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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Aloha my fellow Rotarians,
We are going into a new month - April! That's exciting! April is RotaryMaternal and Child Health Month. More on this, watch this great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CqI1LhKiVI.
We have a great lineup of the speakers in the next few weeks! Please join us!
With aloha,
Ary Radnaeva
2020 - 2021 President of the RCHS
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S MEETING - March 25th
Last week's speaker was Bob Wubbena, to talk about water projects that he has worked on with WASHRAG--the Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group, and Transform International, a group formed to train in-country leaders.
TI uses Rotary Foundation Global Grants to create effective water projects. It focuses on four principles. The projects must be demand-driven. They must be inclusive. Always learn. In for the long term.
He told us about a project in Papa New Guinea, to capture rain water coming off of roofs, safe to drink. He told us of a project in Kenya, funded by a group in Texas. It is a success story, serving 30 villages. With seed money, training, and mentoring, the project makes money to sustain itself by selling home water filters.
His current project is in Malawi, where the group built a gravity flow water system that serves 10 villages and a hospital. The local people do all the physical labor, and have built 154 miles of pipeline. He spoke of challenges. 13 of the 27 villages in that area do not have water. The pipelines that currently exist only have 1-2 inch pipes, not adequate to handle the flow of water. With more pipes, and better pipes, they can supply water to 20,000 more people.
He also explained that it is necessary to think in the long term. There are no quick fixes. Rotary International is beginning to focus on projects of scale, larger projects that need 5 to 10 years to implement.
Our newest member, Ben Chu, with Glen Bailey and Albert Bediones at the Waikiki Yacht Club
UPCOMING MEETING - April 1st
This week's speaker will be Todd Cullison, from the Hawaii Nature Center.
Mr. Cullison started as the Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Nature Center in August 2019. Prior to this, he spent three years as the Director of Development at the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center. From 2006-2016 Mr. Cullison was the Executive Director of Hui o Ko‘olaupoko, a non-profit working in windward O‘ahu to protect ocean health by restoring the ‘āina: mauka to makai. Before his relocation with his family to Hawai‘i, he worked for nearly six years with five community groups on the north Oregon Coast focusing on salmon habitat restoration, community engagement and environmental education.
To join the meeting via Zoom, please follow this link:
Dial by your location: +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma).
D5000 & D2223 (Russia) hosted Friendship Exchange Zoom event on March 19th!
From D5000
District 5000 had an amazing Rotary Friendship Exchange event with District 2223 (Russia). It was a great virtual event! This fun event featured national & local cuisine and cultural performances of the 2 countries. It was a first step in building peace, friendship and partnership between our Districts and Rotarians.
WASRAG has changed its name. With the approval of Rotary International the organization is now going to be called "Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group" or "WARotary Action Group" to reflect the emphasis Rotarians are placing on hygiene as an important component of projects. Its new logo, pictured below, has WASH in a font to represent water pipes. The water spurt is in the many colors used in the Rotary logos. "Rotary Action Group" is spelled out at the bottom in blue to complete the logo. A downloadable logo, revamping of the website, and more will be coming in the upcoming months . There is lots to look forward to. You are invited to view all of the back issues of the WASRAG WASH Rag Newsletters at http://www.wasrag.org/news
RCHS Supports Peacebuilding initiatives in Hawaii
Inspired by one of our speakers a few a weeks ago, Jose Barzola, the Education Specialist from theMatsunaga Institute for Peace, our Club reached out and offered to support one of the local peacebuilding initiatives - the 34th Annual Peer Mediation Conference (PMC) “Adventures in Peer Mediation” which will be from April 7, 2021 to April 30, 2021.
This event is designed to attract anyone interested in peer mediation, peer mediators, youth, and adults that work with youth to attend. We hope to inspire our communities to explore the benefits of peer mediation. Join us and share about this event! (More detailed information is below).
Come learn about Peer Mediation programs throughout Hawai’i in our opening panel “The Adventure Begins” on Wednesday, April 7. Then join us for one or more of our 16 skill workshops from April 8 to April 29. Everytime you attend a skills workshop you obtain a digital raffle ticket for gift cards that will be raffled at the closing panel event.
Finally, join us to celebrate the PMC closing panel “What’s Next! The Peer Mediation Adventure Continues” with alumni peer mediators to discuss the impact of peer mediation on their personal and professional lives. Raffles will be held at the closing for those in attendance. We will have gift cards in $25 and $50 increments to be raffled for Amazon, Mana Up, Red Lobster, Starbucks, and many more. Over $500 worth of gift cards to be raffled up. Be sure to attend the skills workshops to obtain one digital raffle ticket per skills workshop attended.
Hosted by the Matsunaga Institute for Peace in partnership with the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans aka Club 100, Ceeds of Peace, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Conflict Resolution Alliance, Department for Educational Administration-UH Mānoa, East-West Center Leadership Program, Farrington High School, Hawai'i State Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Institute for Climate and Peace, Kailua High School, Kaua'i Economic Opportunity, Ku'ikahi Mediation Center, Lōkahi Foundation, Maui Mediation Services, MediationWorks, Peace Corps, REAL Innovative Connections, Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset Teach For America Hawai'i, The Mediation Center of the Pacific, and West Hawai'i Mediation Center.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT--WOMEN IN NEED ANNUAL CLOTHING DRIVE
Our Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset is conducting a clothing drive for the women residents of the Women in Need Homes during the month of April. We have conducted this drive for the past several years and will present the clothing and other donated items on a Saturday event with our members at the Aiea home in early May. Items that may be donated include:
- New or used women or children clothing items in all sizes.
- Wearable Women shoes, hand bags, or purses
- Women accessories
- If you have other items to donate please call me first to see if they can use them
When you have your donations ready you can bring them to our Thursday meeting or call Glen Bailey at 392-7170 for pick-up.
Thank you,
Glen Bailey
Community Service Chair
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TRIP PROJECT
Attached you will find details about our 2021 District International Service Trip to Nepal and Bhutan, scheduled for Oct 22 to Nov 4.
Due to the limited space of 30 persons, priority will be given to Rotarians of clubs who have contributed to the current or previous global grants in Nepal or Bhutan and also to Rotarians who have specialty training or expertise in secondary education, agricultural science, veterinary science, soil science, land surveying, or other applied science subjects. For additional questions, please feel free to contact our Nepal Workgroup Chair Arjun Aryal or myself. Toward the end of next month, we will host an informational meeting for those who have registered.
Nature Center.
