Minutes of
Meeting of March 8, 2010
Call to order. Sharon
Starr called the meeting to order at 5:50 p.m. Committee members
attending were David Bussman, Barry Childs, Ted Durant, Steve Griffith,
Roger May, Sharon Starr and Lynn Wintermute.
Minutes:
The minutes of the
meeting of February 8, 2010 were unanimously APPROVED.
Current Projects:
1.
Tanzania (Masoko: Most Vulnerable Children Project) Service
Trip. Barry Childs reported on his highly successful trip to Masoko.
Last year seven cow cooperatives did very well and one maize cooperative
struggled, mainly because of deficiencies in technical support. With
the help of a new ward agricultural and land officer, this year the
agricultural enterprises have thrived. Seven maize cooperatives were
started that are projected to yield 20-25 bags of corn per acre compared
to the average yield of 5-8 bags per acre. Other encouraging signs
include the fact that:
a.
Neighbors who are not part of the cooperative have begun attending the
workshop sessions to learn the secrets of high yield.
b. The
most vulnerable children committees have begun auditing the families
that agreed to look after the children.
c.
This fall, Roger May will lead an all Rotary trip from Oregon and the
local sponsor Iringa club.
2.
Guatemala (Coatepeque: Scholarships) Service Trip. While
visiting Coatepeque last month, Alan Bazzaz contributed $100 of his own
funds to buy maps for the school. Although Alan was willing to treat
this as a personal expense, a motion to reimburse him was unanimously
APPROVED. The maps are now a contribution from our Lake Oswego WCS
committee.
New projects:
Costa Rica (SE Costa Rica: Utilities) Grant. Sharon Starr reported that
Dennis Wickham of the Rotary Club of Greater Clark County has solicited
10-12 clubs in the United States to partner with PDG Fabio Carballo’s
San Jose Noreste Rotary Club in Costa Rica to support an infrastructure
project in the southeast corner of the country near the Panama border.
The project includes gravity water pipes, latrines, a well cap and an
ecostove. After discussion of the project, a motion to donate $3000 to
the project was unanimously APPROVED.
Possible projects:
1.
El Salvador (San Salvador: Van for Mi Casa). Dave Bussman led
the discussion of a possible project in which Lake Oswego Rotary Club
would partner with Rotary Club San Salvador Cuscatlan, other clubs in
District 5100, the District and The Rotary Foundation to purchase a van
for a school for orphans in San Salvador known as “Mi Casa.” The school
was brought to Dave’s attention by Club member Don New. The committee
has seen material and a film about this program which seems
meritorious. Dave is waiting to hear back on the name of the local
contact and to confirm the definite interest of the local club. [NOTE:
On Tuesday, March 30, 2010, all conditions of the project were satisfied
and a motion to contribute $3,536 to the purchase of the van was
unanimously APPROVED by email.]
2.
Tanzania (Dar Es Salaam: SOS Children’s Project). Roger May
reported on conversations he has had with Walt Long of a Rotary Club in
Pennsylvania concerning the possible support for a water project to
benefit the SOS Children’s Project in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam is
in District 9100 which, after July 1, 2010, will be a Future Vision
pilot district and therefore not eligible for partnering (see below),
which makes any collaboration time-sensitive. The committee discussed
but did not vote on a possible $2000 grant for the project.
Future Vision:
The committee discussed
the Rotary Foundation’s Future Vision Plan, a new grant-making model
that will change the way Rotarians participate in international
humanitarian projects. During a three-year period (2010-2013), 100
pilot districts will be testing the model. During this time, clubs in
non-pilot districts will not be able to participate in matching grants
with clubs in pilot districts. Since Lake Oswego Rotary Club is part of
District 5100, a non-pilot district, we will not be able to participate
in matching grants with clubs located, for example, in Guatemala, Belize
and Honduras, as they are located in District 4250, which is a pilot
district.
Outreach:
1.
April 12 Club lunch. The committee discussed a program slot for
outreach at the Club lunch on April 12, 2010. The program, which could
be moderated, might include Alan Bazzaz discussing the Club’s work in
Coatepeque, Barry Childs reporting on the good news from Masoko, Ted
Durant describing his work in The Philippines, and Sharon Starr
explaining how the Rotary grant system actually works.
2.
May 21-23 District conference. This conference will be held at
The Resort at the Mountain in Welches. The Club will have a display
there mostly focused on World Community Service Committee projects.
Adjournment. The meeting
adjourned at 7:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephen Griffith, Secretary |