Category: Activities: Global

Rotary-Peace Corps connection a solid one

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
Becky
SRC’s Becky Raymond at Rotary-Peace Corps Partnership meeting in Denver.

Southern Rensselaer County Rotary member Becky Raymond attended the recent Rotary-Peace Corps Partnership meeting in Denver, CO, that preceded the annual National Peace Corps Association conference. Most of the participants were both Rotarians and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

The purpose of the meeting was to underscore the goals of the “Rotary-Peace Corps Memorandum of Understanding,” and for participants to leave with tools and resources that will help further strengthen the relationship between the two organizations.

At the conference itself, Becky led a breakout session entitled “Collaborative Partnerships.” It highlighted the collaboration between the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Northeastern New York, Rotary, the University at  Albany, and the Freedom From Fistula Foundation to raise funds for prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula.

Speakers included Victor Barnes, Rotary Director of Programs and Grants; Ashley Bell, Associate Director of External Affairs at Peace Corps; Ellina Kushnir, supervisor of the Rotary Service and Engagement portfolio; Ted Adams, Peace Corps Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Intergovernmental Affairs; several members of Denver area Rotary clubs, the District Governor, and a Rotary Scholar.

Registration already open for next RI Convention

SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-15 at 12.55.56 PMThe 2017 Rotary International Convention has been over for only a single day, but the 2018 event — to be held in Toronto — already is being hyped by its organizers who are offering a deep registration discount for a limited time.

The convention, which will be held June 23 through 27, offers basic registration for $335 online or $345 by mail or fax through December 15. The price then rises incrementally in several steps as convention time nears. Just click here for full registration detail.

 

SRC grant delivered to Freedom From Fistula Foundation

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
Screen Shot 2017-06-15 at 11.36.33 AM
Debbie Rodriguez and Becky Raymond pose with Freedom From Fistula Foundation official Angela McCabe (far left) opposite the United Nations building.

Screen Shot 2017-06-15 at 11.53.26 AMSouthern Rensselaer County Rotary Club President Debbie Rodriguez and club member Becky Raymond traveled to New York City this week to present a grant from the club to the Freedom From Fistula Foundation.

Angela McCabe, the Foundation’s development director, accepted the $1,800 check, and the trio discussed various Foundation projects being started or already under way in the African nations of Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Madagascar. (Click on the links to get updates on the work in each country.)

They also had the opportunity to have lunch at the United Nations, located across United Nations Plaza from the Foundation office. Each January, the UN hosts “Rotary Day at the UN.”

McCabe will be supplying further details, and Becky and Debbie will head up exploration of potential partnerships with Rotary Clubs in the aforementioned countries. They then will report back to the club with an eye on possibly applying for a Rotary Global Grant with a focus on fistula prevention.

If you need to have your knowledge of the fistula problem refreshed, just click here to see the 2016 presentation Becky made to the club to heighten our awareness of the need for assistance.

 

RI, Gates pledge $450M more to fight against polio

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 3.48.18 PM
Philanthropist Bill Gates (left) and RI President John Germ announce more global anti-polio funding.
(RI photo)

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 5.49.04 PMAs the world inches closer toward eradicating polio, Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will spend nearly a half-billion dollars more in an effort to eliminate the disease over the next three years.

Bill Gates joined Rotary President John Germ to announce the pledge at the annual Rotary International Convention that concluded today in Atlanta. It drew nearly 40,000 Rotarians from around the world to a four-day schedule of workshops, panel talks, discussions and reports on Rotary’s various worldwide public service efforts — human trafficking, clean water, education and others. However, it was the latest commitment to polio eradication that made the biggest news.

Beginning July 1, the start of the 2017-18 Rotary Year, the Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s commitment to raise $50 million annually over the next three years on a 2-to-1  basis. That means another $450 million could be added to funds already committed to support efforts to eradicate the disease by 2020.

The matching program adds to a pledge made in 2013, when the Gates Foundation pledged to match Rotary contributions 2-to-1 up to $35 million each year through 2018. With this commitment, the two organizations together will have raised nearly $1.5

Click here to see our new video, “Making Polio History: A Pioneer’s Story.”

billion since 2007 to fight polio.

The money will fund both the administration of oral vaccinations in countries in which children still are at risk for contracting polio, and increasing disease surveillance efforts such as testing sewage water to detect where the virus could still be circulating in communities.

Polio, once found everywhere in the world, now is endemic in only three places — Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. While the disease, which causes paralysis and even death, is is not curable, it is preventable. Elimination comes through a vigorous campaign of  oral vaccine in conjunction with a series of booster doses that maintain the immunity.

Uh oh, they’re on the loose in Atlanta

SRCrotaryLeave a comment

This is what it looks like when loooong-time Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club members attend a Rotary International Convention. (Dick Drumm and Jim Leyhane and might-as-well-be-a-member Mary Drumm wait on line for a beverage.)

Screen Shot 2017-06-13 at 11.14.04 AM

And, this is what you get as your next club president if you don’t pay attention. (Roberto  Martinez flashes the bling.)

rm

They all were spotted in the Coca-Cola area, a local “heritage” spot since Coke’s international headquarters is located in Atlanta. They’ll be back Wednesday night.

cocacola

 

ShelterBox deploying aid to Madagascar

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
Screen Shot 2017-03-10 at 8.40.29 PM
Gale-force winds whip palm trees sideways on Madagascar.
Screen Shot 2017-03-10 at 8.55.08 PM
Marker locates Madagascar

A ShelterBox Response Team is deploying to Madagascar after Cyclone Enawo made landfall on the African island nation on Tuesday, with heavy rains and winds up to 170 mph.

At last count, at least five people have died and more than 10,000 people have been left homeless. Both numbers are expected to climb as a result of the Category 4 storm, the strongest cyclone to hit Madagascar in 13 years.

ShelterBox has available its extensive supply of shelter and emergency aid that can be mobilized as soon as response teams have assessed what is most needed.

The gale force winds and heavy rain are expected to cause flash flooding and mudslides throughout the rest of this week. Because most of Madagascar’s roads are dirt and are being washed out, reaching the hardest hit areas of the northeastern part of the island nation will be difficult.

According to the Malagasy Red Cross Society, an estimated 720,000 people have been affected by this intense tropical cyclone. A red alert has been issued for the northeast coastal area, advising residents to abandon houses on water edges, store drinking water, and seek safe shelter as the dangerous weather continues.

Communications in many areas are severed as a result of the storm so the full extent of damage is not yet known.

As ShelterBox is monitoring that developing situation, its emergency response efforts continue in other countries around the world.

• • •

Syria

Since 2012, ShelterBox has helped more than 9,000 families affected by the Syrian refugee crisis with emergency shelter. With the help of distribution partners Hand in Hand for Syria and ReliefAid, ShelterBox continues to deliver winterized ShelterKits to those who have been displaced by the Syrian conflict. In addition to emergency shelter supplies, these kits also include hats, gloves and scarves for adults and children, as well as kerosene heaters to protect against the harsh winter weather conditions. With an estimated 6.3 million people internally displaced in Syria, the need continues

Iraqi Kurdistan

ShelterBox continues its response by providing locally sourced ShelterKits, as well as ShelterBox tents, to families displaced by violence in Iraqi Kurdistan. In just the past few weeks, more than 42,000 people have been displaced.

Cameroon, Niger

Boko Haram terrorist violence in Nigeria has displaced more than 7 million people. ShelterBox continues to provide shelter and critically needed supplies to refugees arriving daily in Cameroon and Niger.

Somaliland, Mozambique

ShelterBox Assesment Teams have deployed to assess developing conditions in the two African nations. Somaliland is in a state of severe drought and warnings of famine have been declared. In Mozambique, Cyclone Dineo has caused severe flooding and thousands of families have been displaced.

Progress finally being made in polio fight in Pakistan

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
screen-shot-2017-02-27-at-6-08-04-pm
Rotarians mark a child, held by his covered mother, after he was immunized.

Pakistan is one of the few countries in which polio is endemic. In addition to having to overcome violent resistance by anti-Western terrorists to polio immunization programs, Rotary is working to minimize the difficulty of treating migrant population.

Go here for a dramatic story describing the situation, and showing what our ongoing support of polio immunization efforts now is accomplishing with the cooperation pf Pakistani government and health entities after years of neglect.

 

Introducing our sister club in Sweden

SRCrotaryLeave a comment
sweden-1
Monika and Ron Annis flank President Debbie Rodriguez to show off our sister Rotary club’s pennant.

flag-2Thanks to the ongoing efforts of local club members Ron and Monika Annis, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club is partnering with the Rotary Club of Gefle, Sweden, in an effort to create a Viking equipment playground locally.

The club, which is in Monika’s hometown, is one of long standing, having been chartered in 1929.

Ron and Monika received a club pennant (shown here) from the Gefle group and, in turn, presented it to our club at Thursday’s meeting.