Guests: Mike Langer, Canton Fuel Bank; Alan Rosenberg, Avon Social Services
Happy Dollars: $20
Raffle Winner: Josh Gillooly
Birthdays None this week.
Happy Dollars
Peter Vignati was happy that the UCONN men's basketball is ranked #1. He had been to the game the preceding Wednesda, which was great, especially with $2 Miller Lite Beer.
Phil Ferrari is happy that the Superbowl Party is coming up, which is part of our new desire to have social activities. He and Beth are hosting the party, and he has a sign-up for what people are bringing.
Arnie Goldman was so happy that he gave $2 in honor of his recently being named veterinarian of the local Fidelco group, which raises dogs to be service dogs for the blind.
Announcements
Sue Budde, on behalf of the Board, is forming a Social Committee, to arrange events to help club members have time and occasions to get to enjoy one another. These occasions would presumably occur quarterly, and she is hoping to find 3-4 members who want to help with the planning. Contact her if you are interested.
Calendar
February 11 - Super Bowl Party at the home of Phil and Beth Ferrari(Check with Phil about what to bring)
April 20 - Tastes of the Valley at Farmington Gardens. Colleen Grasso has details and will need help.
Induction of New Members
None this week.
Awards
None this week.
Community and International Service Grants
As part of the club's ongoing concern for meeting the needs of our neighbors in the Farmington Valley, the Community Service Committee awarded $1,000 each to Canton's fuel bank and Avon's department of social services. Mike Langer received the check on behalf of Canton, and Alan Rosenberg accepted on behalf of Avon. Dick Kisiel, chair of the committee, and President Luke made the presentation.
Presentation
New Thing - Aid to Belarus
Doug Brendel
President Luke introduced the speaker, Doug Brendel, a member of the Ipswich-Rowley Rotary Club in Massachusetts. Doug is a speaker, writer, and actor, but his heart beats for humanitarian work. For more than 20 years, he and his wife have led NewThing.net, the largest continuous humanitarian-aid distribution operation in Belarus. Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, with the people of Belarus caught in the middle between Russia and Ukraine, the dynamics of Doug’s work have zigzagged dramatically — and the opportunity for Americans to help people in need has shifted in surprising ways.
The summary of Doug's presentation is presented by AI, thanks to Michael Mezeritskiy:
Doug introduced New Things, the largest humanitarian aid organization in Belarus, which has provided food, medical supplies, and other assistance to orphans, hospitals, and disabled children for over 20 years.
(Scribe's notes:
Why Belarus? Chernobyl, site of a nuclear disaster in the 1980's is on border with Belarus. 80% of nuclear dust landed in Belarus. US sent in lots of aid. Doug's wife went as photographer and kept going back. She fell in love with people. She went for 8 years without him. She had made friends. People wanted to meet the husband. New Thing is the American group that raises money. Response of the Heart is in Belarus and distributes the money to avoid government takeover. They do the work; we raise the money. Have to worry about getting tons of aid in legally and distributed correctly. Every penny raised goes to Belarus.)
Doug described several of New Things' projects, including providing life starter kits for aging orphans and building an after-school center for at-risk children, highlighting individual success stories of beneficiaries.
Doug recounted meeting a girl named Alina at an abusive children's shelter and finding her when they returned twice more, emphasizing how New Things' renovations transformed the facility into a nurturing home and laid the foundation for Alina to become a successful young mother.
Doug explained how donations are channeled through New Things to its Belarusian partner to legally supply humanitarian aid despite government restrictions, with volunteers ensuring funds go directly to in-country work.
Doug thanked Rotary clubs for doubling New Things' following by promoting its photo reports, and invited members to sign up for updates on projects empowering people in Belarus.
While the government of Belarus is suspect and no doubt corrupt, the people of Belarus are in great need of help. Despite the fact that Rotary clubs in Belarus were banned, Rotary clubs in the U.S. have found a way to help. That is the genius of Rotary being truly International.
Special Announcements
None this week.
Mail Bag
None this week.
Photo Credits
Photos by editor
Technology Credits
Zoom platform management expertise by Mike Mezheritskiy.
Editor's Notes
Submission Deadline: Members are kindly encouraged to submit all materials for each week's Early Riser as early as possible. Please note that some editions may be published and distributed as early as the Saturday following our meetings, and during those weeks further contributions to the Early Riser will be included in the subsequent week's edition.
“The FOUR-WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do”:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all Concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
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