Trust in Education Updates Danville Sycamore on Afghanistan Efforts

June 9, 2011 By 1 Comment

Budd MacKenzie - Trust in EducationHaving Budd MacKenzie speak to us about Trust in Education is almost an annual event. We have been supporting TIE for several years, and did so again this year with a donation.

Budd founded TIE in 2004, and has gone to Afghanistan twice a year for six years. He started by raising funds to build a school. But as he became more involved, his mission expanded. These are just a few of the projects.

Several years ago, local school children asked Budd where the play ground equipment was, and now TIE funds playground equipment, such as swings, slide, jungle jims, and soccer field goal posts. And even athletic shoes and shin guards after seeing a photo of girls playing in sandals.

Playground Equipment Sponsored by TIE

In 2009, Budd was approached by Zoira, a young lady born in Afghanistan but who had been raised in California. After a visit back to her hometown in Farza, she was inspired to build a girl’s school. There was already one for boy’s. The new school will be 2 stories with more than 10 classrooms.

 

After receiving approvals from the Ministry of Education, they had a groundbreaking ceremony in 2010. The village men are volunteering their services and started digging the foundation immediately. They are on their way, with disbursements of materials only given after they have shown that progress has been made. TIE hopes to have the school completed at the end of 2011.

Ribbon Cutting - New School

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Bill Gates delivers strong message about ending Polio at RI Convention

June 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Preservation Jazz Band at RI Convention

This year’s Rotary Convention was held in New Orleans from May 22-25.  Over 18,000 Rotarians attended the convention. Incoming President, Mike Sherrill was in attendance, as was current President, Melanie Prole.  David Behring was there representing the Wheelchair Foundation.  We got to see each other at the District Mixer held at the historic Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter on Tuesday Night.

The highlight for many Rotarians was the speech by Bill Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  He said that he has made the eradication of Polio the #1 Priority of his foundation.  He says the fight cost $1 Billion a year and that we as Rotarians need to lobby our governments to assist in the funding.  The US has given $130 million, Canada gave a large donation to coincide with last year’s RI Convention.  England’s government has also contributed.  But there are many other countries that could give to the fight.

Bill Gates closed by saying:

“Your Voices, Your Continuing Commitment will allow us to close the book.”

Rotary was challenged by the Gates Foundation to raise $200 million by 2012 for Polio.  In turn he donated $350 million.  We are at $173 million.We were entertained by the Preservation Jazz Band before one Plenary Session.

Past RI President and current Foundation Chair,  Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar gave a surprising speech on change.  He says the Chair shouldn’t be a 70 year old guy like himself, but a 40-something Executive that stays in the position for 4 years, the better to provide continuity in interactions with Foundations and NPO’s.

Rotary has been working with a consultant, Michael McQueen,  who is a researcher, as well as a member, of Generation Y.  He is now a member of Rotary, but wasn’t before because no one asked.  He says that Gen Y understands the value of networking with more experienced members.  However, just don’t expect perfect attendance and regular attendance at social events.

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Thanks to our 2011 Blackhawk Food, Wine & Film Festival Sponsors

May 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Our primary motivating force, “Service Above Self”, is to give back to the community and to help those in need. The generous participation of our sponsors provides us with the resources to undertake more projects than ever before. Through your generous donations we are able to reach out to those in need in our community and make this a better place. Thank you for supporting our community through your Corporate Sponsorship!

2011 BFWFF Sponsors

Special thanks to our Sponsors!

2011 Blackhawk Food, Wine & Film Festival Committee

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Spreading Rotary Good Will in Monterey Mexico

March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Thanks to donations from Danville/Sycamore Rotary club members, Debbie, Melanie, and Bob were able to make a bunch of kids happy in Monterrey MX.  Villa Club Cumbres is an ‘after school’ program for children from low income families.  This program is non-profit. The Rotary Club of Santa Catarina has adopted them, and with a Matching Grant in which we were the International Partner, we purchased chairs, tables, and computers.  Besides stuffed animals, we handed out candy, brushes and Interact T-shirts.  We left school supplies and other toiletry items with the head teacher (left).  Thanks to Doughtery Valley HS Interact and Helen, Jeff, David, John, Drew, and Evelyn for providing toiletry items.  International Services paid for school supplies.

The Boy’s Home sponsored by Monterrey Sur also received stuffed animals and candy on our visit.

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SAVE THE DATE for the 21st Annual Blackhawk Food Wine and Film Festival

March 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Date:       Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Time:            5:30 – 8:30 PM

Location:       The Blackhawk Museum – 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville, CA

Save the Date Brochure

Flyer - Click to Download

A “CASABLANCA” Evening of Great Food, Wine & Entertainment!

We would be delighted to have you participate in a wonderful evening event, the 21st ANNUAL BLACKHAWK FOOD, WINE AND FILM FESTIVAL on Thursday, May 5th,  2011 beginning at 5:30 pm at the Blackhawk Auto Museum.

Our primary motivating force, “Service Above Self”, is to give back to the community and to help those in need.  Your generous participation and that of our sponsors provides us with the resources to undertake more projects in our community than ever before.

We are proud and honored to have had the Livermore Valley Wineries as our exclusive wines and as a partner in the fundraiser.  You will have an unforgettable gourmet experience, sampling the wares of over two dozen of the area’s best restaurants and a like number of Livermore Valley wineries.  The festivities include a fun raffle, and silent and live auctions.  Throughout the evening guests can relax and enjoy the classic movie Casablanca. This festival is our Club’s thank you, for those who support the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Foundation with a donation of $40 or more.   Supporters will leave this event with the lasting satisfaction that their entire donation will support the community and international service projects of the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Foundation.  Last year’s event raised nearly $70,000 and was attended by about 800 supporters.

Live entertainment will feature the Kathy Blackburn, jazzest, singing songs from the movie Casablanca, SRVHS  Jazz Band and vocal groups. The auction will not include any of the lovely cars at the Blackhawk Auto Museum, but you will still have an opportunity to admire their favorites, from behind the velvet rope.

Proceeds will fund projects, including:  Special Olympics, CASA Youth-to Youth Conference, the construction of Veteran’s Memorial Building, Discovery Counseling Center, Youth homes for Girls, the Third Grade Literacy Project, East Bay Stand Down for Veterans, The Wheelchair Foundation and international projects, including polio eradication, clean water projects, hearing aids and cleft palate surgeries for children, medical services in impoverished areas and many, many more worthwhile projects. Please join us for a fun filled evening with the hottest invitation in town!

For more information, call or email , Newell Arnerich, Foundation Chair, or any Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotarian

Telephone 510-366-0716 or Newell@ADarch.com

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Asante Africa Tanzania Partner Dennis Lyamuya

March 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dennis LyamuyaAt our meeting on March 1st, our guest speaker, Dennis Lyamuya ,spoke of his upbringing at the base of Mt. Kilmanjaro. He told an amazing story of perseverance. He was the oldest son in a family of 9 living in a hut. He dropped out of school to earn money to support his family by becoming a porter on Mt Kilmanjaro. He made over 220 trips. He was promoted to a Mountain Guide. They sent him the College of Wildlife Management that eventually led to his role of Chief Safari Guide in the National Parks of Tanzania. While at University, he was elected President of the Student Council. He has recently traveled extensively within Tanzania representing the college to various dignitaries.

Dennis has been intimately involved with Asante Africa Foundation from the inception. Much of his wisdom and insights are cornerstones of what the organization is today. Asante Africa is a non-profit organization in SF Bay Area run by Erna Grasz. We are in the process of putting together a Global Matching Grant with Asante Africa.

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10 Days left to provide donations for Ludoteca de Cumbres

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Melanie, Debbie, and Rafael Plancarte from the Santa Catarina Rotary Club, MexicoCurrent President Melanie and Past President Debbie are taking a trip to Monterrey Mexico to visit some of the Matching Grant projects the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club helped fund as a result of their trip in 2008.

They will be visiting Ludoteca de Cumbres, an after school program in a distressed neighborhood in Santa Catarina. Danville/Sycamore was the lead club along with the Santa Catarina Rotary Club in Mexico.  Danville and Lafayette Rotary Clubs also contributed, as well as a match from Rotary International, in providing $30,000 in computers, desks, and play areas.

Debbie and Melanie plan to bring items that the children can use, such as school supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, colored books, scizzors), as well as tolietry items (Toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair brushes, soap, and lotion) and small stuffed animals.

Anyone who is willing to donate these items please contact Melanie by February 20th, 2011. If you’d prefer to make a cash donation you can also do so here. Any donations received between now and 2/20/2011 will go to this effort, otherwise 100% will go to other worthy causes.

Ludoteca de Cumbres

Ludoteca de Cumbres

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Great speakers for February including Nobel Prize Winner

January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We have some great speakers for the month of February 2011 at our club including Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Robert Schock. If you would like to be a guest please contact us so we can make sure there is room.

2/1/2011: Michael Copeland, a humorist and frequent contributor to Alive magazine, will talk to us about “Things that scare” and other humorous observations. This will be a good reason for members to pick up a copy of Alive, which is free at newstands around Danville (including Bagel Street Café in the Livery), and enjoy the many entertaining features by local writers.

2/8/2011: Time will turn back to 1903, and our visitor will be President Theordore Roosevelt (in the person of Fred Rutledge). President Roosevelt will tell us about his recent visit and camping trip with John Muir in Yosemite and his interest in preservation of our natural resources. President Roosevelt, who will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his efforts to bring about an end to the Russo-Japanese War, is the first of our Nobel Peace Prize winners who will speak to us in February.

2/15/2011: We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with our guests, and we will have a two-part program. We will start with out Student/Teacher of the Month presentation. We then will welcome Dr. Robert Schock who was Coordinating Author of the 4th Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Dr. Schock and the IPCC received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 along with Former Vice-President Al Gore for their contribution to knowledge of climate change. Dr. Schock’s topic will be “Climate Change: Myths and Realities.” This is an extraordinary opportunity to hear about an extremely important subject form a preeminent expert and to ask questions that all of us have about this topic.

2/22/2011: Tom Delfino, Executive Director of the California Citrus Nursery Society, will introduce us to some varieties of citrus that may not be familiar to all of us, and he will bring some samples to share. The Califoria Citrus Nursery Society is an association of citrus tree growers and is much involved in research to improve existing varieties and identify new varieties as well as research to protect against the introdution and propagation of pests in the citrus orchards, one of California’s hallmark industries.

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2 Events on the Polio Eradication Effort that All Rotarians Should Watch

January 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We are fortunate as Rotarians and Humanitarians to have played a significant role in the polio eradication efforts. The global health community including Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation have committed over $630 Million dollars in recent years in an effort to eradicate polio from our planet. There are two events coming up this weekend that are likely to be of interest to Rotarians everywhere.

Diane Sawyer Polio Immunization Trip Report on World News Tonight

This Friday, January 28, 2011, ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer will report on an polio immunization trip last November to India.  Trip participant and local Rotarian PDG Brad Howard notes that ABC has its own Global Health campaign website.  So check your local listings, mark your calendars, set up those recorders, and tell all your friends and fellow Rotarians to watch.

Bill Gates at International Assembly

Polio Eradication and the Power of Vaccines Webcast featuring Bill Gates, Diane Sawyer, David Oshinsky and a panel of exports

To launch Bill Gates’ 3rd annual letter, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invites you to join a conversation about the extraordinary progress in the fight to eradicate polio and the enormous lifesaving potential of vaccines.

Thanks to a global childhood immunization effort, polio has been reduced by 99% and we are on the cusp of eradicating only the second disease in history. This presents a powerful case for the value of vaccines.

Unique Perspectives
Bill Gates will join global leaders to discuss what the past can teach us about protecting children around the world from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases. The event will be moderated by ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer, and speakers include:

  • Dr. David Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, “Polio: An American Story”
  • Professor Helen Rees, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; and Chair, WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
  • Dr. Ciro de Quadros, Executive Vice President, Sabin Vaccine Institute

Panelists will discuss why now is the time to rid the world of polio and ensure all children have access to lifesaving vaccines. No child deserves to face the threat of preventable disease, whether it’s polio, measles, or pneumonia.

To watch the live webcast, please visit www.gatesfoundation.org on Monday, January 31 at 9:30 a.m. ET. It will also be available on demand following the event.

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District Governor Karl Diekman’s Annual Visit

January 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It is customary for every District Governor to visit all of the Rotary Clubs in their district. As a part of this special visit we had two presentations.

Dictionary for Life Check Presentation

Karl Diekman and Ted Mendleson

Governor Karl receiving a check for the Dictionary4 Life Project

Ted Mendelsen presented $412 collected for the Dictionary4 Life project in Zambia to Karl.

Danville Police Chief Steve Simkins Paul Harris Recognition

Paul Harris Presented to Danville Police Chief Steve Simkens

Paul Harris Presented to Danville Police Chief Steve Simkens by Newel Arnerich and Karl Diekman

Newell along with Karl presented a Paul Harris Award to Danville Police Chief Steve Simkins. We want to thank him for all that he has done in service with the Sherriff’s Department. Steve was pleasantly surprise and can’t wait to show the PH pin to his father, a long-time Marin Rotarian.

Karl’s Program

Karl’s Program talk focused on photo snapshots, such as his trip to Zambia, going on a Polio Immunization , and riding a elephant in a circus fundraiser. He told of joining Rotary as a young man in Florida.

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