Janet Yarbrough led things off with a discussion of the processes that need to be followed to have a successful project in conjunction with Rotary International (RI).  Each international project should contribute to ome or more of the six causes that RI supports: 1) Promoting peace; 2) Fighting disease; 3) Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, 4) Saving mothers and children; 5) Supporting Education; and 6) Growing local economies.  We need to find a Rotary club that is local to the international community (village, town, city) that we want our project to help.  We may have the opportunity to also garner support for our project from the other 3 clubs in our area.

 

Dave Sargent described the Worldwide Child Relief Foundation (WCRF) and a potential international project for  that the club should consider.  Hal Young is a principal in the WCRF which has been active in Nicaragua and other places.  Dave described a small town named La Calle Real (LCR) on the road between Leon and Malpaisillo.  There is no running water or paved roads in this town.  Over the years, the WCRF has helped people from the town on a number of projects such as building a community center that includes a store, a kitchen, and a WiFi connection to the internet.  There are food for work projects and a lending library program.  WCRF has partnered with Bright Waters of Shingle Springs to help provide healthy drinking water to the community.  

The project that Dave described for our consideration was to build a playground and a sports (volleyball and basketball) court.  WCRF owns the land already, and estimates have been obtained for the playground equipment of $4,000 and just over $7,000 for the sports court.  The installation work would be done primarily by local people with help/supervision from Rotary members.  Dave proposes that several of us should take a charitable tour to Nicaragua to help with this project.

The city of Leon has a Rotary club that would be the candidate to supply local knowledge to this project.  They have yet to be contacted about this project concept.  Dave and WCRF have learned over time that we need to "Dream Big, but Step Small" in projects such as these.