Granite Chips November 30, 2011

President Karen opened the meeting with song and the Pledge of alliance.

Grace was offered by Roy Somaini

Fines:

Mario fined Tom Babic for creating a another flood in Barre Town by spilling a glass of water. The fine passed.

Roy fined Dick Shadroui for the two illegal A frame houses on his front lawn.  Dick's defense?
The A frames are actually huge snow shelters for his huge shrubs.  The fine did not pass.

Mario gave a happy $ because Billy asked for a new car at last week's meeting and Mario delivered it to him at this week's meeting.

Roy fined Claire for giving him an envelope and declaring that she didn't know who it was from, but it ad Roy's name on it.  Upon opening it, he discovered it was from Claire.  The fine passed.

President Karen announced that Jay Tosi has graciously agreed to replace Josh as the Sergeant At Arms.  Josh has accepted a promotion to the Sherwin-Williams store in Montpelier.

Elizabeth LaPerle is working on a program to recognize and honor Don Collins for his 50 years as a Rotarian.  Don is not able to attend a meeting so Elizabeth will find a way to for us to honor him at a meeting and share our thanks with him at his home.

President Karen introduced the Club's Foundation Chairman, roy Somaini, to make a presentation for the foundation program.

REACH WITHIN TO EMBRACE HUMANITY
November is "Rotary Foundation Month".    It is the time of year, when, we as Rotarians, consider making a contribution to our organization's charitable fund.
As members of the Barre Rotary Club, we set a goal that every Barre Rotarian will make a contribution to the Rotary Foundation.  As you may recall, we did not include a specific dollar goal per member.  Whatever amount you decide to give will be right.

The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.  This is done with a variety of programs where our donations are used.

 
In 1917, RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an endowment be set up "for the purpose of doing good in the world."
Ambassadorial Scholarships:

The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. The program sponsors academic year scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies.   Starting in 1947, more than 40,000 men and women from about 100 nations have studied abroad.

Group Study Exchange:
The Rotary Foundation's Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. 

Humanitarian Matching Grants:
The Rotary Foundation matches contributions raised for international service projects by Rotary clubs and districts in two or more countries. Grant awards range from $5,000 to $200,000. Hands to Honduras is an example of a grant the Barre club has received in the past.

Polio Plus:
After 20 years of hard work, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of eradicating this tenacious disease, but a strong push is needed now to root it out once and for all. It is a window of opportunity of historic proportions.

Your contributions will directly support immunization campaigns in developing countries, where polio continues to infect and paralyze children, robbing them of their futures and compounding the hardships faced by their families. As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remains at risk. The stakes are that high.

Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion. More than $70 million was donated in 2003-04 alone. To date, more than one million individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows - people who have given $1,000 to the Annual Programs Fund or have had that amount contributed in their name.

Such strong support, along with Rotarian involvement worldwide, ensures a secure future for The Rotary Foundation as it continues its vital work for international understanding and world peace.

The Foundation has earned a grade of A+ from the American Institute of Philanthropy, a top rating of four stars from Charity Navigator, and full accreditation from the Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau.

Only 2.3 percent of Foundation expenditures go to administrative expenses, and 7.3 percent go to fundraising. The Foundation focuses more than 90 percent of its spending on programs, far exceeding the threshold of 75 percent that independent charity-rating services view as a measure of high efficiency. 

Here are a few ways your contributions are changing lives around the world.

 
5. Fighting hunger
In Romania, children have eggs, milk, and meat because of a Foundation grant that enables local farmers to buy animal feed, packaging materials, and other supplies. The farmers agree to donate a portion of their products to children's hospitals, schools, and orphanages.
In Alaska, USA, the Rotary Club of Anchorage East is also fighting hunger by distributing food to low-income families through a mobile food pantry.
Projects such as these address two areas of focus: maternal and child health and economic and community development.

4. Reducing child mortality
The Rotary clubs of Jaela-Kandana, Western Province, Sri Lanka, and Madras Northwest, Tamil Nadu, India, are helping to reduce child mortality by providing improved sanitation facilities for 15 families in a small community in Sri Lanka. With a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant, the clubs have built 14 toilets, helping to prevent the spread of diarrhea-causing diseases related to poor sanitation.
According to the World Health Organization, 1.8 million children die of diarrhea every year, making it the second leading cause of death among children under five. Proper sanitation can reduce the child mortality rate in many communities by more than 30 percent. Water and sanitation is one of the areas of focus.

3. Promoting peace and conflict resolution
Watching civil war tear apart his homeland of Côte d'Ivoire instilled in Rotary Peace Fellow Kouame Remi Oussou a passion to resolve conflict.
He is now working for the United Nations Development Programme in the Central African Republic, a country that weathered periodic internal fighting before a comprehensive peace accord went into effect in 2007.
Rotary Peace Fellows are leaders in promoting national and international cooperation, peace, and conflict resolution. The efforts of Oussou and Rotary Peace Fellows advance the peace and conflict prevention/resolution area of focus.

2. Basic education and literacy
A literacy project sponsored by Rotarians in South Africa and Rhode Island, USA, in conjunction with the International Reading Association and Operation Upgrade, is teaching adults in the rural community of KwaNibela, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to read and write. These skills will help them fight poverty in their community.
Through the effort, nearly 600 adults are attending literacy classes taught by instructors trained with help from Operation Upgrade, which specializes in adult basic education. Funding from The Rotary Foundation provided classroom books.

 
1. Eradicating polio
Around the world, Rotarians are going the distance -- participating in walkathons, climbing mountains, cycling, even circumnavigating a continent in rubber dinghies, among other fundraisers -- to help Rotary rid the world of polio.  Last year, the Barre club participated in Pushing Out Polio
Since Rotary launched its PolioPlus program  in 1985, eradicating the disease has become the organization's top priority.  End Polio Now  and help fulfill Rotary's promise to the world.

Let's meet our goal of Every Rotarian Every Year.  If you make a donation of $5 or $1000, your contribution makes a positive difference through the Rotary foundation.  Some of you have already sent me a check.  It's easy..just make out a check to The Rotary Foundation for the amount you wish to give and get it to me.  I will complete the contribution form for you and mail it and you will receive confirmation of your donation from the Rotary Foundation.

In the past, the Barre Club has lead the district in giving.  Our vision is to have each of us make a contribution, our mission is to support Rotary International in the positive impact Rotarians have on poverty and suffering in our world.  Let's fulfill our vision and complete our mission. With a donation to the Rotary Foundation, each of us can......  

President Karen presented Roy with a check for $1,000 for Plus and $500 for the Rotary Foundation.

Other:

November 17, 2011

Dear Rotarians,

Thank you for the opportunity to address The Barre Rotary on Wednesday. Ed Pirie and I enjoyed meeting you all and discussing CVABE's programs and volunteer opportunities. We sincerely appreciate The Barre Rotary's ongoing, consistent support over the years. Your donations have made it possible to reach many adult students in the Barre area.

In this challenged economy, many more adults need our services to develop their basic skills to prepare for more adequate employment or to reach other goals. We want to encourage each of you to volunteer with us, to offer yourselves individually as well as through The Rotary. There are numerous ways individuals can volunteer at CVABE. There are so many ways you can help and, as a successful member of the Barre community, you could be a wonderful mentor as well as a teacher to some very fortunate adult student.  I would enjoy sitting down with any of you to discuss the many volunteer possibilities.

Again, thank you so much for your support and for the delicious lunch.

Gale Rome
Volunteer/Communications Coordinator
Central Vermont Adult Basic Education
46 Washington St., Suite 100
Barre, Vermont 05641
802-476-4588
grome@cvabe.org