At last week's meeting, Rotarians welcomed Mayor Brian Bigger as the guest speaker. Mayor Bigger opened the meeting by expressing that his thoughts were with the residents living in long-term care homes and their families. He described how the city and the community have come together in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. He noted how the city was working with public health experts to find the right balance between opening and keeping the community safe. Mayor Bigger described how the city was continuing to invest in innovative and infrastructure projects and is working in partnership with community organizations to address homelessness along with other issues.
The Plasma Drive needs your help to reach the donation goal! Please contact Brandi Braithwaite to sign up for a time to donate.
Backpack Basics will once again be providing much needed personal items for people in our community. Shannon Kenrick-Rochon will be providing further updates on this program that is soon to launch.
The period between conception and a child’s second birthday, a critical time frame when nutrition, or lack thereof, can have lifelong consequences. Research in child development has shown that when mothers and infants are poorly nourished during this stage, the adverse impact on children’s physical and mental development can have ripple effects throughout their lives. And much of that damage can never be undone, even with later interventions. In one mountainous, rural area of Guatemala, where staple crops (primarily corn) don’t provide sufficient nutrients, hunger and malnutrition are common. The Maya Health Alliance works with the families to choose what they will plant and to help them build the gardens and learn to grow the crops. Rotary clubs have covered the cost of materials and supplies for the gardens, the purchase and maintenance of a truck and a laptop computer, and the services of an agronomist and community health workers.