Recap from the Jan. 16, 2023 Meeting.
 
Meeting Run by: President- Naomi DeWinter
 
Invocation: Eric Thompson
 
Online Participation: We continue to offer a hybrid meeting each week. Members are invited to attend via zoom or watch the recorded presentation anytime.
 
Happy News/Announcements:  All Happy News funds go towards our scholarship awards.
Jessica Wittman- Happy 40th Birthday. Frank Iliff- Saturday Rebuilding Together Muscatine County installed a ramp. Frank is presenting at the Newcomers and Friends Club this week.
 
Club News:
  • We have two board positions available. Please see Naomi for more information.
  • RAGAS- We accepted a proclamation from the City of Muscatine and the County of Muscatine for Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
  • IBAT- Businesses Against Human Trafficking- https://ibat.iowa.gov/ibat-businesses/ Thank you to the businesses that have committed to “Learn Something and Do Something” to help combat human trafficking.
  • We are looking for individuals interested in learning more about the Rotary Exchange program.  
  • Follow the Rotary Club of Muscatine’s Facebook page, @MuscatineRotaryClub.
 
Presentation:
Dorothy Salmon was the first woman president of the Napa Rotary Club. 
 
Featured in the November Rotary Magazine, the Rotary Club of Napa Valley has built a close relationship with The Pathway Veterans Home in Napa, volunteering and fundraising to help Veterans.
The annual Cycle4Sight and Rotary Ride hosts over 2000 cyclists to raise money for veterans struggling with PTSD. In addition to fundraising, the Rotary Club volunteers with the Veterans at the Pathway Home. Bowling is a favorite activity. Spending time with veterans makes as much an impact on the lives of the veterans as the financial support.  The downloadable guidebook includes other ideas on how to assist your local veterans.
 
Download the Guidebook for more information on how to help Veterans better.
 
Missed Monday’s Meeting? Use the link below to enjoy the presentation recording.
 
Passcode: Rotary#1
 
Upcoming Meetings:
Jan. 23- Ed Morse Automotive Group
Jan. 30- Muscatine Art Center (NOTE: Meeting at  1314 Mulberry Ave)
Feb. 6- Teaching Self-Care Skills in 2023
Feb. 13- Eagle View Behavioral Health
 
Welcome to Week 3 of RI’s Month of Vocational Service.
 
Rotarian Bhagavan, a past president of Rotary Club Bangalore Southwest (RID 3190) narrated how, back in 2010 he visited the pediatric oncology department of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and recalled “It was heart-wrenching to see the helplessness of parents who painfully witnessed their little ones succumb to cancer because of lack of funds. We decided right there to provide free or subsidized medicines to children suffering from cancer.” Thus, was born RHFL (Rotary Health for Life) with an initial capital of $1,000. “We raised $43,000 through matching grants to provide pediatric chemotherapy to 43 patients at Kidwai; 37 children survived translating to a survival rate of 86 per cent.”
 
Encouraged by the project’s outcome, the club applied for a Global Grant in the first year of its launch from TRF, and with support from RC Redmond, RID 5330, USA, raised $63,000 for the cause. Under RHFL2, which was carried out from 2015 to 2019 at Kidwai and St John’s Medical College Hospital, “we helped treat 102 children; 84 of them were successfully cured,” says Bhagavan. Heartened by the promising results of both versions, the club applied for another GG in partnership with RC Richmond, RID 5080, USA, for $75,000. As the need to support more children became acute, the club joined hands with RC Bangalore Indiranagar to raise funds under guidance from the then DG Dr Sameer Hariani. Funds were raised through www.fueladream.com, a crowdfunding platform.  Bhagavan recalls the successful treatment of Krishna, son of a small farmer, Thippa Reddy, from Andhra Pradesh. Krishna was diagnosed with leukemia, a curable cancer, in Feb 2021. He completed his intensive chemo-therapy in Oct 2021 at St John’s Hospital through the RHFL project and is now on regular follow up. “Success stories such as these push us to do more and save many more lives.”