TYPHOON FRANK RELIEF OPERATIONS: An Extraordinary Display of "Service Above Self"

The recent super typhoon Frank caught the island of Panay off guard and has claimed hundreds of lives, left thousands homeless, and has placed most areas in severe disaster. While the country’s official weather bureau is reporting that the typhoon’s course will not hit land, strong wind and almost 24 hours of rainfall, flood and mud wrecked havoc to the provinces of Capiz, Iloilo and Aklan, with the latter two receiving the worst blow.

In Capiz, about 90% of houses in the coastal areas were destroyed, several municipalities were flooded including some barangays in the outskirts of the city. Electric power was gone for about 2 days in the city proper due to several fallen trees and electric posts.

The day after the typhoon, text messages were circulated by incoming service projects director Leah del Rosario and incoming secretary Raoul Bermejo coordinating on a possible relief operations and just before sunset, we found ourselves braving the knee-deep flood to barangay Punta Cogon, barangay Dumolog and Cogon bringing with us rice, noodles, sardines and bread. The next day, some 10 Rotarians went to distribute goods to barangay Barra and Libas, despite the hardly passable roads due to several fallen trees and light posts along the way.

Treasurer and incoming sec Raoul was a bit worried about our club’s finances at launching relief operations, but the Rotarians persisted by chipping in money just to give aid to those in need. On the first day of operations, we had a total of 16000 pesos cash including pledges and in a matter of two days, donations swelled to reach around 100,000 pesos excluding donations in kind.

The Rotary Club of Roxas also went to the island barangay of Olotayan where the destruction in terms of infrastructures were at its worst. Along with GMA Kapuso, and the Capiz Medical Society, we were able to distribute three bags of goods per family.

President Rod Solidum of RC Metro-Kalibo got in touch with the club asking for support since Aklan was heavily affected. We sent an initial help of 10 5-gallon drinking water, and in two days, a group of Rotarians, on board a firetruck, went to bring a truckload of potable drinking water to Numancia, the town of President Megs of RC Kalibo, and to Kalibo through President Rod Solidum. Last Monday, another group of Rotarians from RC Roxas brought another firetruck-load of drinking water and 300 bags of food stuff which were distributed through the local Rotary clubs in the area. It was a painful sight to see people from all walks of life getting in line to avail of free goods of what should have been their basic necessity – water and food.

“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage”, as the old adage goes. Typhoon Frank definitely has shown the extraordinary character of the members of the Rotary Club of Roxas… of selfless service and social responsibility.

45TH INDUCTION AND TURN-OVER CEREMONIES OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF ROXAS TONIGHT

The Rotary Club of Roxas will be holding its 45^th Induction of Officers and Turn-Over Ceremonies tonight at the Hall of Governors with former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan as Guest of Honor.

Past District Governor Phil Abello will be the nights inducting officer. Other Rotarian VIPs coming are District Governor-Elect Edgar Sy, District Secretary Bill de la Fuente, Past President Louie Gonzaga, and the Presidents and incoming presidents of neighboring clubs.

Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan will talk on Strategies of Reducing Infant and Under Five Mortalities in a luncheon sectional seminar with the same title. This will be held at the Provincial Health Office-Capiz Conference Room in Arnaldo Boulevard. This will be on of the first of a series of workshops that is being planned by the club to help guide the new team of officers and directors of possible projects directed towards this thrust.

President Dong Kurn Lee the new Rotary International President has committed himself to projects geared towards reduction of Child Mortality, and he is urging all Rotary Clubs to work along this line.

IP Pip Meets With RC Waxahachie Texas and Warner Center Rotary, Los Angeles

IP Pip Acepcion was in the United States for almost the past 3 weeks for a convention but skipped the Rotary International Convention by just a few days. Instead, he met with individual Rotary Clubs along his way home!

Last June 29, IP Pip had a chance to meet with the Rotary Club of Waxahachie, Texas where he was welcomed by IP Edwin Farrar and some forty club members. It was the clubs regular lunch meeting at the Waxahachie Civic Center. IP Pip had a taste of authentic Mexican Food and was given a 5 minute chance to talk about the Rotary Club of Roxas and its activities. He was presented with the club's banner to bring home.

On June 3, IP Pip had a breakfast meeting with the Warner Center Rotary Club in Los Angeles California. It was a fairly young club, chartered 8 years ago, with a couple of younger members as well. Talking of a few incidental similarities, the Warner Center Rotary Club is also a recipient of 5 district awards during their district conference, foremost are their International service awards wherein they have partnered with several Rotary Clubs in the third world. IP Pip was welcomed by President Tina Wilinski and about 10 members including IP Andy Keowen. IP Pip again talked about RC Roxas and the audience were quite impressed with the present projects and future plans. They voiced out intentions to be closely working with RC Roxas for any partnerships, ie. matching grants. IP Pip was presented with a bag of roast coffee which was labeled Warner Center Rotary Blend. This is one of their fundraising projects that has raised funds for all their international undertakings. It costs $9 per pound.

Details of IP Pip's trip will be related to us personally when he gets back on June 10.

“I am happy for RC Roxas. She’s like the phoenix rising from the ashes! Really go go… recruit more young ones!”, says Incoming District Governor Emma

Incoming District Governor Emma Nava expressed elation after she received the report form on membership goals and Rotary Foundation fund development goal from RC Roxas.

Incoming President Pip Acepcion promised to come up with a net of 9 new members at the end of Rotary Year 2008-2009 and a contribution of at least $1000 to Rotary Foundation.

During the first club assembly, the membership has agreed to target a maximum of 40 quality members by the end of the next Rotary year which meant recruiting 7 new members and 2 more to replace Rotarians Erin and Anna who will be leaving the country at the end of this month.

RC Roxas Led By Rotarian Leah del Rosario Visits the Summer Interns At Their Workplaces

Incoming Service Projects Director Dr. Leah del Rosario, together with IP Pip, Rotarians Cheche, Jerry, and Anna, visited the Summer Interns today at their respective workplaces.

The interns are now on their first week of immersion and they seem to be very happy with their individual experiences.

1st Summer Internship Starts

Ten volunteer High School students joined RC Roxas’ first summer internship program last May 30, 2008. This activity is envisioned to give the graduating high school students a “peek” into their career paths by experiencing first-hand how it is to be working in the jobs of their choice.

Most of the volunteer students wanted to take up nursing courses, thus they were accommodated by Rotarian Dr. Mariz Gepilano at the City Health Office and by Incoming President Pip Acepcion at the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital. Other Rotarians who brought interns into their respective workplaces were Rotarian Chad del Rosario, Rotarian Rey Fuentes, PP Mark Ortiz, and Rotarian Dr. Stephen Casios.

Rotarian Jerry Lames provided the last minute orientation at the Rotary Center a few minutes before the start of the immersion. He also gave out identification cards for the interns to wear throughout the 10-day Program.

Today, several Rotarians are scheduled to go around their choice workplaces to check on how the interns are. The interns are also expected to be at the Rotary

meeting tonight to give feedback on how the program could still be improved and if there were loopholes along the way.

The Summer Internship Program is expected to end on May 13, 2008 in a simple ceremonies at PP Mark Ortiz’ SandBar in Baybay.

This year’s summer internship program is facilitated by Rtn Leah del Rosario.

Rotarian Jerry Lames Lectures To Members of the Business Chamber On Retirement Options In The City

Incoming Sergeant-at-arms Jerry Lames, himself a US retiree who used to work at Silicon Valley, lectured to members of the Business Sector of this city on the various retirement options. He related how he came to live in Capiz, and how the city captured his heart.

He was very emphatic when he tried to convince the business sector that Roxas City has a very good potential to be one of the retirement haven for foreigners. He enumerated 9 different reasons why Roxas City is a very ideal retirement place which includes having clean, potable water, friendly environment, and excellent health service institutions.

At the start of his lecture, he proudly introduced himself as a ROTARIAN and that he has noble intentions for the city. Rotarian Jerry Lames has in fact done a lot for the city already even surpassing what any Capizeno has done.