RadioRotary

Jonah Triebwasser interviews five people who are working to do good in the world in different ways. Jenny Da Rin, Assistant Director General for the Education and Health Branch of AusAID, an Australian government program with many of the same goals as the Rotary Foundation. Rotarian Tam Mustapha (Kinderhook Tri-Village Clun, NY), attending the convention, tells Jonah about the expansion of the Rotary Learning Institute (RLI), which now teaches Rotary knowledge and leadership on all continents except Antarctica. Claire Munroe from Rotary International tells of the success—99% complete—in eliminating polio. Chicago-area Rotarian Margarita Hewko discuss the Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group (WASRAG), which is building hundreds of projects such as well and water filtration around the world. Kathy Putz tells Jonah about Room to Read, which promotes girl’s literacy in Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and South Africa.

Jonah Triebwasser interviews seven Rotarians from Australia, England, the United States, and Papua New Guinea about international projects that include Our Rainbow House, which educated orphans and other vulnerable children in Zambia; the Guilford Eye Project, which helps prevent and cure eye diseases in India and Nigeria; the Asia-Pacific Center for Neuromodulation, which employs deep-brain stimulation to combat Parkinson’s disease and other brain illnesses; Crutches 4 Africa; the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia; Project Peanut Butter, which supplies ready-to-use therapeutic food to famine-struck regions; and Rotarians Against Malaria (PNG), which distributes treated mosquito netting in Papua New Guinea.

The guest on this week’s show was Pleasant Valley Rotary President and RN Kathy Kruger, who describes Rotaplast (Rotary + Plastic Surgery), a program that heals children with cleft palate or cleft lip around the world. Cleft palate is literally a hole in the roof of the mouth and cleft lip is one or two splits in the lip, which may extend all the way up a child’s face. A Rotaplast team of usually 15 professional surgeons, dentists, and nurses supported by another 15 nonprofessional volunteers travels to a third-world country where they are supported by a local Rotary club as they perform the operations over a 2- to 3-week period. Kathy tells also of her experience from a 2007 trip to the Philippines where she was a nurse volunteer, and concludes the interview by reading a remarkable thank-you letter from one the children served.

Past Rotary International President Bill Boyd tells Radio Rotary Co-Host Jonah Triebwasser about WASRAG, the Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group. Securing an adequate supply of drinkable water is one of six Rotary areas of focus that affects all the rest—fighting disease, saving mothers and children, growing local economies, promoting peace (wars have been fought over water), even literacy, since the time that young girls need to spend fetching water, often from miles away, keeps them out of school. PP Boyd noted that although sanitation is not glamorous, it is one of the easies ways for Rotarians to do good in the world—by providing latrines. In other interviews, Kerry Kornhauser describes the organization Women in Rotary and her work with Violence Free Families; Mark McNally discusses the Thousand Smiles Foundation, now in its 29th year of doing surgery to correct cleft lips an palates and also improving dental hygiene; while John Sweet and his group provides vaccinations.

The RadioRotary co-hosts interview Hudson Solar Project Manager Christina Bagen about home solar-power installations. Solar panels used today capture energy from the sun and convert it to direct-current electricity; a device called an inverter then changes the power to alternating current for household or commercial use. Today solar panels are relatively inexpensive because of government grants and tax breaks; they pay for themselves by reducing or eliminating electric bills within seven to ten years. Ms. Bagen describes the process a homeowner can use to get estimates or to have installations of solar power.

Co-Host, Jonah Triebwasser traveled to Sydney, Australia, for the Rotary International Annual Convention, where he taped many interesting interviews. For a starter, here are five of the subjects: Rotarian D. Bob Scott, chair of Rotary’s, describes how this campaign, in conjunction with WHO, UNICEF, the CDC, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has reduced the number of countries where polio is endemic from 125 to 3. California Rotarian Sheila Hurst tells about the Kenya Smiles Rotary Internationals Global Grant that is improving oral health of children in Kenya. The president of the Monroe-Woodbury Rotary Club, Patricia Green, describes Project Amigo, which is providing scholarships for students in Colimas State, Mexico, and also other activities of the Monroe-Woodbury Club. Two Interact students from San Jose, California, describe that club’s many activities. And Dr. Subrahmanyam Ganesh reports on the Jaipur Limb.

Jackie Rose, executive director of Dutchess County SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) describes the facilities and activities of this nonprofit corporation. Located in Hyde Park, the DCSPCA provides humane law enforcement for the Country and a shelter for about 250 pets, including not only dogs and cats but also “pocket pets” such as hamsters, guinea pigs, or ferrets. The shelter houses homeless, abandoned, or abused animals, or animals donated by owners who can no longer care for them, and seeks to have the animals matched with appropriate families that can provide a “forever home.” In addition to the shelter, DCSPCA also provides low-cost medical services, as well as a cemetery and a crematorium. Primarily funded by donations, DCSPCA also runs a gold tournament annually and a “canine circus” called Paws in the Park Petwalk.

RadioRotary co-host Sarah O’Connell interviews Attorney Kyle Steller of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley and Kathy Sheehan, a social worker from the Mediation Center of Dutchess County about the Coalition on Elder Abuse in Dutchess County. The Mediation Center started the Coalition, which melds social services, local churches, Country law enforcement and health services, other law enforcement agencies, and several banks. The Mediation Center obtained a grant from Dutchess County to coordinate and put together this coalition. The coalition is using grant funds to support outreach to groups to raise awareness of issue and of resources available. When a call comes in to one of the agencies to report an elder-abuse problem, Steller and Sheehan confer on the best way to handle the problem, then provide the caller with the appropriate agency to contact. For example, the Legal Services can revoke powers of attorney, recover money for small claims, and provide similar help.

Authors Bryan Bunch (Millbrook Rotary), Jim Holmgren, and Evan Pritchard discuss the sixth Millbrook Literary Festival with host Jonah Triebwasser. Holmgren, a novelist whose future fiction novel describes the world in 2076, will host a panel of mystery writers under the heading “Who Did It? We did it!” Even Pritichard, poet and historian, who has been declared “king of the poets” for the Festival, will not only lead a panel discussion pitting nature poets against city poets, but also will be part of a “Poet’s Corner” at the Millbrook Library, where poets will read or recite through the festival. Other highlights include an illustration workshop for children at Merritt Books and Toys, panel discussions on historical fiction, journalism, creation of a book, and the history of the Hudson Valley.

Dr. Frank Bourke, executive director of the PTSD Research and Recognition Project, explains the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a curable mental illness that is best known for affecting veterans of brutal wars, but also can change the lives of people who experience any kind of serious trauma from sources such as auto accidents or crimes. The principal symptoms are terrifying nightmares and flashbacks brought on by experiences that resemble the initial trauma. PTSD cannot be cured by drugs and ordinary therapy is only effective about 35% of the time. The Research and Recognition Project has developed a technique Dr. Bourke calls “reconsolidation of traumatic memories,” which is based on disconnecting the traumatic memory from its emotional response.

Rotarian Lou Trapani (Rhinebeck), Artistic and Managing Director of The Center for the Performing Arts, located a short distance east of Rhinebeck, NY, is interviewed by co-hosts Jonah Triebwasser and Sarah O’Connell, both former performers themselves. The Center began as a project of the Rhinebeck Theater Society and was first (1994) housed in a tent, with the permanent building, known as “the Barn,” opening in 1998. It is now open 360 days a year and houses productions of several theater companies as well as a summer arts day camp and a teen musical theater called “Kids on Stage.” Other productions include a choreographer’s showcase and a jazz weekend.

Author and columnist Anthony Musso returns to the RadioRotary microphones to discuss volume 2 of his Hidden Treasures of the Hudson Valley, a treasury of 55 sites in the 8-country mid-Hudson region. Here are a few of the sites covered: The Beekman Arms, oldest continuing restaurant; the world’s largest church pipe organ at the Cadet Chapel at West Point; St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia, with two Tiffany windows; Troutbeck, where the NAACP was founded; Dapplemere Farm, the home of presidential candidate Thomas Dewey; the Elephant Hotel, where the American circus got its start; and Harvest Homestead Farm, the secret distillery run by gangster Dutch Schultz. Each of the sites is illustrated with contemporary photography and the essential information about locations, hours, and entrance fees (if any—most are free) is provided in the book.

Rotarian Colleen Mountford (Kingston Sunrise Club) describes the Patriot’s Project that will house homeless veterans in a renovated mansion in Kingston starting in July. Both the Kingston Sunrise and Kingston Noontime clubs as well as contributions from all Rotary clubs in Ulster County have supported the project. It began in 2012 when Ulster County Executive Mike Hein proposed turning a former group home into transitional housing for veterans. The project required, and got, legislation passed by New York State to make it feasible, then began to raise money from the Country’s sale of the SUNY Ulster President’s home and various private sources. When complete, the facility will provide temporary housing of three to six months for homeless veterans as well as counseling on acquiring a job and a path through the paperwork needed to obtain further assistance if needed. Donations are still needed.

RadioRotary co-hosts interview incoming District Governor Penny Byron (Rotary Year 2014-15), who describes her work with District 7210, which includes 62 clubs at various locations in the eight Mid-Hudson counties that make up the District—Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster. District 7210 actually extends beyond the Mid-Hudson, however, for one of the 62 clubs is the E-Club, the first in Rotary International; its members can be located anywhere in the world and several are international members, although most live here in the Hudson Valley but attend meetings online. Another distinction for the District is that one of its past District Governors, Knut Johnsen, occupies Rotary’s seat at the United Nations. RadioRotary itself is a third unique asset of the District. Ms. Byron, whose home club is Patterson, began her journey toward District Governor in 4H, then moved on to Rotary where she has been active at both the Club and District levels.

Terry Laibach, an environmental specialist concerned largely with solid waste who works with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, discusses the economics and environmental impact of the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. While the United States has 4 percent of the world’s population, it produces 25% of the world’s solid waste. At one time, the solution to this waste burden was to burn it, with poor consequences for the environment. Today about 80 percent of such waste can be eliminated, and in this program Ms. Laibach gives a number of tips on ways to do just that.