Volume 21, Issue #28, July 21st, 2019 
 
Peter Tanner & The Rachel Project
 
What's your Rotary story? How did you get involved?
     I was speaking with Jennifer Jacobson about travel in Latin America and Nepal - and she suggested I join. I met Jennifer in a Spanish class in Chatham.
 
How long has the RACHEL project been going on for? And how did it start?
     Along with Jennifer, Linda Goldsmith and Barry Fraser, we were trying to figure out what international project we could get involved
with.  We decided to help with the Eastmans work near Barillas, Guatemala - and the water project that they were planning.  During my
visit there in August 2017, I attended the Barillas Rotary meeting -where one of the members mentioned that they were actually more interested in setting up a RACHEL project for at least 30 schools.  He asked me if I had heard of RACHEL. The funny thing is that I had a RACHEL-Pi in my pocket, as I had been really interested in its potential, and had been hoping to see if there was an interest.  I pulled it out - "like this" - and in 5 minutes all the members were browsing the contents of the RACHEL-Pi - and I was appointed Technical Director of the project.
 
When you traveled to Guatemala, how would you describe the country
and it's people? Did you try any unique food there? Where else has
Rotary allowed you to travel?
 Hard to describe in a few words.  I have taken Spanish courses in five Latin American countries - and all are interesting.  In all cases,
people are friendly, particularly if you make an effort to communicate in Spanish. Guatemala is clearly divided between those living
relatively modern middle class lives in cities like Antigua, with restaurants, smartphones and transportation - and those living in remote
Mayan villages with little of anything.
 
Food - not really much that is interesting.  Much more ordinary than
Mexico, and lacking the interesting things like Guinea Pig, Empanadas or ceviche that you get further south. Actually, my Latin American travels started before I joined Rotary. The
project happened to mesh with my own travel and technology interests.
 
 I did go with Gary Sobotta (6380 Water Ambassador) 
to Ecuador to see the results of his bio-sand filter project. Gary had taken the biosand course from A Vision for Clean Water previously.  
This, plus my first trip to Barillas, was so that we could decide which 
project to support.
 
What is your profession?
Computer Graphics researcher - 15 years
International Trade Promotion (Cdn government) - 5 years
Business/legal negotiations for small software company which was
purchased by IBM - 13 years
Open source IP consulting (semi-retired) - 10 years
Pictured centre, PDG Audrey Chevalier presents AG Dave French (Blenheim), and AG Ken Corlett (Dresden) with a Literary Angels book.
Happy Dollars
 
Mark Peacock is happy not only about becoming an official homeowner in Chatham, but also because his 5 sons will be helping him move!
 
John Lawrence is happy due to the persistence work of fellow Rotarians like Betty Manso, who rallied to help John get his 2018 Ontario Senior of the Year Award. John received his certificate in the mail just recently.
 
Ken Corlett is happy to be driving the bus to Comerica Park this Friday night (Please don't be late, aim to be at Target for 3:45ish). He is also driving the bus for Community Living's upcoming food tour.
 
Roger McRae won $10 in the 50/50 draw.
 
John Schinkel is A Paul Harris Fellow!
 
For the first time ever, John Schinkel qualified as a Paul Harris Fellow. Paul Harris Fellows are awarded either by a club in someone's name or by accumulating $1,000 in donations to the Rotary Foundation.
Did you know that Ken Corlett's first Paul Harris Fellow was awarded to him by our very own club? Ken reminisced that his Paul Harris Fellow changed his Rotary story and his definition of community. Ken had all the Paul Harris Fellows rise, and then acknowledged that someone who wasn't standing was the recipient...John Schinkel!
 
Ken Corlett, left, and Dave French present Rotarian & Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire with a pair of Rotary Connects Humanity socks for Sunrise Rotarian & Mayor Darrin Canniff who couldn't attend.
 
As Ken stated, it is usually tradition for District Governors to wear a Rotary themed tie or a scarf, but for those of us who know Sparky, he isn't a tie guy...funky socks yes though.
 
For a quick Geography lesson, yes, for some strange reason Chatham-Kent is not connected to the rest of the Rotary district in Michigan...which makes us an island. We have 7 Canadian clubs, and 46 clubs in Michigan. It was Barry Fraser, as District Governor who formalized the bond between the Chatham-Kent clubs with joint sector meetings. Dave & Ken have also made it their mandate to travel together, visiting clubs every other month.
 
Save the Date
 
September 14th, 2019
One Rotary Summit
Concordia University in Ann Arbor 9am-12pm
BBQ 1-3pm
 
Help Wanted
 
Dave French is also on the lookout for his replacement as Assistant Governor next year, as AG is a 4 year term.
 
RI President's Mark Maloney's 4 emphases for the Rotary year include:
 
Growing Rotary
Family Friendliness
Building a Viable Path for Rotary Leadership
Continuing the Support & Affiliation with the UN
A Rotary Foundation Minute with Audrey Chevalier
 
Did you know that 4 billion dollars has been spent on life-sustaining projects focusing on areas such as goodwill, peace, education and the elimination of poverty?
Roses Blossom Into $10,000 Donation for Oncology Department
Pictured right, Foundation of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance President & CEO, Mary-Lou Crowley accepts a cheque from Roses for Rotary co-chair John Schinkel and Rotarian Danielle Hunter.
Rotary Family Day at Comerica Park!
Friday, July 19th, 2019
 
Top: DG Sparky Leonard, with '84 World Series Champion Dave Rozema and Sunrise Rotarian, Doug Goldsmith.
Below: Sunrise Rotarians Sue & Ken Bechard and Dave Rozema, with Sue's prize of an autographed Allan Trammel jersey! 
Rotarians in the Wild! 
From left to right, Sunrise Rotarians Derek & Kelley Robertson, Ron Coristine ( also CEO of Community Living C-K), and AG Ken Corlett (bus driver extraordinaire) participate in the 2019 Food Crawl, a fundraiser for Community Living C-K on Thursday July 18th, 2019. 
Rotary Baseball Tees
Sparky will be selling blue and white Rotary End Polio themed baseball tees. The tees have blue sleeves. The cost is $15 and a sign-up sheet was circulated around at the meeting if you were interested.
 
Dresden Rotary President, Stuart Kiar is looking for volunteers to help run a Rotary booth at the Dresden Night Market on August 17th, 2019. There is already 80 vendors confirmed for this event! Please connect with
Assistant Governor, Ken Corlett if you're interested.
Save the Date!
 
Jennifer & Barry White have rescheduled the All Sector social for Saturday, September 21st, 2019
Russell Hampton
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