John J Glassford

Shelter Box Needed in Kenya

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Peter Pearce of Shelter Box Australia has just returned from Kenya and the Northern Borders where the infamous Dadaa camp is located.   Some of you met Peter at the D9700 conference in Bathurst and they are looking for more ShelterBoxes to help provide much needed shelter for these famine ravaged Somalis.  (click on the logo below)

Shelter Box logo
Thursday 11 August 2011
ShelterBox tents providing shelter for families in need in Kenya

ShelterBox tents providing shelter for families in need in Kenya
ShelterBox Response Team members Ben Spurway and Joe Cannon in Kenya

Thousands of Somali families fleeing famine and drought are receiving ShelterBox tents at a refugee camp in Kenya.

ShelterBox is working in partnership with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and IOM (International Organization for Migration) to provide shelter for up to 20,000 Somali refugees at the camp in Dadaab.

Tens of thousands of refugees are still waiting to be registered and relocated from transition shelters outside of the camps, which mostly consist of sticks covered by clothes, blankets, tarpaulins and any other materials the families can lay their hands on. ShelterBox Response Team member, Julia Schaper (DE), said: ‘The situation is desperate for thousands of families living in very bad conditions. Driving through the transit areas it became immediately obvious that there is a huge need and we now want to get our tents up and families moved into them as quickly as possible.’

FULL STORY HERE

Presidential Citation

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Every year the Rotary International President awards clubs around the world his Presidential Citation and this is awarded to all the clubs in Rotary who achieve a certain level of service within the 4 avenues of service available in Rotary.  This year Coolamon was awarded the Presidential Citation by RI President Ray Klinginsmith.  The award was presented to PP Ian Durham by PDG John Egan at our regular meeting last night.

PDG John Egan and Ian Durham.

Those present at the meeting had a good night and the award was followed by a talk by Assistan Governor Gary Roberts.  Some photos:

 

Immunization campaign reaches vulnerable children at Kenya-Somalia border

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28 July 2011 – UNICEF correspondent Priyanka Pruthi reports on an immunization campaign reaching children under the age of five in Liboi, a Kenyan border town where refugees from drought and conflict are crossing over from Somalia. The campaign is part of a broader effort to bolster child survival in the Horn of Africa, where drought conflict and soaring food prices have triggered an esclating crisis.

Stand by me/Playing for change/Song around the world

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“All of us in Rotary are looking to change the world – why else would we be Rotarians? We believe that our world can be happier, healthier, and more peaceful, and that we can create that better world through our service…….We must understand that true change can only begin with each of us, and start within us. We cannot share peace with others if we do not have it to give. We cannot look after the whole world without first looking after those closest to us: our families, our clubs, and our communities.”

Kalyan Banerjee
President, Rotary International

Thanks to Sandy Springs Rotary for the clip.

ROTARY DISTRICT 9200 FACES WORST FOOD CRISIS

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A satellite image of the Dadaab, a refugee camp home to close to 400,000 people on the Kenya-Somali border. Image courtesy of DigitalGlobe

 

 

Parts of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia are facing one of the worst droughts for 60 years, and nearly 12 million people are desperately in need of food, clean water and basic sanitation.

ShelterBox has committed emergency shelter for up to 2,000 families in Kenya as the worst drought in 60 years continues to cause chaos throughout the region.

SHELTER BOX AND KENYA FAMINE

DG Eric Kimani

DISTRICT GOVERNOR ERIC KIMANI FROM DISTRICT 9200 IS CALLING FOR HELP FROM ROTARY CLUBS AROUND THE WORLD:


FOOD APPEAL KENYA

 


 

Change Over Dinner 29 July 2011

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PDG Fred Loneragan presents President Marg Perkin with her President's scarf, while PDG John Egan looks on after Marg's induction.

We are the last club in our district to hold the annual change over of presidents and board members.  It was great night and we had a total of 45 people present to witness the changing of the guard for 2011-2012.  Our new president is Marg Perkin who has been in our club since 2004.  Marg is the first lady to become our president and we are all looking forward to a great year under Marg’s leadership.

Here are some photos from the evening held in Coolamon.

2011 Rotary International Convention Bill Gates

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On May 24, 2011, in a speech to 19,000 Rotarians, Bill Gates challenged the organization to make polio a disease of the present so it can become a disease of the past.

Over 25 years, Rotary International has contributed more than $1B to eradicate polio, and has teamed with the foundation to raise $555 million and help stamp out “the final 1 percent.” At Rotary’s annual convention of Rotarians from 160 countries, Bill urged members to keep the issue alive globally and with their local government leaders.

Coolamon Village Toilet?

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While sitting in freezing cold conditions selling raffle tickets today the need arose for a WC in the village, the nearest is a long walk to the station.  Maybe we can convince our Council that we do need a WC in the middle of the village.  After all it was one of Rotary’s first community service in Chicago back in 1907:

“The Rotary Club of Chicago performs one of its first acts of community service. The club calls a meeting of civic organizations to establish a committee for installing city comfort stations, or public toilets, to improve sanitation.”

The Dog File