Applications Being Accepted for GSE Team Leader to Nepal

DGE Prasad Menon and the District 7890 GSE Committee are pleased to announce that we are currently looking for Rotarians who would like to apply for the position of Group Study Exchange Team Leader to Nepal (District 3292). The exchange will take place early next spring (3/12-4/10 in 2011).

The exchange with Nepal will be very rigorous: the terrain, the altitude, the living conditions in Nepal should be considered when discussing the trip with potential Team Leaders.

GSE is a program funded by The Rotary Foundation. It pairs teams from districts around the world for a vocational/cultural visit of four weeks. Teams are comprised of a Rotarian Team Leader and four non-Rotarian Team Members. All travel expenses are paid, and the team will stay with families in the Host District.

Your club may have participated in GSE activities in the past, so you know how much fun this program is for a Host District.

The position of Team Leader is very important. The qualities that we are seeking include a good knowledge of Rotary and our District. The Team Leader must also be able to work well with a group of young people to create a team that can live and work together and be a good representation of the diversity within District 7890.

Applications for this important position will be taken until August 1st. The GSE Committee will meet with each candidate no later than the week of August 9th. The Team Leader Application is available from club presidents and presidents-elect.

Applications should be submitted to:

Alma Kruh

44-217 Avonwood Road

Avon, CT 06001

Applications may also be faxed to 860-398-5136, but the originals must be mailed to the address above.

ShelterBox Responds to Storm in Central America (Guatemala)

International disaster relief charity ShelterBox is responding to a devastating tropical storm, which has ravaged large parts of Central America and forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes.

Tropical Storm Agatha struck Guatemala on Monday dumping more than 3 feet of rain in the mountainous west of the country and in neighboring El Salvador.

The torrential downpours have killed nearly 150 people and left more than 94,000 homeless as the storm buried homes under mud.

ShelterBox is deploying a US and Canadian-based ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) to Guatemala to assess the need for emergency shelter.

“Nearly 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes so the need for emergency shelter is clear. Last week’s eruption from the Pacaya volcano is likely to have worsened the effects of the flooding and we are looking to see how we can help those in greatest need,” said operations manager, John Leach.

Last November ShelterBox responded to Hurricane Ida which caused flooding and mudslides that killed at least 150 people as it moved through the region.

Central America is vulnerable to heavy rains due to its mountainous terrain, while poor communications in rural areas complicate rescue efforts.

Individual tax-deductible donations to ShelterBox USA can be made at www.shelterboxusa.org or via text message by sending SHELTER to 20222 for a one-time $10 donation. For information on or to make a contribution by phone, please call 941-907-6036.