Side by Side, Hand in Hand, We All Stand Together

The meeting last week was all about club involvement with The Link Literacy Project and a few related issues from a Johannesburg New Dawn point of view.
     Although Ian Widdop has started the online process of applying for a Global Grant from The Rotary Foundation, it's not as easy as just asking for money.

 Bob Wahl, Mike Macdonald and Debbie de Vries can't wait to put up their hands. Mike has pledged R10000 from his annual Wanderers Golf Day to the club's support for The Link. Debbie has agreed to be secretary during Carol's year as president

     For those who haven't been involved, the proposal is that Johannesburg New Dawn helps The Link to start up their literacy and mathematics programs at four new schools over a period of four years and at a cost of roughly R100000 per school.
     As Ian explained at the board meeting last Tuesday, a number of decisions need to be made before the application can be finalised.
     One of the more important steps is finding a club member who is willing to shepherd the project through the application process over the next few months. This will give invaluable experience to whoever volunteers, so do put up your hand if this sounds like your kind of project.

Debbie Smith will be contacting South African Rotarians in America for help

     Ian told the board that three more things need to be done soon.
     The first is that the club needs to provide funds to kickstart the project. I suggested the sum of R30000, money that we do have available, even if we don't need to spend it immediately. This was discussed by the board and, for a second time, put forward to attendees at the meeting. In the absence of any other amount being mentioned, it now stands as a club decision and therefore a commitment.

Jenine Coetzer at the meeting, always ready with suggestions and advice

     The second step is applying for district funds. District will only consider forwarding TRF applications that they have vetted first.
     The third step is finding an overseas club or clubs who are willing to co-sponsor the project. This is an absolute requirement from Rotary International. Better still is if those clubs also get help from their own district. Both Jankees Sligcher and Debbie Smith indicated that they would approach overseas clubs with whom they have contact.

Jankees Sligcher started the process with The Link, but has too many other commitments with his year as DG coming up, to remain in charge 

    Ideally the financial commitment on the part of the club will come from new sources of fundraising and not existing funds. To this end Carol Stier announced that she would like to chair a committee of members to investigate the possibility of a major fundraising opportunity for the club. Again, if you're interested and are asked to join, please do so. This could potentially be a very exciting next step in the club's evolution.

Carol and I look as if we're not falling for Julian's story, but of course all he's doing is collecting for the brag. Julian has indicated that we'll be seeing much more of him because of easier work commitments

Judy Sligcher and Paul Kasango at the meeting. Paul is one of the club members who has pitched in with helping The Link reach out to children. 

A Wedding
     Just a reminder that Linda and I will be away for the next three meetings. We're in Kommetjie already, where I'm writing this looking out over the ocean, for John and Greta's wedding on 18th March. Greta has just arrived from the airport. Her parents arrive on Thursday and John will get here on Saturday. We'll be back for the meeting of 29 March. Paul Kasango has agreed to preside over meetings in my absence.
     There will be no blog next week, but I'll try my best to send something the week afterwards. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be allowed to send wedding photographs!
     A Thought for the Week: The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. - Mark Twain (1835-1910)