What's Woody Doing Now

Water Wells in Malawi

 
Clean water and a health clinic is a life-saving combination!   Congratulations to LifeNet and Rotary International, a great combo.

Photos of one of 3 Rotary International finances wells in Malawi.

In the first week of November, 2010 Rotary-funded borehole was drilled in Salima, Malawi. This is one of three wells drilled by LifeNet with funds received from Rotary Matching Grant #69973. Special heartfelt thanks to Rotary International for this wonderful support!

Eight killed by epidemic akin to polio in the Republic of Congo

 

Every time I hear POLIO, I think of these two young boys that I saw recently in a Congolese village.  They are the only two children not standing erect. They were stricken and crippled by polio.  Also, they were too poor and did not have access to braces.  So they crawl around in the dirt and dust.  BUT, they were lucky!  They were alive!!

Health officials said "There is a serious outbreak of polio in the Republic of Congo:120 cases of acute flaccid paralysis (a syndrome related to polio) and eight deaths."  I heard the story last week at a Rotary District 6560 meeting.  Our Polio contact just mentioned southern Congo was the site.  I thought it was about my Congo (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) instead of the other Congo (the smaller and northern neighbor, the Republic of Congo).

IRIN Africa | CONGO: Eight killed by epidemic akin to polio | Congo | Health & Nutrition.

An epidemic akin to polio, which has raged for nearly two weeks in the main commercial city in southern Congo, Pointe-Noire, has already killed eight, and several dozen cases have been reported, say health officials.

"Patients admitted to hospitals have flu-like symptoms. They are also presenting with paralysis starting in the lower limbs which spreads to the upper limbs, "said Director-General of Health Alexis Elira Dockekias.

"This epidemic is related to the recent polio outbreak. The only difference is that this time the disease affects adolescents and adults, unlike polio which affects mainly the young and children," he said, adding that those affected by the epidemic are aged 15-45.

He called on the public "not to panic but to observe strict hygiene measures: boiling drinking water; washing vegetables properly; and cooking cassava [the staple food] thoroughly."

Just Returned From Marion Again

Today, I went back to the Rotary Club meeting. I saw the video from the District's Group Study Team Visit to three African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique ) last year.

The Grant County Courthouse's exterior is being renovated. No tree was visible just scaffolding.

Honoring A Super Individual -- Gregg Keesling

I met Gregg Keesling through his work with the Rotary Club of Indianapolis.  Gregg actively supports the world community service projects.  Later, he introduced me to his firm, Workforce, Inc.

Workforce Inc.'s (WFI) dual mission is to help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully transition back into civil society by providing transitional employment supported by a host of social services and to keep as much waste as possible - especially electronic waste - out of Indiana's landfills.

Social Venture Network Announces 2009 SVN Innovation Award Winners.

Eight Pioneering Socially Responsible Business and Nonprofit Leaders Named Honorees, All To Be Recognized Oct. 23 at the SVN Fall Conference in La Jolla, California

Gregg Keesling, Workforce, Inc. - Indianapolis, IN: Workforce Inc.'s (WFI) dual mission is to help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully transition back into civil society by providing transitional employment supported by a host of social services and to keep as much waste as possible - especially electronic waste - out of Indiana's landfills. WFI launched its first recycling enterprise in late 2005 with 2 employees. WFI has since grown to 56 employees and has processed 5 million pounds of electronic waste. WFI has served more than 190 formerly incarcerated individuals with a recidivism rate of 11%, a dramatic improvement over the national norm of 70%.

Interested in Going to South Korea on a Cultural Exchange?

Volunteers are needed to participate in a Group Study Exchange to South Korea.  Team members are needed to complete the team of five persons.

There is no cost to selected team members.  Team members need to be non-Rotarians and can't be a relative of a Rotarian, between the ages of 25 and 40 (both ages are included meaning they can be 25 or 40 and still be eligible). The trip is from February 15, 2010 to March 14, 2010.

The application and other information regarding GSE in general can be accessed by visiting Rotary International's website. Click on the Service and Fellowship tab and scrolling down to Fellowship and clicking on Group Study Exchange.

Bob the Turtle and Child Adoption

At today's meeting of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis Northeast, we took a look at Bob the turtle. 

Bob the turtle was crossing a busy 3-way highway.  He stopped on the white striped lane before the third and final lane.  Name 25 positive things about Bob.  Hints: 1) Bob's journey is almost complete. 2) Bob knows where to stop. 3) ...  The moral of the story was there are always silver-linings in a dark cloud.

 

Joshua Kirsh spoke about child adoption in the state of Indiana.  He is the Community Outreach Coordinator of Kirsh and Kirsh, a law firm specializing in child adoption.  He encouraged the community to speak up about child adoption as an option for unwanted pregnancies.