via Zoom, it's like live, but you can mute people.
Editor: Scott Vetter, Assistant Editor: Rosemary Parker, Photographer: Robin Spencer
Announcements
Jeanine put in a plug for the Rotary Foundation. Donations are down this year and they are looking for funds prior to June 30, to maintain their current funding commitments.
Joan reported that Club items are in temporary storage (thank you David O!). Big thanks to Mack and his crew for getting everything out of the old storage locker. Dave G. will contact Dymon in hopes for sponsored/discounted space.
We've reached $1700 for our backpack program, thanks to 100 Men Who Care.
Happy Bucks
Kudos to Chris M. for his informative and well-presented talk on Reaching Drawdown webinar last night; kudos to all those who donated to the Banff Avenue Community House's Kits for Kids program, thanks to many friends and family for being like family and friends.
Guest Speaker - Mahamud Elmi, Executive Director, Somali Hope Foundation
After spending many years in refugee camps, Mahamud (Moe) Elmi immigrated to Ottawa, Canada as a teen. He quickly learned English, caught up to his age level at school and went on to post-secondary schooling and is now Sergeant Elmi in the Ottawa Police Service.
Along the way in reaching his dream academically and vocationally, Moe also realized a vision by founding the Somali Hope Foundation in 2008. The Foundation has built a school, washrooms and well in Bur Salah, Somalia, the rural village where Moe grew up. Most of the money to build, maintain and operate the school is raised thanks to an annual gala, but a considerable amount is also raised in Somalia, and all the work is done by locals.
The school has grown to 705 students (over 50% are girls) and 21 staff. It is a phenomenal success story which continues to expand every year with quality teaching and infrastructure support for the village.
This year will see the first graduates from the Academy, and SHF is helping them apply to South African universities. Click the blue button below to learn more about the academy, the foundation and their virtual gala Saturday, June 19. (It may be virtual, but you can order delicious South African cuisine to enjoy at home as you watch the gala online.)
Rotary Club of Ottawa South members were impressed by the ongoing developments of the Somali Hope Academy and look forward to this year's gala event fundraiser. (Jeff is hoping to convert a new member. Might be successful; few of our members are much good at "sit" or "stay".)
Don't miss our next meeting - click the button below next Wednesday at 12:26 PM.
