Portsmouth Rotary Log for meeting of Thursday, February 26, 2015 by Richard Seery.
Photos by Leo Gagnon
 
 
President Trish presided over the meetingShe had some 10 birthday announcements with the most impressive being Hank Downey: 50 years in Rotary! 
 
Guests this week included “Dan Hopefull,” a “guest” of Neal Ouellett; Pack Knowles, guest of Tony Delyani; Al Lantinen, guest of Dave Holden; and Sara Treacy’s daughter Vivian.       
Finemaster Neal Ouellett was his usual outrageous self.
 
June Golf Tournament Chair James Petersen reported corporate sponsorships are rolling along.  Since inception, the Tournament has raised $122,000 for the club's Basic Needs Endowment.
The program for the day was “International Service Committee Making A Difference” The Club’s International Service Committee involvement in a variety of global, hands-on missions is extensive. And all that reflects the passion of its chair Bob Herold. A 35-year Rotarian and retired family dentist, Bob shared pictures and life changing stories from international trips. His extensive jaunts to different parts of Africa include Ethiopia and Uganda. He articulated that there were two important extra components adding to the excitement of international travel. Those components are the host club’s hospitality and the warm reception of the communities being helped.
Joining Bob in sharing stories about their international service trips were Leonard Seagren and Ted Alex.  Leonard talked of his passion for international service and his planned travels this year to Belize and Niger.   Bob explained how Rotarians engaged in raising honey bees in Uganda.  This effort became quite a success story. The business endeavor expanded marketing and distribution of honey throughout the region
 
Ted traveled with Rotaplast on two separate occasions.  He assisted with sterilizing operating equipment before surgery for many affected children. Their problems included cleft lip and palate surgery along with treating hands of burn victims. Most of the burns resulted from numerous, open fire cooking accidents.  Ted recently returned from Bangladesh.
 
There have been many other International Service projects. To name just a few, Rotarians constructed a mobile food kitchen and dental clinic. They equipped a cancer hospital ward. And they furnished books and toys for after school programs. Rotarians also built a library (named after PP Diane Foley) These projects became reality with funding from the Rotary International Foundation and Portsmouth’s Wm. Cash Committee.
A recent $45,000 Foundation Global Grant will be used to partner with Friends Forever.  The mission replicates a youth leadership model in Kampala, Uganda.  The funding provides staff and living quarters to train young leaders in Conflict Resolution & Life Skills.  Friends Forever[i] arranges a two-week trip for motivated, ethnic minority students. They will visit New England Rotary Clubs and learn methods of coping with dysfunctional cultural behavior.  The curriculum addresses understanding and implementing solutions to violent social, religious and political differences. It also helps participants build community. There is more about how you can help the Rotary Foundation elsewhere in this week’s eBulletin.  
  
John Bohenko won the 50/50 raffle and donated his $66 prize to the Foundation.  There was no match for the $125 pot.  
 

Friends Forever was founded in 1986 by Portsmouth Rotarian and YMCA director, Bob Raiche.  The MISSION is to promote trust, empathy and friendships among cultures in conflict.  For more details visit:  http://www.friendsforeverusa.org/

Respectfully submitted, Richard Seery.
           
 
 
 
DID YOU GET the new District 7780 Newsletter this weekend?
DID YOU read it?
 
 
 
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