This past Friday, we welcomed home our own Mary Anne Herron from another successful trip to Cambodia. After some struggles with money transfers, and logistics, Mary Anne was able to distribute 280 filters. (see details in this bulletin). This has been a great project for our club, despite some of the bumps in the road. Those bumps point us to the need to work on a more permanent solution to the water issues in the villages we have been serving.
Jack Toner and I will be attending the Foundation Dinner this Thursday. You should have received your Foundation letter last week. Donating to the Rotary Foundation is how we support the priorities of Rotary International. The Foundation in turn supports many local initiatives. We will be looking to the Foundation for an international grant as we move to find a solution in Cambodia.
The 10th Annual Service Above Self Luncheon is just around the corner. At our most recent committee meeting we discussed some ways to make this year’s event even more special. I hope you will plan to attend. I bought my tickets online, it was easy. If that is not your cup of tea, you can also bring a check to a Friday meeting. If you need to make other arrangements, please reach out to Sue, Paul, John or me. Remember, the funds we raise at this event go towards our local grants that we award at our Paul Harris event in the spring.
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I arrived in the village of Phum Thom on Tuesday, October 22nd spending time with the Girl Guides, 130 of them and with the parents of the 20 University girls in Phnom Penh from the village etc. The Guest House has electricity through a generous solar panel on the roof. There are lights at night but dim. There is an amazing bed that is as hard as a board and am sure that is what is under the sheet & bedding. But, it is off the floor. The room has loving guests – a frog on the floor and geckos on the walls that chirp at night – totally harmless. Bedtime is 7:00 p.m. – at dark. The roosters begin to crow at the first hint of dawn and I am definitely up at that time to plug in my little pot for coffee to drink with my peanut butter sandwich and apple purchased in Phnom Penh, the capital city 45 miles away.
Thursday morning, the families, 280 of them, began to gather at 6:00 a.m. behind the guest house for the 7:00 a.m. water filter distribution. They gathered quietly sitting on the ground just waiting for their names to be called to receive the wonderful gift of the water filters and the bags of soap, toothbrushes, and paste from our Springfield Rotary Club. As the distribution is for more than one small village, the village directors were also present.
The filters were delivered on Wednesday, the day before. Girl Guides helped to put together the bags of soap etc. that are given with the filters. The people were so grateful for the gifts. Each recipient bowed and gave thanks, Cambodian style as they received their gifts. The filters were carefully tied onto their motos or placed in a wagon to pull to their homes. By 9:30 a.m. the sun was already high and extremely warm and the water filters were gone to be used to give the families clean water.
From all of them to you, I bring their sincere thanks for the generous gifts of life – clean water to drink and the soap etc. helping to keep their bodies clean.
There are many details not given but… for another time.
Mark your Calendar for the First Thursday's of the Month!
The next time the Springfield Rotary Club is scheduled to serve Dinner will be on Thursday, November 7 at the Friends of the Homeless Shelter, 755 Worthington Street, Springfield, MA from 4:15 to 5:30 P. M.
If you can help out, please email Mike Rzepka at mrzepka@dowd.com or by text at 413-531-4104. Thank you!
Please join us for the Rotary District 7890's Rotary Foundation Recognition Dinner!
Be inspired as you listen to the keynote speaker, Rotary Global Grant Scholar Emily Goldman. All Rotarians are invited and encouraged to attend. This is sure to be a motivational evening for all!
Do you have some news or information that might be of interest to fellow Rotarians?*
If so, please email Samalid Hogan at smhogan413@gmail.com by Monday of each week for inclusion in Friday's bulletin.
Our weekly Bulletin goes out to more than 70 local leaders every week and is a wonderful way to spread your message. *All submissions are subject to approval.
