International Committee Update

CTI/Water Project

-PW-1 units have been sent to Haiti and Senegal (1-each).

-Jeff Brown-Haiti Outreach is due to return in a week with initial results recorded on the first unit sent for testing and the first use of the Test Data Recording sheets. Modifications will be discussed and made to the sheets based on feedback.

-Wally Wilsey, Tom Tamura and Karen Huiett attended the PW-1 assembly session last Saturday at CTI. (Thank you!)

-In addition to field testing underway in Haiti, arrangements have now been made to do some initial field testing in Nicaragua during the week of Dec 9-16.Jorge Fernandez from CTI [now residing in California] and Sergio Romero [located in Nicaragua] will initiate it. CTI will provide them with 3 PW-1 units for this trip.

-In the process of preparing instructions for the PW-1 using illustrations as much as possible and the absolute minimum of text, and those that need very little or no translation.Work is being headed up by Karen Huiett-COL Rotary.

Haiti

-Rankit school is making great progress. January inauguration anticipated. Possible trip opportunity.

-Rotary Partnership for Haiti still active, beginning to plan for future projects.

-Grant update; Haiti Outreach took the initiative to move this piece forward with project considerations, of which there are three:

  • $60,000 commitment requested from Rotary Partnership. Group agrees this is a great way to go. If this all happened, we’d have a 6-1 return on our dollar!
  • Proposed that COL will take the lead on the May grant application.
  • Deep Freeze Dunk taking place in January. We’ll figure out how to be involved.

East Coast Relief Effort

-Committee approved allocating our $2k from our budget to Sandy relief efforts.

-Requested contacts/suggestions for whom to work with. Seeking Rotary Clubs or a Rotary-organized effort. Suggestions for Brooklyn Bridge Club (Wally W.) and John Vandermyde found this link: Districts 7490 (New Jersey), District 7230 (Manhattan, Staten Island, Bronx), & Wall Street club are looking for assistance.

-Wally/Jodi scheduled to chat withBrooklyn Bridge club President on Monday, Nov 12.

-COL proposing a District challenge- can we send $5,950 from our District?

Brazil Planning Begins

-Interest from many in our club in planning a trip to Brazil in 2014. Friendship Exchange also wants to do Brazil, so will be coordinating our efforts. Meeting on November 19.

-Recommended sending a district-wide survey to gage interest in the trip, timing, activities, etc. and creating an overview of all possible relationships we have to start planning.

Venture Capital:

-Committee approved $1,000 from our 2012-13 budget to allocate to Jhoule, Inc., a non-profit our member, Jim Eaton, brought to the committee as a funding opportunity.