The members of the Rotary Club of Westfield were visited at their regular Monday meeting by members of the West Springfield Rotary Club, Bob MacDonald and Dan Marini (President), who thanked the Westfield Rotarians for their support of project to help schoolchildren in India.
Area Rotary clubs target Indian literacy
WESTFIELD- The members of the Rotary Club of Westfield were visited at their regular Monday meeting by members of the West Springfield Rotary Club who thanked the Westfield Rotarians for their support of project to help schoolchildren in India.
West Springfield Rotarians Bob MacDonald and Dan Marini visited the Westfield club to explain their Global Grant project which ill introduce “e learning" to Indian schools and will also address hygiene issues in targeted school.
He said that the program will involve about 25 school in Karanataka province, on the west coast of India, in and around the city of Shimoga.
MacDonald thanked the members of the Westfield club for their contribution of $1,000. He said that the Agawam Rotary Club has also contributed $1,000 and similar donations from the Southwick and Springfield Rotary clubs are pending.
The Rotary Club of Shimoga will make a similar donation and the revenues from both clubs will be matched both by the Rotary Districts represented and by the Rotary International Foundation.
The aggregated funds, MacDonald said, will add up to $40,386 and will fund hardware and training to bring smart boards, laptops and similar digital devices to 25 schools in Shimoga to improve the children’s education and result in literate graduates
The other half of the project, he said, will fund sinks with running water in each of the schools.
MacDonald explained that the crowded and primitive schools included in the project will benefit both from the running water and the opportunity to teach the children the benefit of good hygiene. He said that simply teaching the children (and giving theme the opportunity) to wash their hands will interrupt the disease vectors and make a significant difference in the health of both the schoolchildren and their families.
The Westfield Rotary Club is a service organization that meets at noon on Mondays at the Genesis Spiritual Center, 53 Mill St. in Westfield. Guests are always welcome to attend meetings.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Gruszka at jennifergruszka45@gmail.com or visit the club’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/
For more information, please contact Jennifer Gruszka at jennifergruszka45@gmail.com or visit the club’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/