Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Rotary Activities
Today and last night were devoted to Rotary Activities. I attended my first Rotary Club meeting here – Santarem University Club. A small club, but very active. All seven members are Paul Harris Fellows, attend regularly, and participate in just about everything. Here are some pictures of the meeting. I presented our club flag with them. How charming that the club meets at a hotel overlooking the Amazon. I told them about my club, meeting at the Chart House, overlooking the ocean in Encinitas.

Then we went off to the Pastor de Menores. This is a program for street children (mostly young boys) who have no where to go during the day and so, left to their own devices, get into trouble. Brother Ronaldo from the US started this program 15 years or so ago and it has grown remarkably with the help of Rotary and other organizations over the years. They have a library, dance classes, Portuguese and mathematics classes, religion, sewing for mothers. The young kids are the best – taught to be very respectful with hope for the future.

In the picture above Pastor de Menores is receiving books, educational toys, computer and projection equipment from the Ann Arbor Rotary Club who partnered with my Santarem local University Rotary Club. My rotary club, Encinitas Coastal, donated some funds to the Ann Arbor club for this project. I just happened to be here this day of dedication, so it was quite emotional for me.

There are over 1000 children here. These two really tugged at my heart.