Good morning, I hope everyone stayed warm over the weekend.

HAPPY $$

While everyone enjoyed lunch happy dollars began. 

Caroline started us off with three, one for being back after the New Year. Another for her daughter Lydia's engagement to longtime boyfriend. And her last was for Lydia's chances getting increasingly better at getting her first choice for employment at DHMC after graduation with her Doctoral degree this May. 

I, Emily, had a happy dollar for attending basketball games last weekend. We went to the semi-professional basketball game at the Barre Auditorium on Saturday with the family to see the VT Coyotes play. We also attended their home game this weekend. 

Caroline continued on the sports track with $5 for the IU Bloomington for Collegiate Football Championship. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eddie shared that the Ike Lee Hockey Tournament was this weekend for Blackbear Hockey. Blackbear Hockey takes over the concession stand for this tournament so he's got the weekend off. Eddie also shared that he has been in conversations with Spaulding HS about the potential of taking over the operation of the concession stand as a micro business, where high school students can begin to learn how to run a small business. He has been finding it hard to get people to help at the concession stand and thought this might be a good solution and would allow the student to gain some real world experience. If you've got the time Eddie needs volunteers for upcoming games. Sign up to help out HERE. Tom gave Eddie a big “Thank you” for heading up the concession stand and his commitment to keeping it open during the hockey season. 

UPENDO MMOJA

Barre Rotarian, Nicole DiDomenico, spoke with us today about the Tanzania project Upendo Mmoja. She started by sharing some photo albums that she has from previous trips to Tanzania. 

As the club has heard from Nicole in the past about Upendo Mmoja, translated to one love in Swahili, her goal today was to provide an update on the project.

The facility was created as a residential and vocational training center for orphaned children in the community. Many helped get this project off the ground including Barre Rotary, as well as past District Governor Harley Jordan who was an angel donor to get the project off the ground. They also received a $213,000 gran from Norwich University that helped to push them to their goal.  

 The project had great momentum and they made amazing strides getting everything off the ground. Then COVID happened and their momentum was halted. The government tariffs on sunflower oil were lifted, one of the facilities main products, changed how much money they could make selling sunflower oil. The tariffs on sunflower oil have since been reinstated. 

Because of these events, the facility has been in survival mode. They have been working on diversifying what they are able to sell at market to make their operation self sustaining but are struggling. One of their main expenses is the cost to board the children that are in their care. They pay for the children to go to boarding school, buy their books and clothing as well as some personal hygiene products. 

To help get the facility back on it's feet Upendo Mmoja is looking to raise $100,000. This would go towards the children's tuition, which is $600 each year per child, for the next couple of years as well as give their businesses the seed money needed to get off the ground and become sustainable. They have cows and chickens and sell milk and eggs at market. Some of this money would also go towards lumber for buildings but the majority of it would go towards the sunflower oil machinery as well as a generator so they don't experience the inconsistent electricity that is normal for the area. 

If you're able to donate yourself Upendo Mmoja would be eternally grateful. Any amount is greatly appreciated, you can donate HERE