Rotary District 6110

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Wheelchair Distributionin

Montego Bay, Jamaicaby Wallace A. Williams

I am often asked to share highlights of myexperiences as I have traveled as your Governor. Therehave been many wonderful experiences that have beenlife changing and I want to share this one with you.

Our group and members of the Rotary Club of Spanish

Noel Morris, Chairman of the District Wheelchair

committee led a group of 6110 members on a

wheelchair distribution in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Members of the group were from the Rotary Club of

Springdale; Sandy Morris Noel’s wife, Deborah Brown

otary District 6110

Wheelchair Distribution

Montego Bay, JamaicaWallace A. Williams

I am often asked to share highlights of myexperiences as I have traveled as your Governor. Therehave been many wonderful experiences that have beenlife changing and I want to share this one with you.

Rotary Club of Spanish Town

Noel Morris, Chairman of the District Wheelchair

committee led a group of 6110 members on a

wheelchair distribution in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Members of the group were from the Rotary Club of

Springdale; Sandy Morris Noel’s wife, Deborah Brown

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Chris & Debby Weiser,

Gary & Aletha Piker, Gordon & Linda Slothower; from

the Rotary Club of Rogers; Chad & Wendy Kumpe, Hal

& Nancy Savage, from the Rotary Club of Mountain

Home; Dave Matty, Charles & Crystal (Daughter)

Crosslin, Larry & Brenda Nelson, Granddaughter Grace

& Grandson Issac; from the Rotary Club of North Tulsa;

Wallace & Anne Williams, from American Wheelchair

Mission; President Chris Lewis and Daughter Grace.

Grace & Crystal Hal Savage Dave Matty

We arrived in the country on Thursday afternoon

and everyone got checked into the hotel (Anne and

arrived without luggage, but we shall save that story for

another occasion). We were invited to join the Rotary

Club of Montego Bay East for their weekly e

meeting which included

journey started at 7:00 A.M. with a 3 hour drive in front of

us. During the bus ride Issac kept telling his

grandparents he wanted to help someone get into a

wheelchair. Our first stop was

had lunch with the Rotary Club of Spanish Town at a

local country club. We dined on a beautiful veranda with

a breathtaking view of Kingston, Spanish

surrounding area. The meal was wonderful and I even

managed to find something I could eat. Chris Lewis

Wallace A. Williams Sr., District Governor

May 2011

sadorial Scholar, Chris & Debby Weiser,

Gary & Aletha Piker, Gordon & Linda Slothower; from

the Rotary Club of Rogers; Chad & Wendy Kumpe, Hal

& Nancy Savage, from the Rotary Club of Mountain

Home; Dave Matty, Charles & Crystal (Daughter)

Brenda Nelson, Granddaughter Grace

& Grandson Issac; from the Rotary Club of North Tulsa;

Wallace & Anne Williams, from American Wheelchair

Mission; President Chris Lewis and Daughter Grace.

Grace & Crystal Hal Savage Dave Matty

We arrived in the country on Thursday afternoon

and everyone got checked into the hotel (Anne and I

arrived without luggage, but we shall save that story for

another occasion). We were invited to join the Rotary

Club of Montego Bay East for their weekly evening club

included dinner. On Friday morning our

journey started at 7:00 A.M. with a 3 hour drive in front of

us. During the bus ride Issac kept telling his

randparents he wanted to help someone get into a

wheelchair. Our first stop was Spanish Town where we

had lunch with the Rotary Club of Spanish Town at a

local country club. We dined on a beautiful veranda with

a breathtaking view of Kingston, Spanish Town and the

surrounding area. The meal was wonderful and I even

something I could eat. Chris Lewis

Rotary District 6110 May 2011

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overdosed on Jerk chicken. We exchanged banners

and were treated to authentic jerk seasonings as gifts.

After lunch we went to Spanish Town in the parish of St.

Catherine and delivered 15 to 20 chairs to St. Monica’s

Home for the Aged and at the Spanish Town Infirmary.

The club works with both of these facilities and does

great things in the name of Rotary for the elderly, the

infirmed and the forgotten. Spanish Town is the first

capital of Jamaica – from colonial days.

On Saturday we traveled west to St. James and

Hanover. We visited and toured the Cornwall Regional

Hospital; we were not allowed to take pictures in the

hospital. Next we went to Angelic Care Center where

we delivered chairs and one walker. The owner and her

family were so very moved by our presence and the

much needed chairs that we brought with us. They said

that they had prayed and asked God for that blessing

and they were expecting us as the answer to their

prayers. The patients in that facility were so well cared

for. The walker was given to a 97 year old lady who said

it would help her take care of her two roommates who

were less mobile. From there we went to several homes

in the community of Roehampton delivering one chair at

each home. Our next stop was to visit Rest Haven

Children’s Home in Hanover. This is a compound for

children who have been abandoned by their families and

they have nowhere else to go. Most have very serious

birth defects and disabilities. The Home is operated on

donations from companies and organizations. The

Rotary Club of Montego Bay East supplied water to the

home and they wanted us to see the home.

This was a very heartwarming trip and I am

thankful for all who went. We made a difference in the

lives of the people we met. It is amazing to watch and

witness the reactions of people when you help them

move from immobility to mobility. Some are quiet and

others are very vocal in their thanks and praise. Either

way you could sense a change had occurred. As I

witness it, it confirms for me that what we as Rotarians

are doing is what we should be doing, reaching out to

the less fortunate and trying to make people’s lives

better.

Friday night we were invited to attend a wine

tasting fund raiser for the Rotary Club of Montego Bay

West. There was plenty of wine and food to be had by

all. Chris overdosed on Jerk chicken again. Actually,

that was a daily ritual for him.

I would like to remind all Clubs in District 6110

you have the opportunity to participate in International

Projects within our District at minimal cost. Clubs or

individuals can purchase wheelchairs through the Rotary

Club of Springdale or water wells through the Rotary

Club of Tulsa. Maybe you cannot afford to go on a

wheelchair distribution or a water well digging project. If

you or your club purchases the wheelchairs or water well

they can be delivered by fellow Rotarians making the trip

in your name.

Issac gets the chance to help President Winsome Stewart of the

Rotary Club of Montego Bay East

Chris Lewis videoing, AG Govind Sandy Morris speaks withChulani and Owner-Director Ms. Michael Terrelonge who wasWilliams watching our guide

President Ertis Blake and I

exchange club bannersGary& Aletha Piker, Sandy &Noel Morris,& Gordon Slothower

Rotary District 6110 May 2011

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IMPORTANT ROTARY DATES 2011-12May 21-25, 2011 RI Convention

New Orleans, LAJune 25, 2011 Governor-Elect Inauguration

Danny Mitchell, TulsaJuly 1, 2011 The Rotarian

Digital Magazine debutsSeptember 22, 2011 District Conference GolfSeptember 23-25,2011 District Conference

Renaissance Hotel, TulsaOctober 25 – 26, 2011 GNATS / GETS Training St. Louis, MoOctober 27 – 30, 2011 Zone Institute St. Louis, MoJanuary 2012 GSE Team to India

The Rotarian digital magazine debuts in July.

Want to trade your print subscription for digital?

Fill out the online form(http://www.rotary.org/EN/MEDIAANDNEWS/THEROTARIAN/Pages/digital.aspx)

by Monday, 30 May, to begin receiving your digital subscription

in July.

As a current subscriber to The Rotarian , your method of

payment will not change.

Recently, Larry and Brenda Nelson, both Rotarians in

the club of Mountain Home, received their Level

Three "Major Donor" pins.

In January 2011, the Nelsons offered a matching-point

challenge to other members of their club. For those who

would like to become Paul Harris Fellows by donating

$500 to the Rotary Foundation over the course of the

next 5 years, the Nelsons would match their gifts with

500 of their own points. 26 members have accepted the

challenge as of April 1 - and 4 members have already

paid their $500 and have received their PHF pins!

Several are using the matching points to add to their

personal giving levels or to make someone else a PHF.

The goal of the entire challenge is to encourage

Rotarians to get in the habit of making annual gifts to

TRF.

Contact Information:

http://www.rotarydistrict6110.org/“THE OFFICIAL DISTRICT WEBSITE”

Rotary District 6110 May 2011

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Our GSE Team Arrives in 6110

District Governor Williams, District GSE Chair Bob Hawk,President Tom Pyatt, George & Louise DeGroot, Tom &Carol Buchl and Bill Johnson GSE Coordinator from theBella Vista Sunrise Club were at the airport to welcome theGSE team from District 3010 India.

As I welcomed the India team to District 6110 I assuredthem that we would work very hard for them to have agreat informative and fun filled trip. I am asking all 6110members who will interact with this team to show them thesame kindness you showed Anne and me. I know you willbecause “we are family”.

Anshul Singal, Dr. Shivani Chowdhary, Shikha Thaman,

Ritin Handa and Team Leader Ravi Dayal are the members

of our GSE Team from India.

DaCdb “Did You Know”

When you first log-on to DaCdb you will be on the Home

page. Listed just under the RI wheel is FIND a Member.

Click on that navigation bar and you will open up the

Find a Member window. Listed are several Search

Parameters that can be used to find a Rotarian or a

particular business. You can list a Name, Email or

Business name, Member ID(RI Number), Classification,

Club Name or ClubID Number, or Phone Number. You

can use one or more of these search parameters to fine

tune your search. The “advanced search” feature allows

you to use even more search parameters. You might be

interested in Global? search box. This search feature

allows you to search all the Rotary districts, not just

District 6110, that are presently using DaCdb. Since I am

a Veterinarian I could search our district by listing

Veterinarian or Veterinary Medicine under Classification

and observe the results. I could also check Global to

search all the other districts using DaCdb. Give Find a

Member a try and see how much you can learn.

Rotary District 6110 May 2011

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Safe Water a Rotary GoalBy Jo Jennings

Ericka Sherod, 2008-2009 president of the BixbyRotary Club, wanted the local organization to have aninternational project to call its own. This project became so bigthat we expanded it to not only include other clubs in ourdistrict, but other districts as well.

The project, now well on its way, is a giant steptoward helping control disease in the country of Belize. RotaryDistrict 6110 will partner with Rotary clubs and Interact clubs inBelize to improve the quality of drinking water, with efforts tohelp stamp out Typhoid fever, Cholera, Botulism, Coli-formBacteria, Streptococcus, Salmonella, Giardia, Cryptosporidiumand Cyclospora. By providing Sawyer Point One Filters toschools and families in Belize, we are challenging the causefor 90% of deaths of children each year -- the lack of safedrinking water.

Maxwell received a report that illnesses which hadbeen running rampant in FIJI disappeared after these filterswere installed by Give Clean Water. “I was looking for aconfirmation,” said Maxwell. “But I was leery and wanted to seefor myself.” He ordered some filters to take to Belize.

Jack Maxwell, Water/Health Co-Chair for RotaryDistrict 6110 and Herb Orr, an Assistant Governor, traveled toBelize to develop a more personal relationship with the nineRotary Clubs, two Rotaract and five Interact Clubs.

Orr, Maxwell and the District Water Chair, ShereeFukai, a civil engineer, and a member of San Ignacio RotaryClub in Belize installed a filter in the Iguana Creek GovernmentSchool where there are 47 students who had been drinkingfrom a rain water catchment system. “Rain water comes off theroof, flowing through bird poop, insects, gutter mud and leavesand emptying into a big black plastic storage tank whichabsorbed the heat, creating a fertile breeding ground forbacteria and disease.” The only other water choice was theBelize River, and that water is also contaminated. As soon asthe filter was installed, and the valve turned on, the filteringprocess began to produce safe drinking water. Maxwell andone of the little girls drank some of the water. Maxwell alsotalked to the children about clean water and the importance ofwashing their hands.

Fukai, now referred to as “the bucket lady” said thechildren drinking the clean water are now healthier, and theirattendance and grades are going up. Fukai’s goal is to havefilters installed in all of the schools and orphanages throughoutthe entire country and to get the Belize Rotary Club to put2,500 filters into homes. Sheree wants to get the childrenhealthy first and then the parents will notice and ask for a filterin their home.

Maxwell said the Sawyer filter has the capability toproduce 500 gallons of safe drinking water per day and thepotential to provide enough water for the children to take waterhome. Just six hours use each day provides two gallons ofwater per day for each of the 47 students.

Maxwell says“Now we have to justify who will receivethe filters, who wants them, who will store them, who will trainthe people how to use them and follow up. That’s where weare, in the process of grant writing.” Global grants are beingwritten by two future vision Rotary districts. One grant will putfilters into schools, and the other will put them with families.The goal is to have clean water for everyone within threeyears, although we think we may do it in two.

Maxwell has continued to research the economics ofthe project, finding a way to buy the buckets and Rotary decalsfor less than initially thought. The plan is to send everythingneeded to make the filter assembly in one 40 foot seacontainer. Buckets from Letica in Oklahoma City and filtersfrom Sawyer in Florida will be combined at our Tulsa MSNIwarehouse. Placing them in the container will ensure so thateverything arrives together.

Bixby’s Chip Seay, makes annual missionary trips,and he and others have been provided with filters to take toPeru and India. The Rock Bridge High School in Columbia,Mo., has a group of students who want to raise money, helpwith the project, and travel there to help distribute the filters.“They are going to sell their birthdays and make money for thefilters,” Maxwell said. “People who want to help are coming outof the woodwork. Even the shipping costs have dropped from$13,000 to under $2,000 because of a Rotarian who isdonating money for the shipping. “The money we would havespent shipping internationally will be used to buy more bucketsand filters.”

Watch the Bixby Bulletin,http://www.bixbyrotaryweb.com/, to learn more about thisproject and keep up with progress. $100 will buy three SawyerPoint One Filters for a school of 150 students or for threefamilies to have for home use. $500 will buy filters for 15families or provide two schools with 750 total students withfilters. We gladly invite the community to join us in this uniquewater project.

Make checks payable to Medical Supplies Network, Inc.1123 S. Erie, Tulsa, OK 74112 to receive a tax deductiblereceipt. Write Belize Water Projects on the check. Your moneywill be kept in a special project account. Your donation will bematched by The Rotary Foundation at 50 cents on the dollar;helping to buy even more filter assembles. If you have anyquestions call Jack Maxwell at 918-296-0689 or 918-637-8456.Or e-mail jackmaxw@cox.net.