Greetings Monadnock Rotarians:
On May 1, Jim Guy had Opening Words. We welcomed old friend and Dublin resident Travis Krumph as our speaker for the meeting. Kevin had “the Hat” and spoke about his first career as a radio announcer and news reporter. He recalled the veteran reporters who had mentored him at the start of his career.
Announcements included the following:
- On May 8, Rick has Opening Words and Rob has the “Hat”.
- Our May 8 meeting will be held at the Dublin Community Center due to preparations for the spring rummage sale at the Church.
- Roadside cleanup is scheduled for the morning of May 12. Invite your friends…it’s a great way to introduce folks to the Club.
- Our June 12 meeting will be held in the evening at the Community Center. This will be an opportunity for socializing and highlighting our club projects. This is another great opportunity to invite prospective members and friends. Light snacks will be provided and beverages are BYOB. Jerry Branch and Jim Guy agreed to serve as co-chairs for the event.
- The “Pass the Gavel” party is scheduled for June 26 at the MacDowell Dam.
- Adam Hamilton has submitted his resignation from the club. We thanked him for his service to the community.
- The Club will not meet on May 29 in observance of Memorial Day.
Bob Meissner introduced our speaker, Travis Krumph. Travis has continued his work in Chacaresca, Nicaragua and has been working with FNE International and preparing an International Education Grant to build homes, schools and renovations to the local jails. He will be leading 8-10 day trips to support building projects and to give Rotarians a better understanding of the local culture and the needs of the people. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with an average income of $2.00/day . The need is great and the country is relatively safe and easily reached from the U.S.A.
The cost of building a home is $2,900. A pavilion for the women’s prison has been built to help ease the shortage of space. Most incarcerated women are in prison voluntarily to escape domestic abuse. A kitchen has been built at the men’s prison where food has not been available for prisoners who have had to rely upon handouts from guards and local folks. Focus going forward will be on improving educational opportunities. Latrines are a priority to improve sanitation on the school campus. Doors and windows are also needed to keep out the dust during the dry season. A key to the success of their programs has been involvement with local Rotary clubs in Nicaragua.
The grant is in the final stages of preparation and Travis will meet with local clubs to inform them and seek donations. To date, the J-R Club has committed $10,000 to the project.
See you Tuesday!
Bill