NEXT MEETING: September 8, 2017
Note: no meeting on Friday, September 1

Book Labeling Project

We’ll all pitch in on a hands-on project during our regular meeting time. We will attach Rotary stickers inside each of the 200+ books that were purchased for Richmond schools during President Josh’s term. There will be no speaker for this meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Jerry Feagley announced that The Sip and Savor event a the Mira Vista Country Club It is sponsored by the El Cerrito Rotary Club and will be held on October 1^st, 2:30 – 5:30pm.
• Oscar Garcia announced that The Iron Triangle Residents Association will hold their Annual Community Picnic and Health Fair from on September 23, 10am-3pm. Live music from Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic from 11am-1pm.
• David Brown said that the funding for Peres School teachers was nearly complete and before he finished talking several Rotarians stepped up and all teachers were funded. Phyllis Brown, God Rest her soul, left 10,000 in her trust to give a 1,000 a year to Peres School only after Richmond Rotary funds the teachers Project. The first 1,000 will now be on its way.

MEETING OF August 25, 2017

Welcome

Past Pres Alan Baer filled in for Pres Connie. Felix Hunzinker lead the pledge, and Herb Cole made the invocation. Sid Chauvin’s thought for the day was “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always rely on the support of Paul.”

Recognitions and Happy and Sad Dollars

• Henry Moe was recognized for his 9 years in Rotary as of August 1^st and also his 18^th Wedding Anniversary on August 7.
• Josh Surowitz had happy and sad dollars. Happy dollars because he took a family trip to LA and San Diego. The sad dollars accrued from the car accident that damaged his latch on his van and made it impossible to open the back hatch for the rest of the trip
• Herb had happy dollars for the chance to meet Ruby (Cecilia Orozco’s daughter) last week and to get to hear about her first day at preschool.
• Cecilia Orozco had happy dollars that her daughter Ruby started preschool and that instead of crying when she went there she cried because she had to leave at the end. (It sounds like she is ready for to take on the world. -Editor)
• Oscar Garcia had happy dollars that there are plans in the works that the empty lot on 12^th and MacDonald will be developed for housing.

PROGRAM

The speaker today is Meg Heinicke. Meg works with NamasteDirect an organization that provides MicroLending for women in Guatemala. Two people working here in the US, and a team of people work in Guatemala.

Women are vetted before they receive grants. The women who qualify must take a 9-month cycle of classes after they receive the $300 loan. Most people making it through 2 or 3 cycles, but those who make it through the fourth cycle usually have a strong business established.

One woman who completed the four cycles has a thriving store and hair salon, which earns about $3,000 a month. In comparison the minimum wage in Guatemala is about $1.10 an hour or about $968 a month. See www.namastedirect.org for more information.

Henry Moe, Rotating Editor