Sunday, March 06, 2005

Tsunami relief and the Rotary Club of Medford Rogue

The Club has been working overtime to reach out to the Tsunami affected, while the focus has shifted from providing emeregncy relief and food to rehabilitating the fisherfolk. The Club has decided to purchase catamarans and nets for fishermen in a village called Puthukuppam and help them get back on their feet.

This village was visited byTim Johnson of the Medford Rogue Rotary Club and Peggy Carswell fo the RC fo strathcona Sunrise.

While reports have reached us that many of the fishermen are not using the boats given to them in protest of rehabilitation measures not reaching the fishermen in equal measure we have asked the village for assurance that if the boats are given to them they would be used.

Quotations of rthe catamarans and the nets have bene received and orders for the same would be placed very soon. Meanwhile we have received news from Tim Johnson that the Board of Directors of his club have approved to send us USD 20,000 immediately for buying boats, he also hoped that moe will come soon as a result of his Tele broadcast in which he has explained what we have done and hot eh boats can be bought. He has set a target of 500 boats in 50 days and this will be accomplished if he is able to motivate people to send us $730 each.

The next few months are going to be very busy ones when we undertake the rehabilitation work.

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