It was several years later when I was visiting family in Florida, my Uncle suggested I bring the idea to his local Rotary Club in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I sent in my presentation and to my delight Dr. Carrie Root and Deb Connelly – members of Rotary Club Tarpon Springs pushed the idea forward and began writing a grant that supported teaching locals how to build sustainably using waste straw in a remote Village in Bali. Rotary Clubs Holiday, Dunedin North, and Dunedin, Florida also participated in raising funds that were matched by District grant 6950 for a total of $16,800 USD which was awarded the following year! I joined Rotary Club Bali Taman and have discovered a whole new group of people who like to help others.In Bali there are no baling machines so making bales by hand is the only option.
A special thanks to all the people in Rotary, especially RC Tarpon Springs who believed in this project from the start and gave their hard earned money to provide aid to a Village half way around the world. Thank you friends and family who also made contributions and to Kadek Suaradana who led the team in the Village. The people of Nawa Kerti are very grateful and proud to house the first straw bale building and have become new straw bale enthusiast.