Weekly eBulletin: February 12, 2014

The Redondo Beach State of the City address will be delivered by Rotarian and Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel on Feb. 21st at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  Cost is $40 per person with a $4 parking fee.  Steve is trying to get a Rotary table and President Karen announced we still need one more sign up for a table of 10.
 

President Karen reminded us that April 12th is a district-wide "Community Service Day."  Galina is heading this "hands on" community project.

Casino Night - March 1st at the Toyota Automotive Museum.  See Rolando Andrade and Larry Hashimoto.  The Wall of Wine Donations need to be delivered to the club no later than Feb. 20 as that is the last date for the Early Bird rate.  Send auction forms to Laura Fields at lafsweep@hotmail.com, And remember, February 20th is the last day for graphic files to be sent to Colette Paul for Casino Night graphics.

PDG Eli Gauna and PDG Rick Mendoza, Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator 2013-2014, Rotary International - Zone 26, presented several Paul Harris Fellow awards.(from left) PDG Eli Gauna, Terry Bichlmeier +4, Alexis Sheehy, Norman Hantzsche, Karen Weigel +4, Jim Sheehy and PDG Rick Mendoza. Not shown James Jackman +4 and Jeff Weigel.

Five members of our club were honored as sustaining members of The Rotary Foundation.  These individuals give at least $1000 per year to the Foundation: (from left): PDG  Chuck Anderson, PDG Rick Mendoza, PDG Eli Gauna, PDG Patrick Cashin and Jim Chen.

Luncheon speaker, Norman Hantzsche spoke today about the club's water project in Fiji.  A professional water resources and environmental engineer, Norm was club President Karen Weigel's seat-mate on a flight to LaPaz, Mexico a few years ago.  Karen and Norm soon found common interest when the conversation turned to water projects. 

Norman Hantzsche presented a professional overview of the club's water and sanitation projects on the island of Taveuni in Fiji.

Ever alert to possibilities Karen invited Norn to visit South Pacific island of Taveuni to help with water and sanitation in rural villages - communities with no access to government water, sanitation or power services. He accepted and has now visited the island three years in a row. His interest is understandable: Norm is the president and managing engineer of Questa Engineering Corporation, a water resources and environmental engineering firm he founded in 1983.

Working closely with Norm for technical direction, the Redondo Beach Rotary Club has created, sponsored and found funding sources for three years of water and sanitation projects.  Funding sources include partner clubs, the Rotary Pacific Water Foundation, district support and an RI matching grant. Two years ago an apprenticeship program was instituted which leads to "ownership, pride and sustainability of the projects," said Jeff Weigel, who introduced Hantzsche.

Fijians did all the work on the spring boxes, catchment basins and bio-sand filtration systems. "Now they have pride of ownership," said Jeff Weigel.

"Last summer we helped 20 Fijian village leaders build or repair five spring source catchment basins, one new storage tank and six large bio-sand filter systems - each capable of serving up to 150 students or ten households," said Hantzsche. "There are lots of water springs on Taveuni, but the problem they have is keeping the water clean once it comes out of the ground. So we helped them build the spring boxes which separate out spring water from surface water and biosand filters to remove and bacteria that finds its way in.

Norm Hantzsche (4th from left) and Karen Weigel (6th from left) pose with  completed bio-sand filters.	Group photo of Fijian apprentices with certificates of completion from the Taveuni Water Project & Apprenticeship Program..

"Bio-sand filters, have been around for 150 years," he said, "Since the filter element is properly cleaned and sorted Fiji sand, labor content is high, but both construction and maintenance costs are low - a perfect match for Taveuni.  A fully installed filter, capable of servicing 10 households costs less than $250 per installation. There are no material costs - only labor associated with filter cleaning. These systems filter out bacteriological water borne diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid.

President Karen Weigel presented an honorary Paul Harris Fellow to luncheon speaker Norman Hantzsche, in recognition of the volunteer work he has done to assist the club's water and sanitation projects.

"In October 20 community leaders - working together in each other's communities, build six bio-sand filters and one new storage tank, and five spring catchment basins. We provided training, advise and materials - then watched communities take ownership in their new systems. Now 20 program participants know how their systems were built and how they work.  These systems are understandable and well suited for small communities as in Fiji," Norm said.