.png)
Cogitator Nov 28, 2012
Teresa Tavera Thomas, ‘Ozioma of Igboland’
VISITING ROTARIANS
None.
GUESTS
Former East Greenwich Rotarian Paula Buckheit joined us for lunch. Welcome back, Paula!
BIRTHDAYS
Happy birthday this week to two Rotarians, Bill McHale and Matt D’Agenais, both celebrating today, November 28th.
CLUB ANNIVERSARY
Cheers to Caroline Bradshaw who celebrates a special Rotary Induction anniversary—her first!—on November 30th.
RUTH SILVERMAN, ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Rest in peace Ruth Silverman, sister to three stalwart Rotarians also now departed—Irving, Howard, and Arthur Silverman. Ruth asked that all memorial gifts go to the East Greenwich Rotary Scholarship Fund. Scholarship Fund President Dave Iannuccilli plans to meet with the Silverman family to discuss a newly begun named scholarship in honor of Ruth, as well as the possible bolstering of the other three Silverman scholarships. Ruth was 99 years old, just two weeks short of her hundredth birthday.
PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP
Although no longer a Rotarian, Paula Buckheit continued her commitment to George Popella and her Paul Harris Team. George and President Ken today honored Paula with her first Paul Harris Fellowship award, presenting to her a medallion, a pin, and a certificate from Rotary International.
CITRUS DRIVE
Bonnie Sauer gave an update that as of today we’re at 76% of our revenue goal with 438 cases ordered. She did order extra fruit from the Florida citrus folks, so keep on selling! Saturday, December 8th will be Citrus pickup day at Greene Industries. Bonnie also asked for volunteers to help with putting together the citrus baskets before the 8th, and she passed around the roster duty list for the big day.
ELECTION DAY BREAKFAST
John Wolcott announced that the Election Day Breakfast raised $650. Nice work, John and committee! While we’ll try to sell more tickets in 2014, it still was a very good time for the club, as always on Election Day, and it gave us another opportunity to serve, and be seen, in the local community.
HAPPY BUCKS
-Jane Boynton enjoyed her ‘all-girls’ lunch table this afternoon. She also mentioned Santa John Wolcott’s terrific picture in the Sunday paper. (Poor Santa…has to pay for his publicity!)
-Bonnie Sauer was happy to report that husband Chuck had, thankfully, successful eye surgery recently.
-Sally Russell had a small reunion with some friends and recalled ‘the old days’ of shopping for clothes at Silverman’s, which was for years run by Ruth Silverman.
-Vin Meola wondered if, based on the Andy Petite signing, the New York Yankees are now searching through nursing facilities for pitching help. Vin also had a good time at the Election Day Breakfast, especially with Bill Winter’s young daughter adding great personality to the event, and, with his brother Paul tickling the ivories on the St. Luke’s piano.
-Bob Sloan cited the coincidence of George Steinbrenner’s passing and the repeal of the Estate Tax back in 2010, adding Congress had better avoid the fiscal cliff again.
-Bob Miller gave a happy buck for the ‘all girls’ table today.
-Lou Lepry is a happy Notre Dame alumnus. The Fighting Irish are once again ranked #1 in the nation and will play in the national championship game in the New Year. (Go Irish!)
-And, keep an eye out…Chub Clement is still looking for a missing spoon lost on Election Day.
SPEAKER/PROGRAM
Teresa Tavera Thomas, from ‘Ozioma Hope for Wellness’
Ed Neff met Stoughton, MA resident Teresa Thomas on a plane over a year ago. She is known in Igboland, Nigeria as ‘Ozioma’ (which means ‘good news). They talked about Teresa’s incredible work in Nigeria, helping to provide clean well water, basic nursing and health care, and quite simply, love—to the as many people as possible in Igboland.
Today, thanks to Ed, she came to tell us her story.
Teresa’s touching slide presentation showed us the many faces, young and old, of Igboland. Despite the tremendous poverty and suffering, ‘there is still great joy’ in their lives.
Teresa visited Nigeria in 2006, as a nurse and independent missionary, planning to stay for a month or so. That trip turned into something much more, as she continues to go back each year continuing her mission of spreading the word about the needs of this corner of the world.
All of the villagers in Igboland are engaged in farming. Their biggest challenge—getting clean water. They walk for miles, daily, to fill up and bring back jugs of diseased water. Each resident averages 2.6 gallons of water per day for cleaning, washing, and consumption. Teresa noted that’s the same amount of one toilet flush in developed world.
Rotary has lent a hand in drilling a solar-powered well nearby. Also, for $10 or so, ‘life straws’ provide basic filtration for many, allowing them to drink the local water more safely.
Arthritis, dysentery, glaucoma, high blood pressure, and other maladies are part of daily life in Igboland. These are all ultimately related to the lack of clean water and proper nutrition. Teresa smiled and stated, ‘We have it so easy in the United States! Yet such simple reasons like the lack of clean water continue to take so many lives in Igboland.’
While Lagos Nigeria is much like large Western cities like New York, the countryside of Nigeria remains mostly poor. Teresa feels extremely safe when on her missions, and her plan is to continue her work as long as she possibly can.
She finished with a Nigerian ‘God bless you.’ And may God bless you, Teresa, for all of your selfless work!
Please visit Teresa’s website to learn more about how you can help--
Teresa Tavera Thomas (Ozioma of Igboland), with friends Christine McMahon and Mike Maggard