Sunnyvale Rotary

The food of the Month for May is Rice and Beans. Please remember to bring your donations to this week's meeting. We will also circulate an envelope for those of you that prefer to make a monetary contribution.  Thanks to all of you for your kind generosity!

At the International Services Committee meeting held on April 9, 2013, approval was given to purchase solar powered lanterns for the school in Haiti to which we gave scholarships. We are sending 130 lights and will be asking the parents to pay some nominal charge for the lights. The charge is to remind the families of the value of holding onto the lantern and not selling it at some point.

Currently, students at the school do not have access to electricity consistently or ever (known as being off the grid). For the most part their families either use candles or kerosene lamps to light the inside of their homes. The light given off is minimal and the kerosene burning indoors is a major health risk. The kerosene can cost around 25% of a family's already meager yearly income. With the lanterns, their homes will have light for about 4 hours. Since they are solar powered, there is no cost to recharge the batteries. The developer of the lights claims there is no need to ever change the battery.

Remember, you are always welcome to come to the committee meetings or chat with me or other committee members with any ideas about projects. Yes, that includes critiquing projects and direction the committee is taking.

Team 2, Jonie Wong (Cupertino), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Wilson), Carissa Shattke (Prospect), Zach Hewlin (Saratoga), Kate Payton (West Valley Middle College), Danny Delgado (Santa Clara), and Archit Dua (Monta Vista).  And of course our own Liz Lopez-Aguado and Shane Jacksteit.

Thanks to our club's literacy committee for a great year.   We presented a total of 445 books to the students at Bishop School. The total cost to the club was $3,597.00.    Each book was personally handed to the students by one of our club members.  We read the books to the kids when we give them out.  The grade levels were Kindergarden, First, Second and Third.  The students were thrilled with the gift of a book from our club.  Thank you to our literacy committee for volunteering your time for this worthwhile project.

This week students across California and America are returning from holiday back to school. As our schools reopen, let our hearts and thoughts be with the families and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary School and with the residents of Newtown, Connecticut. The recent senseless and horrific event and loss of life have put parents and educators on edge and have once again raised concern about the safety of our children in our schools. Like Columbine this event will and should ignite an important dialogue across California and America about preventing violence in our schools, neighborhoods and communities.

I want to reassure you that Sunnyvale School District places providing a safe and orderly environment for our students among our highest priorities. But our schools are not fortresses against evil. So what can we as Rotarians do? I believe we need to stay engaged with our schools and community. I say we continue to support our school children and schools not only through our taxes but also through volunteering our time and services.

Let’s continue our support of youth literacy by our book donation program to elementary students and school libraries…and let’s continue to serve as Reading Partners; to provide scholarships to deserving students; to provide opportunities among students to develop public speaking skills; and, volunteer to support our students in other meaningful ways as our club has done for many years. How do we help make our schools better, safer and more effective? By being engaged Rotarians and getting other engaged as well.

Dr. Benjamin Picard
Superintendent of Schools
Sunnyvale School District

Sunnyvale Rotary, Sunnyvale Rotary Community Corps, and Reading Partners are coming together in an exclusive book-drive event in the City of Sunnyvale. In partnering with Reading Partners, here is a list of recommended books that we are looking for. Either new or gently used is okay. Books not on this list are ok as well, but these are intended as ideas.

(Click "More" for the suggested book list)

Key to Literacy EN from Rotary International on Vimeo.

Our member, Tim O'Connor set up and ran the a program for young low-income campers at the YMCA this summer. He told a reporter from the Sunnyvale Sun, "There are pockets of need throughout the area, but north Sunnyvale is a community of particularly high need."

To address those needs, the Northwest YMCA, where Tim is associate executive director, leveraged relations with community partners to run and fund the camp.
The young participants get to bond with each other, their counselors and their families over fun activities that teach about science, animals and even magic.
The first part of camp lasts two full weeks in June and includes breakfast, lunch and two healthy snacks for $15 a week. For the remaining four weeks in July, breakfast and brunch are provided at summer school, plus a healthy snack after summer school for $10 a week.

Sunnyvale Rotarian, Dr. Ben Picard, Superintendent of Schools for the Sunnyvale School District, made space available for lunches and camp activities at Bishop School, a location more convenient to north Sunnyvale neighborhoods than the YMCA's Cupertino location. Tim explains that the Hispanic population in North Sunnyvale is as much as 70 percent of the population of that area. 

Sunnyvale Rotary joined other community partners in supporting the program by donating $2,500 toward extending the lunch program for young person who came to Bishop School at lunch time. The Sunnyvale Rotary reached out to other service clubs like the Elk and the Moose to raise awareness of the need.

In addition to supporting the YMCA Summer Camp, Sunnyvale Rotarians also participate in programs to increase literacy and English proficiency and improve the chances for success of the youngest residents of North Sunnyvale. We also do what we can to provide for basic needs of these most vulnerable members of our communities. Watch this space for more of Tim's activities, like the upcoming annual coat drive and a new Rotary Community Corp organizing now. 

To read more about summer camp, check out the article in the Sunnyvale Sun.