Chimbote Project Update by Pook Grathwol
Posted by Steve Frazier
on Jul 26, 2011
Our meeting on July 26th was an update on our club's international projects in Chimbote, Peru. Speaker was former club president Pook Grathwol.
It all started when the Grathwol kids each decided to spend a year as an exchange student. Pook in '79-'80 was a student in Bolivia, and on her way back to the US detoured to visit a friend in Chimbote, Peru, a seaside town of about 500,000 people. When there, she visited some of the slums and was astounded by the poverty. Through the years, she maintained contact with townspeople, including Father Jack Davis, a priest missionary from Fargo, ND who has helped the poor of Chimbote since the 1970s. On a visit to the town in the '90s, she found some projects that could be done by Rotary Clubs, and returned to Excelsior and presented the ideas to the club. Our club responded by collecting medical equipment and supplies that were sent to equip a clinic in the center of the poorest area. Our next project was the establishment of libraries in the area. A main library and five branches were equipped and are operating today allowing children and adults to get books to read to improve their education. There are no other libraries in the area. Because of the family participation in the project (Pook's mother selected the books, her father Jim and Pook handled the shipment), the library is named after the Grathwol family.
To date, through the efforts of Rotary Clubs in our area, and matches from RI, over $200,000 has been sent to help the area. The Chanhassen Club has taken over our lead in the projects, and they continue to collect medical supplies and equipment for shipment, and they have a scholarship program to send students on for more education. Bob Schmidt, former member/president of our club is still very active in this program.
It all started when the Grathwol kids each decided to spend a year as an exchange student. Pook in '79-'80 was a student in Bolivia, and on her way back to the US detoured to visit a friend in Chimbote, Peru, a seaside town of about 500,000 people. When there, she visited some of the slums and was astounded by the poverty. Through the years, she maintained contact with townspeople, including Father Jack Davis, a priest missionary from Fargo, ND who has helped the poor of Chimbote since the 1970s. On a visit to the town in the '90s, she found some projects that could be done by Rotary Clubs, and returned to Excelsior and presented the ideas to the club. Our club responded by collecting medical equipment and supplies that were sent to equip a clinic in the center of the poorest area. Our next project was the establishment of libraries in the area. A main library and five branches were equipped and are operating today allowing children and adults to get books to read to improve their education. There are no other libraries in the area. Because of the family participation in the project (Pook's mother selected the books, her father Jim and Pook handled the shipment), the library is named after the Grathwol family.
To date, through the efforts of Rotary Clubs in our area, and matches from RI, over $200,000 has been sent to help the area. The Chanhassen Club has taken over our lead in the projects, and they continue to collect medical supplies and equipment for shipment, and they have a scholarship program to send students on for more education. Bob Schmidt, former member/president of our club is still very active in this program.
(Pictured here is Pook speaking with Dick Glover and with Gary Thompson and his guest from Mexico)
(Story by Tad shaw and poto and posting by Steve Frazier)