July 25 Meeting Notes

 

July 25 Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7 am by President Craig Reese

Pledge of Allegiance

Invocation- Ruth Dagg 

Visiting Rotarians or Guests 

• No visitors or guests this week

Announcements

Important Note: 

• Please order breakfast by Monday each week! 
• This will help Ruth and others get the order for Tuesday's meeting.

Craig Reese - Review of trip to Burundi

• Met with Rotary members from Burundi
• They have worked on 2 or 3 other international projects in the past
• The Burundi club is hoping that Craig and his team can come up with the goal of project. They will support the recommendation.
• Sister Connection spent 2.5 weeks on this trip with the women and children in need
• 2271 participants showed up looking for help

Craig Reese - Town Toyota Center Concessions

• Mark Van Horne is working with Rob Tidd to coordinate the effort between our two clubs
• Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary is partnering with Wenatchee Confluence Rotary to work concession stands at Town Toyota Center for the 2023 - 2024 Wenatchee Wild season.
• Sunrise Rotary committed to Confluence Rotary to provide at least 2 people per game. 
• Sunrise Rotary anticipates generating at least $6800 in revenue With Wenatchee Wild moving up to a higher league, TTC and Wild expect most games to sell out. 
• TTC plans to open all 4 concession stands for each game.
• Volunteer Requirements
• Must be able to stand for up to 5 hours. 
• Must have food handler permit. No exceptions. 
• Must have THIS Food handlers permit https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov/ 
• Cost is $10 and takes about 40 minutes. 
• This is the only on-line class that Washington State will accept. 
• Other on-line classes that say they're good in Washington are actually not acceptable.
• Must have MAST 12 permit. No exceptions. 
• https://rserving.com/web/pscc_state.php? siteid=251&flag=bartender%20license&statecode=WA&saletype=
• Cost is $8.95 and takes about 3 hours. 
• When you start the class, they have you answer 10 questions such as "what is your favorite sport" and "what was the model of the first car you owned".
• Take a screen shot of your answers; you'll need to use them when you go from one section of the course to the next. They do it to help ensure security of the class.
• Must take training from TTC to learn how to operate equipment in concession stands. popcorn, pretzel, hot dog, beer tap, cash register.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: When you complete both certifications, send Mark Van Horne a screenshot or photo of your permit. He needs to provide them to Confluence Rotary.

Julie Banken - Student Exchange

• Julie wanted everyone to know that the fundraising efforts by everyone in the club was impactful and greatly appreciated.
• Our club will be participating in the Inbound orientation of the exchange students as they return home. It has been surprising how being away for a year has left some of the students needing to catch up with the changes in the U.S. since they have been gone.
• The Inbound Orientation will be held in Coeur d'Alene.
• Fran has made it home to Argentina after a challenging boarding process in Seattle.
• Larka (our clubs 2023-2024 exchange student) will be arriving the 17th or 18th of August.

Brags and Confessions

Jim (and Carol) Adamson

• Jim and Carol have acquired their Food Handlers and MAST training and certificates.
• They are ready for the TTC required training.

Kelly Walker

• Kelly got to spend time with Lucy (her new granddaughter) in the pool last weekend

Program - Emma Crowe - Donor Development Coordinator for Sister Connection

Emma Crowe is now working with Craig and Ruth at Sister Connection.

What is Sister Connection?

• 501(c)3 Non-profit
• Dedicated to serving widows and orphans in Burundi, Africa

Where is Burundi?

• Burundi is the poorest country in the world.
• It is located in the south/eastern part of Africa.
• It is the size of Connecticut and has more than 15 regions

Programs that need donations/funding.

• Home Building - $850 per home
• Homes are 350 sq. ft.
• 2 doors
• Shutters for the windows
• It rains 9 months of the year, so homes provide shelter for families that were often homeless before receiving the gift of a new home.
• Each home uses local supplies and labor to help the area.
• This raises the status of the widow in the eyes of the community as well as her own self-esteem.
• Sponsorship
• Regular sponsorship - $40 per month
• "in3" sponsorship - $1800 total for 3 years
• Vocational training
• The widows are taught skills so they can earn a living for their families
• This can include how to grow local crops like Moringa.
• Moringa is a dietary supplement here in the U.S. and around the world.
• Click here to learn more about Moringa's health benefits.

Emma's job:

• Communications with donors
• Finding new donors
• Raising funds

Staff Retreat

Craig and Emma made the 30+ hour journey to Burundi. They met up with their staff members, most of which are stationed their full-time. This was a staff retreat event.

This trip was broken into 2 parts.

Part 1 - Getting to know the staff, Singing and Dancing, Team Activities

The first 2 days were a team effort, sharing ideas and strategies with the local team members.

The training was not what Emma expected. The people showed up with wild enthusiasm first thing in the morning. They sang songs at every opportunity, including breaks and any other time they could squeeze it in. This approach is part of their culture and their religious beliefs.

On day three of the training, Emma taught a class on Google Workspace. The class went well considering the language and translation challenges. The big surprise was trouble getting the printers to work. With perseverance, Emma got the printers to work to the cheers and adoration of the entire team.

Mount Hope 

When the retreat was over, Emma, Craig, and other went on location to Mount Hope. 

• They taught a class for widows on how to grow and harvest Moringa.

• They helped with the construction of a greenhouse for the area.

• Emma was the Sister Connection ambassador for the kids from Mount Hope and the surrounding area.
• Emma packed Dum-Dum suckers for the kids.
• She gave them the sucker and then showed them that once the paper was off the sucker, they should give her the wrappers rather than litter.
• Emma also was entertained by the kids singing and dancing. She recorded them on her phone, and then played it back for them so they could see themselves. The kids laughed and could not get enough.
• Benny (in the blue jacket) came up to Emma at the end of her time there and asked her name in English. She told him and then tried to ask him his name in his language. He laughed at her attempt and then helped her and told her his name was Benny. He was the "leader of the pack" for the kids.

Where do the widows and orphans come from?

• There are currently over 1000 widows that Sister Connection is trying to support.
• Poor health and disease account the for the early deaths of some of the men. 
• There are also substantial deaths from civil war all over the country that account for more and more of the women and children in need.
• The families of the men who die do not recognize the wife and children after the man's death. They are kicked out of the home and left to fend for themselves.

Local Crafts Available for Purchase - $5 per bowl cozy

• The Burundi people make and color the cloth and then sew the Bowl Cozy's.
• Ask Emma, Ruth, or Craig about purchasing.

How to Stay Connected with Sister Connection

Emma gave a fantastic presentation about this important organization. She was extremely knowledgeable and excited about her new role and the cause she is working to support.

Click here to see Emma's PowerPoint Presentation.

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Drawing - $55 - Becky Cummins did not draw the winning marble.

NOTE: Earl Crowe announced that Qtr. 4 invoices have been sent.