This was an in person meeting and no recording is available.
Lumi Mironescu was happy that her daughter, and our former exchange student to Japan, Ella, turned 19 on May 13, a day before she attended RYLA. She was also delighted that Ella and her Seniors Symphony Orchestra from WCI won the Silver Award at Nationals held in Niagara Falls this month and that Ella is currently at the Ontario Envirothon Provincial Competition after winning First place at WCI.
Adrian DeCoo and Hubert Singh were very happy to have attended the ordination of former club member Jess Perucho, as a Deacon in the Catholic Church, last weekend in Toronto. It is hoped that Jess will be able to rejoin the club in the future.
Raised Garden Project at A Better Tent City
Our Garden Project got rained out last Saturday, but we are a go for this coming Saturday, May 30. Same start time – 9:00 a.m.
Polo Shirts with Club Logo Now Available
Arrangements have been made for members to purchase Polo Shirts with the club logo from a company in Barrie. Please keep in mind that the deadline for ordering is this Saturday, May 30. An email with the ordering link and instructions has been sent to all members and a reminder will be resent.
Online Auction
Members are reminded that our Online Auction Fundraisers is now live and are encouraged to be contacting potential donors and sponsors. The Information Support Tools Package has been distribute but anyone need of a refresh or with any questions can contact Bill, or Vince.
Club Turnover Meeting
Please be sure to mark the evening of June 22 in your calendars for our annual club Turnover meeting. It will be held at St. George Restaurant in Waterloo. Stay tunned for more information.
Program Highlights
Our speaker today was Cheryl Ewing, a former club member and president, who was also an original member of the team that organized a major humanitarian project in Nogales Mexico, in 2003 that still operates today. She was introduced by Hubert Singh.
Cheryl Ewing is a consultant working primarily in the performing arts as a facilitator, consultant in governance, strategic planning and marketing. She is also a professional administrator having managed two provincial performing arts conferences, the UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival, a Halifax ballroom dance studio and festivals from Open Ears to Elora and Starlight Youth Festivals. She is active in theatre and is a ballroom dance competitor.
Cheryl has been a member of Rotary for 25 years through Fergus (2000 – 2001), Kitchener (2001 – 2023) and Halifax NW (2023 to present). She currently serves on the board of the Halifax Northwest Club.
Cheryl was one of the original members of the team Doug Vincent organized in 2003 to visit a joint Tucson/Nogales shoebox project. She has been a Team Leader for the Ontario aspect of the project since then and Committee Chair or Co-Chair for many years. Cheryl has visited Nogales 20 of the 25 years of the tri-country project, primarily missing the years of Covid when we did not have on-site activity. She has witnessed the growth of the Nogales host club and the expansion of the project to be more than a Shoebox Project, to truly be Shoebox and Beyond. She is delighted to be able to bring the Kitchener Club up to date on the exciting growth and long-term impact of the project.
Cherly provided some background information on the region of Nogales and the history of the project.
Nogales Mexico is a border town with Nogales Arizona, in the high Sonora desert area. The official population of Nogales is about 250,000 but the unofficial population adds about another 100,000 to this. These are immigrants who have come into the area to work at manufacturing plants that have now all been relocated to China or have come to the area with the misguided belief that they will be able to gain access into the US. These people live in shanty towns adjacent to the main city. Being in the High Sonora Desert the winers can be quite cold, with snow often occurring.
Homes are made with cinder blocks, tin and other scrap materials
Most homes have no running water or electricity
The Overall Impact/Highlights of the Project Over the Year
- The support of Southwestern Ontario clubs has greatly increased the impact of the project in a variety of ways:
- We work closely with the local clubs in their environment, building ongoing trust;
- We are responsive to their needs adjusting the focus on food, blankets or gifts as they indicate appropriate for that year.
- We contribute to their economy through purchasing items in Mexico.
- During COVID we contributed PPE to a hospital for the poor, water and oxygen tanks.
- We have Built a baseball diamond;
- Furnished a children’s orphanage school;
- Fire prevention colouring books were provided for young students;
- Two Region of Waterloo decommissioned ambulances were provided , the first they had
- Beds & bedding for a family without
- Winter coats and hundreds of blankets have been provided
- Supported the Bomberos (Firefighters) with protective gear and radios
Here are some selected Historical Highlights
2003
- Doug Vincent leads District 7080 group to visit Tucson Pantano / Nogales Sonora Clubs’ shoebox project
2004
- Canadians officially join the project
2012
- Over 1,200 food boxes/bags distribute
- 500 food boxes donated by Mayor of Nogales,
- 100 bags contributed by Americans
- 650 bags by Canadians
- 812 blankets donated and distributed
- 500 blankets donated by Sonora State
- 100 by Canadians
- 212 by Americans)
- Over 1,000 children received a gift
- 30 shoeboxes contributed by the local Firefighters
- 502 shoeboxes collected by Americans,
- 450+ shoeboxes and bags by the Canadians
2015
- 1,000 gifts
- 350 winter coats
- 900 bags of groceries
- 2,000 blankets
- 83 soccer balls
- Drinking Fountain serving 2 schools installed (District Grant partnered with Mississauga West)
2016
- 800 food packages
- 300 soccer balls
- 960 blankets
- 500 shoeboxes
- 500 pairs of socks
- 420 coats
- 300 hats
- assorted scarves, mitts, backpacks
2020
- Refurbishing of school desks
- Shoeboxes containing a blanket, gift, mitts, hats and groceries
- Gift of life to a young boy who needed heart surgery
2024
- Water Purification projects
- New Library – Paint for a Mural painted by staff provided, Games to teach English donated
Many Partnerships with other groups have been created over the years including:
- Bomberos (Firefighters)
- Jeeperos (Jeep Explores Club)
- Food Bank of Nogales
- Soriana Grocery Store
- State of Sonora
- City of Nogales
- Canadian Knitters and Crocheters (In Halifax)
Rotary Club of Kitchener Participants have included:
- Glen Boy and his Daughter
- Hubert Singh (also in a sister project in Caborca)
- Don Zehr and his Two Sons
- Martin and Diana Jones
- Russ St. Louise
- Bill Proctor (in the sister project in Aqua Prieta)
- Cameron Yule and Sharon (Parker) Yule
- Cheryl Ewing
It is expected that the project will continue in the near future, anyone interested in learning more and possibly joining in one of the trips to Nogales is welcome to contact Cheryl at cheryl@cherylaewing.ca.
Kitchener Rotary e-Newsletter
