Doug Vincent speaks on the United Nations

PDG Art Wing introduced today's speaker PDG Doug Vincent who has a 27 year perfect attendance record with his Club.  He is a consultant/speaker on Family Business Relationships and combines his interests in travel and toys into a "Tiny Toys" marketing enterprise. Doug is involved with his Church, the United Way and is a past Police Commissioner. He is an Honorary Colonel of the Philippines Police and travels extensively in the name of Rotary. Doug is a soft spoken Canadian who can see what needs to be done and then makes things happen.

He spoke about the great work of Rotary around the world, through a "Power of One" theme, as well as our long standing partnership with the United Nations.

The Power of One starts in the local community with individual members, moving to the Club President, the Governor , RI Committees and staff, then ultimately to the RI President in an inverted triangle.  He refered to Rotary's organizational structure as an "upside down pyramid" of what we usually see in the corporate world.

GSE, Polio Plus, Easter Seals, Probus Canada, UNESCO and the United Nations were all started by a single Rotarians and friends who shared their ideas.  Polio inoculation began as a single community project and is now the largest World Health organization initiative known to mankind. Probus started and was promoted as an idea of a Cambridge Rotarian.

The United Nations started with the help of 49 Rotarians in 1945 at their first meeting in San Fransisco. That is why Rotary has the highest official NGO status at the UN.

Rotary has the proven ability to mobilize successful campaigns such as polio eradication, clean water supply and literacy initiatives.  This is why Rotarians are important partners for the UN.  UN leaders feel that World Leaders are not Heads of State or Ambassadors, but Community Leaders in every towcan, city and village of their member countries.  This fits the profile of a Rotarian, who can make things happen.

The UN wishes that each of us could hold our governments and service providers more accountable for their decisions and actions. Otherwise, nothing can happen at the UN without the power of the people, the power of each one.  CRCID (Canadian Rotary Collaboration for Internatinoal Development) also financially supports many of our Rotary humanitarian efforts.

Manila, The Philippines desperately needed sanitation and clean water for their shanty town communities. By building water pump stations, access to hygiene, health, life came from the availability of clean water. Prior to that water came by buckets carried for an hour and a half from a distant town.

Feeding and educating malnourished children came about through the power of matching grants and the concept of building sustainability by teaching how to grow and care for crops. By buying implements and seeds, teaching children and others how to cultivate gardens, harvest and preserve their crops sustainable nutrition happens. With an individual club contribution of $500. and the power of matching grants, a $6,000. budget was realized and used to build sustainability. Data proves that by improving the physical conditions of a child their school grades improve dramatically. 85 children hugged and kissed Doug as the Icon of help, hope and healing.

In the Aeta Tribal Village he was welcomed by the Chief. Their homes were not much more than a thatched roof shelter with a fire ring. A local watering hole was used for bathing and cooking. With $4,000 a well was dug, providing fresh clean water for the village.

Doug gave a visible lesson on how Matching Grants grow like Magic with the able participation of Liz Palmieri and Chris Bangham. $5.00 became $20.00 in no time at all.

Through his magical skill  $5.00 from a Club, matched by $5.00 from DDF =$10, and when matched by Rotary Foundation . . . voila! . . $20. 

The Wheel Chair Distribution creates dignity and freedom by providing mobility. 254 wheel chairs at a final cost of $42,000 with an initial Club ante of $6,000 provides tremendous freedom opportunities for so many.  Both our Rotary Foundation and the Wheel Chair Foundation contribute matching funds to cover the balance.

Doug showed some Child Care development Centers in South Africa, a reality where grandparents care for the orphaned children. Ten years from now when the grannies are gone, they will be left with a group of twenty year olds without family supports. A tragedy in the making, Doug predicts.

Hospitals and people in Mexico benefit from medicines and supplies through our Rotary Foundation. A $10,000 contribution gave eyesight to 84 people at a cost of $132. per person. Doug expressed much emotion telling how he observed an 89 year old lady, who benefited from eye surgery, see her grandchildren for the first time, when the eye patches were removed.

You are the "Power of One"
through  Rotary, in over 200 countries,
One friendship at a time.

Brian St. Hillier thanked Doug for his informative and educational presentation and for clearly showing how the Foundation works and the appeal of matching grants.

President Rick thanked Doug for bringing Rotary alive and presented him with a certificate of appreciation and contribution to the Literacy efforts.