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Welcome

Apr 20th, 2012 by RonK

Welcome to Rotary District 5100’s website and blog for District 5100 International Service activities.  We have designed this site so that all 76 clubs in our district can experience the joys of participating in a WCS project or activity.  As you can see by the 2011-12 International Matching Grant Participation V5.0 report, we had a very good year for matching grants in 2011-2012.  We want you and your club to be a part of this all-important Fourth Avenue of Service.  This WCS website has explanations, resources, forms, tips and links ready for your use. If you are stuck and can’t find the answer here, call on our experienced WCS Rotarians.  You’ll find the main District5100 website here.

To be on the email list for our WCS newsletter (aperiodic), please submit your name, club name, and email  Ron Kelemen.

Does your club have a project but needs other partners?  Or does your club have funds available to team up with another club that is already sponsoring a project?   Want to know what the International committee is doing?  Want to know more about international activities in our district?  Or do you as an individual simply want to participate in the International Avenue of Service?  We can help.   Start here, then contact one of us for further information.

Ron Kelemen, Chair

District 5100 Matching Grants Cheerleader

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2011-12 Matching Grant Project Participation

Apr 20th, 2012 by RonK

On behalf of the International Service/Matching Grants Promotion Committee, I want to thank all of you and your clubs who participated in an international project this Rotary year. For a while, it seemed like we were going to leave a lot of matching grant money on the table because of an initial shortage of projects and light club participation. But in the end, it turned out to be one of our best years ever.

We sponsored 19 matching grant projects in 16 different countries, with a total project cost of about $495,000!  Think of all the lives around the world that will be made better because of this!

Forty-two (42) clubs participated in one or more matching grant projects, and 16 clubs participated in more than one project. This represents $130,250 of hard-earned money from club fundraisers and member contributions. Kudos go to Portland for participating in 11 projects, taking the lead in three of them. Salem and Lake Oswego came in second with six, followed by Tualatin who participated in five projects.  These are only the Matching Grants and the District Simplified Grants.  (Several clubs participated in other non-matching grant projects.  I hope to highlight them once we have received all the information from them).

Through the power of leverage, these clubs’ contributions were matched with either District Simplified Grants (DSG) or as matching grants from our District Designated Funds (DDF) and funds from the Rotary Foundation. These matches from District 5100 totaled $125,439. And keep in mind, this money available from our district came from your Paul Harris contributions to the Rotary Foundation over three years ago.

Is your club on the list? Do you want to take a bigger role in this Rotary Fourth Avenue of Service? Here are two suggestions:

1. Get your club to commit to allocating a percentage of its fundraising dollars this coming year.

2. Attend our regular International Service workshops. They are held the third Wednesday of every month in the District office in Wilsonville at 4:00 p.m. The next one will be June 20.  If you are going off your club’s International Service Committee, please encourage your successor to attend.

More details about our results this Rotary year are on the International Matching Grant Participation Report, Version 5.0. Thanks again, and let’s make the 2012-13 year even better. Too many people in other parts of the world are depending on us.

Yours in Rotary Service,

Ron Kelemen
District International Matching Grants Cheerleader

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International Service 101

Apr 23rd, 2012 by RonK

Want to get a quick overview on how to get your club involved in Rotary’s 4th Avenue of Service.  Then review this two-part Power point presentation: International Service 101. Part 1 and International Service 101, Part 2   This was the presentation by Stewart Martin and Ron Kelemen at the District 5100 Training Assembly on April 21.  It will give you four basic ways to do something international and how to go about getting started on a matching grant.  It’s actually easier than it seems, and this presentation gives you lots of helpful links to resources.

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January 20 Meeting Notes

Jan 21st, 2012 by RonK

In spite of the storm, 12 committed Rotarians from around District 5100 showed up and participated very productive meeting.  Others wanted to attend, but couldn’t because of blocked roads. 

This meeting was an exchange of ideas, projects, and funding.  And as always, it was highly educational.  We updated Projects & Available Funds Jan 20.  Please note the items highlighted in yellow.  These are changes from our December update.  Of particular note, we have new projects, more clubs with cash that want to participate in a project, and several projects that are ready to submit their matching grant applications.  If you have additions, deletions, or corrections, please contact me and I will post an updated version on our website at www.D5100WCS.org. 

We have good news and bad news.  The good news is that we have $114,000 of District matching grant money available (DDF).  After the pending grants are submitted to RI, that amount will be closer to $90,000-$100,000.  That’s money that could match your club’s dollar 1:1.  Then RI matches it by 1:1, and RI also matches your club’s contribution by 0.5:1.  So, $1,000 from your club turns into $3,500!  (Note, this match is not available for projects in Pilot Districts.  That list can be found on our website.)

The bad news is that we have less than 60 days to submit your matching grant application.  The deadline is March 31, but it always takes at least two weeks to make corrections and clarifications that will enhance your grant’s success of getting funded by RI.  So what are you waiting for?  If you have a project in the works, please do what Larry the Cable Guy would say:  “Get her done!”  If you don’t have a project, please check out the projects on the list and contact the person involved.

We discussed conducting a matching grants workshop at the District Assembly April 21, where we will take you step-by-step through a matching grant application.    

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 21 from 4:00-5:30 at the District 5100 office in Wilsonville.   This will be your last big chance to offer a project or jump into an existing project.  Until then, let’s make things happen!

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December 15 Meeting Notes

Dec 15th, 2011 by RonK

Seasons Greetings!  Our District 5100 International Matching Grants Workshop (formerly the WCS Committee) met on December 15.  We were honored to have DG Mike in attendance, and we appreciated his encouragement and comments.

Our main focus was to update the status of our various projects. The exciting news is that we now have at least five projects with funding lined up, and several that need only a few more dollars from other clubs in the district.  Can your club help? The most recent version of our list is posted on this site.

 Other items:

  • There is no more District Simplified Grant (DSG) money available.
  • We still have over $106,000 of District Designated Funds (DDF) for matching grants. What a shame if it can’t be put to work with a club matching grant project.
  • We have only 90 days to go to submit projects for a match with the Rotary Foundation.

Take a look at the project list.  Near the bottom of page 1 is a project just going begging for a sponsoring club.  We have books ready to ship, but we need a sponsoring club and funds to ship the container.

 Looking for some volunteer and fellowship opportunities?  We need 15-20 volunteers the morning of January 3 to help remove 9,000 library books from Marshall High School, which is closing. The school is at 92nd and Powell.  Contact Joyce Lockard rj.lockard@frontier.com if you can help.  These books can be used to supplement our other international projects where we already have working relationships.  Let’s not let this gift horse of perfectly good books get away!

 About 10 Rotarians are attending the Central American Rotary project fair January 26-28 in San Jose, Costa Rica.  We are hoping they come back with some good projects that can be submitted by March 15.  But like the projects on the attached list, they will need money from clubs in our District. Please, if you haven’t yet participated in an international project this year, I urge your club to allocate funds for international service. It’s our 4th Avenue of Service.  It’s the Rotarian thing to do. 

Our next meeting will be 4:00 Wednesday, January 18 at the District office. We will have only 60 days by then to submit matching grant applications to the Rotary Foundation. So, get rested up over the holidays, and be prepared to hit the ground running.

 Thanks for your support, and I wish you all best the best for happy and gratitude-filled  holidays.

 Ron Kelemen

District 5100 Grants Promotion Chair

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Updated Project list as of December 15, 2011

Dec 15th, 2011 by RonK

2011 Dec 15 Project List

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November 2011 Notes

Nov 22nd, 2011 by RonK

District 5100

International Service Grants Promotion Update

November 22, 2011

 Things are starting to happen!  We had 13 Rotarians participate at our last International Service Matching Grants workshop on November 16.  We updated the project list, which is attached and can also be found at www.D5100WCS.org. 

 If your club has funds or has already committed money to one of those projects, please let me know.  Likewise, if you are a sponsoring club and your project information and funding have changed, please let me know so that I can update it.  More importantly, if your club has a project not on this list, please let me know so other clubs can help you with your funding.  You can use the attached project summary form, which is also posted on our website.

 The BIG news is:  we have $141,641 of District Designated Funds (DDF) available to match each club’s international project 1:1. 

And when you factor in the match from The RI Foundation, each club dollar becomes $3.50.  Why let this $141,641 sit idle when it could be doing so much good in the world by matching your club’s funds? 

 Only $3,413 of District Simplified Grant (DSG) money is available.  This means that there will shortly be no more funds available for small projects or small matches in Pilot Districts, such as in Uganda, Indonesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, western Columbia, Thailand, and parts of the Phillipines.  A complete list of pilot districts is attached and is also at www.D5100WCS.org, where there is an excellent explanation about the whole pilot district thing.

 So, while we may have had good projects and strong relationships in the past with clubs that are now in pilot districts, it’s time to move on and focus on what we can do in the other 70% of the undeveloped world that is not in a pilot district.

 If you club hasn’t initiated a project yet, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel and find untested overseas partners to create one.  Please consider teaming up with other clubs in District 5100 that already have a project going.  And please, if your club has a project that isn’t on this list, please contact Kathy Stromvig  or me so that we can give other clubs an opportunity to help you.  

 Announcements:

 Joyce Lockard would like someone to assist with getting the tons of books they have distributed around the world – anyone knowing of places that need textbooks please let her know.  

  1. Joyce Lockard indicated that Marshall HS has closed and they need to have their textbooks out of the school by January 2012 – (Kathy Stromvig will check with Jeff Welsh of Tualatin Club.)
  1. The 19th annual Uniendo Project Fair is taking place in Jaco, Costa Rica, a coastal town near San Jose 26-29 January 2012.  RI Past President Wilf Wilkinson will be a speaker. As usual many clubs from the Central American countries will be in attendance with projects which need funding. This fair is the “gold standard” for project fairs around the world. The link to more information is: http://www.costaricaprojectfair.org/

 On the 29th, DGE Deniel and Rtn. Warren Banks will be going to Guatemala from the Project Fair. Those interested in either or both events please let Warren know of your interest or with questions.  

The Guatemala section will be (tentatively) as follows:

  • Arrive Sun, 29th. Home stay with Rotarians from Nordeste clubs (most likely)
  • Mon and Tues –  project viewing with Nordeste. 
  • Wed am – maybe del Este club. 
  • Wed afternoon  –transported to Coatepeque for the scholarship programs to which 4-5 clubs are contributing and to view other potential projects. 
  • Sat- transportation to Antigua, Guatemala and overnight. Plan approx $65 for lodging. Credit cards may be slightly more.
  • Sun – leave for US (usually about $30 per person transport to the airport). Feb 5

 Stewart Martin will be attending, the project fair, then checking on a proposed project sponsored by Oregon City, Milwaukee, and Clackamas Clubs.  

  1. Indonesia trip:  Stewart Martin is tentatively moving his proposed Indonesia trip to sometime in September, 2012.  For more information, contact him at  

Next Meeting

Normally, we meet the third Wednesday of every month.  However, in light of the holidays, we will meet the 2nd week of December.  So our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 14, from 4:00-5:30 at the District conference room.

 Let’s express our gratitude for all of our blessings by helping those in other parts of the world with a matching grant!

 (Note:  For security purposes the email address of those mentioned above are contained in the attached word document under meeting notes.)

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International Service 101–Getting Your Club Started on Rotary’s 4th Avenue of Service

Sep 13th, 2011 by RonK

International Service 101  Here is a short–and to the point–presentation I made to the Clackamas Rotary Club September 15, 2011.  If you want a quick overview of why you should do an international project and how to get started, this is for you.  The main focus is on matching grants.International Service 101.ppt

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Sumba Island – update, 2011 DSG

Aug 17th, 2011 by Stewart Martin

Fellow Rotarians,

As you know, we are doing another DSG this year for Water and Sanitation on the primitive Island of Sumba in Indonesia.  You’ll see slide show in prior post.  Well, here’s the update.  Our friends from RC Bali Ubud Sunset – Past Presidents Sue Winske and Cat Wheeler, along with fellow member Gabe Monson traveled an hour or so by air to West Sumba Island, were greeted by natives with a musical/percussion welcome, given gifts and treated royally – because of what you have done in providing them fresh water tanks that collect rain water, and hold trucked water occasionally, as well as eco-composting toilets, all made from local materials.  Founder of our partner, Project Hope Sumba, Ann McCue told me by email yesterday two tidbits:

  • “It was splendid to have Cat, Sue and Gabe with us, and we were all heartened that they saw the absolute need for the water tanks and were able to speak to so many people directly about their lives and how they are affected.”
  • … the progress (next few days) will be limited as there is NO CEMENT ON THE ISLAND!!  Just to show you yet another of the little obstacles we have to deal with. A ship is expected in the next few days, and we will be moving once again.”

Here is a short written report, and to the right is a special presentation with pictures for us from Sue, Cat and Gabe (click on photo below).  It’s a powerpoint, made into a PDF so you can show it on any PC, Mac or smartphone (large file, takes a while to download).

Cover image for Cat report 711

SM

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Reinventing the toilet … worldwide?

Aug 13th, 2011 by Stewart Martin

The diseases caused by lack of basic sanitation (over 2.4BB people!) or safe water (900MM people) are mind-numbing.  The U.N. has launched a new 5 Year Drive to Sustainable Sanitation, starting on the African continent. Maybe it’s time we had a different “waste appliance”.

Our flush toilet system in the US just doesn’t fit with much of the world. And may not fit with our future either, since it is so wasteful of water, an increasingly precious resource here, as well as around the world. It is a design that dates back a long time – read this speech made in Rwanda.  Current toilets clog easily, move fecal waste all over town, and they don’t turn the waste into compost or energy.  And they are incredibly expensive – not just the toilet at the plumbing store, but the infrastructure and taxes to pump water into them and waste back out to treatment centers.  Imagine what would happen in “the big earthquake” when sewage is pouring all through the streets. Yecchhh.

With over a million children, under 5 years of age, are dying every year for lack of basic sanitation and fresh water – several will die in the time you take to read this post –  it is time every Rotary club in District 5100 support a WASH project (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene).  The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation agrees, and has given a grant to several universities around the world, and will award a prize for the best new toilet. The best design will not use piped water or require sewer sytems, or external electricity – they will generate fertilizer or energy, and cost less than 5¢ a day to use.  Now that’s affordable.

See the cute video:

SM

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