Woodland Rotary - The Rotary Club of Woodland Website

The Rotary Club of Woodland has been participating in the Kenya WASH project since October ’20 to improve water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) at two schools in Karen, Kenya (Africa). This is a Rotary Global Grant effort sponsored by the Rotary Club of Karen. The project is a coordinated effort to make needed improvements at the Karen C Primary School, serving 1300 students, 50 teachers (established in 1958), and the adjacent Karen C Girls Secondary (high school) school (established in 2011) with enrollment of 600 students. Phase One of the project, which installed two large capacity water tanks and hand washing stations for students, was completed in August ’21 at a cost of $40,000. Our Club contributed $5,000 toward Phase One.

Photos from Phase One of the project can be viewed in our Photo Gallery.

Kenya is located on the east coast of Africa. Karen, Kenya is a suburb of Kenya’s capitol city Nairobi. Photos below show children from both Karen schools.

Sanitation conditions at the Karen C schools today are terrible, and would be considered unacceptable for any similar facilities in the United States. As photos below show, pit latrines are in use.

Phase Two is ready to start and club support is needed to move forward. Club Kenya WASH Chair Blair Voelz indicates Phase Two seeks to build a new, modern facility at the primary school with flush toilets, fix up the existing bathroom at the secondary school, and install a septic system serving both schools. These improvements will be a major step forward in sanitation for the children and staff of both schools.

The budget for Phase Two is $80,000. Funding would again come largely from a Rotary Global Grant and a District 5160 match. Our Club, as international sponsor, will need to raise approximately $10,000. The RC of Karen is expected to raise the same amount.

Photos shown below show facilities similar to the ones we wish to build. They were built for another WASH Project in Nairobi.

Club President Dan Stroski reports contributions from the Club and/or the Woodland Endowment for Phase Two have not yet been determined. However, he indicates interested members may now make personal contributions toward Phase Two themselves. Any amount you can donate will go a long way to reaching the Club’s $10K responsibility for the project.

Members wishing to make a donation toward Phase Two of the Kenya WASH project can do so by check made out to ‘Woodland Rotary Endowment’ with a note indicating ‘Kenya WASH Phase Two’. The check should be mailed to P.O. Box 31 Woodland CA 95776 c/o Assistant Club Treasurer Tom Schwarzgruber. Or, contributions can be made via PayPal or your credit card on the Club’s website.

Nice to know some things just don't change. Rotary Gracers Steve Venables, President Dan Stroski and Marc Faye did their thing again today. The familiar faces of Gary Bunch, Carl Rodegerdts, and Secretary Aniek Ramsay were together again at the back table.

Tom & Gail Schwarzgruber just returned from a vacation trip to the Northeast, visiting several states, as a surprise for Tom's 70th birthday. Yvette & Craig Roy joined the Schwarzgrubers on their trip and celebrated Craig's 60th birthday there as well. Gary Bunch, who led today's Recognition, just returned from a trip with wife Kathy to Ardmore OK to visit his father-in-law. Tabb & Nancy Randolph also enjoyed a recent trip to the Carolinas where lots of golf was played.

Don Huff Jr. told the sad story of a huge, 250 year old oak tree in front of his home on Casa Linda Drive that had to be taken down recently. Mark Ullrich was happy to be reminded of his 15th wedding anniversary with wife Audre (Yolo Fliers) coming up on Oct 21. Lisa Martinez enjoyed the Club's Oct 2nd trip to the SF Giants game. Derrek Kaff was happy his mother-in-law was discharged from the hospital recently, and was especially appreciative and thankful for all healthcare workers doing the important work they do every day.

Yolo County Agriculture Commissioner Humberto Izquierdo was our guest speaker today, giving us a presentation on his department's responsibilities and challenges. More information about the Yolo County Agriculture Department can be found at their website.

Our own PDG Karl Diekman was on hand October 13, 2021 in Karen, Kenya as the water storage and hand washing stations improvements in Phase One of the Kenya WASH program at the Karen C Primary School were dedicated.

President Dan Stroski was at the helm again today. He presented a short video by Rotary International President 2021-22 Shektar Mehta and a Thank You to the Club from some of the students at the Karen C Primary School in Karen, Kenya in response to the recent completion of Phase One of the Kenya WASH Project which brought water storage and hand washing stations to the school.

President-elect Shawn Seyk is looking ideas on what to raise money for during the upcoming Club Dinner Auction next Spring. Contact Shawn with any thoughts you may have. Derrek Kaff is celebrating a birthday on Oct 15. Don Huff III was happy about his successful rice harvest and thanked Blair Voelz for a suggestion on when to get it done.

Chuck Maltese and Carl Rodegerdts talked about how and why they joined Rotary. Clyde Brooker managed to draw a free lunch.

At the 2019 Sunrise Club Salmon BBQ Auction Gary Wegener purchased a Bruce Watts flight to the coast. Gary reported he and wife Joanie enjoyed the flight/visit to Little River near Mendocino last week, and thought Bruce did a 'masterful' job in landing back at Woodland Watts Airport in gusty (up to 35mph) winds this past Monday.

Patrick Blacklock, Executive Director of the Rural Counties Representatives of California (and until 8 months ago, County Administrative Officer of Yolo County) was our guest speaker today giving us a program about RCRC and its services.

Woodland Rotary took over 50 members, spouses & guests on a bus trip Saturday, October 2, 2021 to see the Giants game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Though the Giants couldn't win the National League's Western Division today, it was still a great outing. Many thanks to Marie Galbo for organizing this event!

Chuck Moore reported the FFA Auction held at the Fairgrounds in August grossed over $330,000 exclusive of the $64,000 raised for the Joe Gates Memorial Scholarship fund. There were only 108 lots sold (approximately 2/3rds of a normal year), but it was the highest dollar amount since he has been involved with the sale. The Auction supports FFA young people from around Yolo County and has been supported by members of our Club over the years.

President Dan Stroski informed the Club that long time Club Secretary Alan Flory passed away on Monday, August 25 at the age of 89. Alan was a member of the Rotary Club of Woodland for many years. Alan had worked professionally with the California State Board of Equalization before being elected Yolo County Assessor in 1986. Alan was equally active in the community serving as Woodland Community College's representative on the Yuba Community College Board of Trustees for 12 years. He also served the Woodland Methodist Church, Woodland Food Closet, Yolo Land Trust, Yolo County Historical Society, Woodland Clinic Foundation, Communicare Health Centers, Yolo County Fair and other non-profit organizations. In 2011 Alan was recognized with a Community Service Award from the City of Woodland. Alan was also an avid San Francisco Giants fan, regularly attending their spring training in Arizona. He will be missed.

Services will be private and for the immediate family only. The Club stood at its meeting Tuesday and toasted Alan for the wonderful Rotarian and friend he was.

President Dan Stroski announced a $2500 award from the George Berrettoni Scholarship has been made to Ethan Horowitz of Woodland CA. George Berretoni was a long time Woodland Rotarian, a past Club President, and was very active in the Boy Scouts of America. This scholarship was established in 2018 in George's honor following his passing. This is the first award of the Berretoni Scholarship.

Ethan Horowitz, an Eagle Scout himself from Troup 464, graduated from the Da Vinci Charter Academy with a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Ethan plans to attend Colorado State University in the fall where he will seek a degree in mechanical engineering. Ethan was on hand at the Club's July 20th meeting to receive the award from President-elect Shawn Seyk.

President Dan said "Rotary always wants to contribute to both our community and other various international projects; all with the intent of helping to make this world a better place to live." It is anticipated that future Berrettoni Scholarship awards will be made annually.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS, DONORS, PRESIDENT-ELECT DAN STROSKI AND HIS COMMITTEE!!

Rotary District 5160 has decided more emphasis must be placed on our efforts to eliminate Polio right now. At this time the only two countries containing active Polio viruses are Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Polio virus has been mutating making it all the more difficult to keep ahead of the spread. We’re getting closer - just 3 weeks ago there had been no new cases for the previous 3 weeks. However, since that time a couple more cases have been reported in each country. To help stay on top of this outbreak a new modified vaccine has been developed to attack this “wild” form of the Polio Virus.

To focus member attention on the severity of the need, District 5160 has founded the PolioPlus Society and encourages all members who want to play a bigger part in the battle against this terrible disease, to join up. To join the Society you must simply pledge to donate $100 per year to the Rotary Foundation's Polio Plus program. These donations also count towards your Paul Harris status with Rotary. Those interested please contact Gary Wirth for the form and proper methodology to guide the donation to your target. Tel/text: 530 662-3429; email:gfwirth@sbcglobal.net