President

Art Clark

President Elect

Ric Schmidt

Secretary

James Cosby

Treasurer

Debra Mason

Past President

Angela Rush

Community Service

James Goodfellow

Vocational Service

Kevin Fimon

Club Service - Programs

Dr Helena Wisniewski

Foundation Chair

Nina Mann

International Service

Jonathan Tarrant

Membership Chair

Tim Trueblood

Public Image

James Goodfellow

Bulletin Weekly

Trygve Erickson

Sergeant at Arms

Jay Tung

Social Chair

Chera Boom

Executive Secretary

Janine Becka

Bulletin Editors

Tryg Erickson (ericksontj@muni.org)

(If you have anything you would like to include or have questions, please contact the editor.)

April 2nd Program: Luke Vorstermans, Founder, Hippo Roller Project

"Help Us Roll 1000 Hippos (big roll-able water-carrier handcarts)"

Luke Vorstermans is a member of the Rotary Club of Gibsons, BC, and is the Chair of their club's International Service Committee. In 2016, he helped launched the Help Us Roll 1000 Hippos Campaign that put the spotlight on the innovative hippo water roller. The project quickly rolled across Canada and the US, and over 100 Rotary clubs have fundraised and delivered 750 hippo rollers to women in Southern Africa.

In response to the COVID pandemic, a collaboration with South African Rotary clubs launched the 1000 Survival Garden Kits to help vulnerable women start vegetable gardens and create food security. Already over 200 kits have been delivered.

Luke is formerly from the Atlantic Coast but now resides with his wife in the warmer climate of the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Zooming has become a big part of his life!

Alternate means to access bulletin

If you have not received the bulletin by Thursday afternoon, it can be found on the Anchorage International Rotary ClubRunner Homepage. Near the top middle section of the landing page select “Bulletins” to download recent issues.

Last week many did not receive the email containing the current issue. The week before the editor didn’t get it! Your bulletin team is endeavoring to locate the source of the problem.

What you missed: Mar. 26, 2021 Operation Simbi-Water for Haiti

John Kolm is retired from the CIA, volunteer firefighter and a member of the Rockville MD Rotary Club. Kolm was one of the original organizers of the Simbi Project Simbi is a Haitian spirit of the fountains and marshes, who cannot do without the freshness of water.

Operation Simbi is a project to bring fresh artesian water to the 2000 people of Bossier, Haiti, whose wells ran dry as the result of climate change. Bossier was at the epicenter of the 2010 earthquake and is also the place where Rockville Rotary and partners built a school in 2012 to replace the original school that was destroyed, and where there are now 200 sponsored students. Both the school project (Operation Jericho) and the current water project were funded by private donors and a large alliance of small Rotary clubs in MD, VA and DC .

A total budget of an initial $10,000 was raised and funds are still coming in. Donations are still being accepted. Extra funds will go toward building a trough around the flow pipe, connecting the artesian to existing (dry) water troughs, and building a community shower. Funds go to the Rockville Rotary Foundation, which is a 501(c)3 and tax deductible.

Currently the well head has been capped and a series of pipes leading to three "tiyos" - large concrete basins with two faucets each - has been completed, along with the tiyos themselves. These tiyos are now resplendent in our Soleil School colors of yellow and blue, and all you have to do is walk up to one and turn the faucet for water to come gushing out. Since we kept pushing the artesian 30 feet below the point of striking water, the water pressure is just under 2 atmospheres (every 32 feet of depth adds 1 atmosphere) and so when the faucet is turned, the water pressure is impressive, and buckets fill up fast.

The next step is to add the flush toilets that we all take for granted in our homes. This will be a shared toilet block not unlike the ones we see at campgrounds, but still a huge step forward. The locals are very excited about the idea because they know very well that it means improved sanitation and health.

Meeting Notes: Mar. 26, 2021

In pre-meeting discussion Angie Rush spoke of needs at Alaska Child and Family and President-elect Ric Schmidt, without prompting, offered to fund the need! Ted Trueblood attended a fund raiser for UAA this week. Ted asked Dr. Helena Wisniewski if the University is making any plans to deal with academic shortcomings in incoming freshman as a result of being out of school much or all their senior year. President Art Clark had to insert himself into the conversation to call the meeting to order. The pledge was led by Raeshawndra Jett and Kevin Fimon gave us the Thought-for-the-day: Let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.

President Art led off happy Bucks with the announcement that he will be absent for the next three meetings. With vaccinations and lowering of COVID travel restrictions he is off to distant lands. Past President Angie Rush and President Elect Ric Schmidt will cover. Dr. Helena reminded us of the upcoming UAA Perfect Pitch competition. That is a judged contest where contestants make a “pitch” to the group, as if they were investors or customers for their new venture/enterprise/idea. Joe Zimmerman is serving as one of the judges. Rick Goodfellow offered $20. Rick is happy for Art’s vacation travels and unhappy to know that Cathie Straub ailing. Ric Schmidt seconded the sentiment regarding Cathie with $5. Debra Mason is happy to have plane tickets to follow, or perhaps lead, Art out of state. Debra reminded us of a new twist by telephone scammers have of spoofing 907 numbers when they call you claiming to be the IRS. Kevin Fimon had two $5 pledges. The first for the great time he and wife Dr. Karen McCreary had at the virtual Fireside/Fiesta organized and hosted by Mark Cosby last Friday. The second was for the expert computer assistance he received from Tim Trueblood in setting up systems at Kevin’s new downtown office. Mark Cosby had $5 to thank members and guests for attending the Fiesta. Mark was having connectivity issues joining the meeting from the UAA Engineering Department where he was assisting a team preparing for the famous bridge building contest.

April: MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH Month

Every day mothers risk their lives giving birth and millions of children die each year from treatable, preventable causes. At least 7 million children under the age of five die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary provides immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improves access to essential medical services, and supports trained health care providers for mothers and their children. Rotary’s projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.

Maternal and Child Health Care is also recognized as one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus (Protecting the Environment was added as a the seventh area of focus in July 2020).

To get more information and read news about Rotary's work to promote maternal and child health, click HERE .

Member Birthdays

Raeshawndra Jett

April 7

Chidi Igbokwe

April 18

Jonathan Tarrant

April 26

Shari Showalter

April 27

Ric Schmidt

May 22

Anniversaries

John Spalding

Jane

April 12

Hoov Hoover

Jackie Hoover

May 2

Join Date

Allison Biss

April 9, 1999

22 years

William Pearson

April 14, 2006

15 years

James Cosby

April 19, 2019

2 years

Karl Schroeder

April 19, 2013

8 years

Dodie Pruessner

April 29, 2011

10 years

Steve Strait

May 1, 1991

30 years

Hoov Hoover

May 28, 2010

11 years

The Rotary Four-Way Test

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?