Interactors Attend Jan Club Meeting to Receive Appreciation Club Banners for La Paz Project

Rotary Santa Maria South's Club President Ken Parker and President-Elect Nominee Peter Garcia presented an overview of the Club's Rotary District grant project in La Paz at the January 27, 2014 meeting. Rotary South has been partnering with the Rotario de la Paz Club for ten years now, providing a shade structure, classroom paint and supplies, sports equipment and sewing machines and fabric for village single moms. Last year, the Club spearheaded a joint La Paz project to build a 20-station computer lab and provide software and other school support. Rotary Club partners in the grant effort include the Santa Maria Rotary Club, Nipomo Rotary, Rotary Club of Redondo Beach, and the Rotario de la Paz Club. In October, Ken and Peter travelled to La Paz to monitor grant progress. Computer stations had been installed, but needed still to be bolted to the ground and the fiber connection had been lost due to an "errant tractor" incident, but all was being ameliorated and the project was moving forward.

As part of the program, Peter recognized the Orcutt Academy High School (OAHS) Interact Club which provided $500 for school supplies to the school, supplemented with $250 from Rotary Santa Maria South. Students had raised the money from Orcutt Academy High students donating for school supplies for the La Paz village students. Ken and Peter had received two Rotary club banners from the Roario de la Paz club and presented one of the club banners to OAHS Interactors Christian Fernandez and Jordan Bashline. OAHS instructor and Interact Club Advisor Phil Norton attended the Club meeting with the Interactors.