Rotarians are people of action.  You could even say its in our DNA.  However, with each major effort like a Global Grant you need a champion. One who can focus the group’s efforts and inspire the team to overcome all challenges on their way to project completion.  For a recent Global Grant our club completed our champion and inspiration came from the late, great, fellow Rotarian J. Sherwood McGinnis, Jr.

 

Sherwood was the initial lead for a Water and Sanitation project for the Carlisle Sunrise Rotary Club and the Kara Rotary Club of Togo.  This $43,600 project was initially envisioned back in 2017 but didn’t get final approval until January 2022.  The project was to provide a well and latrine to the villages of Attchaou and Teroda in the Canton of Kemerida, Togo.  But, as we approached completion of the project we realized we had enough funds left over to recondition another well and latrine built by another organization in a nearby village that had fallen into neglect.  With approval from Rotary International, we were able to service the additional village with special emphasis placed on sustainability.  So, from full funding in April 2022 to Final Report acceptance in February 2023, the project was deemed a huge success directly impacting well over 500 individuals on a daily basis.  

 

 

We attribute the smooth progress to Sherwood’s inspiration and open, honest, routine communication between the two clubs.  We used Zoom to accomplish this.  Communication was weekly sometimes, but mostly monthly which allowed us to set goals and work issues as they came up.  We also used DropBox to share documents that would later support our Final Report.

 

The two clubs had such a positive experience, we are planning on accomplishing another Global Grant in Togo.  This time, we look to build a well and Latrine in three additional villages (Hilou, Kemerida, and Pyode).  This grant is expected to cost $63,563 and is planned to execute in the 2023-2024 RY.  If interested in joining us, we can always use more people of action.  Contact the President of the Sunrise Rotary Club of Carlisle.

 

Submitted by

PP Mike Zick, RC Carlisle-Sunrise, International Service Lane Chair

Larenda Twigg, President, RC of Carlisle-Sunrise