AWESOME
Wyevale couple help bring clean water to homes in Dominican Republic as part of an international water project
Posted By CHRISTINA BERNARDO
Posted 1 year ago
It's awesome to give to those in need, say Wyevale couple and Rotarians Liz and Don Stewart. The couple recently returned from a week trip to Puerto Plata and Santiago, Dominican Republic as members of the Penetanguishene and Markdale Rotary Clubs.
They were in the Dominican to overlook a water project, said Don.
"We were down with the international water project in which they're placing bio sand water filters into homes to ensure these people have a chance to live. The water is so filthy there they're drinking raw sewage," he said.
Liz said the couple were involved in the very first plastic bio sand filter project in the Dominican in 2007.
"Prior to that any sand filters that they had were concrete, which weighted 250 pounds plus all the gravel and sand that has to go in them to filter," she added.
These filters were seven pounds each "and much easier to get up to the mountains like a child could carry one.
"Several times we went to see filters that were installed about a year ago. This year we went to visit some homes in very poor areas where we could see the filters in action," said Liz.
The filters help cut down the parasites and bacteria in the water.
"We were stopped on the street by a man and he was ever so thankful. He said you're saving my family and my town because of these water filters'. It gets rid of 97 per cent of all the bacteria and parasites in the water," said Don.
The purpose of the trip was also to get more ideas on how international Rotarians could alleviate the Dominicans' hardships.
"We went on an overnight to Santiago, so that the Rotarians there could give us a tour of the projects that they are involved in and possibly gain support from Rotary Clubs in Canada and the United States," said Liz.
Fifty-seven Rotarians from Canada and the United States went to the Dominican.
Liz said Rotary has donated 18,000 water filters over that last five years, which are shipped by Rotary International and International Aid.
"I guess we wanted to learn where they're going from here. There's not enough Rotarians now to keep their eye on these filters," she said. "So they hire non-governmental organizations to monitor that these filters are being used properly and kept clean."
That week the couple also helped paint a school as well as distribute school supplies, fabric, ball caps and t-shirts.
"This was our third project in the Dominican together," she said. "This year we also had four people go along with us."
Gerry Light, Lloyd and Jeanette Kienapple of the Penetanguishene club, and Linda Bowler of the Markdale club accompanied the couple.
The couple now will wear their Rotary vests and fly to Nigeria.
They will be part of a team of 20 Rotarians from Canada and United States who will administer polio immunizations to children under the age of five from March 22 until April 3.
It's anticipated up to 5,000 immunizations will be administered, said Don.
"They generally administer vitamin A along with this because these children are in such bad shape physically that this really seems to boost their health," said Liz.
This will be the couple's first time in the African country and to administer immunizations.
"We're so excited because our motto in Rotary is service above self ', and to me this is probably the greatest opportunity we've had to provide service elsewhere," she said. "We have the opportunity to save thousands and thousands of children from polio."
"I've been with rotary for a number of years, a lot longer than my wife has, and this is some-thing we look forward to," added Don.
Don has been a Rotarian for more than 20 years, as a member of clubs in Woodstock and currently Markdale. He is a retired Woodstock fire chief.
"I've been a member of various service clubs and I was taken with the projects the Rotary Club did. One-hundred per cent of every donation that goes to Rotary goes to the places it supposed to go. There's no administration fees."
Liz has been a member of the Rotary Club of Penetanguishene for three years.
"I wanted to give something back," she said. The couple say the camaraderie, fellowship
and opportunities to serve locally and globally are the best parts of being a Rotarian.
