Rotary Club of Conifer Videoconference Meeting November 10, 2020

Announcements/Business:
 
  • The District training's on line can be found at the District 5450 Website.
  • President Marlis shared a video from the District about the Colorado wildfires, with a request for community response to help those affected. The District has a disaster response: Go to District 5450 Disaster relief on the District 5450 website. This is the information for donations to District 5450 wildfire relief fund:
https://www.sagepayments.net/eftcart/forms/donate.asp? M_id=492283826347
US mail: Rotary District 5450, Subject Line: Colorado Fires, 5103 Dvorak Circle, Frederick CO 80504.
  • Last Saturday, the Club did a road clean-up on Pleasant Park Road. We had 10 volunteers. They collected 15 bags of trash. Thanks to Pat for coordinating. They picked up a mattress, a key with a number, a postal package that Ed took to the Post Office. We will plan to do pick-up twice a year so that we can get a recognition sign along the roadway.
  • The Christmas toys for MRC update: Ed has placed a request with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots for pick up on December 5, to be distributed to the MRC families December 6. Today is the 245th birthday of the Marine Corps.
  • Tomorrow is Veterans Day.
  • The Conifer Rotary Foundation is meeting this morning.
  • Conifer Town Hall is November 18—it is being recorded and can be accessed on-line.
  • Bell Ringing will be starting at King Soopers the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. The Sign up Genius is available. Temperature will be taken and masks will be required.
  • The Mask-uerade fund-raiser will be discussed at the Foundation meeting this morning. We already have people signing up on PayPal on our website. Nancy has volunteered to do post office runs.
  • Denise reports on the Peace Committee; there is discussion on how to get people communicating about issues that are dividing our populations. She can provide more information and how to participate. There will be monthly webinar with a focus on how to listen. How can Rotary be a force? The District has a meeting December 3 and RI has a peace meeting in January. We can get more information at the District Website or contact Finn Knudsen.
  • Bambi and her husband are inviting the Rotary Club for a social event on their property Sunday, December 6 for cutting of Christmas trees. Families and friends are invited. There will be an rsvp so that social distancing can be maintained, perhaps coming in shifts. There will be a fire-pit, hot chocolate and Candy Cane hunt for the kids. Donations for the trees will go to Rotary. If that day doesn’t work, Bambi can arrange for folks to come a different day.
  • Pat has an International Committee meeting tonight and will report next week.
  • Milena from Conifer HS Interact:  The Interact club has a fundraising project for this COVID-19 period.  They are selling “Peace Out Polio” logoed items to promote Polio awareness and raise money.  Check out their wide variety of products at https://www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/Peace-Out-Polio-by-MegsBubble/60315769.EJUG5?utm_source=rb-native-app&utm_campaign=share-product&utm_medium=android
 
 
Program: Carol Carper
The Teen Pregnancy program in Kenya:
WASH, Menstruation and Teen Pregnancy are all Inter-related
Sasaharambee.org
Carol and Rotary have excavated and maintain 13 protected springs in the region of Sigomere area in Western Kenya. Our Interact Clubs have raised money for some of these.
The program also works with people with disabilities—Fitzsimmons Interact raised money and Conifer HS Interact built a handicapped accessible playground for children in the Kenya region.
Things Girls cannot go without: Water and Privacy. Many of the springs are polluted. The latrines are open, not private.
Carol shared the history of how women have been treated and how they managed their menstrual flow across the centuries. Currently, in COVID, the teen pregnancy has gone up 250%, the sexually transmitted infections are present in 1 in 4 females, and urinary tract infections are common. Rotary has been addressing these issues: 2 outreaches at 22 schools. In the meetings, there is education about sexuality and menstrual health. The girls and boys are given underpants; the girls get menstrual towel packages.
They held a gathering to celebrate International Year of the Girl.
There is a proposed global grant; the Denver Rotary 21 is the leader. The program will focus on menstrual health, sexuality, drug abuse, gender-based violence. Data will be tracked to determine the effectiveness of the programs.
The service component will include grants to provide privacy and water at latrines; there will be two cleaning days for spring protection; there will also be trash collection---the trash will be an entry fee to a disco event.
The contributions to date will provide enough sanitary pads for 400 girls for a year.
 
Janine Payton: The Rotary Foundation
When donating to Rotary: Three pots of money 1) Club maintenance; 2) Conifer Rotary Foundation---for our local beneficiaries; 3) The Rotary Foundation (TRF)
Why give to the Rotary Foundation?
  • In 100 years, TRF has given over $4 billion for international projects---and sometimes, USA communities are beneficiaries.
  • Carol Carper’s projects in Kenya
  • Polio eradication started in 1988—when there were over 350,000 new cases around the world each year. We are seeing less than 50 now.
  • And many more! Go to the Rotary International website for all the data: rotary.org/en/foundation.
TRF has areas of focus: preventing disease, providing clean water, supporting education, growing local economies, saving mothers and children, promoting peace.
Money from TRF: DDF---50% of donated funds comes back to our district 3 years later to be used for local or global projects. Clubs can apply and must do a match.
Our Club has used the money for Back Pack Project, MRC parenting classes, the anti-bullying projects at our schools….and more. Wes can provide the whole list.
TRF: has received 4 star Charity Navigator designation.
Individual recognition can be awarded for donations to TRF: 1) Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member; Paul Harris Fellow; Multiple Paul Harris Fellow; Paul Harris Society member
Donations can be done via our dues invoice each quarter; donate via RotaryConifer.org or even by Zelle; to Rotary.org—donate; become a benefactor in your estate plan. You can designate the TRF projects you wish your money to go to support.