Alexandria Rotary Club

International Village Clinic in India

The power of one person’s dream of making a difference was on display at the May 26 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. District President Larry Zilliox introduced Abul Sharah of the Bloomington Club. A native of India who has lived and worked in Minnesota for many years, Mr. Sharah decided to give something back in gratitude for the advantages he’s enjoyed. He did so by founding the International Village Clinic in Manav Khidmet, India. The facility provides curative and preventative care for 36 villages, and served more than 52,000 patients last year.

Water Project in Dominican Republic

Representatives from the St. Cloud Rotary Club were on hand at the Alexandria club’s May 19 meeting to talk about their recent international service project. The club partnered with the Peace Corps and a host club from the Dominican Republic to construct a fresh water conduit for the small villages of Los Guineos and Las Ya Yas. The $27,000 project was funded in part with a matching grant from Rotary International. Pictured, left to right: Dan Steil, Drew Hultgren, Peace Corps volunteer Kenzie Kraemer and Bob Rueter.

The Rotary Foundation

As part of Rotary Foundation Campaign Month, the Alexandria club’s May 12 meeting was devoted to the importance and impact of the Foundation. Larry Zilliox and Fred Bursch gave an overview of how the Foundation functions, various levels of giving, and how funds are used both for international and local community projects. Guest Bruce Olson showed a schematic of the Maritime Gardens Project, thanking the Rotary for building momentum for the project with the club’s donation of a picnic shelter.

Lasting Imprint

At the May 5 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Kellie Janssen introduced Lindsey Buttweiler. Lindsey is involved with the organization Lasting Imprint, which raises funds to support families who are dealing with the financial and emotional stresses of having a child with a heart defect. She shared the story of her own daughter, Riese, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition in which one half of the heart fails to develop. Riese, age 7, has already undergone six open heart surgeries and will eventually need a heart transplant.