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DISC Hosts Another Successful International Cafe on March 29 By: William Dunn, Secretary, District International Services Committee, Yarmouth RC On the snowy Saturday of March 29, 2025, more than 30 Rotarians and friends of Rotarians “braved the elements” to attend the latest International Café on Zoom. The start was delayed due to, for the first time, the Café being Zoom-bombed. That is why the link to Café Zoom calls should only be shared carefully! And future Cafes will use other precautionary measures. A new link was sent out and attendees got to hear first from the three person International Outreach team that will be travelling to the Philippines in April. Team Leader Dick Hall described both the cultural exchange and the potential project identification aspects of the outreach. The team leaves on April 17th, but doesn’t arrive until April 19th due to the long travel time and crossing the International Dateline. Return starts on May 3rd and they will be back in Maine on May 4th. The team will be travelling in the northern Philippines, not far from the former Clark Air Force Base and Subic Bay Naval Base. Other team members, Joanne Landry and Carol Madsen, introduced themselves and what they hope to get out of the outreach. Next Valeria Montejo Gutierrez, calling in from Colombia, described the “Light and Hope: Bright Futures for Children with Special Health Needs” project of the Rotary Club of Bogotá Usaquén. The project will expand the ability of the Hogar Amparo Quin facility of the Proyecto Unión Fundactión to provide emotional and therapeutic support to children with disabilities and special health needs, improving their quality of life. The project will provide residential services to 100 children in one location and another 88 in another location. The funds raised will be used to acquire 21 specialized beds, therapeutic items and industrial laundry equipment. They are looking for additional international clubs to join them. Ron Smith of the Rotary Club of Fryeburg introduced Frederick Kusolo Walimbwa and Richard Obua from Mbale, Uganda, who presented their Namunsi Skills Development Project for young people with disabilities and other vulnerable ones. It is an RI Global Grant project of a Host club, the Rotary Club of Mbale, and an International Partner, the Rotary Club of Fryeburg. The total project budget is about $100,000. Frederick noted the discrimination handicapped individuals receive and how vocational training in tailoring and leather goods making will allow them to reconnect with society. The first phase of the project will last 18 months and train 120 students. Besides the training, the project will acquire any necessary mobility devices. The sale of the products made will allow the project to be self-sustaining after the initial grants. Ron Smith-Fryeburg RC asked those that are interested in supporting the Handicapped Training project reach out to him. Ron Smith rsmith.rotary@gmail.com or call 215-896-6870. Jim Schmidt of the Rotary Club of Yarmouth introduced Doreen Emma, also from Uganda. Doreen described an RI Global Grant project to equip a blood bank laboratory at the Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. The Rotary Club of Mubende is the Host club and the Rotary Club of Yarmouth is the International Partner. This hospital is so far from the Uganda capital that they have trouble meeting the needs of 200 transfusions a day. This $36,000 project will provide the equipment needed for the local hospital to process and store blood and blood products locally. The local club is involved in various fundraising projects and the development of blood donation campaigns. The Café concluded with Carolyn Johnson, District Foundation Chair, noting that these projects and other projects that have been presented at International Cafés are good projects for District Clubs to support. Additional District Designated Funds are available to support Clubs, so now is a good time to get involved. |
I am so into spring and love the new beginnings for the year ahead! I can say the same with Rotary new beginnings. For those who attended the Northeast President-Elect Learning Seminar (NEPELS) in March, seeing our President-Elects preparing for the new year, as well as our District Governor-Elect, Nominee and Designee all come together to teach, learn and network for the upcoming Rotary year was truly inspiring. My compliments to our DGE’s, being led by PDG Claudia Frost, and all of the NEPELS committee members for putting on such a phenomenal seminar! It is going to be an incredible Rotary year ahead, as well as the two following years because we have a powerhouse District Governor Track in place! Emma Bodwell (Bridgton-Lake Region), Michele Bois-Gilbody (Freeport) and Michele Cole (Bethel) are going to take us to new levels based on what I have seen already. So be prepared, put on your seatbelts and stay tuned! 
After District 7780 outreaches to such places as Uganda, Poland and Philippines, the Foundation Committee, in conjunction with the International Service Committee, decided unanimously to organize a trip to someplace really different and selected Litchfield, Maine. Some of you may recall that Litchfield’s claim to fame in the Rotary world is that it is the hometown of Hiram Shorey, one of the three friends of Paul Harris who joined him in founding Rotary in 1905. Mr. Shorey was a merchant tailor by profession and coincidentally is credited with the invention of the lapel, possibly foreseeing the need for a place to put all those Paul Harris Fellow and other Rotary recognition pins.
Harshil Patel, President of UNE Rotaract, attended the NE PELS Learning event on March 7th and 8th. The event was packed with new learning including hearing more about the RI President-elect Mario Cesar Martins de Camargo 2025-26 Rotary theme of Unite for Good! There were many messages of how Rotary and Rotaract members could recruit new members and create a sense of belonging as well. The UNE Rotaract Club is in the process of finalizing a date for the Polio Plus Walk at UNE. Information will be coming out soon! The UNE Rotaract Club will have a presence at the upcoming District 7780 District Learning Assembly on April 5 at Westbrook Middle School. More information about their March 2026 trip will be available at that time!.png)
