Kauai: The Hanalei club reports that they haven’t slowed down and going crazy as usual. At one of their meetings, they raised over $24,000 for North Shore Food Pantry and the YWCA. Someone also bought $500 of girl scout cookies and gave them to the food pantry. They assembled over 150 bags to pass out on the north shore of Kauai for the food pantry. The Kapaa club is supplying homeless camps with toiletries and cleaning supplies. The Hanalei Club is baking goodies for the fire department. The Poipu Rotarians are delivering food to kupuna and those in need.
Maui: The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset is working with Dr. Rebecca Winkie, principal at Princess Nahienaena Elementary School, to help students and families in need who attend her school. This club has purchased 40 $25 gift certificates at two locally owned food establishments. Another $1,000 in $25 gift cards were also purchased by the club at Foodland. These 120 gift cards and certificates were presented to Dr. Winkie on Thursday, March 26, for distribution. Dr. Winkie said, "To witness the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset's compassionate support for our community is both humbling and heartwarming. Their beyond-generous donation of meals by way of gift cards is truly a blessing during these trying economic times, and I applaud their efforts to assist the students, families and local businesses of Lahaina." This club also made financial contributions to the following agencies to support local needs during these times of the COVID-19 pandemic: Maui Food Bank, $1,000; Salvation Army, $500; and Maui Rescue Mission, $200.
Oahu: West Pearl Harbor and Kapolei clubs delivered 100 care packages with toilet paper, canned goods, paper towels, hand sanitizers, masks and more for kupuna residents at Hale Mohalu II in Pearl City. The Resident Manager said some residents were in tears because they were so grateful for this act of kindness. The masks, especially made a difference because it gave them a little bit of freedom to go to the grocery store. This meant so much to the kupuna and they are truly thankful for this service.
*A $5000 grant will be shared by ten Oahu Rotary clubs (Downtown, Ala Moana, eclub of Hawaii, Eco Kakaako, Waikiki, Honolulu Sunrise, East Honolulu, Kahala, Hawaii Kai and Diamond Head) who are collaborating to source and distribute plastic face shields for first responders and healthcare workers on the island. In addition to the grant, the clubs will inject another $3600 for the project.
*Rotarians from Wahiawa, Mililani, Kapolei, West Pearl Harbor, Pearlridge assisted Every1ne Hawaii in a free mask giveaway at Wahiawa Park. The residents were very grateful and touched that someone cared about their well being and their community.
*Every1ne Hawaii has purchased 2,000,000 masks and is distributing these free to Hawaii residents to help keep everyone safe and healthy as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Rotary clubs have been able to obtain masks from them to deliver to community organizations we work with, such as The Plaza, US Vets, Hale Mohalu, Hale Mohalu II, Waikiki Health Center, Wahiawa Hospital, Windward Treatment Center, Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Waipahu Aloha Clubhouse and others.
* Rotary Club of Pearlridge dropped off 20 handmade cloth masks
*H.O.M.E. is a mobile free medical clinic started in 2005 that services homeless sites and shelter and is supported in part by the RC of Honolulu Sunset. Over the next 8 Saturdays, Rotary clubs will volunteer to serve breakfast to the homeless alongside the HOME RV. Contact: james.ham@gmail.com
Kona: Rotary Club of Kona Sunrise provided ready to eat bags of food to the homeless being housed at a facility in Kailua-Kona. Club member Barbara Kossow was contacted to serve this area of need. Rotary Club of Kona President Unger and his club members provided the funding. Dennis and Sue Rast purchased the food items. All of the 24 bags contained jars of peanut butter and jelly, loaf of bread, Cup O’ Noodles soups, fruits, paper plates and plastic utensils.
District-wide: One major grant of $5000 and five grants of $1000 are awarded across six different projects on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island. In addition, all fifty-two Rotary clubs in Hawaii each receives a $400 distribution of funds to use in Covid19 relief projects. “Rotary is about helping people in our local communities,” said Eric Kaler, District Governor of Rotary in Hawaii. “We are mobilizing and re-deploying funds to enable our Hawaii clubs to do even more to provide relief for people impacted by the Covid19 pandemic."
Globally: Global Grant 2011576 for Four Covid-19 Response Ambulances for the Mewat District Haryana in Northern India. ($39,000) was approved. The 4 medically equipped ambulances to the heavily affect Mewat District of Haryana, about 2 hours outside central Delhi should be in operation by the end of May. Delhi South Metro Rotarians, working with health and welfare workers and village leaders, estimate that up to 3,000 people a day will benefit from this Rotary Foundation grant. Thanks to more than 15 years of experience in polio eradication and WASH in Mewat, the Delhi South Metro Rotarians have developed a close relationship with village leaders, local and state government officials, and WHO country officers who were also involved in polio eradication efforts. Today, the same districts are among the hardest hit by Covid-19, with up to 20% infection rates. The most urgent need is to transport seriously ill patients to central Delhi hospitals or District Quarantine Centers where they can receive intensive care (ventilators and other interventions) or quarantine in centers with intensive quarantine facilities.
Zooming Around the District
May 12, 6pm: Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods presentation at the Kakaako Eco club A State-wide tree planting project is in the works for Nov 28, Rotary Gives Thanks Day. Zoom ID #889 9196 4386
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8899196438
May 19, 5:30pm: ROTARY ZONE 26 END POLIO NOW COORDINATOR, Ernie Montagne from Oro Valley, Arizona will be the speaker. Montange’s presentation will review past efforts and successes of Rotary International to eradicate polio worldwide. He will feature the Gates Foundation match of donations and will explain how Rotarians from across the world have been taking action to eradicate this disease forever. To quote Montagne: Polio is only a plane ride away. There is no cure. But it can be prevented with two drops of vaccine”. If a guest would like to join this Virtual meeting, contact Past President Mariko Higashi at: marikoinmaui@gmail.com.