Plaza Rotary at a Glance 5/2/2014
Jeff Deatherage to Speak on ShelterBox Experiences
Those of you who know Plaza Rotarian Jeff Deatherage know that he is a strong and outspoken advocate for ShelterBox, the emergency disaster relief organization that was founded by British Rotarians in 2000 to provide shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disasters around the world. Before ShelterBox, aid response to most disasters was in the form of food and medicine to help people survive the immediate aftermath. Little or no assistance was given in terms of proper shelter to help them through the first few days, weeks and months as they tried to rebuild their lives. ShelterBox was launched to fill that void. Jeff is a trained ShelterBox Responder and will share some personal experiences from his two deployments in 2013-14 as a ShelterBox Response Team Member in Oklahoma (tornadoes) and the Philippines (Typhoon Haiyan). He will also tell us about new directions at ShelterBox. (Pictured: Sometimes, Shelter Boxes must be delivered to devastated areas by mule. That is not Jeff leading the mule!!)
Shoes Campaign in Final Week - 132 Pairs Needed to Exceed 2011 Total!
The 2014 collection of shoes for the 13th annual District 6040 Shoes for Orphan Souls campaign is now in its final week, and the Plaza Club needs to collect 132 more pairs of new children's shoes to exceed our total of 1020 pairs collected in 2011. This Friday, May 2, will be the final date for bringing in shoes. The club's goal this year is to exceed our previous high of 1020 pairs of children's shoes in 2011. District Shoes Cheerleader (and Plazan) Larry Lunsford has challenged District Rotarians to collect at least 16,907 pairs of shoes this year so that the District will exceed 250,000 pairs of shoes donated since the Shoes for Orphan Souls program was initiated in 2001-02, when Larry served as District Governor.
* * * CHANGE FOR CHARITY THIS WEEK WILL GO TO SHOES FOR ORPHAN SOULS * * *
Grand Shoebah Ed Ladegaard reports that he has 889 pairs of shoes in his storage unit, leaving us 132 pairs short of a new record. "But I'd like to get to 1025 pairs," says the Grand Shoebah. If you don't have time to shop for shoes before Friday, Ed will accept your cash and checks. Every $5 donated will buy another pair of shoes. The latest team standings through last Friday:
The District Shoes Caravan will be in Kansas City next Thursday, May 8, to load the shoes collected by the Plaza Club and other metro clubs, at a location yet to be determined. A celebration is being planned from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. as shoes are delivered. Help will be needed to transport and load the shoes. Contact Grand Shoebah Ed if you can help.
Near the Finish Line on Urban Rangers Project
After several Saturday work days, the Club is closing in on the finish line on the Computer Resource Room project at the Urban Ranger Corps offices at 5908 Swope Parkway. Last Saturday, four Rotarians and six Rangers laid carpet tile and installed new wall base in the computer room and adjoining hallway. Vinyl flooring will be installed in the bathrooms this week. Saturday, May 3, will be the day to bring in the furniture, and then the Surplus Exchange will deliver and set up the computers. Club members are needed on May 3 to help finish up the project. Please contact Debra Anderson to sign up. (Read more about the work and check out the Photo Journal for more pictures, contributed by Jacquelyn Blake, Kile Morrison, and Debra Anderson, on the Club Website.)
International Service Committee Votes to Support Microcredit Project
At a recent meeting, the club's International Service Committee, co-chaired by Nancy Shawver and Koji Watanabe, voted to allocate the uncommitted money (estimated at $300-500) it receives this Rotary year from our weekly Change for Charity contributions to the District 6040 Microcredit Project in the Dominican Republic. District 6040 has allocated $50,000 in District Designated Funds for the $125,000 project, and clubs, individuals, and others are being asked to contribute $17,000. The balance of required funds will be provided through a matching Global Grant from The Rotary Foundation. Plazan Randy Steinman is speaking to numerous clubs in the District as he leads a District-wide effort to raise the needed $17,000.
(Pictured: Ramon, a Dominican store owner who has been aided by a microcredit loan.)
* * * NOTICE: THERE WILL BE NO NEWSLETTER THE WEEKS OF MAY 23 AND 30 AS THE EDITORS WILL BE OUT OF TOWN. EXPECT AN EMAIL THOSE WEEKS FROM PRESIDENT DEBRA ANDERSON TO ALERT YOU TO THE IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE WEEK. * * *