Rotary unites community leaders to share ideas and take action to make our community and our world a better place.

Local Rotary Club News
Employing for Ability, Not Disability
Across Alberta, 80% of people with developmental disabilities are unemployed or underemployed.  Inclusion Alberta and Rotary District 5370 have formed the Rotary Employment Partnership to improve this statistic, and if you're an employer or you can talk to your employer about this fact, you can help!
 
Hiring a person with a developmental disability can make a positive difference to your bottom line and your corporate culture.  On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, please join me for a one hour "Lunch and Learn" session on Zoom to find out more.  To see more of the possibilities and success stories, check out the Employment Partnership's January E-Blast here.
Rio Muchacho Water Project Update
Rio Muchacho Water Project Update
Last year, The Rotary Foundation approved a global grant for construction of a potable water system in the Rio Muchacho valley near Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador.  Our club is an international partner on this project, the second time we've worked with the club in Bahia to bring clean drinking water to a community.  Last week, we received an update from Bill Stumbaugh, the project lead in Ecuador.  Please see his message below and a link to some pictures are videos of the water diversion phase of the project taking shape.
 
Dear Rotarians,
 
I´m writing to provide an update to our sponsors about the progress of this Global Grant project, #2119179.
    
Last month, we began the project construction by successfully drilling a test water well bore 30 meters deep that produced an abundance of water.  However, the water stinks horribly and has a milky color.  Maybe sulfur or some other element...we don't know and opted to not bother to test it.
So, we changed to option B which is to capture the surface water near the point of the river's origin, upstream from 99% of the population.   The work to create the capture point is now in progress.   Some photos are attached.
 
A pipeline is being laid from the capture point following the river shoreline downstream to the place where the test well was drilled.  From there it will be pumped up to the ridge on the side of the valley where water tanks will be placed to store water as well as create the lift for gravity flow downstream to the distribution network and the homes.
 
The rainy season has begun.  It will likely mean that at some point, we´ll have to slow down system construction as the dirt roads and river crossings will become difficult and hazardous.  Also, the Omnicron is now here, and more restrictions are back in place.  Schools closed again, restaurants are high capacity, etc.  Hope you are all well.  Any questions you may have will be welcomed.
 
Bill
 
William F. Stumbaugh, Ph.D.
Past President
Rotary Club of Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador
Rotary Foundation Technical Cadre: Basic Education and Literacy
RPCV, Dominican Republic 1968-70
 
Changing Lives, Changing Communities
On November 4th, 2021, Inclusion Alberta is hosting its annual "Changing Lives, Changing Communities" fundraising breakfast.  The event is virtual this year, and it's an excellent opportunity to learn about the work that Inclusion Alberta does.  Our Rotary district is part of the Rotary Employment Partnership with Inclusion Alberta to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment.  Please consider attending this event, and because it is a fundraiser, please consider inviting philanthropists you may know who may be interested in this subject.  If you plan to attend, you may RSVP to the email noted below or to brad.mastaler@gmail.com.  Click here to download a PDF copy of the invitation that you can forward to others.
 
Invitation Page 1
PRESS RELEASE
GROVE ROTARY RIBFEST GETS COOKING IN CENTRAL PARK
 
The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove is putting on a three-day BBQ rib festival in Spruce Grove's Central Park from August 13-15.  The event will feature rib trucks from Gator BBQ, Prairie Smoke and Spice BBQ, and House of Q, plus local food trucks.  There will be talent presentations, live bands Friday night (Brasstactics and Achilles Last Stand) and Saturday night (FlatBroke and My Dog Sam), a show and shine on Saturday, and beer gardens.

This year's title sponsor is RavenWolf Brewing Co. who will be serving a specially branded commemorative beer to signify the kickoff of what the club hopes will become Spruce Grove's premiere community celebration every summer.  The Rotary Club had originally conceived of bringing the event to Spruce Grove in 2020, but the pandemic prevented the plans from going forward.  Plans this year were tentative until the province announced an easing of restrictions for the summer and the club felt comfortable that vaccinations were going in the right direction to help keep attendees safe.  Organizers feel that they can help bring Spruce Grove back together and reinstate vibrancy in the community with this first-of-its-kind event in the region.
 
Admission is free, and organizers hope to see over 10,000 people take part in the festivities over the three days.  The event opens at 3 PM on Friday and 10 AM Saturday and Sunday.  The activities end at 10 PM Friday and Saturday, and 9 PM on Sunday.  The Spruce Grove Skate Park Society is holding BMX, skateboard, and scooter competitions in conjunction with the event on all three days.  The Spruce Grove Public Library is hosting their 60th anniversary celebrations just next door, including a vendor market, indigenous cultural presentations, and a splash bucket challenge where contestants can try to get local politicians and well-known personalities wet with a pinpoint softball throw.  All three events running next to each other at the same time should mean there's something for everyone throughout the weekend.
 
General parking is available at Brookwood, Woodhaven, and Broxton Park Schools.  Some accessible parking will be available on the event site as well as a passenger drop-off and pick-up zone.  While there will be seating for hundreds on site, attendees are also encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets to enjoy the weekend's entertainment on Central Park's grassy areas near the Lion's Log Cabin.  Having the event in Central Park makes it very accessible for anyone who's out and about on foot, on their bikes, or in their cars.  VIP day passes are available for those who want an upgraded experience, including tent-covered lounge seating, on-site parking, a premium private bar, and upgraded washrooms.

Money raised from the event will support the Rotary Club of Spruce Grove's community service programs and partners.  The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove has served the community by constructing amenities, supporting social enterprises, and developing youth through leadership and international student exchange programs in Spruce Grove for almost 30 years
 
ENDS
 
For more information, see www.groverotaryribfest.com or email info@groverotaryribfest.com.
Rio Muchacho Water Project
Our club is becoming a partner in another water project in Ecuador!  Following the completion of a municipal water system in the rural community of Santa Teresa, Manabi, Ecuador in 2020, the Rotary Club of Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador approached us again about their next project in the Rio Muchacho valley.  Similar in intent, the project would provide, for the first time, reliable potable water to the homes and schools in the valley by creating a well, a treatment system, a distribution system, meters, and a local water board to govern and operate the system as a utility.  The project would be funded by several Rotary partners and utilize a grant from The Rotary Foundation for expenses.  We are hoping to raise $2,000 from the Spruce Grove community, which we can multiply several times over to become a major contributor to the US$90,000+ project.
 
The Service Projects committee approved up to $2,000 of matching funding under the Projects of Passion plan.  That means if we can meet our $2,000 fundraising goal before the end of May, we will end up contributing $4,000 cash to the project.  We are in the process of gaining approval from Rotary District 5370 to match that with $4,000 of funding.  Following that, we expect to receive a successful match of an additional $6,000 from The Rotary Foundation's world fund.  That would be a total of $14,000 from $2,000 raised from the community!  We should all be so lucky to get a 7:1 match on investments in a matter of a few weeks.  Really, though, the worth of the investment is priceless: the health, wellbeing, and community of the Ecuadorian people in the Bahia de Caraquez region, one with which Spruce Grove has had a connection for over 15 years.
 
If you're interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the project, please contact Brad Mastaler at 780-965-0258 or brad.mastaler@gmail.com or Neil Hollands at 780-690-8002 or nlholl@shaw.ca.  If you know someone in the community who might be interested as well, please pass on this message and our contact info.
 
Thanks,
 
Brad and Neil