Durham-Great Bay Rotary - Newsletter - Archive (Oct 21, 2009)

Rhianna J Briefly described how much she enjoyed and learned from her experience at St Paul's summer program. Among other things, she learned about artificial intelligence visiting MIT's Lincoln Labs, explored a trial college essay, and had a most interesting college fair. The recreation program was active with participation in squash and dance. She loved the close living in the dorm.

Pres Rich Was contacted by Joe Baradi (Tm Ldr, Philippine GSE) with good news about the team surviving the cyclone and tornadoes.

Attending Membership Seminar in Portland next Wednesday. John B will conduct the meeting.

Sean Roadside cleanup yielded more than 80 bags - what a mess - between Rte 4 and Rte 152. One passerby gave Dave L a loaf of bread and $5. Someone appreciates all the labor.

Bill D Assigned more names of former members and businesses to us for contact in our membership drive.

Happy Bucks:

Brian One late buck and one for roadside cleanup.

Sean Roadside cleanup

Bill D His Honor Flight trip last weekend with WW II survivors with thanks to the UNH students who accompanied and assisted them.

Candace [Could this have been a late buck?]

Pres Rich Roadside cleanup, took his father back to his home of 59 years for his last item, and watdhed the Patriots slaughter the Titans.

Bob McD Roadside cleanup

Joe P Scooter buck, and Sarah is on the last leg of med school

Madiha Reminder that Growing Places is having their 2nd annual fund raiser auction on November 7th.

Warren Ballet performance at UNH, the roadside cleanup, and the launch of the Durham Republican Club. [Sure to be a very small group; Warren may be a bit like the Maytag repair man.]

Henry Being later than Brian.

Arthur & Susie Being grandparents of a baby girl.

Program:

Susan Hollinger, Grounds for Health - Tanzania

Susan is a nurse practitioner in the field of woman's and reproductive health. She told us about her weeks in Tanzania screening for cervical cancer and other diseases.

Susan feels privileged to live in the United States - working in the Third World makes our lives seem so unreal. Her work there is sponsored by Grounds for Health begun by Green Mountain Coffee. The company buys from small growers in the equatorial mountains, and learned of the dire need for medical care there. The project sets up cervical cancer screening clinics and relies on the small coffee growers to get their people there.

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death in the developing countries. It is caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). A very fragile area, the cervix's surface cells can be damaged by irritation and are not able to repair themselves. Left untreated, this irritation can lead to cancer.

The death rate is so high becuase of:

- lack of medical facilities

- lack of pathology laboratories with reasonable turnaround times (the nearest lab is in Nairobi or across the border in Kenya)

- lack of health infrastructure for screening and treatment

- lack of awareness of it as a preventable disease

In Tanzania, treatment focuses on immediate followup in the same visit. The cure is vinegar and CO₂ (CO₂ is available whereever there are gas cylinders for Coke). In the clinics, the project team trained native men and women to continue the work.

A couple of interesting observations while she was there: the men fish at night shining lights into the water to attract the fish; and all of the local forests had been cut down for firewood.

Megabucks:

Unknown, but the small pot rolled over.

Upcoming Programs:

Oct 28 Maggie Stier, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Nov 4 Steve Reno, Former USNH Chancellor

Nov 11 (Alumni Center is closed)

Scribe and Prayer

Oct 28 Ric and Ric

Nov 4 Anon and Jo-Anne

Your Scribe: Arthur