There were 23 members in attendance at this week’s meeting. Dr. Crystal LeRoy, the Superintendent for Kenilworth’s Joseph Sears School, was the guest of President Bill Leske. She has indicated interest in membership. Way to go Bill! Mark Schusteff was in attendance representing the Community House.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: We had no birthdays to celebrate, however, three long time Rotarians were feted for club anniversaries. Joining the club in early August were Peter Skalski – 26 years ago, Brooke Peppey – 22 years ago and Louise Holland – 20 years ago. President Bill announced that our club will be participating in the Winnetka-Northfield Farmers’ Market on Saturday, September 15th. Bill is looking for volunteers to help setup and/or take down our booth, as well as members to meet and greet shoppers and talk about Rotary. Bill also announced a new incentive program to increase membership. Any member who gets a new member who stays with the club for at least a year will be awarded 1000 Paul Harris Fellowship points, which in effect is enough to be awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Liz Taylor announced that the Chicagoland Korean Northbrook Rotary Club will be celebrating their 10th at Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield on August 11th. She handed out a flyer with details of their event.
Barb Tubekis received a letter from the New Trier Township Pantry our club for its donation of food and money for food. Summer is particularly a slow time donations, but people still get hungry in summer. She accepted more food and donations at our meeting.
HAPPY BUCK$: Fred Schwimmer made a donation to celebrate his 57th wedding anniversary as well as his gratitude as an owner of Apple shares for the fact that Apple became the first company to be valued at a one trillion dollars. Patti Van Cleave’s Happy Buck was to honor Tom Tubekis as a great handy man. Tony Kambich was happy that his wife stayed married to him for 57 years and he wanted to honor Robert Mardirossian for his new casual sartorial splendor.
DIG ‘N GRIN: Carl Yudell received a lot of chuckles for his short one and two liners and a hardy laugh for his opening. Slightly risqué story.
SPEAKER: Rich Lalley introduced the speaker for our meeting, Valerie Pereira, a sixteen-year employee of the grants program at RI. Currently she oversees grants in South America, mainly Brazil, also in Portugal and much of the Caribbean. Since she is a native Brazilian she speaks fluent Portuguese (one of five languages she speaks), which makes her a natural for Brazil and Portugal.
Valerie began by asking Tony Kambich to explain what he did to promote the project he spearheaded in Uganda. Over 20 years ago Tony was instrumental in initiating a microfinance program for women in Uganda. He offered a brief explanation of his, and our club’s involvement with this project. Valerie then went on to describe some of the notable projects that she had the opportunity to oversee.
There was a water and sanitation project in Columbia. A septic system was installed that enabled 25 residents of the village to have a bathroom and clean drinking water. This was expanded to serve 350 people at a cost of $350,000.
A Basic Education and Literacy project was started in Haiti in 2017. A school was started that serves 500 orphans, disadvantaged children and child domestic servants. The project involved the installation of solar panels that was connected to literacy training. The total invested was $850,000.
In Brazil in 2015 Rotary sponsored a Women’s Entrepreneur project that benefited 62 women at a cost of $50,000. Most of the Rotary Global grants last for three years and are meant to be seed money to create change. So, in effect they are merely investments in the future. Two hundred and fifty youth were provided with tools for peace and conflict resolution. This project is to be replicated in Columbia. On a smaller scale $31,000 was provided to a native of Brazil to get a M.A. degree in Development Economics.
Valeria also told us of a project involving Brazil and the Ukraine. Brazilian doctors went to Ukraine to do surgery on children with cleft palates, a problem in proportionally high numbers.
Following that experience Ukraine sent some of its doctors to Brazil to learn the latest facial reconstructive surgery techniques.
Rotary International has 40 persons like Valerie who are overseeing Rotary grants around the world. When asked about sustainability Tony responded that the money invested in microloans 20 years ago is still working as it is being reused by a new generation. Rich Lalley said that RI is currently giving out about 275 million dollars in grants each year. A contribution to the Rotary International Foundation goes a long way and has lasting benefits.