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“Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right.  Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity”

Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General

We need your help to tell the members of your club about the Rotary Water Summit to be held in Los Angeles on June 12^th, immediately prior to the RI Convention.

This is one of a number of initiatives of the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Group (WASRAG).  This group was approved by RI in February 2007 and launched on World Water Day, March 22^nd, 2007.

The mandate of this Action Group (www.wasrag.org) is to assist clubs everywhere to implement or support water/sanitation projects.  WASRAG’s members are compassionate and dedicated Rotarians from over 44 countries who are committed to bringing safe water and sanitation to over 1.2 billion people who lack access to safe water and the 2.4 billion who lack access to adequate sanitation.

Some of WASRAG’s achievements to-date include:

† Creation of the website

† Opening the door to multi-million dollar grants from the private sector

† Implementing the Tap Project with UNICEF (www.tapproject.org)

† Helping clubs find partners for their projects

† Providing information on technologies and resources

† Representing Rotarians at international water conventions, conferences, etc.

† Coordinating projects within a country or region

† Creating the DVD documentary Rotary – the Water Story (http://wasrag.org/downloads.php?resources=37 for use by clubs and local media

Everyone attending the Water Summit will learn how to become involved in a successful water/sanitation project and, even more importantly, how to ensure that it is sustainable.

Please go to the WASRAG site: www.wasrag.org.  Under “Event Highlights” click on the link to:  WASRAG Water & Sanitation Conference to access on-line registration.

Yours in Rotary,

Ron Denham, General Coordinator

Water Resource Group

March 10^th, 2008

Rotary Family:

Please note this is the last week to purchase Blazer tickets at a discounted price for the Saturday, March 15, 2008
Trail Blazer game at 7:00pm Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

$ 46 lower level
$ 20 upper level

Contact Nate Brown at 503-963-3971 to expedite ticket delivery.
Nate.brown@trailblazers.com

Gary left for Boliva last week to supply ShelterBoxes to a flooded area.   Here is a note he sent today.

I thought you might be interested.

“I had a busy day yeserday as a govt. emergency director took me to tour  a flood area.  They have camps set up for the people, but they are vey crude, in some cases people are living in the mud.  It breaks your heart to see especially the kids and old people living in those conditions  It was a 4 hr. trip to get to the  community and probably 30 to 40 km to the villages.  Travel was by 4×4 and we got stuck a couple of times, but had plenty of help to push us out.  It is lowlands around the Rio Grande River, which I believe is a source of the Amazon.  It is basically jungle with a narrow dirt road the whole way in. We left at 5:30 and din´t get back until after midnite.  Boxes aren´t in as I thought but expect hem in soon.  I am in Santa Cruz, by the way.  I flew over here on Tuesday commercial.  The embassy didn´t have space available until Weds.  I told you the other day that they were flying helicopters, but I was confused they use C-130s.”