You can support a village in Nepal recover in a sustainable way

In 2012 a group of 5 members of the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Rotary Club (RCPN) joined 3 Rotary club members from the USA on a trek to Chyangba village in the Himalayan foothills.  The trek was led by Pem Sherpa who was born and raised in the village.  Pem and his family now live in the USA and he organises and leads treks from there.

The purpose of our trek in 2012 was to raise funds to rebuild one of the school buildings for the village; US$11,000 was raised and the new building was completed by the villagers.  Rotary also contributed to a water supply feed scheme for the village in the recent past. Pem has a history with Rotary, placing the Rotary flag on the top of Mt Everest in Rotary’s centenary year and also appearing at the international convention in that year. He has also been the instigator and fundraiser for many of the development and improvement projects carried out in the village.

Pem was made a Paul Harris Fellow by RCPN in 2013.

The recent earthquake has caused significant damage to the new school building and other existing ones, as well as the water supply infrastructure.  RCPN has decided to support this village in the aftermath of the earthquake and have been in touch with Pem Sherpa to see what is required. You can view the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYcp3In25AA

 

Pem has initially estimated a cost of possibly US$30,000 - 40,000 to get things back on track, however we will need a little more time to get more detailed information.

In order to support this kind of fundraising we want to apply for a Rotary district grant and also potentially a global grant, which should enable us to more than double whatever money we can pull together. If we can work together as clubs there could be the opportunity to maximise the amounts receivable from RI. We will also ask Pem to nominate a Nepal based Rotary club to connect with as this is a requirement of a global grant.

In our discussions about how best to proceed, we determined that there are a number of other international agencies which are better funded and prepared for an immediate response to disasters like this. By targeting our assistance to the people and children of Chyangba will, we believe, enable us to make a real difference with the funds we can generate.

On behalf of RCPN, we are asking your club to join us and assist in raising this money for the people of Chyangba village. We are hopeful of having a starting fund of $8,000 to be used for the more immediate projects but will look to enlarge that quickly through online giving and donations from clubs such as yours. Donations can be made via our Charitable Trust https://givealittle.co.nz/org/rotaryportnicholson

Thank you for considering this request. We hope you will support this important cause.

Yours in Rotary

Linda Wellington
President Elect

Chefs’ Night Out

Chefs hard at work in the
Chefs’ Night Out kitchen:
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! 

For the past eight years, a special event has been held in Hamilton, NZ. It involves very little fuss and almost no publicity but is an example of what can be done when many people come together for a common cause. Behind the scenes, an incredible amount of effort and meticulous care goes into Chefs’ Night Out, all orchestrated by long-time Hamilton Central Rotarians Yvonne and Fred Phillips.
 

Volunteers who arrive on the night to serve food and wine to over 200 guests would never know the months of planning that result in such flawless execution of seven courses of food created by seven top chefs in the Waikato. The chefs who give their time, and also that of their own kitchen staff, the wineries that choose and donate wines to match each course, the hotel that sponsors the venue and other generous sponsors (Rotarians among them) who donate in kind or with cash, plus the scores of volunteers who act as wait staff and kitchen hands all understand the value of their support on this annual occasion for important Rotary programmes.
 

  Yvonne explains that this event was the brainchild of her husband Fred who came up with the concept. “Taking the idea of a degustation dinner from the ones held at fabulous local restaurant Embargo each month, Fred originally thought of a competition between chefs, but when he talked to a number of them they said they competed every day of the week, and they would be more happy to work together. When we first started, I thought we would need a big kitchen for all of them, so we had our first two years at the local polytechnic, Wintec. But only 80 people can be seated there, so luckily roomy Kingsgate Hotel Hamilton then offered their conference venue, where we’ve held it ever since.
 

“On average, 200 people come and dine with us each year. The volunteers on the night are all from Hospice and Rotary. The hotel offers a reasonable cost bed and breakfast for those who have come from other districts – Whakatane West and Putaruru Rotary clubs are regular attendees from further afield.
 

“The major recipient for the first two events was Cure Kids. Since then a little less than half of the money raised has gone to Waikato Hospice, $2,000 each year to The Rotary Foundation, and the rest of the money goes for local Rotary projects such as school dictionaries, science summer school and Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment (RYPEN).”
 

Yvonne and Fred support Rotary in many creative ways including these Chefs’ Nights Out that have raised over $150,000 since they began in 2007. They showcase the best food and wine the Waikato has to offer, so these memorable evenings are Hamilton Central Rotary’s most anticipated events on their annual calendars. Long may Hamiltonians continue to dine out with their most celebrated chefs.

District 9940 makes significant contribution to The Rotary Foundation

Through the strong commitment of Rotarians Simon Manning and Brad McAneney, prominent Funeral Director partners in Wellington, New Zealand and owners of Martinborough House Vineyard in the Wairarapa, The Rotary Foundation has benefitted to the tune of $17,510 in 2012 from proceeds of wine sales in District 9940. A further $17,510 has been made available for community projects in the District.

“This is a very significant contribution to Rotary. All the money from wine sales to Rotarians and friends has been given directly to The Rotary Foundation and local communities”, says PDG David Watt, District 9940 Rotary Down Under Promotions Representative. Simon Manning, owner of Harbour City Funeral Home Ltd is a Past President of Hutt City Rotary and he is 9940 District Governor Nominee for 2015-2016.

Money from wine sales through Rotarians from Martinborough House Vineyard will continue to be available to The Rotary Foundation and other community causes. As Simon comments, “For us, it’s not about the money; it’s about the gift.”
Submitted by:  PDG David Watt, Rotary District 9940

Related Link:

The Rotary Foundation

Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship: http://www.rotarywine.net/

Give until it hurts - what a composting toilet and raising funds had in common

...well, since you asked - strenuous effort and fun!

Rotarians line up for the compost toilet. PDG Warwick (far right) said "I am unable to disclose the name of the inconsiderate Rotarian inside taking so long, but I can say that the magazine she was reading was Rotary Down Under! Clearly a great read. The Rotarians gave money to The Foundation but additionally their generous contributions in this 'facility' were put to great use on the nearby organic farm."

On January 15 this year, two Rotary Clubs battled it out at Fiji's challenge course. The event was organised by PDG Warwick Pleass to raise funds for The Rotary Foundation. Warwick said: "Typically islands clubs are net recipients of Foundation programs, but increasingly islands clubs are donating more each year to our Foundation. My own club frequently rates in the top giving clubs per capita in our District."

The two clubs that battled it out were Suva East and Suva Peninsula Sunset, not just to raise funds, but to build the already strong relationship between these clubs.  It is intended that this will become an annual event involving all four Suva clubs, so hopefully Suva and Suva North will also compete next year. 

Rotary Foundation partners with global charity Mercy Ships

Wellingtonian nurse Alison Brieseman is grateful to the Rotary Clubs of Plimmerton, Lower Hutt, Silverstream and Heretaunga whose joint sponsorship has been a key component of her volunteer work with Mercy Ships.

For seven years ports of call in Benin, Sierra Leone, and Liberia have been a way of life for Ms Brieseman. As Director of Nursing on the Africa Mercy she was responsible for the function of the six operating theatres, three wards and the intensive care unit onboard. While surgeries are being performed onboard, optical and dental clinics, agricultural and sanitation projects are delivered ashore.  The ship has all the medical facilities required to be self-sufficient in its world-class services, provided at no cost. “Treatment is of the highest standard even if the working conditions are a little different.”

Ms Brieseman she is honoured to treat those without access to health care who are struggling to survive. “Using my skills to bring such massive change to the poorest and most desperate; to help those who have no hope is an amazing privilege. I couldn’t do it without the partnership of people such as Rotarians.”

One patient Ms Brieseman particularly remembers is Alfred who had suffered from a rare facial tumour for four years. “He was the smallest person with the largest tumour I’d seen, yet he had the sweetest nature”.  

The two-kilo benign tumour enveloping Alfred’s lower jaw and teeth and causing him to slowly starve was removed by the surgical team onboard. A titanium plate was inserted along and a bone grafted to fashion a new jaw.

14 year-old Alfred said “Before the surgery, people used to run away from me. I didn’t go to school for four years. When I went back to school, all my friends were like ‘Wow!’ My family would say, ‘Yes, it’s a miracle.’ ”

Ms Brieseman had the rare privilege of seeing this young man again five years after his life-saving surgery. Alfred’s life was turned around, and his future full of hope.

She sums up her work simply saying, “It is the most useful thing I’ve ever done.”

To date, Mercy Ships have performed more than 2,884 surgical procedures in Sierra Leone this year.

http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/111005_news_mercyships.aspx

New Zealand www.mercyships.org.nz 0800 637297

Australia        www.mercyships.org.au (07) 5437 2992

“This strategic partnership with Mercy Ships enables Rotary to work with a globally recognized leader in the delivery of vital medical and surgical care to the world’s most vulnerable populations. It allows Rotary club members to directly contribute their valuable expertise and skills within the framework of a proven and highly successful health care program.” Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair William B. Boyd