A member of the medical team inspect a patient for cataracts.
By Himal Pandya, past president of the Rotary Club of Bhavnagar Royal, Gujarat, India
Every year, our club has arranged multiple medical camps in and around the town of Uttarkashi. We began the effort two years ago when heavy flooding struck the state of Uttarakhand, and our charter president risked landslides and other perils to help deliver 1,200 cooking stoves and other supplies to flood victims. We struck up a close association with Rotary members in Uttarkashi about 1,000 miles from our city.
It is a great and most satisfactory experience performing humanitarian service miles from home. This year, seven committed medical professionals and a number of dedicated Rotary volunteers traveled to Uttarakhand and diagnosed nearly 600 patients during three separate camps in Badkot, Uttarkashi, and Rishikesh. The team performed lens transplant surgeries on 30 patients with cataracts restoring their sight. The Rotary Club of Luton North, England, provided financial support for the procedures and Dr. K. A Gabani, an ophthalmologist and member of the Rotary Club of Bhavnagar Round Town, donated his work pro bono, operating many hours over two days.
We received support from many directions, including officials at the hospital, members of both clubs, and friends and family of both clubs. For all of us, it was a joyful experience witnessing people who could see again because of our medical camps.
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Prayer: Dear God, we come to this gathering fresh from the world outside, feeling the exhilaration of work well done, contracts signed, items produced, persons helped, contributions made, lessons learned, and perhaps even praise received.
Now bless to our use and your service, the food and fellowship we enjoy and the high purposes we share. Amen.
Carol Penick, Executive Director of The Women’s
Fund of Mississippi and Jamie Holcomb Bardwell, Deputy Director of the Women’s Fund, spoke to
the Rotary Club of North at its May 26
meeting. The ladies informed the club of their
Consider This program. The program is an
advocacy network dedicated to creating a better
Mississippi for women and their families. They
highlighted the issue of teen and unplanned
pregnancy in Mississippi. Shown are from left,
Bardwell, Penick and Sean Culhane, Club
President. The Rotary Club of North Jackson
meets at noon on Tuesdays at St. James
Episcopal Church.
The Between the Lions program at William Walton Elementary School in Jackson completed its program year with an advancement ceremony in which the pre-Kindergarten children were promoted to Kindergarten for the next school year beginning in September. For the past 9 months members of the Rotary Club of North Jackson have been reading to the Pre-K children on a weekly basis. The program is one sponsored by Mississippi public Broadcasting. The Rotary Club of North Jackson is a co-sponsor along with MPB. Rotarian Dr. J. Clinton Smith has chaired the project. Approximately 8 members of the club have actively participated this year. It has been a wonderful year introducing the children to books and, as lead by Dr. Smith, a little bit of exercise. Our program is coordinated by Ms. Kat Jordan of MPB. Our hosts are Ms. Angela Sandifer. Pre-K teacher, Ms. Gewn Gardner, Principal, and Dr. Shevonne McDuffy-Oatis, Resource Specialist.It has been a marvelous year watching these children absorb the knowledge. The large crowd at the assembly is shown on the right. We thank MPB, Jackson Public Schools, and the adminstration and teachers of Walton School for the opportunty to participate.
Jeff Good, local restauranteur and civic activist, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at its May 19, 2015 meeting. The subject of his talk was Locally Invested Food Trade or LIFT. He described the loss of the ability to use locally prodcued food products in Mississippi bussiness, particularly restaurants.
Early in the 20th century Mississippi produced nearly all of the food products consumed in the State. However, with the passage of time and some regulations, particularly to protect the consumer, most of food production relocated out of state. This is ironic since Mississppi is a vast agricultural state with large number of hungry citizens. The purpose of LIFT is to develop local sources of foodstuffs. Jeff is shown on the right during his talk. WE thank him for speaking to our club.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson held its annual Club Assembly at St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson on the evening of May 12, 2015..Two photos from the assembly are shown on the right. A fine dinner was prepared by St. Andrew's Holy Smokers. Dinner consisted of grilled beef tenderloin, au gratin potatoes, grilled asparagus and a mixed green salad. A great time was had by all. Thanks to the Holy Smokers and to St. Andrew's for our wonderful evening.
No meeting August 4. The Rotary Club of North Jackson will not meet on August 4, 2015. St. James Church has a Rummage sale that will require the Parish Hall that week.
No meeting June 16. The Rotary Club of North Jackson will not meet on Tuesday, June 16 because St. James Church is having Vacation Bible School that week and will be using the Parish Hall.
Billy Brumfield House. The Rotary Club of North Jackson is serving supper once a month at The Billy Brumfield House, a Stewpot Community Services ministry. Our club serves on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Interested members need to meet @ St. James @ 5:15 and then travel together to Billy Brumfield. Also, if you are interested in sponsoring a month, the est. cost is $180 for the food. Joe Myers is project chair and can be reached @ 601-291-4568 or jmyers11@comcast.net.
Between the Lions. We are finishing our Between the Lions reading sessions the week of May 18 We have read almost weekly at WilliamWaltonElementary School on Bailey Ave. Please consider signing up to read next year. It is a wonderful experience! The children are truly information sponges and very willing learners. Contact Clinton Smith (601) 668-2366 for more information.
Member Care Committee reminder: For anyone who needs assistance getting to a meeting, please call Luther Munford at (601) 985-4418.
Thinking of Proposing a New Member?
First, discuss with Classification Committee (Paul Miller or Julian Carroll). They will provide a membership application, check classification availability, and discuss occupational qualifications.
· A Professional (Attorney, CPA, Physician. Engineer, Architect, etc)
· A Proprietor
· An Agent of a reputable company
· A Manager or Supervisor of a department or section of a business
Rotarians, don't forget to like the club's Facebook page to stay up to date on the latest happenings. Search us out at Rotary Club of North Jackson or click the link:
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about Foundation Programs. June is Rotary Fellowships Month.
Foundation programs. Past District Governor Linda Coble says: ― “I have been a Rotarian since 1987, but I have never dropped polio vaccine into the mouths of babes in faraway countries. I have not rolled up my sleeves to renovate a school in the Philippines with my fellow club members. I have not led a Group Study Exchange team to a foreign country or followed doctors on missions across the sea. But I feel in my heart that I have been there, done that all ... and more. Foundation giving comes in many ways. As a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, I know that my contributions have enabled my fellow Rotarians who could make a difference up close and personally. I know I was there in the spirit of Service Above Self.”
“Service above self; they profit most who serve best."
P. O. B O X 9 5 2 8, J A C K S O N, MS 3 9 2 8 6 - 9 5 2 8
Deputy Director of the Women’s Fund, spoke to
The Between the Lions program at William Walton Elementary School in Jackson completed its program year with an advancement ceremony in which the pre-Kindergarten children were promoted to Kindergarten for the next school year beginning in September. For the past 9 months members of the Rotary Club of North Jackson have been reading to the Pre-K children on a weekly basis. The program is one sponsored by Mississippi public Broadcasting. The Rotary Club of North Jackson is a co-sponsor along with MPB. Rotarian Dr. J. Clinton Smith has chaired the project. Approximately 8 members of the club have actively participated this year. It has been a wonderful year introducing the children to books and, as lead by Dr. Smith, a little bit of exercise. Our program is coordinated by Ms. Kat Jordan of MPB. Our hosts are Ms. Angela Sandifer. Pre-K teacher, Ms. Gewn Gardner, Principal, and Dr. Shevonne McDuffy-Oatis, Resource Specialist.It has been a marvelous year watching these children absorb the knowledge. The large crowd at the assembly is shown on the right. We thank MPB, Jackson Public Schools, and the adminstration and teachers of Walton School for the opportunty to participate.
