Roger May, President, Lake Oswego, Oregon Rotary reports: “I was in Dar es Salaam on August 24 and again on September 5. I visited the SOS Childrens Village there on both occasions. The purpose of the return visit on the 5th was to see the completed water storage project. As you can see from the photos they weren’t quite done [finishing the Water Tower, that Springfield Rotary plus some other Rotary clubs helped fund] but they were putting on a “full court press” to get all of the loose ends tied up because the former president of Tanzania was to dedicate the structure on the coming weekend. Along with various photos of the water storage structure I have include some general pictures of the village as well. There are photos of one of the thirteen houses showing the dining – living area, bedrooms, boys and girls wardrobe cabinets, class rooms and some general site shots. I have more if that would be of interest to you or your club. I have now had four visits to the village and have been in many of the houses. They are all maintained to the same high level. The orphaned children here appear to be receiving excellent care.”
Tanzania
Membership Night A Rousing Success!
Springfield Rotary gathered at the Flourtown Country Club to hold a membership night, past Rotarian and potential new ones were invited to participate in a special Rotary Meeting. The highlights of meeting outside the cocktail hour included Rotarians giving brief summaries of all Rotary has to offer, locally, regionally, and internationally. The Water Tower project in Tanzania and the hospital build in Belize were featured as international projects along with Rotary’s Polio Plus campaign to eradicate the disease throughout the world. The township banners, gazebo and park beautification and war memorial projects were cited as local projects benefitting the Springfield Township community. Hunger, housing and other projects were also discussed for the regional level. Past, present and hopefully future Rotarians all left this special evening arranged through the hard work of Rotarian Mandy Helwig (who arranged for the space, developed the speakers, and accompanying slide presentation, and invited everyone) feeling good about all the good Rotary does throughout the world.
Springfield Rotary Supports Water Tower Project in Tanzania
The two Rotarians pictured at the tower are Past President, Edith Lyimo (left) and Ailinda, both with the Mzizima Rotary Club.
Springfield Township Rotary Club’s latest International Project is this Water Tower being constructed at SOS Children’s Village in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Lead at the local level by Rotarian Walt Long, the water storage tower will have a 15,000 liter Poly Tank Facility to provide safe well water for the 130 children and staff members that live in the village. The $26,200 project was funded with the combined contributions of Springfield Rotary, Rotary District 7430, Lake Oswego Rotary of Oregon and Mzizima Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam.
The Water Tower will be completed this month.