Festival City Rotary Newsletter Jan 17, 2012
The Rotary Club Of
President: David Moore
Minutes of the meeting of Jan 17, 2012
Club email: festivalcityrotary@gmail.com
Club web blog: www.festivalcityrotary.blogspot.com
ClubRunner site: www.festivalcityrotary.ca
Guests: Marjorie Schoemaker is a guest of Jane Eligh-Feryn. Phanuwat Kongwattananon (Nu) is our Rotary Exchange Student. Dr Gezahgn Wordofa is a Goodwill Ambassador for Peace. Also in attendance were Ann Brailsford-Child and Changho Lee
Draw Prize: Peter Moreton was the winner of a prize donated by Etienne Leushuis.
Announcements:
- Dinner of the Month Draw: Ed and Elaine Anderson were the winners of a dinner for four at Pazzo
- Medical Mission Donations: Jean Aitcheson is looking for toothbrushes, expired calendars with pictures and also empty foam soap dispensers. These items are required for her trip to an orphanage in Nicaragua next month.
Guest Speaker: David Moore introduced Dr Gezahgn Wordofa who told us about his life’s work helping those in need. Geza was born in Ethiopia into a family of 8 brothers and 4 sisters in Nazret, a village near Addis Ababa. Gezahgn received his university education in Russia in the field of agriculture and animal science. This was followed up with a PhD in International Relations and Refugee Affairs from the Russian Humanitarian State University in Moscow in 2004. Geza worked to assist refugees and asylum seekers in Russia. He worked with Russian officials to find food, accommodation, education and health services for claimants. This is difficult in Russia with the rampant corruption requiring payoffs in order to provide food and clothing.
A video was shown which depicted refugees receiving food and clothing at a Christmas function at the Ethiopian Embassy.
After marrying his wife Nicole, a Stratford native, the family moved to Canada and eventually to Stratford.
To find out more about his work visit www.drgeza.org
Geza is a potential new member to Rotary and was thanked by Elaine Anderson.