International Service Projects

PROJECT AMIGO   February 2004.  One Ignacio Rotarian and numerous other Rotarians and spouses traveled to Colima, Mexico, to restock existing orphanage with new beds, bedding and clothes for the school children. TRICK OR TREAT FOR UNICEF  Club/Interact distributed collection boxes to local stores, businesses and schools.  Campaign money for eradicating Polio worldwide.   OPEN WORLD PROGRAM  Six Russian Business and political leaders and two translators visiting Marin County for three weeks.  Costs (except Rotary lunch) paid for by Rotary members. Individual Rotarians provided  their housing.            PROJECT BUILD HOPE – HOMEBUILDING IN MEXICO  Rotary Club Of Ignacio members, along with parents and students of the Interact Club, built homes during Spring Break as part of the “Amor Project.”  This project not only builds homes for the impoverished but also educates the Interact youth on the conditions that exist in other parts of the world.  Sponsored by World Community Service, Interact, and Youth Service Groups.  Cost: $15,000.                        ROTAPLAST  PDG Michael Fish and Fred Pfeifer are joining other Rotarians and Physicians on a 10-day trip to San Salvador/El Salvador to perform surgeries to correct cleft palate, cleft lip deformities and several burn plastic surgeries.  The team will be housed and fed by the Rotarians in El Salvador, who are actively participating in this project. Cost:  $40,000; Cost to Club:  $0.                        PROJECT AMIGO, COLIMA, MEXICO  The Rotary Club of Ignacio participated by providing scholarships for four students to continue their education.  Helped pay for uniforms, clothes, school, supplies, tuition, transportation and meals.  Room and board assistance given to those living away from home.  Raised:  $1,500; Cost to Club:  $500.                POLIO PLUS  The Rotary Club of Ignacio shifted into high gear in collecting for the Polio Eradication Fundraising Campaign (PEFC) by continuing to collect on over $30,000 of pledges made, while continuing to educate our members about this historic Rotary effort.  Raised: $33,000; Cost to Club:  $0.                        COPPER CANYON, MEXICO  In cooperation with Novato Rotary Club and Chihuahua Molaca, Mexico Rotarians, we have planned to provide new septic and leech field systems, mattresses, blankets, sheets, and furnishings (after professional fumigation) to the Albergue School in Aboreachi, Chihuahua, Mexico (Copper Canyon). Funding will be provided through a matching grant.  The host project club's responsibility (Chihuahua Majalca) is to manage the project by purchasing equipment, supplies, overseeing the installation and expenditure control.  The international clubs’ (Ignacio and other Novato Clubs) responsibility is to help promote the project financially, and provide service opportunity to Ignacio Rotarian Members by working with the Majalca Rotarians on a personal one to one cooperation with onsite work parties to the Albergue School in Aboreachi. (School name: Escuela Francisco M. Pancarte). (Continued) The second trip is tentatively planned for this year in late October or early November, which will be for approximately 8 to 10 days. Cost:  $30,565; Raised: $2,500.            SAN FELIPE, MEXICO The Rotary Club of Ignacio, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of San Felipe North, District 5150, District 4100, and District 4110, applied for and obtained a matching grant to provide eye- glasses for the poor school children of San Felipe, Mexico.  Upon funding, 6 to 8 Ignacio Rotarians will travel to San Felipe to participate in this project. Cost:  $25,000; Raised:  $1,000.            SAN FELIPE, MEXICO   The Community Service Committee of the Ignacio Rotary Club replaced playground equipment in our area.  We have made arrangements to transport the used equipment to San Felipe, Mexico for installation in one of their local schools. Cost:  $0            G.S.E. The Rotary Club of Ignacio is hosting a Group Study Exchange program with District 9470, Perth Area, Western Australia.  Five Ignacio Rotary Members are home hosting the team from April 25 through April 30, 2004.  Additionally, several Ignacio Rotarians are serving as drivers to chauffer team members to appointments, visits, tours and social events when in Northern Marin County. Ignacio Rotary has arranged for local newspaper to interview the team members and will publicize their visit with a newspaper article about the visit and the GSE program. (Continued) The World Community Service Committee has planned an evening social event for the team members, their host families, and Rotary club members to meet the team.  The Ignacio Club will host a Joint Luncheon with the two other Novato Rotary Clubs. Several members of the Ignacio Rotary Club have scheduled vocational meetings with team members at their places of business.  Cost:  $500.      PROJECT AMIGO The World Community Service Committee has developed several Public Service Announcements (PSA’s), with Clear Channel Communications direct support, focused on raising college scholarship funds for the most recent and future students who are successful high school graduates from Colima, Mexico. The Project Amigo program started out with the intention of educating the indigent youth of that area. The program has been so successful that for the first time, students are being accepted into major college institutions.  The PSA’s are for distribution to the numerous Rotary Clubs supporting this program, to be used for broadcast in their local communities.  The PSA’s will additionally and indirectly promote the Rotary Clubs participating with an attached tag line mentioning their local clubs. Cost:  $0            ROTAPLAST The Rotary Club of Ignacio participated in a major fundraising endeavor for Rotaplast’s trip to China.  We obtained participation from new members, existing members, children and spouses. Cost:  0.            WHEEL CHAIR FOUNDATION  In July 2003, Ignacio Rotary embarked on a program to provide wheelchairs abroad commencing with a program by PDG Jon Grant.  The club launched a fundraising campaign to solicit major individual contributions of $75.00 or more toward the purchase of individual wheelchairs. Club member’s contributions will have a direct impact upon the children and adults in need of a wheelchair but cannot afford one.