Petion-Ville Childrens Party

Check out the amazing pitures on this site of true Rotarians from the Petion-Ville Rotary Club in Port au prince. They are making a difference in childrens lives in a big way.
Great work Raphael
DG Dick

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Haiti Water Summit and Nassau Club visits in December

What a great event. It began with the usual Airport welcome by Nessim and team. VIP treatment all the way. A DG could get used to that. We arrived earlier than Wilf so we went on to the Hotel and checked in. I then went back to the airport to meet him with Nessim as Carla and DG Nathan of 6910 waited patiently for our arrival.

Once Wilf and John Germ had checked in we moved on to a very nice restaurant for dinner where Wilf, John Guy myself and the rest of the Task Force discussed the Task Force issues and the challenges we are having with Matching Grants.

The meeting was very productive and the Task Force Paper was accepted as the way to move forward with the projects. Their advice and guidance was critical to doing it right the first time.

Guy and Wilf discussing the opportunities.

Day 2 brought the Summit opening and some exciting racing through the streets in armored cars with a police escorts. Not your usual Summit I am sure, but it’s the way the great team of the Petion-Ville Club did it with the guidance of Chairman Claude, President Raphael and ADG Nessim.

Carinne keeping us all in order

The Canadian Ambassador has assigned his armored car and security detail to President Wilf and John Germ The balance of us were included in the convoy in cars behind.

The morning started with a breakfast with the Canadian Ambassador at his residence. It was a very interesting breakfast as the Canadian Government is deeply involved in the future development in Haiti and it was good to have their perspective and to see where we could find synergies through Rotary.

We then went to the official opening of the Summit where Wilf and I made some opening remarks. Shortly after that we were transported to a Hospital where we each had the opportunity to vaccinate a child for Polio. It was the event of a life time for me. On our return Carla found out what had happened and was not very happy that she had missed the chance. I guess I need to make it up to her somehow.

We visited another hospital (FAHSI) in the afternoon where the Petion-Ville Club had donated through connections with the US army the ICU equipment for the hospital. A major contribution to that hospital. All the equipment was refurbished and like new.
After Lunch we went to President Prevals residence and met with him. We discussed Rotaries role in the country and committed to facilitate a long term Water Resource Sustainability Master Plan. We were able to adopt a resolution to that effect at the end of the Summit signed by Petion-Ville,, President Wif and myself.

That evening there was a Presidential Gala at a very pristine property in the hills. A good time was had by all and we wrapped up by just after 11:00 PM to be ready for the next day of the Summit.

The Summit program was great on Saturday and was intermingled with Task Force meetings and networking opportunities. After the closing the Task Force met again to complete its list of action Items and we Then met with the Board and leadership of Pure Water for the World. We discussed at length the way forward with their project and came to what I believe is a fair and reasonable agreement on how we should move forward.

Interestingly, there were so many details that needed to be agreed on that we all understood that there would be no way to specify each of them in writing and that for efficiency sake we would accept that the agreement was one reached based on the principles of the 4 Way Test and all parties would act accordingly. I think this speaks to the strength of Rotary and its principles.

A great job done by the organizing committee and great commitment bu Guy Theodore and the Task Force to process all the tasks in the short time we had. Thank You

After that marathon meeting we went to dinner at the Hotel with a number of MG participants and then off to the airport first thing in the morning. Back home to Nassau by late Sunday.

This week we met with the New Providence Board and then joined the Club for dinner. The highlight was to present a PHF to Sophie, President Michael Fowlers wife. For those of you that do not know President Michael was hit by a car while leaving a Rotary meeting earlier in his year and passed away as a result. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family and the club has gone the extra mile to keep her involved and have a 2 year scholarship for their daughter.

Wednesday night we met with the Board of the Nassau Sunrise Club and then joined them for breakfast the next morning. It was a Christmas themed breakfast which included Christmas carols and bad jokes. It was a lot of fun.

62 clubs completed, 2 in Turks and Caicos and 4 in Cayman to go and they will be done in January. I’ll try to do one more update before the holiday. If I miss I,

Have a Very Merry Christmas
DG Dick and Carla

Haiti Water Summit & Polio Vaccination

It does not get any more real than this!!!!

Thank you for the great Summit. We had a great turn out for a great event. As part of the visit we had the opportunity to do some very special things. The one that will mark a special time in my life was when I was able to vaccinate a baby in the Hospital in Port Au Prince Haiti.

President Wilf and a Haiti Summit group meet with the President Preval of Haiti

I'm Back !!!! and Sint Maarten, St. Marten Anguilla and St. Barths

Where did November go? After we returned from Jamaica we had a week at home before going to Homestead/Miami for the final race of the NASCAR season. Our two favorite drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson were in 1st and 2nd place coming into the final race. We attended the wedding of our friends Katy and Andy on Saturday night and were then joined by our daughter Lissa and her husband Timmy for the race on Sunday. Jimmy won, Jeff came second.

Then it was home for meetings with the Nassau clubs and also with the Abaco club. We even got to attend our own club’s Christmas Party which was a real treat.

Note the name of the plane, the same as our company.

Off to Sint. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barts and Anguilla. Another whirlwind trip. AG Louis had everything organized for a welcome cocktail party, ferry trips to St. Barts and Anguilla. It was only the week before that I found out that I needed a visa to visit St. Barts and Anguilla.
We laid a wreath for President Odile. A very sad momment.

These usually take about a month, but with Rotary’s pull and some awfully sweet talking by an “unnamed president” I was able to get the visa and make the boat. However, they did have to put the gangway back down to let me on. Louis’s wife Amanda made the made dash down the hill thru the traffic on foot to make the boat. It was well worth it as St. Barts was wonderful and so was Anguilla.

Saint. Martin Sunrise meeting place Breakfast with the Heineken!!




President Meredith and the Banner

Puggy on the way to Anguilla


Anguilla delegation with us at Port
Sandy Ground, looks very much like Eluthera in the Bahamas
Quality Testing and a quick surface shine while I was at it!

We had a wonderful dinner on Wednesday night with the PDG’s, Club Presidents and guests. It was a real treat to have everyone together in an intimate setting. 60 visits done, 8 to go. I can’t believe our year is half over.

Pierre and team giving us our Guavaberry Gift made by PAG Stephen Thompson


Our meeting with Sarah Wescot-Williams, Commissioner St. Maarten

Rotaractor Ronnie Wever on right who looked after us as in a most proffessional way, Thank You Ronnie

Low cost housing project common area where they planted trees, and put in picnic tables etc.

Sint Maarten Mid Isle playground for the school. We learned from those students why we need to be sure we make things strong. They are ROUGH!!!!!

Mid Isle project above and board below
Saint-Martin Nord, President Anike

Speak French properly, kiss twice eye contact ontoasting and a great bunch

Thanks for the Visa help!!!

Anike gives a "never say no award" to the Rotarian that never says no.

The Hospital project

As usual our flight home was eventful. We had to leave early on Friday so we could make a meeting with RID Barry, DGE Rupert, PDG Alister and RLID Diana to discuss the District leadership training. However, good old American Airlines had it their way. We finally arrived in Florida, not even Miami, 4 hours late. Needless to say, We missed the meeting.

We stayed in Miami for the weekend so I could attend the Governors’ Council Meeting on Saturday and I could do some last minute Christmas shopping. Lissa joined us once again for two days. Unfortunately Lissa and Carla spent all day Saturday in South Miami Hospital having tests done for dizziness and nausea she had been experiencing since Wednesday. All’s fine-it is vertigo, but it was a waste of a day’s shopping. Carla and Lissa tried to cram it all into Sunday as I came home to take care of the dogs and unpack.

Carla got back home on Monday night and we are off to Haiti on tomorrow, TS Olga permitting. I will try to keep the Blog more current as we move forward because there should be a little more time. Of the 68 clubs in the District we have visited with 60 with 2 more schedule for Nassau next week and then Cayman and Turks and Caicos in January.

Meghen is now working with the Americas Cup Challenge boats and is sailing to West Palm tomorrow taking the boats over for Drydocking. Not a good choice given the weather but there are no options.

We are busy now planning the District Conference in May and the Zone Institute in October, both at Atlantis. I am the facilities and Arrangements Chair for the Zone Institute.

Tis the Season

Check this out.

DG Dick


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Jamaica Central finished

November 9, 2007

Jamaica Central

Ricks in Negril

On Tuesday Morning, the Sav La Mar team of Christine and Mark, picked us up at 7:00 AM and we headed for Black River where we joined ADG Patrick Adizua and the Black River Board for a late morning breakfast meeting. It was a very nice drive to the south and central portion of Jamaica. The club there was very interesting. The economy of the region has declined over the last decade and there is little encouragement that it will change, but the club continues to do great things for the community, such as a scholarship for a needy student, and supply tarps for homes damaged in Hurricane Dean. The Interact Club President sat in on our meeting and we visited the school afterwards where they are doing some work on the Computer Lab and some other things.

After a short stop at the Black River Riverside Dock where we could watch the crocodiles and some touristic activity we left for the next club.
Hospital Kitchen project.
We then went on to Santa Cruz where we met with the Board at a very nice restaurant and enjoyed a great meeting and late lunch. President Rupert has a great team and a strong and involved board. This club provides meals for all 40 students at the School of Hope every day for the entire school year as well as supporting their involvement in the Special Olympics. The club is also putting a fantastic Clock Tower in the center of town. I have included a picture of it below.

After a few project visits we drove to Mandeville where we checked into the Mandeville Hotel. Patrick had arranged for us to have the honeymoon suite. It was very nice, and very big, however Patrick failed to give us any time to use it. Shortly after arrival we went to Patrick’s house to enjoy a welcome reception. Great fun and fellowship! The Rotaract team was there and looked like they were going to be there for the night by the time we left!


Rain has been a BIG problem for months!

Wednesday morning we went to the interior, to May Pen and met with the May Pen Rotary Club. President Robbie and his team made sure we had a local breakfast which we enjoyed thoroughly. We began to get a sense of Jamaican time by this point, but more awaited. After a great Breakfast/Lunch we went to look at a couple of projects. The club has received 25 Shelter Boxes to be used in the Portland Cottage and Rocky Point areas to help those that lost their homes in the floods from Dean and Noel. They have also set up a couple to house the Basic School until such time as they get a roof back on the classroom area. They are also doing a Literacy project in a well known troubled area, Canaan Heights and Hazard Drive.

We went to visit PDG Garfield Thomas at his home in Mandeville. Garfield and Judith were very hospitable as usual and we enjoyed the time with them. Garfield is recovering slowly but is glad to have the Family of Rotary come by to see him. If you are in the Mandeville area be sure to ask ADG Patrick to arrange for a short visit to say Hello.

We then went on to Christiana located in the interior where we met with President Eric and his board members. We began by taking an excursion through the hills to visit a couple of schools and a Hydroponic / Greenhouse farm in very rainy conditions. Thanks Nassau Clubs for the Eddie Bauer jackets!

The Lower School project (Mount Olivette I think) truly caused tears to well up in my eyes. The school originally had 200 students from grade 1 through 6 all learning in a one room area. The Club together with a group of Community service minded spring breakers undertook to divide the rooms so each grade would have their own room with an additional craft room and library / resource area. What a Difference!!!!!

After that we went by a Basic school where they have provided a water storage tank to ensure that there is always water available when the children are there because the supply system is intermittent. We were now into lesson # 2 on Jamaican time.

We went back to Rotarian Vernie’s home where we had a board meeting. We were to be travelling to the Little Ochi Seafood Restaurant to meet up with the incoming ADG Lindy Rose and some folks but by the time we finished the meeting, night had fallen, the restaurant was an hour away through the hilly and rainy country roads so we joined the Christiana Club for dinner. It was a great dinner, and we had very enjoyable fellowship.

Early Thursday morning we went to Bloomfield Great House where we met with the Mandeville Rotary Club. This is a very strong Club and has been able to sustain many large projects. This is ADG Patrick’s Club as well. We had a great breakfast meeting in a very beautiful place!
After the meeting we went to tour the Baron Hall Coffee Factory where we had an extensive tour and a sample of some great coffee. We were able to get a quick pre tour of the Sacred Heart Catholic Craft Fair that afternoon. What an amazing presentation of fantastic local art. The set up alone was work the visit.

That night we had a joint Club Assembly where we had the chance to recognize a Paul Harris Fellow, and two local Rotarians that had contributed to Rotary over the years. The event was well attended by the two Rotary Clubs and they gave Carla and I a great framed certificate with a picture of the members.

We were given a great basket of locally manufactured products from the region. It was a good thing we had a spare duffle bag because they were very generous.

We had a 6:00 AM departure the next morning to Montego Bay with our very dedicated ADH Patrick. We witnessed one frightening event on the way when the car ahead of us hit a young boy. Fortunately our ADG Dr. Patrick Adizua was there and with his help it worked out as the young man was transported to the hospital. We went on to Montego bay, collected the gift from ADG Haresh’s Clubs, a beautiful original painting and off to the airport and Air Jamaica back to Nassau. There is a Reggae Concert tonight in Nassau and all the stars were on the flight with us yesterday. Unfortunately I am not that exposed to who they are as I listen to country, but I tried to be cool and be impressed. It was great to be home but we will really miss the incredible hospitality of the Jamaican Rotarians.

We have a wedding of our good friends Andy and Katy this weekend and the final NASCAR Race at Homestead, then back to Rotary business. Its the final 2 races and Jeff Gorden is 30 points behind Jimmy Johnson for the Championship which ends afetr the next 2 races.





For those of you that don't follow the races which is most, Jeff has won the Championship 4 times and is going for his 5th. Jimmy Johnson is a guy he hired and he ownes the car and is on the same team. BIG PREASSURE !!!!!! for me anyway. I’ll keep you posted.
DG Dick