Bob’s Rotary Africa Blog 105
10/21/10-
Wheelchair Project Ready to Roll I return to Africa on November 28. Thanks for all your support. After three years of hoping, pleading, cajoling and schmoozing the experimental final assembly of wheel chairs in Sub-Saharan Africa is finally being submitted to Rotary International as a noncompetitive major gift grant. We are not asking for more than $25,000 from the Foundation as it is hoped that individual Rotarians, Clubs and Districts will make this African experiment a success. Livingstone Zambia is serving as the Host Club, NewportIrvine-California as the lead International sponsor. Now that the spade work is done; the funds need to be committed for this project to be a reality. The Newport-Irvine Club has committed $13.000 with an additional DDF $3,000, match from Distinct 5320. Newport-Balboa, CA has also contributed $3000. District 9210 and the Livingstone Club are contributing $1000. They all welcome co-sponsors. Be a part of Rotary history. Please contact Bob Selinger at 949-887-3266 if you or your Club would like to sponsor 1 to a 100 real African adapted & African assembled These are real wheelchairs in six different sizes not converted plastic lawn chairs. See photo. Wheelchairs well are distributed throughout Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi from Livingstone. You can partake in RI President Ray Klinginsmith’s Safari plan s as part of ROTA, Rotary’s Reach Out to Africa program. Come join us in Africa to distribute the chairs in 2011 as part of President Ray Kliningsmith Reach Out to Africa Safaris. You and up to five members of Club will be able to jointly plan a germane, personalized plan of action to make a difference in the lives of the lives of those in need. I will serve as an intermediary to match your Club to different District 9210 Clubs in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. All tours that I will participate with must be started prior to June 30, 2011. Wheel chairs will be distributed throughout Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi from Livingstone to those less fortunate. The Safari trip does not qualify as an RI matching grant but the project you develop will.
Great news from Rotary International. RI has adjusted the cost of a booth for the Livingstone /Irvine former Sex Workers shirts sale program to a reasonable rate which is going to increase the return to the project. Thanks to the understanding of RI Staff and Rotary Board officials for changing the fee. Thank you! More good news: Orange CA Club has volunteered to help to sponsor picnic and play equipment. For Dambwa Park in Livingstone. Because of the extra time required to fight off a litiginous tavern owner has postponed the final phase to March. Please Help we need funds to complete the park. Great weekend at District 5500 District Conference in Southern Arizona. Available to visit conferences and Clubs while in USA.
Please contact Rotary Volunteer Bob Selinger at: rdselinger@ aol.com, 260-955898901 in Africa or 949-887-3266 (USA) for further info on how you or your club can make a difference in Africa.