10,000 miles for Shelter Box!

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Duck Race 2010 Photos

I am here wishing you a happy, safe and fun-filled Independence Day. At the Fire Eater house, we honor this day by playing John Phillip Souza marches at full blast all morning, enjoying the liberty to grill, eat and drink merrily, the freedom to play horseshoes, and finally a reading of some freedom speech or document before the big boom town opens up in the sky over Black Hawk. Many choose the Declaration of Independence – the document and spirit this day celebrates – as the standard reading, but there is a fine exerpt of George Washington’s general orders given on July 2, 1776 that I thought I’d share with you. Because it’s good to recall the circumstances of our release, and because everybody but everybody just loves George Washington. If that’s too serious for you, I also added the awesome Founding Fathers Rap from JibJab at the bottom. Word!!

“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their Houses, and Farms, are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a State of Wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably deliver them. The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army—Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission; this is all we can expect—We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our own Country’s Honor, all call upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion, and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble Actions—The Eyes of all our Countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings, and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the Tyranny meditated against them. Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and shew the whole world, that a Freeman contending for Liberty on his own ground is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.”

Peace, Liberty and Prosperity to all of my Rotarian buddies, their friends and families, and all the rest of us, too.

BOOM!

My experience with Rotary and Intelligentsia International

“At the age of 21, I left the Parisian suburbs and came to Florida to work with a Rotary International water projects committee, and to learn about U.S. non-profit organizations as part of my 6-month Masters Degree internship with Intelligentsia International. But it ended up being much more than this. Here, I discovered a real team committed to promote access to drinkable water throughout the world.

More than basic humanitarian projects, Rotary has an ethic, educational, technical and financial commitment that encourages local people to improve their situation on water, health and other issues. This is what I understood when I worked with Caroline Meub, Executive Director of Pure Water For The World engaged in Haiti and with Dr. John Capece, member of the Rotary Club of LaBelle, engaged in Central Asia.

Access to drinkable water is one of most basic measures of a community’s quality of life. It is difficult for me to understand that in so many parts of the world, this access is not guaranteed.  Therefore, when my internship supervisor gave me the opportunity to do something for the promotion of Rotary’s commitment to water projects through the Rotary Rail & Water project, I did not hesitate. I thought to myself, what a great opportunity to see the USA, meet Rotarians throughout the country, and help people around the world.

By delivering presentations about Rotary water projects and organizing this Rail & Water Tour, I learned so much about Rotary; I discovered a multi-faceted country, rich in its diversity. I met people aware of their commitment and ready to participate, qualities that make me realize where Rotary draws the source of its efficiency and effectiveness.

I am proud to say that I participated in the first Rail & Water Tour. I wish other international interns after me will carry on the project so they can discover the true face of the United States and Rotary International. Thank you for trusting me, this is an experience I will never forget.”

The Peak to Peak Rotary Club would also like to thank Cora and RR&WT for her visit and talk. We have included this information on Rotary Water Projects in our efforts for this year – possibly a project in Panama? Again, thank you Cora for showing us what needs to be done and what we have already accomplished, and thank you for taking this time out of your life to share with us.

(If that link didn’t work, find it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47977696@N03/?saved=1)