More than $4,000 has been contributed by club members to The Rotary Foundation since the start of a program last month awarding matching Recognition Points for contributions.  This brings our total Foundation giving this year to almost $6,000 combined to the Annual Fund (Goal: $8,000) and Polio Plus (Goal: $1,500).  Keep up the good work and we’ll be presenting a number of Paul Harris Fellow pins soon!  Questions: Jerry Venters, Foundation Chair, jvrotary6040@yahoo.com or 816-665-9272.

 

The second phase of the Rwandan Global Grant Project “Nurses Saving Lives” has been pushed back from November to January 2025 because of an outbreak of a deadly disease, Marburg virus disease (similar to Ebola), in Rwanda.  Maria Kidner and Cassy Venters hope to return to complete the training of nurses in two hospital districts in  January.  The nurses are being trained to diagnose and treat strep throat, which if left untreated can lead to fatal rheumatic heart disease.

 

For the past 3-4 years, the Club’s Service Committee has received and discussed input from club members and teachers about the value of our long-standing project for distribution of dictionaries/thesauruses to 3^rd graders in Fremont County.  Some club members say they value the program and enjoy distributing the books, but the Committee has heard from some teachers that they don’t use the books.

 

The project costs about $800-$1000 annually and has been supported recently by a Governor’s Grant (District 5440), but that support isn’t possible now because District grant guidelines don’t permit funding the same program year-after-year.  In years when grant funds can’t be obtained, the funds come from the Service Committee’s budget, which was reduced 40% in the 2024-25 Rotary year.

 

The Lander and Riverton Rotary clubs divide the county to distribute books. Lander is responsible for these Fremont County Schools: Gannett Peak (District #1), Ft. Washakie (District #21), Wyoming Indian (District #14), Crowheart/Wind River (District #6), Dubois (District #2), and Christian School Baptist Church (in Lander).  In 2022-23, the third-grade classrooms of these five schools had about 250 students, but classroom enrollment varies each year.

 

The Service Committee decided at its October meeting to continue the dictionary/thesaurus program for 2024-25 with fall distribution of the books.  A Chair for the project is being sought.  The Committee agreed by consensus to a survey needs assessment of the third-grade teachers whose students receive the books.  The results of the needs assessment will be used to determine whether the project continues in the future.  Cassy Venters is leading the needs assessment.  If you can assist in collecting teacher contact information or survey design, contact Cassy at cdventers@me.com.