Soundings (4/25/06)

Donations:  Patty Karcher from the GRADs program accepted our check for $800.  As you may remember, GRADS is associated with Bellingham Public School System and Options High School, for at-risk and pregnant teens.  Half the school is set aside for daycare for the children; some of our money will be used for building a playground and also for buying a 4-baby stroller.

Interact:  Dan Wilkerson introduced the Squalicum Interact club, which we support.  They have 20 to 30 members, even with some boys this year finally. Josephine Garcia is the president this year.  Some of the activities that they have participated in this year:  In October they helped with the Barkley Pumpkin patch to raise money for Hospice, in December they supported the Salvation Army bell ringers, in January they helped clean apartments of elderly residents, this April they'll clean up Boulevard Park, and then their biggest project will be Mothers Day baskets (100) for battered women: These baskets will include various pampering toiletries like shampoo, soaps, creams, bath salts - please help them by donating items or cash.  Josephine thanked our club for all our past support!

Bucks in the Bay
Bill - golf trip to Eastern WA this past weekend;
Bob Tull - missed meetings, 2nd grandson born last week, birthday in March;
Mike Kirkland - for lost mustache and upcoming sailing weekend;
Stan - $103 birthday and anniversary;
John Templeton - ToiAnn's birthday last Saturday;
Robin - kayaking weekend in sunshine;
Lyn Templeton - 32nd wedding anniversary;
Terry Beardsley - 53rd birthday, completed their duplex in Mexico;
Jim Wells - 3 weeks in Cannon Beach, OR with extended family.

Sergeant at Arms by Patti Imhof
Patti fined all golfers and especially Eddie, Frank Schmelik, Bob Newell, managers with administrative assistants (Wednesday is Admin Asst. Day), medical professionals (nurses appreciation week is coming up), Pete Rittmueller, Pope wears Serengeti brand sunglasses.

Program
Bob Moles introduced Tony Stone from the Adelante micro-credit organization in Honduras.  Tony and his wife Kim visited us last year.  Tony grew up in Honduras, went to Stanford.  But after Hurricane Mitch struck Honduras in 1998, he and wife decided to move back to Honduras to start Adelante ("forward" in Spanish).  Tony showed us a video about the Adelante micro-credit program.

Honduras is the second poorest nation in Western devastated, devistated by Hurricane Mitch.  There are very few jobs anywhere.  Average wage is $1 per day. Poverty drives men away from homes, breaks up families, and children are hit the hardest.  Malnourishment is everywhere.

Micro-credit targets small loans to women specifically, because:
1) women have better record in repaying loans;
2) women form support groups to support and teach each other;
3) increases the women's self-esteem and confidence;
4) raising the women's standard of living most directly helps the children;
5) this does the most to make long-term changes to the communities.

The average loan is $88, which helps them start a small enterprise or vocation.  Adelante helps them learn small business skills.  The principles of free enterprise are slowly taking hold in smaller communities, which helps to keep the money local.  When a woman starts to see her income rise, typically she uses the money to fix up their house, get medicine for kids, better food and nutrician - all of which helps the kids.  There is an average of 98% repayment among the borrowers.  Adelante has a total of $500K on loan to about 4,000 people. 

Tony thanks our club for our support.

Respectfully Submitted,
Stowe Talbot