Norfolk Sunrise News
ARIZONA CLUB RECOGNIZES NORFOLK SUNRISE ROTARIAN AND WIFE.JPG)
Rotarian Jim and Linda Peters were each honoured with a Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the Rotary Club of Fountain Hills, Arizona. The presentation took place recently at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise.
Jim and Linda have been very active over the past decade raising funds and building the partnerships needed to establish micro-lending organizations in Mexico and Ecuador. The Rotary Club of Fountain Hills is one of their partners, involved with the two micro-lending organizations in Nogales and Hermosillo, Mexico.
In a letter received from Wayne Rish, a member of the Fountain Hills Club, the writer explains, “With the money you have raised and the matching dollars we have received from The Rotary Foundation, our project has been able to extend small loans to hundreds of borrowers who have been successful with their own small businesses … the successful experience has given these borrowers pride, confidence and business skills to provide realistic longer term hope for their financial future … You have truly helped ‘Dreams Come True’ for hundreds of families in Mexico." Click on Read more...
Jim and Linda have raised funds from individuals, from the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise, and from other Rotary Clubs in Ontario for these projects. When combined with grants from The Rotary Foundation, from our Rotary District 7090, and partnering Rotary Clubs in Arizona, the Nogales lending organization has a total of $250,000 capital to lend now, and is considered fully sustainable on its own. The Hermosillo organization has almost $93,000 in capital, which is not yet entirely sustainable.
Jim and Linda have also led the establishment of two similar micro-lending organizations in Ecuador. The organizations operate much like a co-operative or a local credit union, claiming a 98% success rate among borrowers over the past 5 years. About 85% of the borrowers have been women with small children.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
The Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise hosted a Breakfast With Santa on Saturday, December 6. Breakfast was prepared and served to approximately 200 people in Simcoe, Ontario. Santa was present, with bells on, to delight the children. Several elves were also present to help Santa.
In photo are: Rotarian Elf Peter and Beth Wheatley, with grandchildren and the Jolly Old Santa himself, Rotarian Steve Malo. Donations made will support the Simcoe Panorama - the famous Christmas festival of lights throughout the park system in Simcoe.