Uttarakhand flood relief - Shelters for village Khumera Malla

The Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk swung into action instantly, on hearing of the great damage caused to humans and their property in the Hill State of Uttarakhand.

Monies were sent out immediately to the Rotary District relief fund and to RC of Srinagar, Garhwal.

Later Dr Nishol Pandey of Rotary EClub visited us from New Delhi and made a presentation on the work being carried out by his Club in Uttarakhand and RCCK immediately made  a transfer of unds to fund the erection of shelters for the village Khumera Malla up in the Himalayas.

The shelters are now done and ready to be handed over to the villagers.

Shelter at Village Khumera Malla, Uttarakhand.

Hearing Impaired Screening Camp - MG with RC of Galesburg - ROTI Project

This matching grant project which is partnered with Rotary Club of Galesburg, Illinois, started yesterday with the first screening camp and had a wonderful response.

Many residents of close to 19 villages  surrounding the camp had come and some of them staying as far as 35 kilometers away on the outskirts of North Chennai.  The campaign for calling people to get checked was extremely effective and from these villages whose population is close to about 4000 numbers, we were able to call about 200 of them to visit in a single day.  The effectiveness of the campaigning done by Dr Sandhya Ruban (of Eternity Foundation)  and her team of volunteers was fantastic, enabling it specifically call for patients with hearing abnormalities.

We had team of the following specialists :

DR KAMATCHIPANDIAN – DOCTOR ATTACCHED TO E N T DEPARTMENT K M C

MR PRAVESH – AUDIOLOGIST

MR SANDEEP – AUDIOLOGIST

We were also honoured to have the presence of Mrs Neela Govindaraj ( Speech Therapist and Language Assessor of specially challenged) who had accompanied with Ms Uma (a social service initiator who also works with IBM).  Both Mrs Neela and Ms Uma sat for a long time and helped in coordinating and handling the visiting patients. They interacted and counseled the visitors on a one to one basis, which was really interesting to see them doing their roles in gathering more insights to the various challenges faced by the villagers.

We also witnessed misery at its lowest point  in the case of certain individuals who felt extremely helpless with their lives.  Hence we could sense there was lots to be done in terms of community service to these villages, and there was potential for plenty of them who needed to be living in standard basic amenities.

Finally coming back to hearing impairment and hearing aid cases, we have crossed 100 deserving beneficiaries and individuals cases are being discussed in a couple of days with the Doctors, to analyse and shortlist hearing aids beneficiaries.

Camp to identify Hearing Impaired - 27th Oct 2013

While the RC Chennai Kilpauk has been providing hearing aids to those with hearing impairment the last few years we made a decision to depart from the usual practice of providing hearing aids to those who were identified and needing hearing aids.

This time our Project Chairman - Rtn Divyesh Palicha decided to hold a large one day camp to identify beneficiaries on the following
1. Many, do not accept that they have a hearing problem and continue to live as they do without seeking help, the elderly believe that it is because of age and the youngsters are shy and do not come forward.
2. If we do not conduct a camp to identify such people they may never seek help and will continue to live in such conditions for a longer time.

Divyesh was informed that if he conducts a camp only for the hearing impaired the response would be poor as people would come and spread the word that the camp was only for the hearing impaired and many would stay away from the camp and not be screeened. Divyesh and his team have planned to also have a GP who will first screen the attendees provide them with medication if any for any ailment they may or believe that they have and then send them through for the audiometry tests.

More than 10 Rotarians and over 20 volunteers participated in this camp. Divyesh has been planning and preparing for this camp the last 3 weeks.

Uttarakhand Relief

Rtn. Dr. Nischal Pandey of E Club of Rotary District 3170 was the speaker at our regular meeting on 6th September 2013. He made a presentation on the relief work his club is carrying out in Uttarakhand. His pictures showed the extent of damage to assets in the disaster areas and the sufferings of the people. The RC Chennai KIlpauk is happy to be associated with his Club's project of adopting a village in Uttarakhand.

The RC Chennai Kilpauk had already sent out Rs 100,000 to two Rotary clubs in Uttarakhand in June 2013. A sum of Rs 345,000/- will be sent to Dr Nischol's Club for further relief. We hope to be associated with the E Club of District 3170 in the long term.

The meeting was well attended by Presidents and Secretaries of Rotary Clubs in the city and the District Chairman for Community Services was also present.

Dr Nischol at a relief camp in Uttarakhand with other Drs, he is in the far right.

Helping Hands - Guild of Service

We distributed 10 Tricycles and 10 Wheelchairs this morning. This project was made possible through a Matching Grant with the Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield with the active support of Rtn. Chip Ross of RC Strathcona Sunrise.

It is hoped that we will work closely with the guild to help the disabled.

The Chief Guest was Dr Nischal Pandey from E Club in New Delhi. He is here in chennai to make a presentation at the club meeting this evening on the work his club is doing in Uttarakhand. 

Helping Hands Project - 30 Tricycles distributed

We distributed 30 tri-cycles yesterday ( 18th Aug 2013) to deserving beneficiaries in Paanjalai village near Gummidipoondi between 9.45 AM and 10.30 AM

Hearing aid for the poor

Rohinth a beneficiary of our project for the Hearing Impaired.

This is Rohint a boy who was hearing impaired. Thanks to our project for the Hearing Impaired, he can now hear with the help of a hearing aid. He is currently undergoing speech therapy to help improve his speech. It is hoped that he will in a short while be able to join a school and be able to lead a normal life.

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Relief to those affected by Uttarakhand Floods

The members of the RC Chennai Kilpauk, reacted without delay to the situation at Uttarakhand and sent out monies to the Rotary Clubs and the District in that area. We understand that people in the hills are still suffering and they need more, we are getting ready to transfer more monies to them.

Speaker, Director IIT Madras.

More benefit form our programme for the Hearing Impaired

On the morning of 28th June 2013 a group of adults and children
assembled at Eljay Agencies in Puraswakkam to receive their hearing aids.

They had undergone audiometry tests sometime ago and a hearing aid
suitable for each of them had bee chosen, they had come this morning to
collect their hearing aids.

This is a picture of Anitha who collected her hearing aid and who was
able to hear sounds for the first time in her life.

Pres. Nirmal Nahar handed over a few hearing aids and so did Rtn.
Divyeash Palicha who is the Chairman for this project.

We hope that in the coming months the Cub will be able to reach out to
many more who are in need.

Disaster Relief at Uttarakhand, North India, Himalayan Tsunami

On hearing of the enormous damages to human life and property from news reports we got in touch with Rotarians in the area that was affected and found that they were doing a great job in organising and running relief camps for the benefit of those affected by the floods.

The Board of RCCK immediately authorised a payment of Rs 100,000 towards relief and the payment was made to RC of Srinagar, Garhwal and to the Rotary District 3100 Disaster Relief fund.

The Club has already received commitments of a few more lakhs and will be remitting these funds shortly.

Below is an are extracts of the email received from DGE Rakesh Singhal. RI Dist. 3100

Dear Rtn. Hariratan,

I am very thankful for your sympathetic insight to the feelings of those afflicted by this misfortune

We never knew nature could be so inconsiderate as what we are experiencing in Uttarakhand. The weird flood, land-slides have made the life of innumerable persons as hell and nature’s fury is still continuing in the form deceases, shortage of eatables - medicines, lack of accommodation and other scarcities. People are bound to live in hell like conditions and are suffering due to lack of essentials. Instead of local habitants who have either lost their dear ones or their homes or shops, but a large number of people who had gone to pilgrimage are stranded in mid way due to washed away of roads at plenty of places making their journey ahead impossible. Neither they can come back nor go ahead and are being air lifted.

Srinagar which comes in our District 3100 is also hit by this fury. But our District is doing best what it can do in such a condition. Our clubs have established relief camps not even in Srinagar but in Rudraprayag and other effected places also. Quite a large number of peoples are there in relief camps and are being offered meals, medicines, bedding and other facilities. Many families are staying there and waiting for their dear ones to join them. Our district is offering its best what it can do to the afflicted persons at various places. They will be needing our help for long time to come as the locals living there have lost their everything and have nothing to support their life. We need every kind of help viz. clothes, utensils, shelter kits, lamps, grains, cooker, stove and I am very thankful for your concern towards these afflicted persons. The bank account number is mentioned below. You can contact me any time on phone or mail about any query or feed-back. 

With warm regards,

RAKESH SINGHAL

DG 2013-14

RCCK Team 2013-14

Installation 22nd June 2013

Email from President Elect Sudhir Thakker on his being installed as President of RC Chennai Kilpauk on 22nd June 2013

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Dear Friends,

I am just trying to recover from  the effect of yesterday's installation. I have received  several  phone calls and several emails .

RCCK Flag flys high in Dist 3230  
The Installation was attended by almost 140 people.
More than 70% of the Incoming President's of the District , several district Officials attended the function though quite a few of them did not stay back for dinner.   Several invitee's were prospective members and a few of my good friends and well wishers. 

It was great to see the participation of the Ann's and Annette's of the club.
The arrangements were immaculate.
The atmosphere pleasing and soothing.

The effect of the installation function on the Visitors was mesmerising.
Several co-presidents while congratulating me , mentioned thay had not seen nothing like this before . 
To top it , one co -president  while congratulating me just stood there with a loss of words  for few moments .So I enquired what it was ..   He blurted out he just did not have words to express what he just experienced . Truly awesome.
Another Co- President  mentioned that with the Invocation dance the expectations were raised . and what followed just raised the bar . Each participant just went on to keep the audience glued to their seats and waiting for the next big thing to happen...  
The DGE A P Kanna went on to mention that the Installation was a huge learning experience for him . It was  well executed , precise, informative, attention grabing,   and  heart warming .

A great beginning for year 13-14 .
This was made possible by the participation of each and every member of RCCK, the Ann's and the Annette's
To single out anyone for the success of yesterday's function would be unfair because so many people put in tireless efforts.  We sat down to conceive the theme and concept for the function  one month ago and this built up gradually till the D" day.
However, I would like to mention the efforts and inputs from our members  --
Mita - Venkat and son Rohan  , Sanjay ,  Mahim and Rakhee, Jose, Mani , Vasanti,  Siva and Lata , Nirmal -Vidya and daughters, Bipin, Bhavna and daughter Hashi,   Varda, Sreevats, Ravindran , Hari  and Karthik for  guidance throughout the event.
The year ahead promises to be a memorable year....
      
warm regards
Sudhir

Vocational Awards and a great speaker meeting 

Mr Thulasi of MUKTI receiving his award

Dr Ram having everyone enthralled by his speech

Mr Aravind of Banquets, Taj Connemara receiving his award

Mr. Krishnamurthy of Valet Services, Taj Connemara receiving his award

March 15th, Dr Ram, Intensivist was at his extensive best and had everyone's intense attention during his talk at the speaker meeting. His talk brought about a new dimension to what we all face in the harrowing times at the ICU in a hospital. The doctors talk was preceded by giving awards for Vocational excellence in the services the recipients perform on a day to day basis. Mr.  Thulasi from MUKTI, Mr. Aravind from Banquets, Taj Connemara and Mr. Krishnamurthy, Valet Services, Taj Connemara were recognized and given a small award for their excellent contribution in their roles. The turnout for the meeting was excellent and saw almost a full house. 

Distribution of Wheel Chairs at Arambakkam through the MG - Edmonton Mayfield and RCCK

Happy at being mobile  Twenty Wheelchairs were distributed on the 30th December at the Arambakkam village,Gumnipundi,This was with the Matching Grant from  Edmonton Mayfield and RCCK.  Around 14 beneficiaries were there in spite of the bad weather.The balance of 6 wheelchairs would be given away in a weeks time.President Nirmal Nahar, Rtn Ravikrishnan,Rtn Vasanthi attended this function at Arambakkam.

Some of the recipients with the President and Rotrarians