Donations help clubs and districts provide aid and support rebuilding efforts where the need is greatest. The funds are distributed to affected communities through disaster response grants. The Disaster Response Fund can accept cash contributions and District Designated Funds (DDF).
Support local initiatives. As we learn about local response efforts that are being led by clubs and districts, Rotary raises awareness about how to support them. People can then support these projects by working directly with Rotary members in the region. If you want us to publicize information about local response efforts, write to relief@rotary.org.
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If you have bulletin announcements, please email the EXACT WORDING of your announcement to kay.rendleman@comcast.net by Wednesday at 5 pm. I don't write your announcements, but I do make them nice 'n' fancy!
